MioWiFi: Connected to the internet no matter where you are

Estimated reading time: 7 Min

‍

Leonardo Stallocca is an innovator and passionate about quality, efficiency and technology. He didn't tell us, but it's not necessary, his resume speaks for him. This entrepreneur created a pioneering company in Latin America and is pleased to be among the only four providers of this service on a global scale.

Today we are talking about MioWiFi, an internet solution for staying connected anywhere on the planet, which has achieved the perfect ally with Cubbo. This is their story!

‍

How was MioWiFi born and how does it work?

Leonardo: We set up the company five years ago, initially operating in three countries: Argentina, Mexico and Spain. It is a company dedicated to the rental and sale of portable internet services for travelers.

The product we offer is a router that allows you to connect with unlimited broadband connection, in up to 150 countries around the world. On each router, you can include up to five devices so that they have Internet access.

It was an idea that we brought together with a company from Norway and then the concept changed until we partnered with a very large Chinese company that are our technological partners. They do the hardware, the router, and we do all the operational part of reserving and activating the devices.

MioWiFi works with its own technology called Virtual SIM and a system of agreements with telephone operators in all the countries where we offer coverage. This technology makes it possible to emulate the local chip.

So, when you go with the router to a country, let's say China, the router detects that you're in China and we virtually install a China 4G chip with unlimited data. If you move from country, let's say to Australia, the router detects that you are in Australia and we install a virtual chip from Australia. This is a very important advantage because you are local in every country you go to and you don't use roaming services that are very unstable and also very expensive.

‍

Also read: Sofía, found in fulfillment a solution to get closer to her customers

‍

This is the first time I've heard this. Is there competition?

Leonardo: We were the pioneers in Latin America. In the USA there was a company that did this, which I don't know if it still exists. And globally, there are only four companies that manage the Virtual SIM market.

‍

Are they born as an e-commerce?

Leonardo: The project started in 100% digital form, but if we have a physical component, because in the end, a physical product is delivered, which is the router, and for that we have to have delivery points in the countries where we provide the service.

We started operating from London and Buenos Aires and then moved the London office to Madrid and then opened Mexico City and New York. At the time, we were working in four countries.

Then, during the pandemic, we had to stop operating in New York. Prior to the pandemic, it was proposed to create delivery or rental stations for equipment at airports and we are still open to such operations. But our main operation is online and we have the web set up on Woocommerce.

‍

They have grown so much in a very short time. What lessons do you take away from this?

Leonardo: It's very nice, the truth is that we have grown together with our allies and it has been a great experience because we have had to go through a period of evangelization and explain to people what this product is and how this technology works. So they know that it is no longer necessary to go to countries to buy chips.

This lasted about two or three years and then the market started to get to know us and everything started to flow very quickly. Word of mouth was very powerful there, because the experience of using MioWiFi is very positive, it is a feeling of truly having a global connection, because you move from country to country and you are always connected to the Internet from the moment you get off the plane. This experience has a great impact on the user and generates a very positive word of mouth.

‍

Who is this intended for: for the tourist or for the business traveler?

Leonardo: Well, it's designed for the general traveler, but it's true that we divide our offer into traditional travelers and business travelers. Traditional travelers is a category that encompasses any traveler, anyone who travels to another country and who needs to be connected. This customer rents the service on our website, we send the device to their home, use it in the country where they are going and when they return, they return it to our warehouse.

And business travelers are company executives who need to travel for business. In this case, large companies are usually the ones that buy routers from us and they have those routers available to offer to their executives as they have to travel.

In that case, there is also the option of renting, if the company wants to rent it, but since they tend to be more frequent travelers, they usually buy the equipment.

‍

A logistical challenge and an experienced ally

One of the big problems MioWiFi faced when selling in Mexico is that, for its business model to work at full profitability, the company needs to outsource its fullfilment to a third party.

But MioWiFi's fullfilment is complex: the model of renting or renting devices involves constant returns and re-entry into stock of products. With all the operational difficulties that this entails. Something that for Leonardo, represented a 3-year search in Mexico, until he found Josu and met Cubbo: the perfect solution for MioWiFi.

Thanks to the strategic network of fulfillment in Mexico City, MioWiFi has been able to ensure that its routers reach travelers quickly and efficiently, solving a complex logistical challenge marked by shipments, returns and re-entry of equipment in stock.

How did they get to Cubbo?

Leonardo: The key to our business is fullfilment. Being able to maintain a small company structure, focused on sales and customer satisfaction and being able to outsource the most complex part, which is the distribution or logistics of these equipment.

The delivery of the routers and the return of them is key for us. In Spain it was relatively easy, in the United States too and in Argentina we had no problem. But in Mexico, we had been looking for companies like Cubbo for about four years and fulfillment wasn't something that was available. Of course, there are companies that print guides for you to send by courier but they don't do the job of managing your stock and orders.

So thanks to Cubbo, we were able to operate in Mexico. In particular, thanks to Josu, who was able to meet him a few years ago and who made me very happy to found Cubbo, because it was the perfect solution for us.

‍

Also read: Cherish, on-time, discreet and perfect deliveries

‍

You guys are quite logistically complex, right?

Leonardo: In particular for a fullfilment company, we are a company that is not categorized as the standards, because we have the rental business model, which represents shipping, re-entry into stock and/or returns. Logistically we are complex.

Cubbo was 100% adapted to what we needed without making any modifications, the platform was 100% adapted to our system. Of course there are always some improvements that could be made to make it smoother and all electronic, but the integration was in less than five minutes.

‍

Do they work with Cubbo only in Mexico?

Leonardo: Yes. For now, yes. But the experience we are having with them is opening our eyes to the possibility of expanding our borders and starting to operate in other countries without having to have a company there.

That's a really good thing, because we can market and generate these rents in Colombia, without having to have a company in Colombia, and we have Cubbo who imports our routers and makes them available to us.

That's the next step we'll take. For now, we are settling in after two years that were very difficult, because travel was cut due to Covid and we are barely returning to 2019 levels.

For now, the main plans are to reopen the United States and start in Colombia, Chile and Uruguay.

‍

What would you say is the competitive advantage of MioWiFi?

Leonardo: Cost and quality. We're offering one of the most competitive costs in the market: just $8 per day. Think of it as two coffees.

And having stable internet with you, with no data limits, wherever you go for that price, is a huge advantage. But in addition, we do this by giving you the peace of mind that you will have an exceptional experience with us. That's why MioWiFi is a solution that is simply one of the best there is currently on the market.

‍

Are you looking for an ally that enhances your delivery process, reverse logistics, compliance and customer satisfaction? Do not hesitate to contact us, we are the best Fulfillment center for ecommerce in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil, just click Here.