Xiao Dan used the 3Gmate broadband device throughout her holiday in Thailand. Photo: Courtesy of Xiao Dan

If you have travelled abroad before, then you have likely experienced bad Internet connection once you arrived in a foreign country. This hinderance to taking holidays overseas, however, could now be a thing of the past, with the introduction of 3Gmate.

The latest advancement in portable wireless broadband devices, 3Gmate is gaining global popularity since its launch earlier this year. The size of an ordinary mobile phone, 3Gmate is the brainchild of US international technology company Skyroam, and is currently functioning in 45 countries.

Xiao Dan, assistant manager of marketing and communication of Hilton Beijing, experienced firsthand the benefits that 3Gmate can provide when she took an impromptu holiday to Thailand this October. Without a pre-planned schedule, Xiao was able to arrange accommodation and transport while travelling each day via her 3Gmate device.

"We [Xiao and her friend] used it almost every day for sharing our experiences with friends on WeChat, checking information for travelers, contacting tourist agencies for tickets, and confirming with hotels about our arrival hours," said Xiao.

"All these things seem trivial but are important, and without this product in our hands, it could have been very difficult," she added.

Although there was Internet service available at the hotel, Xiao and her friend spent their days outdoors sightseeing, with the 3Gmate device always in one of their handbags in case they needed Internet connection.

The battery-life on Xiao's 3Gmate product was just enough to sustain for one day, and the device's battery could then easily be recharged overnight.

Xiao explained how the 3Gmate helped her every step of the way, especially when she got lost. For example, when Xiao and her friend were in Chiang Mai, they were struggling to find a popular Mango Tango snack restaurant.

"We located the store via the GPS application on my mobile, and found the restaurant easily with its help," said Xiao, who then looked up meal recommendations on the Internet to decide what dishes she should order.

The wireless device even saved Xiao some trouble with traffic congestion when she stopped in Hong Kong for a night.

"At that time, some roads were blocked due to the Occupy Central movement," said Xiao, so finding a route through the traffic congestion was a major concern. "Thanks to the 3Gmate, we were able to do just that," she said.