Sprint LTE Coming to Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio

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Sprint Announces First Major Markets to Receive 4G LTE in 2012

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SAN FRANCISCO - January 05, 2012 - Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced today at the annual Citigroup Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference that customers in Dallas, Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio are expected to be among the first to benefit from 4G LTE and improved 3G coverage in the first half of 2012.

The launch of these metropolitan areas marks the next step in the company's overall network strategy, also known as Network Vision. Sprint customers can expect to enjoy ultra-fast data speeds, improved 3G voice and data quality, and stronger in-building signal penetration providing a more reliable wireless experience. Whether a Sprint customer is on a smartphone streaming video, browsing the Web with a mobile hotspot, or making a voice call to someone across the country, everyone1 in the upgraded areas is expected to benefit from the advanced 3G/4G LTE network.

"Within the first half of 2012, Sprint customers should experience first-hand the wide-reaching improvements we have made in terms of boosting voice and data quality," said Bob Azzi, senior vice president - Network, Sprint. "With advanced smartphones and sophisticated wireless modems, our customers are using more and more mobile data, and one of our top priorities is to provide the best technology possible to improve our customers' experience."

Sprint's Network Vision platform involves the deployment of multimode base stations across many of Sprint's cell sites throughout the country. As base stations are deployed, customers will notice immediate improvements in voice quality, signal density and data speeds. The first completed deployment of a multimode base station was in Branchburg, N.J., in December 2011. As additional areas receive 3G enhancements and 4G LTE service, announcements will be made.

Another component of Sprint's network strategy has been the deployment of Sprint® Direct Connect® on the CDMA network. Sprint's legacy in push-to-talk leadership continues with new CDMA devices that launched in September, 2011. More CDMA push-to-talk devices will be announced in the coming months.

 

 

CradlePoint to Offer Integrated Business Continuity Network Solutions With 4G LTE Speeds


BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CradlePoint today announced an important new addition to its family of business continuity solutions for the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network. CradlePoint has received LTE Certification from Verizon for CradlePoint's fully-integrated 4G LTE failover solutions for existing multi-WAN CPE routers and new network installs in distributed enterprise locations.

Designed from the ground up to provide fixed-location network connectivity for businesses, CradlePoint's retail failover solutions integrate 3G/4G LTE modems to provide the performance, reliability, and security required for point-of-sale (POS) transactions and the growing set of high-bandwidth retail cloud computing applications providing enhanced customer service. CradlePoint's integrated business series router (the ARC MBR1400LE) provides a modular, flexible approach for business customers to utilize the 'blazingly fast' Verizon 4G LTE network.

CradlePoint's integrated business series adapter (the ARC CBA750LE) in "IP Pass-through" mode enables a high-performance LTE failover solution for practically any dual-WAN CPE router (including Cisco, Juniper, SonicWALL and others) currently in use in retail stores, quick-service restaurants, and branch office locations. Offering a dual-mode 3G/4G connection enables a single solution to be deployed at all company locations, leveraging 3G in locations where the Verizon 4G LTE network is not yet available.

For new locations, temporary situations, or applications that require isolation from the corporate network, the CradlePoint integrated ARC series router can serve as a primary connection enabling quick and easy deployment of a business-grade network.

"Today's distributed enterprises, particularly in the retail sector, are increasingly dependent on remote and cloud-based applications to enhance the customer experience and lower operational costs in their stores and restaurants," said George Mulhern, CEO of CradlePoint. "When the primary network connection goes down and failover occurs, retailers are discovering that their legacy DSL and dial-up failover connections are unable to efficiently access their bandwidth-intensive cloud applications. The last thing a retailer wants to tell a customer is 'Sorry, the system is down. We can't take your credit card right now.' CradlePoint's integrated business solutions deliver the performance and security required for reliable failover that keeps these business-critical applications up and running on Verizon's 4G LTE network."

"CradlePoint is a leading partner in providing robust, dual-mode business solutions that enable customers to take advantage of Verizon's 4G LTE Network," said Eric Sorensen, Executive Director, Machine-to-Machine Solutions, Verizon Wireless. "These dynamic solutions provide automatic failover to either 3G or 4G LTE for the reliability retail businesses require and future-proofing for those businesses where 4G LTE will soon be available."

