Yuan Yang: GlocalMe G2

Roaming charges are the bane of the web and today’s traveller, is the Kickstarter funded GlocalMe G2 a solution? The newly launched G2 pocket wifi device offers almost global 4G wifi coverage at download speeds up to 150mb with pay-as-you-go unlimited data capped at 10 euros a day. The squat device, which also doubles as power pack, acts as pocket wifi hotspot for up to 5 devices. Using a cloud sim to access the local 4G network of the country you are in, over 100 countries supported, you can use wifi for your data usage rather than paying those through the nose roaming charges… Alternately you can add your own data sim into the device if that offers better rates.

A secure login protected by wpa2 encryption ensures that only the people you chose can access the hotspot with unlimited pay-as-you-go data daily costs capped at 10 Euros (HK$84.8). Country specific data packages offer even cheaper access. The money credited to your glocalme account, similar to an Octopus card doesn’t ‘expire’, top-up’s can be made via credit card or PayPal – with refunds for unused credit within 7 days. Customer’s account data is encrypted on the server, although no exact details of how this is protected are revealed. In other words you are pretty secure against those around you but the customers protection from snooping by glocalme is less apparent.