GSMA- "The Cool"... Telefonica launches MIFI

I am sure that most of us (if not all) have used WiFi at some point. The benefits of connecting wirelessly are enormous! You can work, chat or do whatever you want wherever there is WiFi coverage. However the big limitations are that somewhere near your laptop (or iphone, PSP, Blackberry..etc) there is a router or access point connected to an ethernet port (the access point is a device that transforms the internet that is coming from the small plug in your wall (Ethernet Port)  into a wireless signal so that you can enjoy it from your laptop or Wifi device, think of it as a lamp (which takes electricity from a plug in your wall and spreads it through the room as light), an Access Point does the same but instead of light it spreads data)

So Wifi has a physical limitation, you need to be near an access point and that access point needs to be connected to an electricity plug and an ethernet port, limiting where you access the internet. At the GSMA Mobile Congress, Telefonica has launched MIFI, a very interesting attempt to challenge the physical limitations of Wifi... and at the same time leverage the fact that the big Spanish Telco has invested millions of euros in a high speed network with coverage in almost every place in Spain (and the world if you think about all Telefonica's Operations worldwide) 

MIFI is the device that you see in the picture above, it is basically a small Acces Point that has its own rechargeable battery (4 hours of use) and uses the cell phone network to connect to the internet (nothing new right..?) ... the interesting part is that the MIFI creates a WiFi network which can serve up to 5 devices, meaning that you can just turn on one MIFI device in a train car or in the middle of the beach (wherever there is cell phone coverage) and let 5 laptops connect to the Internet using their WiFi capabilities. 

I love the idea because it is a simple one, Apple with its "Airport Express" already introduced the idea of a portable mini-Wifi network however even though you could take the Express with you everywhere, you still need to connect it to an ethernet port. So Telefonica has cleverly identified that they can take advantage of something that only mobile operators have... a big network with coverage. So if the speed of the MIFI is "good enough" and the prices are reasonable, the MIFI could be a product very attractive not only to business users but also to households. I would venture an say that most households have less than 5 laptops, so people could buy the device and use it for Internet access at home, and take it with them if they decide to travel, or go to a restaurant or coffee shop and want to continue browsing the net and what is best, they can share the connection wirelessly. 

So good job Telefonica! you will have an edge over the competition.... for now!!... I am sure that a MIFI device is being developed in China right now to sell it to the Vodafone's of the world! but for now! Very very Cool!