3UK Launches New Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Dongle

Mobile operator 3UK has announced that its new MiFi mobile dongle, featuring HSPA+ technology, will be available from September.

Built by Huawei, the E586 will harness 3’s 3G data network to create a Wi-Fi hotspot for laptops, tablets or games consoles, and  is capable of 21.1 Mbps download speed and 5.76 Mbps upload.

However, users will have to wait to experience its top speeds. Despite the E586 being 40 percent faster than 3’s previous MiFi offering, the company is still rolling out HSPA+ (evolved high speed packet access) across its network, with 80 percent expected to be upgraded by the end of 2011.

The E586 displays the level of data used and for how long, as well as the speed of the connection. It will also show Wi-Fi user names and passwords on screen at the touch of a button for easier pairing with new devices.

A revamped dashboard displays SMS and makes managing security settings more accessible. It also accepts a micro SD card including up to 32GB for file storage. There is no word yet on pricing.

4G on the horizon

UK telecoms regulator Ofcom will finally auction licences for 4G mobile spectrum in the first quarter of next year, expected to speed up mobile connections across the UK.

The UK is lagging behind the US and much of Europe in switching on 4G, after years of legal wrangles between the government and the major players.

Huawei intends to begin marketing its own brand of Android smartphones in the UK in September, after years as a white label producer for others. Its first handset will be the Blaze. The company hopes to secure 4 to 5 percent of the market within 12 months.

The news follows ZTE’s announcement in July that it too will begin selling own-brand handsets in the UK.