Home internet provider Rain is running low on internet karma, so it’s got a wacky solution to get back into the good graces of the news cycle after it hiked prices back in June. What’s the grand idea? Release the Loop router, which isn’t so much a router as it is an Android tablet masquerading as an innocent internet device. We think.
Rain envisions its customers taking the Loop with them wherever they go, first as a portable internet solution (although leaving it at home is just as acceptable), and a pair of stereo speakers second. It’s even got a camera embedded in there, though Rain is being a little cagey about the sort of specs it and the speakers rep.
“It’s not just a portable 5G router & stereo speakers. It’s a loop. The first of its kind. The beginning of an exciting new category. The way the loop’s features work together offers infinite possibilities,” said Rain.
Keeping customers in the Loop
It’s not only us scratching our heads over what that means exactly. Either way, Rain’s energy is unmistakable. On top of its 4/5G Wi-Fi abilities and stereo speakers, the Loop features “echo-cancelling microphones”, a “large” touchscreen display, and a rechargeable battery to keep it going wherever you are.
That’s not to mention the camera this thing supposedly drags about, which feels almost useless for a router/speaker combo. It makes us almost sure that Rain bought a whole bunch of tablets and wasn’t quite sure what to do with them, before ingeniously sticking ’em inside a carry bag and calling it a day.
See, the Loop isn’t just strange in practice; that innate oddness carries over to the router’s design. It puts us in mind of B&O’s Beosound A5 speaker but without the pretension (or audio quality). It’s got a carry handle that’ll be useful… somewhere, and a cutout where Rain’s slid in whichever tablet it bought in bulk a few months ago.
Read More: Rain announces price hikes for select plans starting 1 June
Reinforcing this idea, Rain reckons customers can download their favourite social media apps to the Loop directly, as well as their music streaming apps, rendering a Bluetooth connection completely unnecessary. As you’ll be seen in public holding one of these things, Rain’s got a choice of four colours to best suit your vibe.
Rain’s also taking the opportunity to introduce something it calls “loopzones”, which we don’t doubt is the beginning of a new strategy at the company going forward. Customers can get hold of some free internet at designated hotspots around SA — called open loopzones — though Rain doesn’t mention where those are yet.
But the main selling points are the ‘unli loopzones’ which offer “unlimited data at a location of your choice.” You’ll only have seven days from receipt to determine where that will be, however. Depending on your chosen plan, customers will receive a few extra gigs that can be used on the go. Pricing starts at R475/m for 25GB data and typically a device subscription, though you can also drop R6,000 to exclusively own your Loop router forever.
