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Gadgets Sprint EV-DO Rev A
Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - August 30, 2006 11:19 AM
Print 13 comment(s) - last by DallasTexas.. on Aug 31 at 8:46 AM
EV-DO revision A for mobile users

Sprint has released its first EV-DO revision A compatible PC Card. The new Novatel Merlin S720 Sprint Mobile Broadband card is compatible with laptops and an upcoming Linksys wireless G router for Mobile Broadband. Average download speeds of 400-850kbps and average upload speeds of 300-400kbps will be supported when Sprint upgrades its EV-DO network to revision A. Sprint expects to upgrade its EV-DO networks to revision A in Q4 and expects 40 million people will have EV-DO revision A services by the end of 2006.

Until Sprint rolls out its EV-DO revision A network to every part of the country, the Novatel Merlin S720 will work with Sprint’s current EV-DO network as well. "Sprint has reached its next leadership milestone in the mobile broadband arena once again delivering on the goals and promises made to our customers earlier this year," said Danny Bowman, vice president of product marketing for Sprint. "With the introduction of the nation's first EV-DO Revision A-capable device today we are ensuring that customers are able to take advantage of the nation's most advanced mobile broadband network to do what they want, when they want and where they want."

The Novatel Merlin S720 will be available through Sprint with an MSRP of $249.99. Sprint customers that sign two year contracts can pick up the Merlin S720 for $99.99. Service plans are available from $39.99 to $79.99 for 40MB to unlimited data services with a two year contract.

In other mobile broadband news, Verizon released its own Novatel EV-DO ExpressCard and will be upgrading its EV-DO network in the future.

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I think you are all missing the real news here...
By PipeStanK on 8/30/2006 1:52:58 PM , Rating: 3
The current Sprint EVDO network upload speed is only 60 - 80kbps. Rev A takes that up to 300 - 400kbps. Basically, that is about a 500% increase, nothing to scoff at. Admittedly, it still falls short of current broadband speeds. But when you support roving salesmen who rely on that connection to communicate with backend office applications, the immense increase in upload speed becomes more than just a sales gimmick.




By DallasTexas on 8/31/2006 8:46:35 AM , Rating: 2
I agree. This is news worthy as having real products avaiable that deliver 300-400Kbits (from 70-80Kbps) makes a dramatic difference in mobile web surfing.

My organization is using these now and in addition to faster datarates, the latency is much improved as well.

Expect WiMax to deliver DSL speeds this time next year as Sprint and ClearWire deploy WiMax in US metropolitan areas. That will really give the wired broadband services some real competition. Much like cellphones are causing consumers to cancel their home phone line, I can envision WiMax to compete well with DSL as prices come down over time.


zzzzz
By Lazarus Dark on 8/30/2006 1:26:39 PM , Rating: 2
call me when its 2mbps+. i suppose there are some who need internet on the go bad enough that they'll settle for 500kbps but not 40 million. but seriously i'm glad to see speeds increasing as i would love to replace my cable modem with a 2mbps+ wireless service i can take out of the house. i just don't understand these very expensive network upgrades that only give slight speed increases. why don't they just save that money for a year or two and roll out a service upgrade thats ten times faster instead of ten percent faster every year?




I'm getting tired of
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
RE: I'm getting tired of
By R Nilla on 8/30/2006 12:17:45 PM , Rating: 2
News: a report of a recent event; intelligence; information.


RE: I'm getting tired of
By retrospooty on 8/30/2006 12:18:33 PM , Rating: 2
Thanks for your opinion on what you determine to be not news... However, this is a product release and those types of things are usually listed here. Just because it isnt a new CPU from AMD or Intel, or an Apple laptop doesnt make it any different.


RE: I'm getting tired of
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
RE: I'm getting tired of
By erwos on 8/30/2006 12:42:48 PM , Rating: 2
How is Joe Average going to see Sprint's _decision_ to roll out EVDO Rev. A? There's no way he can know about future events without someone telling him. And knowledge of future events is valuable information - now, for instance, I know that getting a EVDO Rev.A card will pay off sooner than later.

By definition, press releases are advertising. There's nothing wrong with that. Indeed, this is more honest advertising than most.

-Erwos


RE: I'm getting tired of
By retrospooty on 8/30/2006 12:51:08 PM , Rating: 2
exactly... I for one like product announcements. I like to see what is out there, and what various companies competing products are out there. This isnt some highly "spun" PR game, its just an announcement of a new product.

It sounds like some people are looking for reviews... That is not news, its a review. A review is also a tool I like to see before buying, but announcements are news, and reviews are ... reviews.


RE: I'm getting tired of
By littlebitstrouds on 8/30/2006 1:40:38 PM , Rating: 1
It's like you're going into an Italian resturant and QQ'ing about them serving pasta... go to a damn seafood place if you want fish and get off our site.


RE: I'm getting tired of
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
RE: I'm getting tired of
By retrospooty on 8/30/2006 2:31:55 PM , Rating: 3
I still beg to differ...

A company announcing the release of a new product is tech news (*remember this is a tech site, specifically focused on hardware)

Those annoying flash ads to the top and left (if you are accessing through Anandtech) that are suggesting you buy something are ads. You can tell, because Anantech gets paid for that part. There is no payment for a news article. There is a big difference.

What if there were no "announcement" when Conroe was released? What about the latest offerings from ATI and Nvidia or even everyones favorite flamebait Apple? If AT/DT isnt posting that, they are missing out on important news.


RE: I'm getting tired of
By michal1980 on 8/30/06, Rating: -1
"Mac OS X is like living in a farmhouse in the country with no locks, and Windows is living in a house with bars on the windows in the bad part of town." -- Charlie Miller











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