ALCATEL ONETOUCH made the Ride-Fi mobile 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot that is available exclusively from Sprint. With Ride-Fi, users can turn their car into a mobile hotspot connecting up to eight devices to 4G LTE Wi-Fi while also offering pass through charging for other devices via a USB port.
Ride-Fi uses Sprint’s nationwide 4G LTE networkl To use the device, all that is needed is a car 12V power socket (auxiliary power outlet or cigarette lighter port) to plug Ride-Fi into for power and your mobile Wi-Fi hotspot is ready to roll. Ride-Fi comes with enough bandwidth to support connecting up to eight devices in your car to the internet via Sprint’s nationwide 4G LTE network, and it also includes a USB 2.0 port for device charging.
For more advanced controls, Ride-Fi is also supported by the ALCATEL ONETOUCH Link App. With this app, users can setup and manage their network password, manage connected devices and permissions, as well as monitor data usage and connection speeds. The Link App also will let users set usage limits and control roaming data selection, and includes a user notification center where users are able review alerts such as recent billings for service.
The device costs $168.00 or can be paid for in monthly payments or it is free with contract. It is not clear how the data charges work, if you are Sprint customer. You get the device with a separate account with one GB of data for $30 a month.
DIMENSIONS: 136.4 x 34 x 12mm; weighing 52 grams
CONNECTIVITY: LTE Cat 4 up to 150Mbps B25/26/41; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, 2.4GHz (up to eight devices simultaneously)
CHIPSET: Qualcomm MDM9625 + AR6004
DISPLAY: Wi-Fi signal indicator; network indicator
INPUT: 12V-24VDC/2A
OUTPUT: 5V1A
ADDITIONAL INTERFACES: USB 2.0 Type A, 3FF Micro SIM