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.
Home networking is almost always a bitch. But Netgear's new (and first of its kind) wireless N and powerline networking combo might simplify the process, adding a high-throughput Wi-Fi bubble, riding along your home wiring, to any free electrical outlet. Netgear says the AV 200 will extend your existing WiFi network—taking the wireless signal in one room, routing it through copper, and then rebroadcasting where needed—at speeds of up to 200 Mbps. Though, as with any powerline-dependent network, electrical interference might bring down speeds—so mind your torrents when you power on that vacuum cleaner, for instance. [Netgear]
Intel's been trying to break into the home entertainment market for years, and while it's made some inroads, it's also looking at a notable list of ho hum attempts that never managed to gain traction. Take theCE3100processor, for instance -- a couple of years ago, the outfit seemed certain that this here chip would be powering every last living room box for the rest of eternity, and nowadays it's hardly a household name. But this week, Intel has picked up Texas Instruments' cable modem unit, which gives it a direct link into the very area it's been trying to exploit. The goal of the acquisition -- which is scheduled to close in the fourth quarter of this year -- is to combine TI's Puma product lines withDOCSISandIntelSoCs. Once that magical marriage takes place, Chipzilla intends to push out complex set-top boxes, residential gateways and modem products, possibly even going for the OEM artery. Details beyond that are few and far betwixt, but we doubt it'll be too long before the pickup begins to bear fruit.
We’re calling it - the days of the standalone 3G dongle or modem are numbered. In their place, a new class of portable router has emerged. The AXIMCom MR-102N is one such device. Packed into a small device, marginally larger than a cigarette box, is a 3G modem, wireless router and battery pack that will create a wireless LAN anywhere, anytime. The AXIMCom MR-102N is very easy to set up. It has an Ethernet port, USB port, power switch and AC input. The Ethernet connection is used for the initial set-up so that you’re not creating an open wireless hotspot before you’ve done any configuration.Unlike many of the routers in this class, the MR-102N supports a variety of advanced network settings such as port forwarding and VPN.
We tested the AXIMCom MR-102N with a USB modem from Optus. We powered on the MR-102N, plugged in the modem and went into the browser-based configuration utility. This was both Windows and Mac friendly. Given that it worked with both Firefox and Chrome, we’d expect the same from Linux.
Setting up the modem required that we choose the brand from a drop down list and then enter the APN settings. Once that was in, we could choose whether to connect automatically or on command. One of the handy things about the MR-102N is that it’s not only able to use USB modems. If you’re an iPhone user and have tethering enabled, you can connect your iPhone and share its 3G connection. You can also use Windows Mobile and Android phones in the same way.
Perhaps the most important thing we can say about the MR-102N is that it just works. Once we’d gone through the initial set up, the MR-102N delivered a reliable Internet connection to an iPhone, iPad, netbook and notebook computer. Battery life was reasonable with several hours of use on a single charge.
Range over the 802.11n radio was solid with ping times only falling once we several several meters away. The signal didn't completely drop away until we were over 12 metres away and with a solid wall interfering with the line of sight.
For $199, the AXIMCom MR-102N delivers an easy way to use your existing 3G data service and share it with multiple devices. With support for all Australian carriers and a bunch from other countries as well, the MR-102N makes a worthy travel companion.
T-Mobile's HSPA+ service should get a major expansion in just over a week, including a new netbook to match, if a tip this evening is accurate. The 21Mbps access would reach 19 new coverage areas on July 21, ranging from major cities in Ohio and Texas to the island of Hawaii and cities such as Baltimore, Kansas City, Portland and Washington, DC. It would represent one of the largest expansions of the faster 3G since it launched. BGR hears the new network's activation would be met by the new webConnect 2.0 modem, which improve the overall design and add Mac support. Dell's subsidized Mini 10 will also make an appearance, although here it would come with a USB webConnect modem rather than have HSPA+ built-in.
T-Mobile currently has the fastest available cellular Internet access in the US as Sprint's 4G doesn't peak beyond 10Mbps in real conditions. AT&T is only just starting its HSPA+ deployment and will top at 14.4Mbps, and Verizon's 4G will be faster but won't be commercially available until the end of the year.
