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Verizon Wireless has made it clear that they plan to do their best to start catching up to CLEAR/Sprint's 4G WiMAX coverage in 2010 by launching their 4G LTE service in 25-30 markets this year, and this week at CES some lucky reporters and conference attendees got a sneak peak at the LTE network in action. Using a series of technology prototypes, Verizon demonstrated video streaming (in 1080p!) and live videoconferencing over LTE using equipment from Creative Labs and Motorola. LTE is still not available to consumers yet (although Verizon does have test markets in Boston and Seattle), but the demonstrations illustrated the high-speed possibilities of LTE - and served as a reminder that while WiMAX has the head start, we shouldn't discount the potential of this "other" 4G technology!

Discuss Verizon's LTE Demos on the 4G Forums

 

Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless Can Bring Sprint's 4G Speeds to More Than 400 Million Wi-Fi-Enabled Devices

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan 06, 2010  -- Sprint announced today the upcoming availability of Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot (aka the Sierra Wireless AirCard W801). Overdrive allows you to connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously--including laptops, gaming devices, cameras and even smartphones from other carriers--through a single connection (via Wi-Fi), to a network that is up to 10 times faster than today's 3G speeds from any national wireless carrier.1 There's no need to wait for 4G devices to enjoy the benefits of 4G: Overdrive creates a connection between the Sprint 4G network and virtually all of the hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi-enabled electronics devices owned by or available to customers today.

"This device delivers the connected lifestyle to our customers in overdrive," said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO. "The fact that it connects up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices is especially meaningful because at 4G speeds, customers can download and upload more data--gigabytes, not megabytes--in a matter of seconds. The Overdrive on the 4G network is made for the multitude of bandwidth-hungry applications customers want to access wirelessly, like video streaming. 4G beats 3G for speed and for value."

Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot will benefit customers today

In the home:

Through a single connection, you can bypass your cable provider and stream HD movies from content distribution providers (such as Netflix, Amazon and Blockbuster) right to your TV; connect your Xbox 360 and game real-time with someone located across the globe; move pictures wirelessly from your camera to a digital picture frame and surf the Web on your laptop while streaming Pandora.

In the dorm:

Connect virtually anywhere on a campus with 4G coverage at 4G speeds: Turn your iPod Touch with Skype into a voice phone and make a call, or stream a live movie from Hulu or Netflix to your laptop.

On-the-go:

Whether you're on a long trip or running a busy day of errands, use Overdrive to keep passengers entertained in the car.² Stream your favorite TV show from Hulu to your Netbook; use a PSP gaming device to access multiple games and content; download music to your Zune HD; and turn your 3G iPhone into a 4G device. It's all very simple with Overdrive.

Mobile office:

Join a video conference, download large files, conduct a virtual home tour and stay in constant contact with your office via unified communications.

Move Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot to the workplace and the benefits are even greater with enhanced Wi-Fi performance, increased productivity and improved cost savings. Set up and redeploy easily and quickly for a small workgroup; back-up or replace costly wireline connections to small branches, retail locations or home offices; cost-effectively share one connection on one plan when mobile with other employees and customers; use as excellent "power up and go" mobile solution to maintain connectivity for business/emergency continuity; and easily perform multiple functions with constant connectivity and real-time access to corporate data.

"At Best Buy, we see an amazing amount of new devices and products from mobile phones to televisions to gaming consoles that are designed to connect and interact with each other. This kind of connectivity is very exciting, but it can also be complicated to maximize unless you actually see it and understand it," said Brian Dunn, Best Buy CEO. "In combination with Best Buy's skilled and passionate associates, the Sprint Overdrive will allow us to showcase our in-store experience by demonstrating how various Wi-Fi- enabled products work and connect together, whether in the home, on-the-go or both."

As the first dual-mode device of its kind, Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot can be used on both the Sprint 4G network and Sprint's Mobile Broadband Network, America's most dependable 3G network.³ This flexibility allows customers to enjoy 4G performance in any Sprint 4G market or to use Sprint's reliable 3G mobile broadband network when outside a 4G area. Sprint 4G is already available in 27 markets and continues to expand to new cities, bringing wireless speeds up to 10 times faster than today's 3G from any other national wireless carrier.

"Sierra Wireless places a high priority on making our products simple to use, and we have put considerable time and effort into ensuring that Overdrive3G/4G Mobile Hotspotdelivers the easiest user experience of any mobile hotspot on the market," said Jason Cohenour, CEO of Sierra Wireless. "Its simplicity, combined with its compact portability, and security, makes Overdrive3G/4G Mobile Hotspotideal for both personal and business use in a variety of situations."

Key features of Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot include a LCD that provides important information such as battery life and internet connection status, as well as an easy-to-use web interface for customizing settings. Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot also includes built-in GPS capability (on 3G), MicroSD slot for up to 16 GB memory cards creating shared storage with up to five connected devices, and an extended Wi-Fi range of up to 150 feet.

