4G home broadband v mifi

Chriss · ‎10-13-2023

Hi, I'm looking to get a 4G hub for a property. Three's website says 4G home broadband isn't available for the postcode but that I should get their mifi product instead.

If there's no 4G broadband signal, then surely mifi won't work either? Or am I confusing things?

Thanks!

sc1999 · ‎10-13-2023

Mifi uses a data sim which uses, I think, the phone side of the network. Broadband, obviously, uses the broadband side of the network. Phones use less data than broadband so more people can connect than broadband customers to a cell. 3 makes broadband available only when there is sufficient bandwidth to support it. As less people think of mifi as a permanent supply for broadband it runs on the phone side of the network. If everyone who can't get broadband, but can get a 4g phone signal, decided to get a mifi then 3 may consider limiting its availability.

There are a number of posts as to why people get 5g on their phone but can't get 5g home broadband. Just substitute 4g for 5g and the reasons are the same.

View solution in conversation

sc1999 · ‎10-13-2023

Mifi uses a data sim which uses, I think, the phone side of the network. Broadband, obviously, uses the broadband side of the network. Phones use less data than broadband so more people can connect than broadband customers to a cell. 3 makes broadband available only when there is sufficient bandwidth to support it. As less people think of mifi as a permanent supply for broadband it runs on the phone side of the network. If everyone who can't get broadband, but can get a 4g phone signal, decided to get a mifi then 3 may consider limiting its availability.

There are a number of posts as to why people get 5g on their phone but can't get 5g home broadband. Just substitute 4g for 5g and the reasons are the same.

Chriss · ‎10-14-2023

Thanks very much for explaining!