Pity me --- I use Comcast as my ISP. Based on the support hell I've been put through by that company today, I can definitively say Comcast has the worst tech support of any company anywhere. Here's my tale of woe. In the last week or so, I've been experiencing intermittent Internet outages. This has happened before; each time Comcast has dispatched a technician to the neighborhood, who fixed a nearby connection, and then things worked fine. This time when I called tech support, I was told the problem was my cable modem. There was no problem with Comcast's network, he insisted. I had to return my cable modem and get a new one. That would fix the problem. "Can you check whether other people in the neighborhood are calling with the same problem?" I asked. "If they are, it means there's a problem with your network, not with my modem." The technician told me that no, he couldn't check on that. I'd have to return my cable modem for a new one. That would fix the problem. I dutifully trudged to the Comcast office in my neighborhood and waited in line. The person before me, who also lived in my neighborhood, handed a cable modem to the person behind the counter and said, "I'm having a problem with my Internet connection. Tech support told me the problem was with my cable modem and I had to get a new one." When it was my turn, I asked whether a lot of people in the neighborhood were suddenly returning their cable modems and getting new ones, because tech support told them that would fix their Internet connection problems. "You know, you're right," she told me. "I've never seen so many people returning their modems like this." I suggested that she call someone at Comcast's main office and tell them that there's clearly a problem with a connection in the neighborhood. I returned home and plugged in my cable modem. No Internet connection. I called tech support and received an automated message saying that there is a problem in my area, and they've dispatched someone to fix it. An hour later, I used ping to see whether I had an Internet connection. It worked! Finally, I thought, I'd be able to get onto the Internet. Unfortunately, it was not to be. I launched my browser, but apparently because I had a new cable modem, Comcast thought I was a new customer and so the Web page asked that I set up a new account. Given that I already have an account, I couldn't set up a new account. I called tech support again, so they could fix the problem. This time around, they'd be able to make a change to my record, and that would do the trick. No thinking would be involved. When it comes to Comcast, that's a good thing. I again received the recorded message. No human would help. I figured that I'd try to set up a new account. First, though, I had to download software. But when I clicked the link to the download, nothing happened. I clicked again. Nothing. Eventually, though, the link worked. But even after installing the software and using it, each time I launched my browser it brought me back to the same screen, informing me that because I was a new customer, I had to set up a new account. But it wouldn't let me set up a new account. I called tech support yet one more time. Once again, I received the same recorded message. Luckily, my son Gabe came to the rescue. He suggested that I configure my PC to use OpenDNS DNS servers and bypass Comcast servers. I followed his advice. That did the trick...but only on that one PC. So I'll have to change DNS settings for all the computers in my house. So I can't say that the problem is really solved yet. In fact, I realized, the problem will never really be solved, until I get away from Comcast, which unfortunately offers the only truly high-speed Internet service where I live. Verizon FIOS, when will you finally come to Cambridge?
Clear today swung attention back to its 4G networking hardware with a particular focus on Macs. The Sierra Wireless-made 4G+ Mobile USB is its first dual 3G and 4G modem to support Macs and gives them an EVDO data connection fallback when 4G coverage is poor or non-existent. It should work with Mac OS X Leopard or later and will cost either $115 outright or $6 a month for a lease.
Routers now include two new options. The Spot 4G is a basic 4G-only mobile router for those that don't plan to leave Clear's coverage, sharing its WiMAX with up to eight other devices over W-Fi. The Spot 4G+ is a rebranding of Sprint's Overdrive with a 3G option and up to five devices sharing the network.
Both are OS-independent and carry different prices to reflect their expanded functions: the Spot 4G costs just $100 up front or $5 on a lease, while the Spot 4G+ costs $225 immediately or $6 per month.
Rates for access depend on how the device will be used and whether it supports 3G. The Spot 4G is the least expensive to use at $45 per month for an on-the-go connection or $65 per month to add home use, while the 3G-capable hardware raises these subscriptions to $61 and $81.
We've shown you one way to turn your wifi router into a repeater, but if your router doesn't have the firmware or your walls aren't wireless-friendly, you can get similar results with the addition of a device called a powerline adapter.
While we definitely love hacking our routers with new firmware, it does have a few downsides, most notably the fact that it's a pain to install. Furthermore, you may not be comfortable installing third-party firmware that hacks your device, if your router doesn't have the required firmware available. Technology blog Tested points out that a couple powerline adapters can help give you the same results by connecting your old router to your network through the power lines already installed in your home.
