Sprint Partners with Novatel for Tri-Band Hotspot Device

Today, Sprint (NYSE: S  ) , in partnership with Novatel Wireless (NASDAQ: NVTL  ) , announced that it will bring the MiFi 500 LTE tri-band wireless hotspot device to Sprint's network on July 19 -- the first tri-band device for the company.

In a press release, Sprint said the MiFi 500 LTE will be able to access Sprint's 4G LTE network on the 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz signals, and will also include Novatel's software enhancements for extended battery life.

David Owens, Sprint's vice president of product development, said in a statement that, "Sprint is thrilled to partner with Novatel Wireless to bring our customers the latest MiFi device that takes advantage of Sprint's cutting-edge Network Vision technology." 

A few of the MiFi 500 LTE features include:

10 hours of battery use GPS over Wi-FI WPS security connection Ability to connect up to 10 Wi-Fi devices

"Built on the Novatel Wireless patented MiFi technology with a legacy of best-in-class performance and security features, we're excited to introduce the MiFi 500 LTE and support Sprint's Network Vision roll-out with this tri-band 4G LTE device," Rob Hadley, chief marketing officer for Novatel Wireless, said in the release.

The device will be available for purchase next week for $49.99, after a $50 mail-in rebate, and requires a two-year service plan -- which starts at $35 per month for 3GB of 3G/4G data.