Verizon and Novatel Deliver 4G USB for the IoT

Novatel Wireless, a provider of wireless solutions for the IoT, has launched a new MiFi solution, designed to be robust enough for industrial use, even in demanding conditions.

The MiFi U620L 4G LTE Global USB for Verizon Wireless is based on Novotel’s MiFi 6600 mobile hotspots. It taps into Verizon's latest LTE Advanced Network capabilities and has been designed to support the most demanding IoT bandwidth requirements and to offer basic 4G LTE connectivity in a simple USB stick so that it will be compatible and plug-and-play with all foreseeable future applications and use cases.

To try to meet the goal of making it truly plug-and-play, it’s been made to not need drivers, like other USB modems. This lack of need for software for compatibility should make it ideal for connecting vending machines, point-of-sale kiosks, digital signage and industrial automation to the IoT.

It’s tiny at only about two-thirds the size of a business card, and thanks to full remote-management capabilities on Verizon's Remote Device Configuration tool, can make use of advanced commands designed for IoT applications, over-the-air configuration, diagnostics and firmware updates. Additional device features include: sGPS wXTRA support for location-based services and a desktop dashboard application for more device information and status for Windows or Mac. It’s available now, for free (after a mail-in rebate and a two-year contract at $20 per month.

“What we've done here is bring the convenience of USB connectivity into the entire IoT world,” said John Carney, EVP, sales and marketing, Novatel Wireless. “By packing in key features of the MiFi technology platform, the robust MiFi U620L is attractive not only for the consumer looking for reliable, fast connectivity, but also for an enterprise in need of a simple, plug-and-play solution that can monitor and collect data from a remote machine or a government agency looking to deploy secure connectivity in the field.”