Essentially, instead of wirelessly "extending" your network, you'll be turning your old router into an access point and putting it in the dead zone of your house. It'll still need to be connected to the network, though, which is where the powerline adapters come in. Powerline adapters plug into your A/C outlets and connect to your network. You don't need any kind of electrical experience to get them working. You could, of course wire it up via Ethernet, but you probably don't want Ethernet cables running all through your house—so powerline adapters are a pretty awesome way to go.
You'll need to tweak quite a few settings on your router to make this work, and powerline extenders aren't super cheap—you could probably pick a few up for the same price of a regular wireless network extender—but if you have a house that isn't wireless extender-friendly (due to thick walls or a strangely shaped house), this is a great way to get wireless everywhere you need it. Hit the link for the full guide, and let us know your experience with powerline extenders in the comments.
Windows only: RouterPassView is a freeware application that taps into a router's configuration file, allowing you to recover important data like router login information, wireless network keys, and more in the event any of that important information goes missing.
Once you load the configuration file into the program, it displays your (supported) router's passwords, wireless keys, and login information. It can also decrypt ISP usernames and passwords. It could be really handy if, say, you're troubleshooting a less tech-savvy friend's router or if you happened to lose that information yourself.
RouterPassView supports a limited number of models, so you'll need to check the web site to see if your router will work with the program. It includes some popular router brands like Linksys, D-Link, and NETGEAR. Support for additional routers is planned for the future. RouterPassView is a free download for Windows only.
We've all had those routers that just don't cooperate, and every once in a while lose connection and need to be rebooted (or rather, unplugged and then plugged back in). Here's how to do it without walking across your whole house.
If this happens to you a lot, your router may have a larger underlying issue that needs to be fixed—perhaps the firmware needs an update, or your router is not cooperating with your ISP and you need to give them a call. If it happens only once in a while, though, and you have yet to find a defining solution (maybe you just have a cheap router), here's an easy way to reboot your router without having to be near it.
Note that you'll need to have administrator access to the router. If this is your personal, home router, this is easy. Chances are, the router is still using the default username and password for that model, which is readily available information. You can also do a hard reset of your router by using a paper clip to press the reset button on the back. If you'd rather not restore the factory settings, though, and you have a backup of your config file, you can also use previously mentionedRouterPassView to find your username and password.
To reboot the router when the connection goes down, just type in your router's IP address in the address bar of any browser. The IP address should be easily viewable in your computer's network preferences, though it's usually http://192.168.1.1 or something similar. Every router's settings page is different, but you should be able to reboot the router just by going to basic settings and hitting the "save" or "apply" button without making any changes—this will reboot your router and hopefully get your connection up and running again.
This information is an amalgamation of information from commenters over at Lifehacker Australia and a bit of Googling. I've tested it as much as I can, but I can't verify that this works for restoring lost connections that require an unplug/replug (since I cannot reproduce the event that would cause that type of connection loss), so let us know if this works for you in the comments.
You won't see the word "router" or Linksys anywhere on the box for Cisco's Valet. No, "it's the simple way to create your own wireless hotspot." It's the router for everybody else. That's the idea, anyway.
Home networking is gross. Truth. Lots of numbers, stuff that doesn't work for reasons you can't understand. Cisco, since they make a lot of routers, knows this. Which, it turns out, is a major reason they bought Pure Digital, the makers of the Flip Camera—to make their stuff easier to use. The first non Flip product of that swallowing is the Valet, and its slightly more capable upsell, the Valet Plus.
Design
Though $100 and $150, respectively, their specs aren't impressive: No dual band, 2.4GHz only, no USB ports, and you have to plop down the extra 50 bucks for the Plus to get gigabit ethernet ports. (You also get an extra antenna and boosted input/output speed.) What you do get is an approachable looking, almost Apple-like router in the case of the Valet Plus (sorry, it's true), a USB key, and 24/7 phone support, which is supposed to add up to ease of use.
The USB key that plugs into your computer's supposed to take care of all of the hard crap for you, setting everything up after you plug the Valet in. It works, actually—within a couple of minutes of plugging the key in, two wireless networks popped up, NiceCat (secured) and NiceCat-guest (unsecured, but with a browser-based password for visitors), ending the reign of generic SSIDs, with default admin passwords ready for me to noodle with.
The rub is that the Cisco Connect software that's supposed to make the Valet easy to use—you know, part of the reason you're paying $100-$150 for fairly basic routers—also comes with the more feature-packed new E Series Linksys routers. The difference is that you don't get a USB drive in the box, you get a CD with the software (which you can use to make a USB key).
