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Sprint Xohm WiMax Test Drive: Just Like Cable
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 10:55 AM on April 2, 2008
Sprint's got a bunch of devices huddled in a booth running off its Xohm WiMax network: some Nokia N810 tablets and a smattering of notebooks from different makers (like a Windows XP Asus Eee PC, but it was acting a bit wonky, so I had to move on to a more generic laptop). Basically, the internet experience is just like cable, except wireless—the buildout is aimed at 2-4Mbps downspeed bandwidth and about 1.5-2 up, which is exactly what I was pulling here, according to a stealthy speedtest.net check.
I wanted a large file download (like a movie) to check sustained speeds, but they weren't giving us too much freedom to mess around. So I just downloaded iTunes, since it's a decent size and usually pretty snappy on my home computer. As you can see, I got between 140-170KB/s, averaging around 150. A little less than I'm used to with cable in that scenario, and a bit below what I expected post-speed test, but not too shabby, for sure.
I would've liked to try some P2P to really straintest the network, but at that point I got yelled at for taking pictures and downloading stuff. Overall, performance was solid, but it's a lot easier to get a WiMax network running in a cramped, controlled environment than following through on a nation-wide deployment. And that's the real trick. [Giz @ CTIA 2008]
Tags: broadband | ctia | ctia 2008 | gadgets | networks | sprint | wimax | wireless | xohm
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
hackyouup
Posted 11:33 AM 2/4/08
I'm the first one to say I'm d@mn glad nobody else got to say "first."
Phew.
But on the matters of the WiMax, this doesn't really backup the angry Australian's claims of the "disastrous network."
hackyouup
dr-poop-
Posted 12:39 PM 2/4/08
@yayaba: fool stop yo jibber jaber fool!!!
dr-poop-
yayaba
Posted 12:36 PM 2/4/08
I'm surprised there's no Mr.T reference. Good, that joke is wearing thin really fast.
yayaba
Tired_
Posted 12:29 PM 2/4/08
I'm sorta surprised you didn't bring along some kind of radio frequency jammer. It's April Fool's day...you'd have had an excuse.
Tired_
itchytooth
Posted 12:00 PM 2/4/08
I am completely confused about WiMax.
itchytooth
Jules Winfield
Posted 12:43 PM 2/4/08
How...underwhelming.
Jules Winfield
Kilcannon
Posted 1:12 PM 2/4/08
I can't help but pull for sprint and hope that this tech works out. It would be great to see some strong competition against the two other behemoths who will be behind the LTE 4G tech (Verizon and AT&T).
By rolling out the tech sooner, hopefully they'll work out most of the kinks and make it look like a great alternative.
Kilcannon
AndersonBMX
Posted 3:00 PM 2/4/08
@yayaba:
haahaha
look at the up corner, the red spot
AndersonBMX
firesign
Posted 12:19 AM 3/4/08
i've said it for years and i'll say it again. wimax = massive fail. it will never see the light of day outside of the test areas. if sprint had rolled this out years ago like it was planned they would've had something. lte ftw.
firesign
kapitan
Posted 6:07 AM 3/4/08
@firesign: I hope someone frames that comment and puts it on the wall in Sprint's office. That way they can be motivated by it, and then later have something to laugh at for a few years.
kapitan
SneakerFiend
Posted 10:03 AM 3/4/08
@Kilcannon: Well it is still a new network i'd expect faster download speeds tho and more unstable download speeds too. Also you have to consider that it is wireless. Lets go sprint.
Im not with sprint but i hope this works for them so the only two DATA companies (because t-mobile really is late on their data network upgrades) wont be Verizon and AT&T.
Bet your bottom dollar if sprint had another carrier helping them out with their network or releasing wimax with them they'd have a lot less to worry about because they could help each other out. If that is what AT&T and verizon are doing (because if i remember right there was supposed to be a partnership between AT&T and Verizon in the 4G data network)
SneakerFiend