Overview: ZMax Connect by ZTE (Mobile Hotspot)

The ZTE ZMax Connect mobile hotspot (MF928) is a basic category-4 mobile hotspot sold unlocked at various retailers - primarily Circuit City.

ZTE in the News:

ZTE is a Chinese company that produces a variety of electronics, including consumer cellular devices as well as network equipment which can potentially be used by cellular carriers and other internet service providers.

Beginning in 2018, the US government restricted the sale and support of ZTE products in the US due to security concerns and at one point, it seemed like ZTE could be forced out of business.

Currently, however, ZTE is still able to directly sell and support consumer devices in the US, but US telecommunications companies cannot use federal telecom subsidies for ZTE gear or services because the US government considers ZTE to be a security threat.

While unlikely at this point, ZTE could be subject to further US government actions that could affect the availability of and support for ZTE consumer devices.

Members, our further analysis and detailed updates are in the Special Announcements forum:

ALERT: Future of ZTE In Doubt - Mobley, Warp, Velocity 2, other devices impacted

ZTE states this modem is compatible with AT&T, Cricket Wireless, T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, and other "GSM" networks although the band compatibility is most compatible with the T-Mobile network and includes Band 71.

The hotspot features two antenna ports.

Specifications

Model Number: MF928
# of Connected Devices: Up to 10
Control Panel and Default Password:
- - Control Panel: 192.168.1.1
  - Default Admin Password: On the device label
USB Tethering Support: Unknown but likely
Networks supported:
- 5G Bands: None
- 4G/LTE Bands: 2, 4, 5, 12, 66, 71
LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation: No
MIMO Support: 2X2 internal and external
LTE Performance Category: Category 4 (Max Theoretical Speed: 150 Mbps Down / 50 Mbps Up)
Cellular Antenna Ports: 2x TS-9
Other Ports: USB
Wi-Fi Technology / Frequencies: 802.11 b/g/n/a/ac - 2.4GHz and 5GHz
Battery: 2000mAh Lithium-Ion
- Claimed Battery Life: 10 hours use (1-week standby)
- Can Be Powered Without a Battery: Unknown
- Battery Part #: Uknown
- Battery Purchase: N/A
Dimensions: 4.17 x 2.52 x 0.59 inches, 3.63 oz
SIM Card Type: Nano
Retail Price: $54.99-$89.99

News, Videos, & Status

We do not intend to test this device at this time.

Video Overview:

News Stories:

Potential Alternatives to Consider:

For other popular mobile hotspots on the market - here are our featured options:

Selecting Mobile Hotspots

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Further Education on Mobile Hotspots Cellular Mobile Hotspots (Jetpacks & MiFis)

Mobile hotspot devices are small, self-contained units that receive a cellular data signal and transform it into an internet connection. They are a cellular modem and router combined. Most can create their own personal Wi-Fi network.

They are typically designed with a specific cellular carrier in mind and require a suitable cellular data plan of their own to operate. You might see them called Jetpacks (Verizon's term for them) or MiFi (Inseego's name for them).

Here's a quick video going over the features of a hotspot, and what makes one better than another:

The guides below have been hand-picked to help further your education about selecting mobile hotspots and best utilizing them in your mobile internet setup.