Connect handles the utter basics, some better than others. For instance, guest access is really easy to set up, but when it comes to adding new devices to the network, it's not all that helpful: "Refer to the device's documentation to learn how to connect it to a wireless network, then, on the device, use the wireless settings below to connect the device to your Valet." Which, if you don't change the password it provides for you, is a mess of unmemorable gibberish, though it offers to copy it to your clipboard.
Anything beyond basic tweaks requires a deeper dive into the purple monstrosity that is the Linksys router system menu we've known and loathed for years.
Performance
But even when you're willing to get your hands dirty, some options are automated beyond your control. Notably, you can't force the Valet to make the 2.4GHz network wireless G-only or N-only. It's a mixed B/G/N network, always and forever. So, you incur a performance penalty on wireless N since you're not able to run it as a pure N network—combined with the Valet's lesser internal specs, it's noticeable when you compare transfer speeds across a network to its more capable cousin, the E3000, which was nearly twice as fast when it was placed in N-only mode on the 5GHz band (and still slightly speedier when it was set to a mixed N network on 2.4GHz, like the Valet).
It doesn't suffer for range, though, at least in the testing environment I used. Typically, we've tested routers at Brian or Jason's houses in California, where there's lots of space, and little urban wireless interference. Instead, I put the Valet and E3000 to perhaps more brutal range tests: How well they handle the interference from a massive flustercuck of wireless networks inside a NY high rise. We're talking 30 other wireless networks at any given test point. Using iStumbler, I couldn't pick up either router more than 2 floors above or below my apartment, 50 feet (horizontally) away, but at the worst point for both routers, the E3000's 2.4 GHz band managed only a 10 percent stronger signal than the Valet, despite its vastly more impressive six-antenna array. (5GHz is notably worse at penetrating walls than 2.4GHz, so the E3000's other channel didn't come into play at the fringes of the range test.)
It's an Expensive Half Solution
For a basic router, the performance in other words, is okay. It's not suited to heavy duty file swapping and streaming, like a dual-band router (things like Netflix worked just fine.) The range is pretty respectable. And it's missing basically every power feature you'd want, but that's not really the point of this router. It's supposed to be the one your mom can setup. From that perspective, though, it still doesn't really solve some key networking stumbling points:
For instance, networked storage for backups. (I know that sounds complicated, but the basic idea, backing up wirelessly, is something even technonoobs would like to be easy.) Or even fixing the Linksys router menu we've all used forever. Why not improve it too? Or, in addition to hiding everything behind an okay bit of software (which is now standard across the whole Linksys line, devaluing it a bit) why not try to explain some basic networking too, like Nikon cameras for new photographers attempt to explain concepts like aperture?
The Valet doesn't radically reinvent the router to make networking remarkably more accessible, it just makes it easier to stumble through, as long as the demands being made of it are relatively simple, too—making the $150 asking price a bit much, up front. The one feature that may justify the cost, however, is 24/7 phone support. If it's truly decent, the support could save you a night of troubleshooting with your parents.
Easy setup works pretty well
Range isn't too shabby for a basic router
24/7 phone support
Missing power features and some manual controls, like wireless network type
Cisco promised us a significant announcement this morning, one that would "forever change the Internet and its impact on consumers, businesses and governments," so we had to tune in to the company's webcast to find out what it was all about. We were instantly bowled over with the shocking news that video is the killer app of the future internet, before getting it drilled into our heads that we really need, like and want more bandwidth. No kidding -- so what, Cisco, what is your revolutionary next step? Is it the space-based IP router? Some killer alternative 4G connectivity? Well, it turns out it was the CRS3. The what? Cisco is bringing out a new Carrier Routing System, which Pantaj Patel describes as "this is huge" in a perfect monotone. We couldn't agree more. Apparently Cisco is keen on offering smarter pipes, and we did hear that AT&T is handling 19 petabytes of traffic each and every day, but the sum of the whole thing is that Cisco is just refreshing its backhaul hardware and regurgitating promises about 100Gbps bandwidth and whatnot. The internet remains safe and un-revolutionized for another day. Video after the break.