Integrated Routers Provide Business-Grade Performance, Reliability and Security
Performance: CradlePoint's integrated ARC series routers come standard with external high-gain antennas that optimize throughput and reduce latency, especially in poor reception areas.
Reliability: CradlePoint integrated solutions are designed for 24/7 reliability with improved heat dissipation for longevity, enhanced RF (Radio Frequency) engineering for better reception, and employs CradlePoint's modem health management features to improve modem stability.
Security: In addition to LAN connections that are protected with advanced WiFi encryption, LAN Segmentation, and vLAN capabilities; the wireless modem is integrated into the router, secure from theft or unauthorized use.

Wireless Access for Failover, Primary and Alternate Network Connections
  • The CradlePoint integrated ARC series adapter provides a "drop-in" 3G/4G network failover solution that can be added as an overlay on top of existing network infrastructure to enable continuous uptime.
  • The CradlePoint integrated ARC series router provides an easy-to-install, one-box solution for wired primary connections and wireless failover in new network installations, temporary locations, or for applications where an alternate network, off the main corporate network, is desired. For example, the ability to partition the router to create multiple networks, both public (customer WiFi) and private (POS devices, 3rd party applications, employee laptops, etc.), to simplify PCI compliance.
  • The modular configuration enables great flexibility in primary connection, failover connections and load-balancing situations.

About CradlePoint

At CradlePoint, we believe in speed, reliability, and versatility. The cloud should always be accessible and highly secure. With support for over 350 modems on more than 70 different carriers, we define excellence in connectivity. Specializing in failover, machine-to-machine (M2M), and primary connections, our solutions are purpose built for PCI compliant networks and can increase system availability from 99% to 99.9%. As the first to pioneer and fully enable high-speed LTE in our solutions, we maximize the potential of the cloud. CradlePoint is a privately held company in Boise, Idaho. View all Cradlepoint products here - Click: Cradlepoint 3G/4G Equipment

About LTE

Long Term Evolution ("LTE") is a mobile broadband standard produced by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project ("3GPP"), a partnership of several telecommunication standards bodies worldwide. The LTE standard features high data throughput, high spectral efficiency, and low latency, providing users with a high-quality voice, data, and video experience while allowing more users to share the same bandwidth.



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AT&T Launches LTE in 11 More Markets



AT&T 4G LTE Now Available in 26 Markets Including NYC Metro, San Francisco, Los Angeles

AT&T's Blazing Fast 4G Speeds, Device Lineup, Apps Will Make for Best Customer Mobile Broadband Experience

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 5, 2012 - AT&T* customers are now enjoying blazing fast 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) speeds in 11 more markets, including New York City metro area, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This addition makes AT&T 4G LTE available in a total of 26 markets to 74 million consumers. John Stankey, President and Chief Executive Officer-AT&T Business Solutions, provided an update at Citi's 22nd Annual Global Entertainment, Media and Telecommunications Conference in San Francisco.

New markets where AT&T 4G LTE is now available are: New York City metro area, Austin, Chapel Hill, Los Angeles, Oakland, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose.

The expansion adds to 15 AT&T 4G LTE markets launched in 2011: Athens, Ga.; Atlanta; Baltimore; Boston; Charlotte; Chicago; Dallas-Fort Worth; Houston; Indianapolis; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Oklahoma City; San Antonio; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Washington, D.C.

"We're building a 4G LTE network that's blazing fast, and we offer dual layers of 4G technologies to provide customers with a more consistent speed experience," said Stankey. "Our network, together with our unsurpassed 4G device portfolio and innovative applications, will give our customers an industry-leading mobile broadband experience."

AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with access to 4G speeds - meaning AT&T customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience on their compatible devices, even when outside of a 4G LTE area. Customers of other carriers that have transitioned to 4G LTE without further speed upgrades to their existing networks are likely to see a jarring drop-off in speeds when they move out of LTE coverage.

Another benefit of AT&T's network strategy is that only AT&T's network lets your iPhone 4S download three times faster.

AT&T's mobile broadband service currently covers 284 million people and more than 90 percent of the population, including the top 100 U.S. markets.

AT&T expects its 4G LTE deployment to be largely complete by the end of 2013.


