I am happy to learn that this useful tool from the library has increased the number of units allowed to be lent out has increased from about 450 to now about 700. Since the library is closed, if you get one of these and have a computer at home, you can access the internet without having to pay the $80 to $120 monthly fee. This item contains a unit that you connect to electrical wall socket and then your own personal computer which will allow you to access the internet. When the libraries were open, there were about 1400 people wanting to borrow this unit. Today, there are about 700 units available for loan which means you will not have to wait 4 months to check one of this out. Today, you will only have to wait 6 to 8 weeks after getting on the borrow list to get one. And, you can keep adding your name, so you will in turn, keeping getting it loaned to you with only a 4-8 week wait time when you will not have access to borrowing this unit. For those of you who do not have a computer at home, this does you no good. You have to go to the library to use their computer to access the internet. Fortunately, I got a used computer and a friend set it up for Chrome, so I could use the library item to access the internet. The point I am making is this is great for low income people as more units are available & thus less wait time to get one. Hopefully, the library will add another 100 this year, so wait time goes down to 4 weeks. 25May2021

Absolutely incredible service. For free too. Saves me from spending so much of my mobile data on my commute. Honestly we really do take library services like these for granted these days

Such a great service

Works great. Thank you so much for providing this free service.

theyre gaslighting me into thinking i didnt ask to be on the waitlist for another one i check them out they know the waits are too long theyre misusing taxpayer funds

Appreciate the services Seattle Library offers...I am disabled and not able to afford internet. It is a life saver for me as I live in remote area. Wish I could rent it out more often. Thanks for providing services much needed for people like myself. Verizon hot spots or Alcatel Thank YOU!

I am impressed with the performance! I never used the old Verizon units, but I recently tried one of the new T-Mobile powered Alcatel hotspots. I tried it outside the city (Fall City) and was getting 35-40mbps download speeds - quite impressive and just as fast as the Comcast wifi if not better! But where this is most useful is at a house in Queen Anne that doesn't have cable internet yet. Works great! If your in a place with weak tmo coverage it will be worse, but I've actually found T-Mobile to have a better signal then Verizon around the city.

1. Hotpsot was checked out without Library checking that PASSWORD inside box was READABLE.
It was blurred out due to moisture.

Before placing items on shelf Library needs to confirm all parterre in HOTSPOT box and password is READABLE.

2. T-Mobile service is poor quality in Eastern part of Washington state.
Cheap modems, limited frequency bands and cell towers hinder T-Mobile performance.

New Alcatel/T-Mobile wifi hotspots work better for me then the Verizon hotspots at home and I still get good coverage where ever I go on the West Coast.

Used to be great when it had Verizon service. Now it is useless. Too many places without T-Mobile service makes this unusable for many occasions. Bring back Verizon, please!