BSNL to launch pocket Wi-Fi router for Rs.5,800

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) along with Shyam Networks is all set to launch a 3G Wi-Fi router called Winknet MF50. The pocket-sized router should be announced tomorrow along with attractive data plans to leverage the 3G capabilities of the router. The router is said to cost Rs.5,800 and will be officially unveiled tomorrow. The 3G router acts as a Wi-Fi hotspot, thereby allowing you to connect your phone, laptop, tablet, etc. to the router. The router is small enough to be carried around and this is useful if your work involves a lot of travel. They have also launched Winknet 3G dongle for Rs.1,900 which also support 2G connections. This features a download speed of 7.2Mbps and an upload speed of 5.76Mbps.

BSNL's new offering

LAVA Mobiles was one of the first to launch a pocket wireless router, the W150 back in September 2011. The main USP of the router was to share the Internet connection between a maximum of 32 users within a 50 meter range. The router came with a Plug and Play option which required no software installation on either of the Windows operating systems, Android 1.6+ or on Mac 10.4.9+. The gateways supported by the router were TCP/IP, UDP, DHCP Server, NAT/NAPT, DNS Relay, SNTP, UPnP, Static Routing, MAC/URL/IP filter, VPN Pass-through, MAC Clone and Radius Server. As part of the specifications, the W150 featured a built-in firewall and encryption standards  like WEP Encryption, 64/128 bits, WPA, WPA2; Authentication: 802.1x, Pre-Shared Key (PSK); Encryption: AES, TKIP; Single SSID Broadcast.

Then came Kobian a few months ago, who launched a Mercury 3G Mobile Router which could provide Wi-Fi connectivity to up to 6 devices with the push of a button. Users didn’t have to connect to notebooks or laptops as the router is supported by rechargeable lithium-ion battery which could last for 5 hours. It supported a broadband speed of 7.2Mbps and is a pocket-sized, light-weight device independent of any platforms. This router was also priced along the same lines as the BSNL one, at roughly Rs.5,200. The Li-ion battery helps it to be host independent and provides a power backup of 5 hours to enjoy uninterrupted work or entertainment. With Wi-Fi connectivity, the 3G Mobile Router forms a good fit for SOHO, students and home use without creating a mess of cables around. So it basically acts like a pay for one device and gets a payback for six users, making it easy to share a fast mobile broadband network connection.