Industrial Design for the Next Generation of Connectivity
Our Solution
How we helped a telecom tech manufacturer enter the Mobile Hotspot market
The Result
A design that convinced Verizon to spot it on their store and become Orbic’s most profitable line item
Setting the Context
Orbic is a U.S.-based brand that develops smartphones, tablets, hotspots, and connected devices. With the rollout of 5G Ultra Wideband in the United States, Orbic partnered with Verizon to bring affordable, high-performance products to market. Among these was the Orbic Speed 5G UW Mobile Hotspot, designed to deliver fast and secure connectivity for both personal and enterprise users.
Unlike the generic black boxes common in this category, Verizon and Orbic wanted a device that people would be comfortable carrying daily. It needed to look premium, feel approachable, and extend Orbic’s evolving design language.
THE CHALLENGE
Breaking the Black Box Mold
The brief came with multiple demands. Verizon wanted the product to look refined and trustworthy while remaining cost competitive in a crowded category. Orbic wanted it to embody its brand values of blazing fast performance, security, premium aesthetics, intuitive use, and soft approachable form factors.
A key benchmark was the Imeego hotspot, widely recognized at the time for its polished finish and consumer-friendly design. The Imeego set a standard that Orbic’s new hotspot needed to meet and ideally surpass to gain Verizon’s confidence.
At the same time, housing a 5G modem, high-capacity battery, antenna systems, and multiple ports in a pocketable form factor required careful architectural planning. Thermal flow, battery safety, and drop protection were critical. Verizon’s product review process further required a strong cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of every design decision to ensure the right balance between appearance, durability, and manufacturing efficiency.
OUR APPROACH
Designing for Trust and Portability
We began by mapping use cases: mobile professionals, students, and families on the go. Insights pointed to the need for a compact form with clear usability cues. From there, we developed three core design explorations, each anchored in Orbic’s brand values.
Guardian
A direction that emphasized symmetry, protective rubberized finishes, and secure tethering options. It carried a bold stance, reinforced by grooves and venting patterns inspired by high-performance GPUs. The Guardian concept signaled reliability and protection while highlighting speed through its dynamic details.
Apple in Your Pocket
A more minimal concept with soft corners, clean surfaces, and subtle accents. This direction leaned on alignment and symmetry to create a premium aesthetic, balancing visual mass with slim proportions. It made the product feel sleek and consumer-friendly while still communicating performance.
Pebble
An organic, approachable form with curved profiles, centered displays, and balanced branding. The Pebble concept focused on tactility and grip, making the device visually softer and more comfortable in hand. It represented Orbic’s intent to make technology less intimidating and more personal.
Another key requirement was enabling the hotspot to stand securely on its edge when placed on a desk, improving both display visibility and signal reception without compromising portability. Our enclosure architecture and port placement were developed to support this mode while retaining durability.
As the program advanced, mockups were built by a leading model-making factory in China. We worked remotely during the pandemic to audit these builds in detail, reviewing everything from vent cover finishes to logo placement and port alignment. Despite the constraints, we achieved the correct fit and finish that helped Orbic secure Verizon’s approval. This stage was critical in translating design intent into physical reality without losing fidelity under ODM execution.
A distinctive element was the Lime Green power button, consistent with Orbic’s entire product portfolio. This small but intentional touch gave the hotspot instant recognizability as part of the Orbic family. Beyond aesthetics, the button was designed with a minimal light guide, reinforcing the intuitive and approachable character Orbic wanted across its devices.
We defined Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) strategies to elevate the device. Matte surfaces improved grip while gloss accents around the display conveyed premium quality. Metallic touches, subtle textures, and protective rubber shoes were positioned carefully to balance durability with aesthetics. Finally, we worked with Orbic to present a structured CBA to Verizon, showing the cost impact of each design choice and how it contributed to the overall brand story.
THE OUTCOME
A Hotspot People Chose
The result was the Orbic Speed 5G UW Hotspot, one of the first affordable 5G hotspots in the United States. Compact, pocketable, and visually distinct, it launched with Verizon as a reliable bridge to ultra-fast 5G connectivity. Its design departed from the category’s typical “black box” approach, offering users a device they could proudly place on a desk or carry in a bag.
The Lime Green power button became a defining feature, reinforcing Orbic’s brand language across its range of devices. It ensured the hotspot was not just a stand-alone product but a clear member of the Orbic family, strengthening consumer recognition and trust.
Our ability to audit mockups remotely during the pandemic further underlined the resilience of the design process. Despite global constraints, the product achieved the fit and finish required for Verizon’s approval, proving that strong design collaboration can thrive even under challenging conditions.
By combining industrial design clarity, CMF execution, and rigorous mockup audits, we helped Orbic and Verizon deliver a product that matched engineering requirements while elevating consumer appeal. Crucially, the device stood up to the design benchmark set by Imeego while carving out a unique identity for Orbic.
Takeaway
At Bang Design, we specialize in transforming utility hardware into desirable products. From concept explorations to CMF detailing and structured CBAs, our approach ensures that every product resonates with both brands and end-users. If you want your connected hardware to stand out in a crowded market, let’s talk.