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LightSquared FCC Clearance Extension



LightSquared has still failed to obtain their clearance from the FCC to operate their 4G LTE network. This deal needs to get approval by Dec. 31 so existing wireless-spectrum and equipment sharing deals with Sprint can move forward. LightSquared is still facing issues with the U.S. government regarding GPS interference found in 75% of global positioning systems tested. Sprint has given LightSquared a 30 day extension to gain approval and they stand to gain $9 billion in cash and $4.5 billion in equipment if the deal goes through.


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Verizon Wireless Explains 4G LTE Outages



In light of recent events, Verizon Wireless shared the following statement about its 4GLTE Network:

The Verizon Wireless 4GLTE Network is BY FAR the largest and the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world. It is available in 190 US markets and covers more than 200 million people, providing the fastest 4G Network in the US.

Being a pioneer comes with growing pains. The recent issues that affected our customers’ 4GLTE service were unforeseen despite careful, diligent planning, deployment and ongoing upgrade programs.

Problems customers experienced affected connectivity to the 4GLTE Network and data service. Several times, we have proactively “moved” 4GLTE customers onto our 3G Network to ensure all would have a data connection. For brief periods, such as on Wednesday (12/28), 4GLTE customers could not connect to the 3G Network as quickly as we would have liked.

Nonetheless, we estimate that 4GLTE connectivity has been available approximately 99 percent of the time this year.

Why have these issues occurred with our 4GLTE Network? Each incident has been different from a technical standpoint. Our engineers have successfully diagnosed those past triggering events, and they have not re-occurred. We also work diligently to rectify technical problems in the Network before they affect any customers.

Our 3G and 1X Networks continue to reliably process calls, texts and data for customers with 3G devices and, when necessary, 4GLTE devices. It continues to perform at the high level that established it as the nation’s largest and most reliable 3G Network.

We are taking a number of steps, working closely with our network suppliers, to ensure the integrity of our 4GLTE Network. We continue to fortify and improve its performance, and our goal is that our 4GLTE Network meets the same high standards that our 3G Network has set for performance and reliability.

Among the numerous measures we have taken or will take are: geographic segmentation, which enables us to isolate, contain and rectify network performance issues, and maintain service to the majority of customers when an issue does develop; and software fixes that we have developed, tested and applied regularly – and will continue to do so. Both will improve performance and reliability.

And finally, we are learning from these issues and applying the same gold standard to our 4GLTE Network that make our 3G Network the nation’s largest and most reliable.

Verizon Wireless is a leader and pioneer in this cutting edge technology that provides very fast wireless data speeds, enabling customers to enjoy the best experience in video and other wireless data usage. Clear unbuffered streaming video, super fast file downloads and wide availability are among the advantages we offer to customers. The capabilities of 4GLTE have exceeded many expectations.

We will not rest until our 4GLTE network performs at the very highest levels that our customers have come to expect from us.


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Comparing Cradlepoint Load Balancing vs. Peplink/Pepwave Load Balancing & Bonding


(Pepwave Max 700 Connected to Multiple Connections)

When comparing 3G/4G router features the terms "Load Balancing or Bonding," can cause some confusion on what the differences are. Cradlepoint routers are known for load balancing, while Peplink/Pepwave products can establish both load balancing as well as physical modem bonding. Each of these features can be highly beneficial and determining if you need load balancing or bonding will depend on what you want to accomplish. The best way to figure out what you need is to ask yourself if your trying to support a lot of end users, or if you need one single high bandwidth stream to support things like real time video streaming. If the answer is lots of users then chances are load balancing will be perfect for you, but if you need one single data stream to support a bandwidth intensive application then modem bonding is what you need.

How Does Cradlepoint Load Balancing Work?


In the connection manager (pictured above) you'll see multiple entries for the wireless modems. This indicates the following options:

  • Load Balance Check - If you have an available connection you'd like to Load Balance, simply place a check mark by the connection.
  • Enabled - Placing a check mark in this field enables the corresponding connection
  • Up/Down Arrows - This indicates connection preference if not used in a Load Balance configuration. In a Load Balance configuration the order indicates which device you want higher on the priority list.

Load Balancing uses available bandwidth to determine which WAN device to send a connection over. When the first connection is requested, the router will look at the available connections and compare available speeds. In this example we will say the router sees the Ethernet (Cable/DSL) connection that has 1200 kbps of bandwidth available, and the modem connection has 800 kbps available. So, the first user that connects will be sent over Ethernet because there is more bandwidth available. Now, suppose this first connection only uses 200 kbps, which still gives the Ethernet WAN connection 1000 kbps available of usable bandwidth.

