With speeds of up to 2.6 Mbps, all within a device just about the size of a credit card, the Novatel MiFi is very beneficial for the users. Being able to take such high-speed connections with you to anywhere you go is something which can be put to very good use. No time will be wasted when you have this kind of technology in your pocket – literally.

Everybody can benefit from the Novatel MiFi.  Students can finish their homework on the bus ride back home. Journalists can research on their topics while on their way to the office. Business travelers, on the other hand, have a lot to gain from this technology.

Business travelers don’t have a lot of time in their hands – and when they do make time, they usually use it up on even more business work. Time is very important for them, as is efficiency. And with Novatel MiFi, they get to focus on what they need to do.

One use of the MiFi for business travelers is, of course, on long business trips. Instead of having to waste the idle time while waiting for the plane, train, bus, or whatever vehicle to get to the destination, business travelers now would have the option to go online and finish everything that needs to be finished. They can even start a business meeting early, while on the plane to feel out their business prospects before meeting them face to face. Imagine being able to prepare your presentation on the way to the meeting, getting through the meeting, and then writing your report and sending it to your boss on the way back. Now that’s efficient. The advent of the MiFi has truly created the first practical, self contained Mobile Hotspot

However, what would best help business travelers when using the Novatel MiFi is their personal life. Business travelers give up most of their time for work, leaving only a couple of hours (if there are at all) for their families. As they are always on the go, they don’t have time to sit down at a coffee shop to access the WiFi to instant message their spouse or kids. With MiFi, they can talk to their families while traveling, keeping them in touch while working. The importance of this transcends business theories – nothing inspires you to work harder more than your family. And being able to hear them and even see them while you’re on your way to that very important meeting which could land you a big promotion would do wonders to your self-esteem and confidence – and that would most likely be the factor between closing the deal and losing it to the competitors.

So the new Novatel MiFi is a big boon for business travelers – both for their professional and personal lives. This mobile hotspot technology helps a lot of people from all walks of life – but business travelers, almost as much as anyone, get a lot out of this. The Novatel MiFi is surely a welcome addition to their business arsenal.

However, users who buy the American MiFi 2200 may not be able to use the wireless internet device in other countries. The difference in cellular standards between different countries (CDMA and GSM) is causing this problem for MiFi users.

The Novatel Wireless Mifi 2200, currently available in the United States, only work with two networks – Sprint and Verizon. Once each user has chosen the cellular company, the MiFi is permanently attached to that network. Both networks run a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) cellular network, an algorithm which is used by radio communication technologies to direct the information sent and received. It was originally made for high-bandwidth devices which need the best reception available such as cellular phones. CDMA devices are permanently attached to the network they start with, so switching networks is impossible for these devices. This makes traveling overseas with CDMA devices expensive as roaming charges are applied – only in North America is CDMA widely used.

GSM (Global System for Mobile) communications, on the other hand, is the most prevalent cellular standard in the rest of the world, with 80% of all cellular phones being GSM phones. GSM devices allow easy transfer between different networks, with just a simple switch of the SIM card provided by one network to that of another network. These SIM cards are readily available as well, from small convenience stores to large shopping centers.

The ease in switching between networks for GSM devices gives many more options to user regarding their cellular plans. They could switch networks whenever they travel, circumventing roaming charges by using SIM cards provided by the local networks of the country they are traveling to.

The European counterpart of the MiFi 2200, the MiFi 2352, works on EDGE, which is a GSM compatible device. These MiFis are capable of functioning nearly anywhere in the world because of their compatibility with most countries’ GSM networks.

Verizon Wireless is currently developing LTE, a new cellular standard which could be done by late 2010. Verizon says that its LTE network, which would be the first 4G network, will allow users to take their devices with them when they travel by using swappable cards for their devices, much like the SIM cards of GSM devices.

The Sprint or Verizon MiFi 2200 would not be a reliable choice for overseas travel, for the compatibility issues discussed. The MiFi 2372, a GSM MiFi rumored to be being developed for AT&T and T-Mobile, would most likely be cheaper and easier to travel with as it has incorporate the much more accepted GSM standard.

However, for traveling across North America, the Sprint or Verizon MiFi 2200 would do great. The fast and reliable service is a must-have.