High-speed mobile broadband empowers you to get things done anywhere, any time. There are several ways to share mobile data between all your devices.
Many devices support both Wi-Fi and cellular data connections, with a slot for inserting a tiny SIM card. Alternatively, the iPad Pro’s Cellular models feature both a SIM card slot and an embedded Apple SIM.
If some of your devices lack mobile broadband access, or you’d rather consolidate your mobile services, there are other ways to stay connected.
Smartphone hotspots
Smartphones let you generate a temporary Wi-Fi network known as a “personal hotspot”. It shares your phone’s mobile data with your other Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
The trade-off is that you’re chewing through your smartphone’s mobile data allowance. Running a hotspot also takes its toll on your phone’s battery, so it might not be a practical all-day solution.
USB dongles
USB mobile broadband dongles are compatible with PCs and Macs, plugging into a USB port to draw power from your computer. They take a toll on your notebook’s battery, but not to the same degree as a personal hotspot does on your smartphone’s battery.
You can get a USB dongle on a monthly mobile plan or else use pre-paid data, sliding a SIM inside the dongle. Alternatively, it might be able to share in your business’ monthly mobile data pool.
The downside is that a dongle can only offer internet access to one device at a time and it can’t connect to an Apple or Android tablet.
Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots
Palm-sized mobile Wi-Fi hotspots feature a built-in battery and room for a SIM card. You can share this mobile data with your other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. They recharge via a micro USB port, with the option to draw power from your computer’s USB ports.
As with a USB dongle, a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot offers the choice of pre-paid or post-paid data. You have the option to share in your business’ monthly mobile data pool. They’re designed to support more simultaneous devices than a personal hotspot running on your smartphone.
