MTN Vs Airtel Vs Africell & Smile, which telco offers the most reliable MIFI routers

Back in the day, internet modem/dongles had a top spot as the ultimate gateways to the internet. However, as internet prices continue to hover down to the bottom line, the need for a stable internet gateway checks-in as a remedy to the ultimate 4G bands. While top telcos like Airtel, MTN and Africell advertise MiFi routers on the line per quarter, The bid for a reliable MIFI router may require you to pull off some Technical analysis before approving your purchase.

Mobile Wifi (MIFI) routers are usually evidenced in the Huawei brand as Airtel, Tangerine, and Africell have similar custom-designed devices all competing for the top slot. However, we take a look at some of the MIFI routers available on the market including with consideration of which version pumps more reliable signals than the other.

The Design

Around the globe, MIFI routers are always slim and are never bulk as compared to the CPE wireless routers. However, various telecom companies pose different designs for custom made versions. Just like Smile Telecom’s Franklin MIFI range with sharp square like borders. Airtel ‘s 4G MIFI, on the other hand, features curved designs that closely compare with the MTN & Africell versions.

Design wise, Smile’s Franklin MiFi routers simply hold their own caliber of looks. Although, Tangerine, MTN & Africell have the same exact MIFI’s sold in their respective dealer shops popping up with 2 solid green lights. You can barely ignore the fact that all these routers have excellent designs with Airtel redefining the pocket-friendly rythm with only small sizes versions available.

Reliability & Users supported

MIFI routers were initially designed to support only a few devices replacing the bulk Wireless routers like the Cisco Linksys that supported hundreds of users on a single hotspot. While a majority of the available devices support between 10-15 users on a single hotspot. Maximised versions can support up to 32 users or more depending on the manufacturer. We, therefore, took an extra step to find out the number of users Telecom company MiFi routers can support together with their model numbers as below.

Reliability wise, Smile’s Franklin router consumes more battery power than other competitive brands allied to its inefficient backlight display screen. Henceforth, any MiFi router with a backlight screen is more of a battery crocodile if not optimized well via the device dashboard. Perhaps, all stated MiFi routers are extremely reliable with steady WIFI signals towing around the zombie zones. Not leaving out the fact that all top operators offer 4G services. Your ultimate chance on a non-screen router can turn the internet into your wild hunt.

The User Interface & Speeds

Back in the day, managing a router was a story for the network Gurus with lots of routing protocols installed to the gateways for proper internet connectivity. However, coding settings to routers seems to be a story of the past as all MIFI routers feature GUI interfaces for secure configurations adding on the Zeroed cost to connect. Comparing the Franklin dashboard to the Huawei Powered rival MiFi devices, efficiency and compatibility come in check with both DNS and IP address methods available for full access.

A basic MIFI router tends to pump approximately 150 Mbps with a stable 3G/4G connection within its drone zones. However, the story may seem different beneath all telecom MiFi routers since speeds are capped on a per sim card installed basis. But then, we tested all devices with their respective 4G sim cards and the results were no way different from the data package capped speeds ranging between 1-5Mbps. Henceforth, all devices provide the same exact speeds factored in by the kind of sim card inserted and data packages activated.

How about the Price?

Smile Telecom previously embarked on paying OTT tax for all subscribers together with Roke Telkom and Tangerine joining the free access podium. Although, Telcos like Airtel and MTN maintained the URA rule. The MIFI router base prices change per provider and specifications for the device in question. Nonetheless, here is a simple cheat sheet featuring the various Telecom MIFI prices per router.