Designed and built by NetComm, the BigPond Elite Wireless Broadband Network Gateway is essentially a 3G modem/router with the same HSPA+ technology used in its mobile broadband sticks. Telstra is touting typical download speeds of up to 8Mbps, although speed tests on servers in Canberra reached 11Mbps.

The device is well suited to people who don’t have a landline, people who don’t have access to ADSL/cable, or people who move frequently, such as travellers or renters. The ideal situation – at least for Telstra – would be to turn the whole house into a Wi-Fi hotspot, thereby feeding the addictions of power-hungry families. There are four Ethernet ports and two USB ports, so you can plug in printers, external hard drives, etc. But that’s not ideal if you want to use the BigPond Elite as a mobile broadband device.

Executive Director Telstra Consumer, Jenny Young: “The Gateway also helps keep families entertained on holidays and while on the move. All that’s required is power and Next G network coverage and parents can quickly and easily access all their online must-haves, from instant messaging and email to YouTube.”

The BigPond Elite is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5. Snow Leopard users, however, have to wait for a patch which is expected to roll out on December 1.

It’s available now for $399, and if you sign a 24-month contract, you’re eligible for a $200 rebate and 50 per cent off for the first 12 months. In fact, you have no choice. There is no prepaid option.

Is it worth it to you?

The device, manufactured by Belkin, features your regular modem/router bits, including support for 802.11n, 4 ethernet ports on the back and a couple of USB charging ports. It’s a pretty stylish piece of kit, with lots of fingerprint friendly black glass. But the big selling point is the inclusion of a phone handset for VoIP calls.

You can get up to five additional DECT handsets, and BoB can support up to three separate phone lines as well, making it a great option for small businesses.

The base unit will set you back $369 outright including a single handset, or you can get it for 269 if you sign up for one of iiNet’s 24-month BoB contracts. Additional handsets cost $69 each, although if you happen to have a compatible DECT phone already, you should be able to pair it with BoB.

BoB (which apparently stands for “Broadband in a Box”, although it’s one of the weakest acronyms I’ve ever seen), is also OS agnostic, working with Mac, Linux and Windows flavours of software. It sounds like a pretty complete solution, so long as you’re with iiNet, that is.

[iiNet via Lifehacker]

Like the 21Mbps figure, the 5.8Mbps is only a theoretical maximum – in the real world you’re more likely to get speeds of 300Kbps to 3Mbps in capital cities, or up to 1Mbps everywhere else. For comparison, Optus’s HSPA network has a theoretical maximum of 2Mbps uplink, with real world speeds in metro areas varying between 150Kbps and 1.5Mbps (or 1.1Mbps in regional areas). Telstra reckon that this speed boost makes uploading stuff about 3 times faster than before.

The uplink speed boost will work with the Telco’s 21Mbps HSPA modem straight away with a firmware upgrade available from Sierra Wireless’ website, while other NextG and BigPond customers will have the update made available in the coming weeks.

[Telstra]

The slow, yet beautiful, modem is encased in a hand-carved box with brass buckles and leather handles, and was given to Casey, aka Phreakmonkey, by the widow of a retired IBM engineer. Instead of handing it over to a museum though, Phreakmonkey instead decided to share his retro toy with all you gadgetheads via YouTube. Enjoy. [YouTube via RetroThing via DVice]

One thing worth noting though – if you’re a Mac user, you’ll need to wait until May for the software to make it work. While waiting sucks, at least they’re providing a solution for Apple users.

Pocket-rocket wireless broadband card arrives in store

Everything Australians love about the internet including updating their social network pages, streaming video clips and downloading music is set to get faster on the go with the introduction of the BigPond® 21 USB Mobile Card – available from T[life] stores and Telstra Shops from today.

Telstra Executive Director, Consumer, Ms Glenice Maclellan, said the arrival of the BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card on Australia’s largest and fastest wireless broadband network meant customers could power their laptops away from home or the office with a lighting-fast connection to the world.

“Using the BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card on Telstra’s Next G™ network, customers will experience typical download speeds between 550Kbps to 8Mbps1 in selected CBD, metro and regional areas. At these speeds customers can download BigPond music or surf the net at mobile broadband speeds up to two times faster than the next fastest 3G device,” Ms Maclellan said.

“People who don’t want to compromise speed for mobility and who need to access the internet on the go are going to love this device. You can stream internet TV with less buffering and download large files like photos faster, even video conference from your laptop.

“The BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card is further demonstration of Telstra’s transformation which is enabling the delivery of world-leading and world-class products and services to our customers,” she said.

Telstra Product Management Executive Director, Mr Ross Fielding, said that the BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card was Windows Vista and XP compatible and will be Apple Mac compatible in May.

“The BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card easily slips in a pocket and includes an external antenna, a microSD slot and a 1GB microSD memory card – letting users take their photos and documents everywhere they take their internet connection,” Mr Fielding said.

The BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card has a recommended retail price of $399 and is available on all current in-market BigPond wireless broadband plans. Eligible Telstra customers can take advantage of the BigPond Wireless Broadband Offer which includes half the monthly access fees for the first 12 months when signing up to a 36 month plan, and a device rebate*.

The BigPond 21 USB Mobile Card is available through Telstra Shops and dealers, by calling 13POND and online at www.bigpond.com.

[BigPond]

Oh, and if you use separate devices, let me know what you recommend in comments.

The modem, called the U300, will be first available to customers of the Sprint/Clearwire “Clear” WiMax network in Baltimore, where their pilot program is under way. The connections will be managed automatically, much in the manner that 3G/2G phones handle them; the modem will connect to the faster WiMax by default, but will switch to the slower EVDO cell network when it’s out of range or too weak.

