Why You Can Trust CNET Netgear's pocket router reaches superfast gigabit speeds (hands-on)
Good things come in small packages, but this one's only coming to Australia.
It may not look like much, but it's got it where it counts.
You'll soon be able to download movies in a matter of seconds thanks to the palm-sized Netgear Mobile Router MR1100.
The portable pocket router taps into gigabit-capable LTE networks and can download up to 1 gigabyte of data per second. But there's a big catch -- it's only available from Australian carrier Telstra, which announced last year that it can reach speeds of 1Gbps.
Shop for Netgear Mobile Router MR1100
See all pricesThe router features a battery life of 24 hours of continuous use, an impressive claim for sure. The MR1100 charges through a USB Type-C connector, and features a LAN port as well. The downloads are sped along by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 LTE modem.
The speed sounds amazingly fast -- as fast as if you were to hook up your PC to the router using a LAN cable. But bear in mind this will likely blow your data cap without you noticing. Though of course that depends on your data plan and the size of the files that you download.
You may well be tempted, but don't start planning your move Down Under just yet. A Telstra spokesperson told CNET that the carrier is unlikely to offer unlimited data plans on its upcoming superfast service. There's no word on capped data plans for now either. Furthermore, the network isn't quite ready -- the router and service will likely launch in a few months, perhaps over Christmas or another upcoming holiday period.
There's no word yet on when this will be available in other countries.
Key features
- Gigabit LTE speeds
- 24 hour battery life
- Type-C and LAN ports
- Available soon in Australia