Novatel Wireless on Tuesday announced it will soon bring out the smallest dual carrier HSPA+ USB modem. It will initially be available at Spain's Telefonica Moviles network before arriving at other carriers around the world. The Ovation MC545 was demonstrated to provide a maximum download speed of 40.5Mbps when running on Ericsson’s DC-HSPA+ network. DC-HSPA+ networks support maximum theoretical speeds of up 42Mbps when downloading and 5.7Mbps when uploading. The Ovation modem currently uses the 900MHz, 1,900MHz and 2,100MHz 3G bands and won't likely reach the US in its current form, however. The modem has a built-in microSDHC memory card slot for storing as much as 32GB.
Pricing or release dates haven't been released for the Ovation MC545 in markets other than Spain.
Both products were announced at the Intel Developers Forum in San Francisco. The 21Mbps device, the F5521gw, is based on chipmaker ST-Ericsson's modem platform and features embedded GPS functionality and Ericsson's 'Wake-on Wireless' capability.
According to Ericsson, this feature, claimed to be unique, "enables a wide range of innovative features, such as the ability to remotely 'wake' the device, subscribe to content push services and receive updates at any time…[and] when combined with GPS, enterprise features such as remote manageability, asset protection and tracking, geofencing and security updates are also easily incorporated."
Kursten Leins, head of strategy and marketing for Ericsson Australia, said: "As we move towards a world of 50 billion connected devices, embedded modules - rather than standalone modems such as dongles - will become more commonplace. They will be used not just in laptops and netbooks but increasingly in other consumer electronic devices and household items like surveillance cameras, digital storage, movement sensors, gas meters and cars."
He added that, increasingly laptop and notebook computers sold in Australia and New Zealand were shipping with embedded 3G modems. "According to Infonetics Research, 36 percent of all mobile broadband devices shipped globally were embedded, comprising PCs, netbooks, tablets and mobile Internet devices. The remaining 64 percent were USB modems and datacards.
"New generations of mobile devices such as tablets, for example the iPad, and e-book readers are significantly accelerating demand for embedded mobile broadband devices. According to Apple, for instance, iPad sales exceeded two million units within the first two months of being released.
Security features of embedded modems such as the F5521gw are also likely to lead to them being favoured by enterprises over removable dongles.
The first data calls with the speed of 100Mbps LTE downlink data to a USB wireless modem has been reached grade 3. 100MBp number is the maximum speed for the terminal LTE (long term evolution) grade 3. This speed is a new achievement, after Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) and LG Electronics completed the full LTE interoperability testing first 2100MHz frequency band.
In this 100Mbps LTE test, a call is made with NSN LTE radio equipment. This includes Multiradio Flexi Base Station, elements Evolved Packet Core network and software in accordance with the standard USB modem pre-LTE commercial from LG Electronics (LG).
These data calls are also part of the Advanced NSN interoperability testing and Motorola in the frequency band 2100 MHz and 2600 MHz in the center of R & D LTE NSN in Oulu, Finland, and Ulm, Germany.
Terminal 3 class itself is expected to become the first commercial LTE terminal which is used widely by the end of 2010. In LTE, the user devices are grouped based on the potential speed uplink and downlink data.