WiMAX desktop modems have been popping up all over the place lately, and the latest evidence for a major push towards 4G for the home user comes to us courtesy of Sprint. The company quietly made Motorola's CPEi 25150 (the predecessor of the CPEi 100 we saw at CES) available to customers over the weekend, featuring that famous shark's fin form factor, white and yellow Sprint logo, and the promise of "the best radio performance in its class," on account of dual integrated antennas. Of course, this thing also has the requisite ethernet and USB ports for connecting to your home router. If you're lucky enough to have Sprint WiMAX coverage in your area, call your main man to get started. You can look forward to paying $100 (with $150 instant rebate) after signing a two-year contract. PR after the break.
NOTE: If you are coming to this article after Googling the subject in frustration, here’s the quick-fix for you: Upgrade the modem’s firmware to QAQ01-31.00L.33 or later and you should be fine.
Qwest has been rolling their new high-speed fiber-optic DSL service out throughout Denver and Arizona for the last year or so (it’s not fiber-to-the-house, but with 40mbps available, who cares?). I’ve been a happy Qwest DSL client for about 3 years now — no complaints and more importantly — no outages.
When the fiber service started rolling out with speeds of 12mbps and 20mbps offered, I would reflexively crap my pants and throw myself into jealous rages because it wasn’t available in my area — that all changed last week.
Not only has Qwest rolled out fiber in my area, they also rolled out a new 40mbps/20mbps service as well for $115/mo — that doesn’t have any bearing on this post, it’s just awesome.
Anyway, I ordered the 20mbps/5mbps service which required an upgrade to the Actiontec Q1000 Qwest-branded modem. This is a Gigabit-capable 4-port modem with Wireless-N capabilities — I’ve had Actiontec equipment in the past from Qwest and it was garbage — replaced within months by 2wire which worked much better. Fortunately after a week with this Q1000 it looks like Actiontec may have cleaned some things up, the modem works fine with some basic firewall, port forwarding and advanced routing rules — this was something the older Actiontec modem that Qwest was selling couldn’t no — no joke, it literally couldn’t employ port forwarding rules AND the firewall at the same time — fail.
Anyway, after getting the Q1000 setup and the service enabled, I hooked my Xbox 360 via a WAP (I’ll give a review of later) and when I tried to get the Xbox online, I would get an error similar to the following:
Unable to connect to Xbox live, the MTU setting of your router is less than 1365 and must be increased. Please fix the problem and try again.
There is literally no MTU setting anywhere on the Q1000 — and reading through some other threads online, folks had suggestions ranging from disabling uPnP all the way to manually changing the MTU settings on your Windows machine (yea, I have no idea how they thought that would help).
As the threads went on, more and more folks said upgrading the firmware did the trick for them and magically the Xbox 360 started working again without any problems.
This sounded easy enough, but believe it or not, I was actually confused by the Upgrade Firmware screen on the Q1000 — on the older 2wire I had, there was a button that I clicked that would check the firmware against the remotely available version and then upgrade it if available — it also automatically upgraded itself constantly too (which got annoying after a while).
On the Q1000, there is simply a Download button and you end up with a file that has no identifying name or type, just firmware.
Believe it or not, this s all fine — and it worked great. So I’ll give you the instructions on how to update your firmware incase you are bamboozled by this — and get your Xbox 360 back online:
Go to 192.168.0.1 (or whatever IP address you gave your modem)
Login to your modem — I believe the default credentials are “admin” or “admin”/”admin” or just try password “admin” — it’s one of those.
Go to Utilities
Click Upgrade Firmware in the left menu
Click the Download button in section #1 — you will likely be prompted to safe a file named “firmware”, save it anywhere on your local computer.
Now scroll down to section #2, and click the Browse button and select that “firmware” file you saved.
Now scroll down to section #3, and click the Upgrade Firmware button, this will upload the file you just saved and apply it then restart the modem
And you should be all set. Let us know if you run into any problems. Happy gaming!
TRENDnet has unveiled the 150Mbps Mini Wireless N USB Adapter, a network link it claims is the smallest 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter ever. The device is only slightly longer than its USB connector and is built for netbooks and other PCs where it's preferable to leave the adapter attached even when the system is in a bag. It still supports full-size features like Wi-Fi Protected Setup.
The peripheral is officially compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista and can get a signal as far as 160 feet indoors and 320 feet when outside, or about three times farther than 802.11g. Prices at various retailers range from $28 to $32.
