Just to clarify my point. I don't think 4G is "a must," either. Especially (given the reviews of its performance I've seen) not the "4G" offered by Sprint. I have a mobile hotspot primarily because I need to be able to access the internet from several devices simultaneously even when wifi is not available (at a customer site) or the "free wifi" in a hotel is pure crap. Given that I have those requirements, I certainly didn't need a 3G iPad with an additional data plan (even a non-contract data plan) at a premium ($130) price. The fact that my "mifi" hotspot runs on the Verizon 4G/LTE network was simply an additional benefit. And frankly, I've been amazed at how well it performs and the widespread coverage I've experienced. (I really didn't expect 4G coverage in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for example, but it's there.)
For someone like Kaykaykay who streams video primarily on a fast wifi network (unlike the less than .50 mps performance I often get in a hotel with "free" wifi), the advantage of 4G is negligible. I almost never turn on my mifi hotspot at home, for example. And for anyone who needs internet access at a location away from an AC power source for more than 4 hours at a time, 4G is literally useless since it's probably not even available out in the woods miles from the nearest outlet. In my case the 4G hotspot comes in very handy as noted above at customer sites where I don't have to rely on accessing the net via a secured local network and the IT guy is either suspicious of my motives or not available today or at a hotel where "wifi" is little better than "edge" level performance. In those cases, the user experience over 4G is literally indistinguishable from my very fast cable modem/wifi network in my home and I don't have to go through the hoops of getting a network password from an IT guy who thinks I'm a terrorist trying to hack the organization's network or trying to explain "wifi" to a hotel desk clerk. Believe me, I've been down those roads many times in the past and it's not pleasant.
My requirements are challenging. Most folks don't have to deal with these issues. For many (probably most) people a non-contract 3G iPad is perfectly satisfactory and less expensive than the alternatives. And for those who have smartphones (iPhones and others) where only 3G tethering is available, it may well be quite satisfactory. Finally, for those on contract to a carrier with very limited 4G/LTE coverage (AT&T) or where "4G" is a marketing term rather than a technical term (Sprint), its value is, imo, negligible.
