As part of TCL‘s long list of announcements at Mobile World Congress 2022, which includes from five new phones and three new tablets, TCL introduced three new routers for the mobile market.
One of them is a 5G home router and the other two are a 4G home station and a mobile Wi-Fi device. Be warned, their names are a mouthful; The Linkhub 5G CPE HH515 is TCL’s newest 5G router, while the two 4G routers are the Linkhub LTE CAT6 Home Station HH63 and the Linkzone LTE CAT6 Mobile Wi-Fi MW63.
It has long been a question as to how far away we are from having mainstream 5G home internet, and the honest answer is that we’re still not there. That’s not to say we haven’t moved forward. With the addition of more devices like the 5G CPE, we get just that a little bit closer each time. Not only for homes, but for businesses as well. So what can TCL’s devices offer?
Linkhub 5G CPE HH515
The fastest of the three routers, the 5G CPE is supposed to reach ultrafast 5G speeds of up to 4.67Gbps with Sub-6. Those claims are impressive, but the speeds still need to be tested. The device uses dual-band Wi-Fi 6. With up to 256 connections at the same time, it is meant to serve as either a home or business internet depending on where you need it. A companion app is used to tweak settings.
It’s not as ugly or bulky as routers of the past, but it’s definitely a bit awkward visually, like a cross between a Bluetooth speaker and a smart home hub. Luckily, it probably won’t be too hard to hide or blend it into your home or work environment.
Linkhub LTE CAT6 Home Station HH63
Depending on your décor, the LTE CAT6 Home Station could blend in well enough as it comes in either black or white.
Its maximum download speed is 300Mbps and it’s compatible with eSIM. Up to 32 devices can be connected over the Wi-Fi at any given time. And like the 5G CPE, it will use an app to operate.
Linkzone LTE CAT6 Mobile Wi-Fi MW63
Like the Home Station CAT6, the Mobile Wi-Fi should also has a maximum speed of 300Mbps. However, its greatest benefit is the ability to potentially take it anywhere with you, although you’ll still be able the mercy of where you’ll find coverage.
It too is compatible with eSIM. And like the other devices from TCL, you’ll need to operate this one with the app. It also allows up to 32 connections at a time. Unfortunately, you’ll only have somewhere near either hours of working battery life before you’ll need to charge it. When in standby mode, TCL claims it can have up to 300 hours of battery life.
It’s billed s being lightweight and pocket-sized, so transporting it shouldn’t be a problem. And it should come in either black or white.
Pricing and availability
As of right now, there’s no information on pricing for any of the devices. We can only speculate that they’ll range around the usual price for higher-end routers, likely falling in the $200 to $250 range.
The 5G CPE is expected to release in the first quarter of 2022 in Europe, while the two 4G CAT6 devices are slated to release in Europe sometime during the second quarter of 2022. There’s no word on a North American release yet.
As a little bonus, TCL has mentioned launching a new Linkzone 5G Mobile Wi-Fi MW513 that will support Sub-6 and mmWave that will reportedly offer incredibly fast speeds on the go. But there is no pricing or release date on it yet.
