Telstra now has a rugged 5G portable modem

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 14 November 2024

Telstra is ranging a new hotspot with a rather unique distinction: water resistance and military standard durability. Durability claims are pretty unusual on portable hotspots, giving the Sonim H700 5G Mobile Hotspot a novel place in Telstra's line-up of 5G modems.

The Sonim H700 is rated IP68 for water resistance and has MIL-STD-810H certification. This mean its can survive a dunk under water, drops, and other impacts. Sonim says this makes the H700 ideal for "construction and mining sites, emergency field locations, and outdoor activities and businesses".

In terms of connectivity, the Sonim H700 supports standard 5G as well as mmWave. It has WiFi 6e certiifcation, and is WiFi 7 ready. It can can support up to 32 device at once wirelessly, and also has a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port.

The Sonim H700 has a 6,000mAh battery, but the manufacturer doesn't make claims about how long it will last per charge. The H700 can also double as a power bank, and be used to recharge devices connected via its USB-C port.

Telstra is the only telco ranging the Sonim H700. It costs $519 outright, or it can be paid offed on a 36-month, 24-month, or 12-month repayment plan. If you do so, you'll need to pair with one of Telstra's mobile broadband plans, which start at $25 per month with 30GB.

Here are Telstra's mobile broadband plans:

Upfront Data Plan Small

Mobile Broadband
30GB Data

$33/mth

Min. cost $33

Link not supplied

$33/mth

Min. cost $33

Link not supplied

Upfront Data Plan Medium

Mobile Broadband
100GB Data

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

$68/mth

Min. cost $68

Link not supplied

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Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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