A portable WiFi changes the way people consume data while travelling, writes Izwan Ismail
HAVING a mobile WiFi has become one of the necessities for those who travel regularly, be it for leisure or business. Being a journalist who is always on the go, I find not having constant Internet connectivity inconvenient.
There are my personal and work social media accounts which I need to constantly update with stories to post, and also maintain communications with the office and my loved ones, usually via WhatsApp, Telegram, IG, email, etc.
There is no denying that without constant data connection, life isn’t as exciting as it should be. I believe it is true for almost everybody in this connected world.
No holiday today is complete without the availability of a good WiFi connection, and as any avid traveller knows, free and reliable WiFi can be a challenge to find when moving from one destination to the next.
Besides that, exorbitant data roaming costs have also become a bane for travellers, which is why more convenient and cost-effective solutions like portable WiFi hotspot (or Pocket WiFi) services have become increasingly popular since their introduction to the market.
My first experience with pocket WiFis was about two years ago when I was on vacation with my family in Japan. The Airbnb owner, instead of providing a fixed WiFi at home, gave me a pocket WiFi which could be shared with multiple devices. It was a pretty cool technology to have as with it, one could have Internet connectivity anywhere without having to subscribe to a local number.
Recently, I was introduced to Roamingman (www.roamingman.my), a pocket WiFi device and service provider that has a service counter at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and KLIA 2.
THE DEVICE
The Roamingman pocket WiFi looks like a slim power bank at a glance. It’s light, palm-sized and fits easily in your trouser pocket, handbag or haversack. You don’t even feel that you’re carrying one due to its design.
Using it is simple. You just need to charge the device before using it — charge using a USB cable just like you charge your smartphone. Once it is fully charged, turn it on and connect to it like how you connect to a hotspot. There is a SSID name and a password printed at the back of the device. Once you have keyed in the SSID and password, you’re good to go.
Roamingman uses advanced CloudSIM technology that auto connects to the fastest network available in the country you’re visiting.
COVERAGE AND USAGE
But what if the country you plan to visit has no Roamingman coverage? Worry not as Roamingman now has coverage in 138 countries and regions. Chances are the country that you will be visiting is covered by the service. You can always go to their website and check out the countries and regions covered by the service and you can also estimate how much you will have to pay based on the number of days you plan to use it overseas. The rental starts from as low as RM12 per day, depending on the country and region you plan to visit.
You can book it online via the website and fill in your details, collect the device at the airport (KLIA and KLIA 2) at Roamingman 24/7 counter before you depart and return it once you get back. Currently, Roamingman doesn’t take any deposit for the device.
Expensive? No. Since the device can be shared with up to five devices, this means you are only paying a fraction of the price, which is much cheaper than taking a local SIM card or using mobile data from your mobile service provider.
Roaming Man’s Pocket WiFi also offers up to 3GB of Internet per day at 4G speeds, which is significantly higher than that of local SIM cards or data roaming services — with a fixed daily rate and no hidden charges.
For me, a fixed daily rate of data when overseas gives a peace of mind, as I know I will not be charged an unthinkable amount of money when I return to Malaysia.
So far, the device is being used in countries like Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea and Hong Kong and all work well with fast connectivity and no hiccups.
CONCLUSION
If you plan to travel, especially with family members or friends, getting a pocket WiFi like Roamingman can save you from going through the hassle of getting a local SIM or paying exorbitant mobile roaming charges.