Beginning on Jan. 10, customers will be able to purchase Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot exclusively from Sprint for $99.99 (excluding taxes) after a $50 mail-in-rebate with a two-year service agreement. Customers can purchase the device and sign up for 3G/4G plans at select Sprint retail stores and select Best Buy stores; available through business sales, Web (www.sprint.com) and Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1) in coming weeks. Also beginning Jan. 10, Sprint will offer simplified 3G/4G data plans for consumers and businesses at $59.99 monthly (price plans exclude surcharges and taxes).⁴

Sprint continues to blaze trails with 4G

Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology. (View 4G coverage at www.sprint.com/4G)

Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 27 markets, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., San Antonio and Seattle. Sprint 4G is also offered in Abilene, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Austin, Texas; Bellingham, Wash.; Boise, Idaho; Charlotte, N.C.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Greensboro, N.C. (along with High Point and Winston-Salem); Honolulu; Killeen/Temple, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Maui, Hawaii; Midland/Odessa, Texas; Milledgeville, Ga.; Raleigh, N.C. (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Salem, Ore.; Waco, Texas and Wichita Falls, Texas.

In 2010, Sprint expects to launch service in multiple markets, including Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

Sprint is harnessing the power of 4G as the majority shareholder of Clearwire, the independent company that is building the WiMAX network.

¹ "Up to 10x faster" based on download speed comparison of 3G's 600 kbps vs. 4G's 6 Mbps. Typical published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary. 4G currently available in select areas /devices; check Sprint.com/4G for Sprint 4G coverage/device info.

² Sprint encourages all wireless users to drive responsibly and avoid distractions.

³ "Dependable" based on independent, third-party drive tests for 3G data connection success, session reliability, and signal strength for the top 50 most populous US markets (including PR) from January 2008 to August 2009. Not all services available on 3G and coverage may default to separate network when 3G unavailable.

⁴ Sprint reserves the right, at our sole discretion to deny, terminate, modify, disconnect or suspend service if customer exceeds the off-network roaming threshold (300MB/mo.) or engages in the following prohibited uses: server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, disproportionate Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections, peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications broadcast to multiple servers or recipients such that they could enable "bots" or similar routines, or for any other reason that, in our sole discretion harms our network.

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Related Links:

 

• Visit Overdrive Forums - EVDOforums.com

Sprint Overdrive 3G/4G router at 2010 CES?

Popular technology website engadget.com is reporting that the Sprint Overdrive will make its debut at the 2010 CES Tradeshow in Las Vegas.

Its rumored that the Overdrive will be MiFi-like, but feature both 3G and 4G technologies , so that it can take full advantage of Sprint's combined 3G/4G networks. No pricing or available information is known yet.

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The 2010 International CES show is billed as the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, and its happening this week in Las Vegas.

Many tech websites are repeating a rumor that Cradlepoint Technologies -- makers of a great line of cellular routers --  will be announcing two new products that target 4G mobile broadband service.

Judging from some of the rumors, it appears possible that these new products will feature embedded cellular modules, unlike the very popular 3G routers that Cradlepoint has released in the past that allowed for a wide selection of USB modems or cards that could be attached. Its also possible these are being made to be sold by specific cell carriers, as OEM products.

 

 

Clearwire has already made two big announcements regarding their financing in recent months (a $1.5 billion announcement in early November followed by an additional $920 million later that month), but they're not done fund-raising just yet. Last week Clearwire registered for a $361 million rights offering that will allow them to offer the holders of its Class A common stock the right to purchase 0.4336 shares for $7.33 each; if all the rights are exercised by June of 2010 Clearwire will net $361 million. Like the money raised in November, Clearwire plans to use this money to continue to expand their CLEAR 4G WiMAX network to reach more customers in more markets.

The Cradlepoint CBA750 is a follow-up product to Cradlepoint's first "broadband adapter", the CBA250. The CBA750 looks to share the same case as the MBR1200 but features three usb ports, a single expresscard/34 slot, and NO WIFI (its not meant to be a "router" really.)

Like the CBA250, the primary purpose of the CBA750 is to convert mobile broadband to ethernet accessible IP, complete with "Public IP pass through".

The CBA750 can switch from a "configuration mode" which allows for management via web browser admin, or "IP Pass Through" mode where the unit bi-directionally converts from mobile broadband to ethernet, an ethernet to mobile broadband.

We have a preliminary writeup on EVDOinfo.com and are planning a full review after it ships on December 28, 2009

The CBA750 is just one of a complete line of 4G solutions from Cradlepoint. Other products include 3G/4G routers like the PHS300, CTR500, MBR900, MBR1000 and the flagship MBR1200. To compare features and applications, check out this Mobile Broadband Router Guide.

You can order the CBA750 at http://3gstore.com/ and discuss the CBA750 on EVDOforums.com

Could the long wait for a WiMAX-enabled phone at last be over? It appears that way! Sprint and LG have reportedly invited journalists attending CES next month to a joint event where they will "showcase Sprint's 4G leadership". While a WiMAX phone is not specifically mentioned, it is heavily rumored that they will be revealing a WiMAX-enabled smartphone that will operate on the Windows Mobile OS.

Sprint first announced their plans to offer a WiMAX phone back at 4G World in September, but at that time the rumor was that it would operate on Google's Android OS, not Windows Mobile. We will have to wait until January at CES to find out which of the two rumors is more accurate!

Discuss Sprint's future 4G WiMAX phone on the 4G Forums