RSS Feeds
Networks
Sprint XOHM WiMax Quietly Goes Live In Baltimore
Posted by John Herrman at 7:40 PM on September 29, 2008
Just over a week ago the word was that Baltimore, the first city in a pilot program for the new wireless tech, might not see WiMax until October. With a minimal announcement and little fanfare, though, it looks like the service has gone live in select parts of the city. The pricing options are interesting though already controversial, as there are different fees for unlimited monthly access depending on whether or not that access comes from one or many locations.
Home access is $US25 a month (on promotion, down from $US35) but only allows you access from one place. A full monthly package is available for $US30 (from $US45), which gives you citywide access to the network. Lastly, there is the $US10 one-off option for 24 hours of access. There are no long-term contracts available, which is actually kind of refreshing for a service that could theoretically be used as a primary connection. Not refreshing: the website warns that the sky-high expectations for WiMax bandwidth won't quite be met, with the network capable of enabling an "average 2-4 Mbps download speed and 0.5-1.5 Mbps upload speed." Check the via for a coverage map, and let us know if you try it out. [XOHM]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
MrBlahBlah
Posted 8:24 PM 29/9/08
oooo i can't wait to see how this works out.
MrBlahBlah
John Herrman
Posted 8:52 PM 29/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: Yes.
John Herrman
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 8:51 PM 29/9/08
So if I use Sprint WiMAX, I'll wind up divorced, hated by my peers, alcoholic, self-destructive, with a crippled career and spending my nights whoring and getting piss-drunk on Jameson, urinating on railroad tracks with the one guy left who can still stand me?
OMG! Ponies!
DustyButt
Posted 9:16 PM 29/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: Hey, everyboby has to have a hobby.
DustyButt
yungjerry703
Posted 9:45 PM 29/9/08
oh shit omar coming!
yungjerry703
BadBoyNDSU
Posted 9:42 PM 29/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: Do you think Jenna named herself after the booze of the same name?
BadBoyNDSU
Sean Robertson
Posted 10:23 PM 29/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: Well, there's not much else to do in B-more (I should know, my boyfriend lives there). Though they did have a pretty good book fair yesterday.
Sean Robertson
frigg
Posted 10:48 PM 29/9/08
I thought WiMax was supposed to be faster than 3G or what's the point?
frigg
emag
Posted 10:32 PM 29/9/08
Not quite my parts of Baltimore. Or at least not everywhere I'd go in a day. :(
emag
matt buchanan
Posted 11:18 PM 29/9/08
@frigg: That is faster than 3G. The fastest 3G downstream speed is 1.7Mbps on AT&T's laptop connect. These are WiMax's supposed sustained speeds as well&mdahs;you'd be very lucky to hit 1.7Mbps constantly on 3G.
matt buchanan
lankysob
Posted 12:06 AM 30/9/08
@OMG! Ponies!: @Sean Robertson: I live in Baltimore and can confirm OMG! Ponies'! description. Getting drunk and peeing on things in our downtown is pretty much what we do here. Well...that and sell drugs.
lankysob
pottyvick
Posted 12:45 AM 30/9/08
why balitmore?.... that makes no sense to me.
pottyvick
PhilR8
Posted 1:10 AM 30/9/08
@pottyvick: Baltimore was also the pilot city for Sprint PCS, way back in 1999.
I think the original plan was to light up the entire BAWA (Baltimore/Washington) corridor at launch, but setbacks or whatever forced Sprint to focus on Baltimore to meet their self-imposed deadline. Baltimore would probably be less pressure than DC, but close enough to quickly implement solutions learned from real-world use.
PhilR8
dMo
Posted 2:14 AM 30/9/08
wow... they stopped 3 miles short of my house for a coverage area. carrot on a stick I guess.
dMo
PhilR8
Posted 3:23 AM 30/9/08
@dMo: Some of the areas are a little curious - coverage in Sparks but not the Hunt Valley Business Community?
PhilR8
AlanR
Posted 8:00 AM 30/9/08
@yungjerry703: He gots to get got, yo!
BEST SHOW EVER!
AlanR