TRENDnet late Wednesday unveiled a hybrid modem and router that aims to provide faster speeds on both sides. The TEW-635BRM is the home to an ADSL 2 and 2+ modem that provides faster broadband up to 24Mbps downstream but also includes an 802.11n Wi-Fi router to share the connection at a theoretical peak of 300Mbps on the local network. It also carries a four-port, 100Mbps Ethernet switch for wired connections.
The modem carries a two-layer firewall system and supports the official Wi-Fi Protected Setup spec to simplify securing the wireless link with computers that support the format. Administration is handled over the web and so lets Linux and Mac users configure the device just as easily as on Windows.
TRENDnet doesn't list pricing for the device, though as a modem it will typically be bundled with service rather than sold by itself
While Sprint takes its time unrolling its 4G data network, they’d like the public to know that some cool tech will be ready to exploit the system’s speed. Two newly announced routers bridge 4G data to Wi-Fi.
We’ve already had great experiences with the systems like Sprint’s Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200. But up next?
The Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and the Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router are both essentially Wi-Fi routers that accept both 3G and 4G USB wireless dongles. Plug the dongle into the router and you have a Wi-Fi network that runs without a hard line.
The Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S ($US160) will support up to four simultaneous Wi-Fi connections while the Cradelpoint model ($US250), aimed at business users, will handle up to 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. Both models are available now(ish) at select Sprint stores and through their website.
Sprint adds 4G to Mobile Broadband Router Portfolio as it Prepares to Launch 4G in More Markets
Any Wi-Fi-enabled device becomes a 4G device with new Sprint 4G Mobile Broadband Routers
Users can create Wi-Fi hotspots by connecting multiple Wi-Fi devices, such as smartphones, laptops and cameras to Sprint 3G/4G networks
Overland Park, Kan. – August 5, 2009 –The search for the elusive Wi-Fi hotspot is a thing of the past for Sprint mobile broadband customers. Instead of hunting for a coffee shop or other fixed hotspot, Sprint’s new Mobile Broadband Router products connect multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices at 3G or 4G mobile broadband speeds where Sprint 3G and 4G networks are available.
On the heels of launching the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 intelligent mobile hotspot – which allows customers to simultaneously bridge several Wi-Fi devices to America’s most dependable 3G network1 – Sprint now adds two 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Routers to its mobile broadband arsenal: Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business, each featuring both 3G and 4G connectivity. These devices are available for use with any Sprint 3G or 4G data plan ranging from $US39.99 to $US79.99 per month (excluding taxes and surcharges).
Used in combination with Sprint mobile broadband devices, like the 3G/4G USB Modem U300, these Mobile Broadband Routers can simultaneously connect Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones, laptops, MP3 players, cameras, gaming devices and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices to the Sprint 3G and 4G networks. Used with a broadband device, The routers provide access to the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network as it continues to roll out and access to America’s most dependable 3G network virtually everywhere else. Users can enjoy secure, high-speed connections from virtually any location, whether on a family outing at the beach or doing business at a remote job site.
Sprint Personal Hotspot PHS300S supports up to four simultaneous Wi-Fi connections and Cradlepoint MBR-1000 Broadband Router for business supports up to 32 simultaneous Wi-Fi connections. Both routers will support all of Sprint 3G and Sprint 4G mobile broadband USB devices. “These mobile broadband routers provide an unprecedented bridge to high-speed network performance for multiple Wi-Fi devices or multiple users,” said Todd Rowley, vice president, Sprint 4G. “The addition of these mobile hotspot products offers even faster connectivity speeds to Wi-Fi users without the need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. These two new products can potentially connect the Sprint 3G and 4G networks to the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the U.S. today.”
The ability of these Mobile Broadband Routers to be used with both 3G and 4G networks will offer added advantages for a growing number of Wi-Fi users across the country. The Sprint Now Network already features 3G speeds that are faster in more places than the AT&T network.2 As the turbo-charged Sprint 4G network continues to roll out in markets across the country, customers will be able to further optimise the performance of their Wi-Fi devices, using them to connect them with the industry’s fastest available network speeds.
Sprint Personal Hot Spot PHS300S is priced at $US159.99 and available in select Sprint retail stores within Sprint 4G markets, telesales, business sales and at www.sprint.com. Cradlepoint MBR1000 broadband router is priced at $US249.99 and is available via business sales, telesales and online at www.sprint.com (all prices exclude taxes).
