MiFis are the way to go after people are beginning to get tired of USB Dongles. You don’t have to plug it in your computer, you can get WiFi on the go for multiple devices or users, it can charge and keep you connected when power is off . Once you reach that point when you want to buy one, the next question would be which MiFi to buy and where to buy it from.
MiFis in Uganda can be gotten from the usual suspects – the telecoms. MTN, Airtel, Africell, Vodafone and Smile all have MiFis with great data offerings. We are going to look at each of the telecoms or ISPs and the MiFis they offer. (In no particular order)
1. MTN Uganda MiFi
Among the many MiFis MTN Uganda is offering, there is one that stands out. The Huawei 4G Mobile WiFi E5573 that is going for the price of Ugx 125,000 with 10GB data valid for one month. This seems to be the best deal on the market currently for 2 main reasons; The price and MTN’s wide 4G coverage. The MTN 4G MiFi can be gotten at all MTN shops in Uganda.
MTN Uganda also has:
- Huawei 42MBps 10 user router at Ugx 210,000 which is ridiculous as this isn’t a 4G router.
- The Huawei LTE 32 user Outdoor CPE at Ugx 285,000
- Huawei LTE indoor CPE at Ugx 350,000
Update: MTN Uganda has launched a Two in One MiFi and Power bank which is priced at Ugx 185,000 on Jumia. Read more about it here.
2. Airtel Uganda MiFis
Airtel Uganda has a couple of MiFis but the latest product is their Airtel Wingle that isn’t really a MiFi but a WiFi dongle that works just like a MiFi except it has no battery. The Airtel Wingle is a 21Mbps device that goes for the price of Ugx 100,000 with 1GB of data.
We re-echo the sentiments of many that the price (even though fair) doesn’t favorably compete with what the competition is offering. One advantage of Airtel is that they have the second widest coverage to MTN meaning you will most likely stay connected wherever you may be. The Airtel Wingle can be bought at any of the Airtel Uganda shops.
Other MiFi’s from Airtel Uganda include,
- The ZTE MF80 42MBps router that supports up to 10 users goes for the price of Ugx 100,000 with 500MB of data
- Alcatel One Touch 21Mbps Router that supports up to 5 users goes for Ugx 89,600. It comes with 500MB of data
3. Africell Uganda MiFi
Africell Uganda also has a couple of MiFis and the one that stands out is the Huawei E5377 4G LTE router that comes with 1.5GB of data for 3 months at the price of Ugx 235,000. Once again in comparison to what the competition is offering, this is quite on the high side for price. The Africell 4G MiFi can purchased at any of the Africell Uganda Shops
Africell Uganda has other MiFis and routers.
- The Alcatel One Touch Link 21Mbps 3G MiFi that supports up to 10 users and comes with 3.5GB of data valid for 1 month at the price of Ugx 124,000
- The Alcatel One Touch Link 4G LTE MiFi has speeds of up to 150Mbps, supports upt o 15 users, has a 1800 mAh battery and comes with 10GB of data valid for one month at the price of Ugx 239,000
4. Vodafone Uganda MiFi:
Update: Vodafone Uganda closed shop.
Vodafone is the latest entrant in the market. In the last 6 months alone, Vodafone Uganda is said to have signed on 100k subscribers to their network majorly for their 4G data services. Even though still in parts of Kampala and Entebbe, Vodafone has proven that the Ugandan market has lots of potential and hasnt reached saturation like many believe.
The Vodafone Uganda 4G MiFi goes for Ugx 169,000 and comes with Unlimited internet for one month. It should be noted that the unlimited is 30GB at 2MBps and after that, the speeds are caped to 512Kbps. Before you purchase this MiFi, you want to verify if they have coverage in your area. The Vodafone Uganda 4G MiFi can be purchased at any Vodafone Uganda shops and dealers.
5. Smile Uganda MiFi
Smile is another ISP who provides MiFi’s in Uganda. Their MiFis are one of the most popular because of the 4G LTE speeds they provide. The Smile Uganda MiFi 2 goes for the price of Ugx 210,000 and comes with 10GB of data valid for 2 months. Before you purchase this MiFi, you want to verify if they have coverage in your area. The Smile 4G MiFi can be purchased at any of the Smile Uganda shops
MiFi Comparison
| Uganda MiFi Comparison | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTN Uganda | Airtel Uganda | Africell Uganda | Vodafone Uganda | Smile Uganda | |
| Price (Ugx) | 125,000 | 100,000 | 235,000 | 169,000 | 210,000 |
| Free Data | 10GB | 1GB | 1.5GB | Unlimited | 10GB |
| Speeds | 4G LTE | 3G 21 Mbps | 4G LTE | 4G LTE | 4G LTE |
| Users | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Battery | 1500 mAh | NA |
Do you know of better deals we haven’t put here? let us know in the comments.
Image: Seekpart