If these work well, they could be a boon to both Sprint and WiMax in general, as the of the appeal admittedly significant speed gain of WiMax over EVDO is mitigated by the need to purchase and carry around an extra adaptor. Speaking of mitigating factors—the added convenience of the U300 doesn’t quite justify its $US150 with-contract price. The adaptor should ship by the beginning of next week. [Yahoo]

Novatel Wireless Launches Ovation MC760 Micro Modem

Micro-sized EVDO Rev. A USB Modem Provides Integrated File Storage
with Enhanced Speed and Performance

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 10, 2008 – Novatel Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband solutions, today announced the continued evolution of its USB product line with the introduction of the Ovation™ MC760 Micro Modem. The MC760 is the world’s smallest EVDO Rev. A USB modem, weighing less than an ounce and measuring just over two inches long.

The MC760 supports all computing devices equipped with Type A USB ports, including most desktops, notebooks and PDAs, to provide instant mobile broadband access anywhere a cellular signal is available. With out of the box support for a variety of operating systems including Windows® (Vista, XP, 2000), Mac® and Linux, the MC760 enables users to surf the Internet, check email and access important business documents with speeds faster than most cable or DSL connections.

With numerous standard features including on-board GPS, the MC760’s durable design includes an integrated microSD™ slot, capable of storing up to 8GB of files, videos or music with the use of a hot-swappable SD storage card (sold separately). The USB760 features an advanced internal dual band antenna system that includes diversity for enhanced performance on network fringe areas. The MC760 also features a service status LED indicator that displays the device’s connection status. Mobilink™ Lite Connection Manager Software is included to simplify set-up and navigation through the MC760’s vast feature set.
“The launch of the MC760 reinforces our commitment to deliver the most advanced mobile broadband solutions for our customers,” said Peter Leparulo, chairman and CEO, Novatel Wireless. “The MC760 is perfect for those seeking an extremely light, compact, plug-and-play USB modem to accompany their mobile lifestyle.”

Pricing and Availability
The Ovation MC760 will be commercially available this quarter through a variety of Novatel Wireless’s tier-one operator customers.

[Novatel]

But, at the company’s annual Investor Day briefing today, they unveiled a new modem produced in conjunction with Qualcomm, Ericsson and Sierra Wireless, to blow the current network’s 14.4Mbps speeds out of the water. The new modem will be capable of 21Mbps, which is the speed Telstra will be taking its NextG network to early next year, with trials starting next month.

The technology, called enhanced HSPA (or eHSPA), will not only offer much faster speeds than are currently available, but will also improve network efficiency and offer increased capacity for all the consumers that will flock trickle over to NextG.

Of course, knowing Telstra, when they do launch this super-fast modem, they’ll also price it beyond the reach of us mere mortals. But still, for wireless internet that covers most of Australia and offers near ADSL2+ speeds, you’d expect to pay a premium of some kind, wouldn’t you?

[Telstra]

Telstra boosts network speeds, unveils world’s fastest mobile device

Telstra today unveiled another world first for the Next G™ network – the fastest mobile broadband modem on the planet capable of reaching peak network downlink speeds of 21Mbps.

Speaking at the company’s annual Investor Day briefing, Mike Wright, Executive Director, Wireless Engineering and Operations, confirmed Telstra was on track to super charge Next G™ network speeds with the 21Mbps capability by the end of the year.

At the Investor Day, Telstra hosted its first public enhanced HSPA (eHSPA) data session, showcasing the enhanced network speeds and demonstrating the capabilities of the super-fast new modem. Trials of the 21Mbps mobile broadband modem will begin in December with a full commercial launch to follow early next year.

“This is truly game-changing,” Mr Wright said. “The new technology will unlock opportunities for many of our customers by bridging the gap between wired and wireless broadband connectivity.

“The surge in available data speeds will allow more Australians to work away from the office. They will be equipped to integrate new applications – including web conferencing, live high definition streaming video, high-speed web browsing and seamless virtual private network access – into the way they do business on the move.

“While for consumers, it means access to a whole new world of internet-hosted mobile applications and the mainstream adoption of the mobile phone as the preferred way to access and browse the Internet and email in Australia.

“Working with our partners Sierra Wireless, Qualcomm and Ericsson, we have developed the world’s fastest mobile broadband device – almost three times faster than the fastest devices currently available – which will push the speed barrier to levels not seen anywhere else on earth.”

The eHSPA upgrade will ensure the Next G™ network remains the most advanced national mobile network on the planet.

Mr Wright said that while the new, faster peak network speed was the headline benefit, eHSPA provides other critical enhancements to the Next G™ network.

“Apart from speeding up our already super-fast network, eHSPA gives us improved network efficiency to build capacity and maintain the quality of our service so we can continue to welcome customers to the Next G™ network,” Mr Wright said.

“Australia is seeing exponential growth in the demand for mobile broadband and this burgeoning popularity puts pressure on network operators to ensure network reliability is maintained and give consumers the fast experience they seek. Telstra has a proven and experienced engineering team to deliver just that.

“Peak network downlink speeds on the Next G™ network will have evolved from 3.6Mbps to 21Mbps in just over two years, providing extra speed, flexibility and productivity in the network footprint covering more than two million square kilometres and 99 per cent of the Australian populations.”

Speeds represented are peak network downlink speeds. Actual customer download speeds will be less and will vary due to network configuration, congestion, distance from the cell, local conditions, hardware, software and other factors.