The first and only national carrier to offer 4G wireless services, Sprint currently offers 4G in Baltimore and will launch 4G in Portland, Atlanta and Las Vegas in August. Sprint 4G provides average downlink speeds of 3-6 Mbps and peak downlink speeds of over 10 Mbps, three to five times faster than today’s 3G service from any carrier (based on average download speeds).
The following markets are included on the list to experience Sprint 4G in 2009: Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland and Seattle. Also available for customers nationwide is the Sprint 3G/4G USB Modem U300, which provides the best of both worlds – the fast 3G speeds and lightning-fast 4G speeds wherever 4G is available.
For additional information on Sprint 4G mobile broadband products and plans, visit www.sprint.com/4G.
T-Mobile USA told those at the Mobilize conference yesterday that the carrier plans to ramp up its 3G speeds significantly in the next year. Although it began its 3G deployment much later than its GSM rival AT&T, T-Mobile's chief technical officer Cole Brodman expects to have its 7.2Mbps HSPA service online by the end of 2009. He now additionally expects the firm to introduce HSPA+ service at 21Mbps at some point in 2010.
The approach potentially gives T-Mobile a temporary edge over AT&T. While HSPA+ was once in the latter's roadmap, the company now says it will likely skip the format and move directly from 7.2Mbps 3G to its first 4G service when that becomes commercially available in 2011. T-Mobile also plans to move to 4G in a relatively close timeframe.
In addition to the network changes, Brodman updated the audience on the performance of Android and noted that there are now almost 10,000 apps available through Android Market in the less than a year the OS and online store have been available. Users on at least T-Mobile's network have also typically downloaded 40 apps, or about eight times more than Blackberry owners that often have few or no apps. By comparison, the iPhone's App Store has over 75,000 programs, though there aren't recent estimates for the number of apps downloaded per person.
The catalog and the adoption rate are both expected to go up in the near future following Google's redesign of Android Market to better advertise apps, especially paid titles, as well as the adoption of more non-HTC Android phones like the Motorola Cliq.
Rogers on Tuesday became the first North American cellular carrier to start deploying HSPA+ on its 3G network. A gradual rollout will bring the Canadian provider's network up to the standard's peak download rates 21Mbps, or about three times the speed of its existing 7.2Mbps network. While unstated, the network should also provide upstream speeds of up to 5.76Mbps in peak conditions.
The combined speed is enough that performance on the improved 3G should feel more like a home landline connection, Rogers claims. Actual speeds will likely be significantly lower but should still be within the multi-megabit range in both directions.
HSPA+ will be available in August but comes first to Rogers' largest market, the greater Toronto area. It should move "quickly" to other larger cities in the next few months. Rogers hasn't said whether it will increase the data caps for these users, but a change may be necessary as the company's most expensive service offers just 5GB for $80 per month; a more typical plan provides just 1GB for $30.
In the US, AT&T has promised HSPA+ sometime this year but has yet to signal that it's getting close to this deployment. The move mostly requires a software upgrade but may depend on finally adding 850MHz 3G to major cities like New York and San Francisco, where heavy iPhone activity has rendered the much narrow 1,900MHz 3G spectrum all but unusable. Such an upgrade may not be completed for several months.
Rogers today officially deployed its HSPA+ service in Canada. The service has a peak speed three times faster than its existing HSPA network, at 21Mbps, and is launching in a much wider area than originally promised. Where the company had initially planned only to release it in the Greater Toronto Area, the initial rollout brings HSPA+ both to Toronto as well as to Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver.
The launch also brings a new modem, the HSPA+ Rocket Stick, to take advantage of the service from launch. The USB peripheral installs on both Macs and Windows PCs without needing a separate driver disc and has tri-band support for HSPA+ as well as earlier HSPA standards, including peak upstream speeds of 5.76Mbps; it also handles quad-band EDGE and GPRS in fringe areas. A microSDHC slot optionally gives the drive as much as 8GB of storage.
Service effectively starts on September 28th, when the new Rocket Stick ships for $75 with a three-year contract or $200 contract-free. Extra cities should receive the faster network in the next few months.
The upgrade now gives Rogers the fastest cellular network in North America, as T-Mobile isn't expected to use HSPA+ until 2010 and Verizon also won't launch its 4G service until the same year. Sprint's 4G service currently runs at a peak 10Mbps.
Easy setup works pretty well
Missing power features and some manual controls, like wireless network type