When the next user gets online, the router cross references the available speeds on both connections and would again utilize the Ethernet based connection. This is because (1200Kbps - 200Kbps = 1000Kbps)  and the Ethernet connections bandwidth is still greater than the wireless modem. This will continue until the available bandwidth of the Ethernet connection is less than the total speed available on the secondary modem. From our example when the Ethernet connection falls below 800Kbps the next connection would be prioritized to the USB modems connection. As you introduce more modems into the load balancing configuration this same formula occurs ensuring you have the maximum amount of bandwidth available per connection for any given user. 

The CBR400, CBR450, MBR1200 and MBR1400 routers all support load balancing. The CBR400/CBR450 can load balance between one USB modem and one ExpressCard, the MBR1200 can load balance between up to five modems (3 USB, one ExpressCard, one PCMCIA) and the MBR1400 can balance up to five modems (3 USB and 2 ExpressCard). The new Cradlepoint NetBSD platform makes it easier than ever for you to load balance all of your active internet connections.

How Does Peplink/Pepwave Load Balancing Work?

The Peplink/Pepwave products take load balancing far beyond what Cradlepoint routers are capable of. This is thanks to their sophisticated outbound policy management system that allows you to distinguish and control how each connection is physically utilized. Peplink/Pepwave offers seven different algorithms (five on Balance 20/30 products) for a variety of different applications that can be highly beneficial for system admins struggling with multiple network connections. Below you can find a list of each algorithm and how they can be integrated into a variety of applications:


Weighted Balance: This algorithm is very similar to the Cradlepoint "Load Balancing", but you have the option to manually adjust the load amount based on individual connections. Using this in conjunction with the outbound policy management allows you to create a sophisticated network and intelligently offset your network usage. The dials go from 0-10 with '0' not using the connection at all, and '10' using the connection at 100%.

For example - You could have WAN1 (cable) and WAN2 (DSL) set at '10' for a VOIP phone system and USB1 (Verizon 4G) set to '5' so it's used as other connections begin to max their connection. Now, lets say you have a slow Satellite connection and are using WAN1 (cable) and USB1 (Verizon 4G) for the phone system and use WAN2 (Satellite) as a backup connection. You can physically set the WAN2 connection for that IP range at '0' so it's never used for the Satellite system. You could then add another rule for the Satellite connection that handles data that doesn't rely on low latency. 


Persistence: This algorithm allows you to dictate which connections are active by either source or destination. If you choose "by source" the same WAN connection will be used for traffic matching the rule and originating from the same machine regardless of its destination. If "by destination" is chosen, the same WAN connection will be used for traffic matching the rule, originating from the same machine, and going to the same destination. This option can better distribute load to WAN connections when there are only a few client machines.

For Example - If you want WAN1 (Cable) to go to a specific group of computers on your network, while WAN2 (DSL) manages another branch the persistence algorithm is the perfect choice. By indicating the source or destination address you'll ensure each computer has the maximum available bandwidth. 


Enforced: This algorithm is the easiest way to link specific connections to different network components. Several users will use this algorithm with our failover solution allowing them to only run mission critical applications when on a backup connection. This will save you money by preventing wasted bandwidth on application that don't need access, while on a more expensive backup connection.

For example - Lets say that WAN1 (Cable) is designed to run your whole office network and USB1 (Verizon 4G) is configured for priority failover on select components. These components could be a VOIP or PBX phone system, POS or other mission critical hardware. If the machine doesn't have a rule to use that Verizon modem they'll simply have no connectivity when the primary network goes down. You can see this algorithm in action here - Peplink/Pepwave Outbound Enforced Policy Management


Priority: Traffic will be routed through the healthy WAN connection that has the highest priority. With this algorithm each active connection will perform a health check down the list from highest to lowest priority. If you have hardware that need to get priority over other equipment then will ensure you have the highest availability connection active.

For example - this can be used to specify the WAN order for Site-to-Site connections. You could use WAN1 (Cable) as the highest priority connection for your VPN and WAN2 (DSL) as a second priority, if WAN1 fails to pass its health check. For added convenience all Site-to-Site VPN's will be shown to the right of your priority setup allowing you to easily drag specific Site-to-Site VPN's to specific connection types.  


