Hi Lisa. I don't work for PayPal, but am a bit of a networking geek. When you say "handheld", are you talking about the PayPal Chip Card Reader? If so, the black box itself does not need any Internet connection (Wi-Fi, 4G, etc.). It simply talks Bluetooth directly to your smartphone. The smartphone then talks over the Internet to the PayPal mother ship to authorize and record transactions. Your smartphone can use whatever Internet connection is available at the time, including a hotspot. - Dave
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