There was an audible sigh of relief when we arrived at our Paris hotel after a long trip from Australia and my portable wifi was waiting for me. Staying connected while travelling is so important for us and Hippocketwifi (or the Hippo), a Europe portable wifi device became our new favourite gadget during our trip around Europe.
Skye Gilkeson
Portable Wifi in Europe
Why use a portable wifi device?
The short answer is of course to save time and money that you can then invest in your holiday.
While many might think carrying portable wifi with you on holiday is excessive, I would argue it saves a lot of time.
Gone are the days of stopping in at cafe after cafe, checking for a ‘free wifi’ sign on the wall, or enduring the poor quality of a soulless big chain coffee shop just to get connected.
I posted a photo on Instagram easily while relaxing in the park under the Eiffel Tower, I could book dinner or train tickets while enjoying the fountain outside the Louvre, check emails or check in on a Whatsapp chat quickly, without any undue stress or wasted time.
Most importantly, as we were travelling as a group of five, we could all use the wifi exactly when we needed it on two devices each (yes, you can connect 10 devices on each portable wifi unit).
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How to Collect and Return your Portable Wifi Device?
The HipPocketwifi pack is delivered to the airport or your hotel ready for your arrival so you can connect almost as soon as you arrive.
To return, simply put the device and its other cords and components back in the pre-paid postage bag and drop it into a post office or post box before you leave the country.
Yes, it’s that easy. Did I mention there is a post box at the airport?
What is the Coverage Like and Where we used our Portable Wifi in Europe?
We used our Hippo throughout Europe, but mainly in France.
From the car on the highway (to download new podcasts of course) to cafes, hotels and even our Chateau in the Loire Valley, we could stay connected as we wanted to.
Hippocketwifi uses France’s largest network, the 4G LTE network. This means you are connected throughout 99% of France. with most of the countryside included (hence we were able to use it in our Chateau).
In Europe, pocket wifi covers 90% of Europe with 4G LTE speed as well (up to 100Mbps). You can search the coverage countries here.
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How Much Does Portable Wifi Cost?
Hippocketwifi has several plans, depending on whether you are simply travelling in France or using your pocket wife Europe-wide.
Rates start at about 4.90 euros per day.
When you compare this to a cup or two of coffee you would be buying sitting in a cafe to use their free wifi, it’s very affordable and it means you can be mobile.
Hippocketwifi also offers long-term discounts and plans for those on the road for a longer period of time, starting at about 80 euros, per month.
What We Loved About this particular Portable Wifi
- It’s easy to collect and return.
- It services up to 10 devices which is a must-have when you travel with as many devices as we do.
- It is very reasonably priced.
- We stayed in the countryside, in accommodation that didn’t offer wifi and the Hippocketwifi proved invaluable when we need to stay connected to work or family.
- It operates on the 4G LTE network; the largest in France, covering 99% of the country, particularly tourist spots and almost everywhere in the country.
More information on Hippocketwifi
Our Hip Pocket Wifi was loaned to us for use during our trip. As always, our opinions are authentically our own.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller.
She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health.
As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her appetite for adventure.
Read more about Skye’s story here.