Overflow: This algorithm is ideal for networks that are constantly under heavy strain, or for business that may have an unreliable T1, Cable/DSL, etc connection. If part of your network becomes overloaded giving you inconsistent performance this algorithm we help you offset the load when needed.

For example - if WAN1 (Cable) and WAN2 (DSL) are constantly overloaded with users you can configure USB1 (Verizon 4G) as the third connection to help offset employee usage. The USB1 (Verizon 4G) connection would only be utilized when the less expensive connections become overloaded and begin to stall.


Least Used*: The "least used" algorithm looks at each available connection and sees which connection has the most available bandwidth and uses it. This is an easy way to ensure that your traffic will always have maximum throughput by using the connection with the most throughput available.

For example - You could give a specific computer group a rule that indicates WAN1 (Cable) and WAN2 (DSL) should run specific computers. Depending on the computer and how much bandwidth is available each user will always be using the connection that offers the most throughput to quickly complete tasks.

* Least Used algorithm only available on Balance 210 or above and Pepwave Max 700


Lowest Latency*: This algorithm is ideal for applications that require low latency to preform optimally. If you have hardware like a VOIP or PBX phone system you can use this algorithm specifically so that your phones will always stay connected to the network with the best latency.

For example - If you traditionally use WAN1 (Cable) and USB1 (Verizon 4G), but also use USB2 (3G modem or equivalent) on your phone system this will identify the best connection to use. From our example it would go Cable to 4G modem to 3G modem giving you the best possible voice quality on available connections.

* Lowest Latency algorithm only available on Balance 210 or above and Pepwave Max 700

Load Balance Wrap Up:

If you have a small business the load balancing feature on the Cradlepoint routers can be a great low cost solution. If you run a small to large business and demand complete control over your network connections the Peplink Balance series and Pepwave Max 700 offer the ultimate end user control. You can actually combine different algorithms by IP Address, IP Network or Mac address giving you unprecedented amount of control over your network. In addition to these additional options the Pepwave Max 700 in conjunction with a Peplink Balance 210 or above also offers "Modem bonding," which is something the Cradlepoint routers can't do. 

What is 'Bonding?'


Physically bonding allows you to take multiple connections and turn them into one single stream, which allows you to have an increased download and upload speed. This can be incredibly useful for companies that demand a single pipe that offers faster speeds to download or upload real time video, route large amounts of traffic and handle video conferencing. After the connection has been bonded you can use their outbound traffic management feature to optimize outbound traffic and prioritize your VPN traffic. All you need to do modem or cable bonding is a Pepwave Max 700 and a Peplink Balance 210 or higher to establish the bonded VPN back to the Pepwave Max 700 bonding router. For detailed information on Pepwave Max 700 bonding see this article - Click: Pepwave Max 700 Bonding Information

If you would like more information or to schedule a demo: Click to fill out our Pepwave Max 700 Contact Us Form

Cradlepoint routers DO NOT 'bond' multiple connections together to give you one faster download/upload speed on the network. The Pepwave Max 700 is the only router on the market that can physically bond multiple connections together without any monthly recurring fee's. This means the only costs will be the hardware and the monthly service from your ISP that you're already paying for. In fact, if you're using any leased lines you'll be able to configure specific priorities ensuring you utilize the cheapest connections, and only use more expensive connections when necessary to further save you money.

Load Balancing and Bonding Wrap Up:

The concept of "Load Balancing" and "Bonding" can be somewhat confusing, but it's very important to understand the difference so you can make the correct decision for your environment. If you run a small business and don't need to configure outbound policy rules or distinguish multiple connections Cradlepoint routers are a great option. If you would like to manage each connection type, or require the ability to add different rules based on connection types, the Peplink/Pepwave products are the best choice for you. These rules are great for managing multiple IPSec VPN, Site to Site VPN's and PPTP servers across your entire network.


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Verizon 4G LTE Outage 12/28/2011


Following last weeks outage on 12/21/2011 it appears that Verizon is again having network issues. If your Verizon phone or wireless modem isn't currently working don't get alarmed. If you're having problems with your device we suggest contacting Verizon customer service at 1-800-922-0204, or follow us on twitter for updates as we speak with any affected customers twitter.com/3GstoreTech

Per Verizon Customer Support - We have reports of failed sims and LTE connection errors and has been forced across all markets. The estimated recovery time is 12AM EST. 

Let us know in the comments below if you're experiencing any issues!

 

 


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