Broadband Modems

One day all of our electronic devices will come ready to connect to the mobile internet. Until then, we need outside means of connecting. Since laptops are still the most common consumer of wireless internet, we need broadband modems to connect us. These are small dongles that plug right into your laptop’s USB port. Many of them share similar qualities, but there are some that are better than others.

Depending on your specific needs, you might need a different type of broadband modem. You might also need a device that acts as a WiFi hotspot. Each carrier also has a different type of data signal, so you’ll need a different modem for GSM, CDMA, LTE, WiMax, etc. Here is where we’ll provide information about the latest broadband modems.

Verizon introduces another worldwide modem

September 2, 2009

Verizon has done a good job lately of introducing modems which not only work on its CDMA network, but on worldwide GSM networks. This is essential for Verizon. CDMA networks are limited essentially to the US and Canada, so those traveling to Europe have no use for a CDMA-only broadband modem. By adding GSM frequencies, [...]

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Verizon launches global wireless modem

June 19, 2009

That’s the USB1000 Global Modem from Verizon Wireless. It looks like your run of the mill dongle, but the hidden gem is that it will work on both CDMA and GSM networks, making it the first world edition modem from VZW. According to the Phone Scoop item, it will run on “800/1900 EVDO Rev. A, [...]

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New Sierra card from Sprint caters to laptops new and old

April 27, 2009

One of the troubles in buying a wireless broadband modem is that some of the newer ones are not available with older laptop models. The last thing you want to do is get a modem for an ExpressCard slot and find out that your PC only takes PC Card models. The new Sierra Wireless AirCard [...]

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T-Mobile unveils first 3G broadband modem

March 25, 2009

Finally, the nation’s No. 4 cellular provider has released a broadband modem. While it won’t single-handedly catch them up to their competitors, it is a formidable device — a perfect way to kick off T-Mobile’s broadband access. It features tri-band 1700/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA/UMTS radios, which is just fancy talk for it works in T-Mobile 3G [...]

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Cricket launches A600 broadband modem

March 5, 2009

That there is the A600, the newest broadband modem for the Cricket broadband service. It’s a pretty standard device, featuring an expandable microSD slot for extra storage. Also notable is that it comes with connection manager software already embedded, nixing the need for a setup CD. It runs on all major computing platforms, including Mac [...]

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35 million mobile modems shipped in 2008

February 19, 2009

I wonder what happened the year after 35 million cell phones were sold worldwide. I bet shipments more than doubled — might have even quadrupled. That’s how technology typically grows. In 2008, 35 million cellular modems shipped, so we could see a real gaudy number by the end of 2009. Well, that is, we would [...]

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Sierra Wireless launches first USB modem for HSPA+

February 11, 2009

Sierra Wireless this morning announced two new USB modems: the USB 306 and USB 307. The names make them sound like ordinary USB modems, but they provide one thing no other USB modem does: HSPA+ compatibility. So if you’re off in an area which has this kind of network, you can take advantage of speeds [...]

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Sprint releases Sierra Wireless modem

January 21, 2009

It’s time for another aircard release. This time it’s from Sprint, and no, it’s not for their WiMax network. The Sierra Wireless USB 598 runs on the Sprint EV-DO Rev. A network, which runs to major markets across the nation. Unlike the USB760 from Verizon, the USB 598 does not come with built-in memory. However, [...]

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Verizon debuts USB760 broadband modem

November 24, 2008

Verizon Wireless has just added another USB modem to their arsenal. The USB760 will hit shelves on December 1, and will take advantage of Verizon’s EVDO Rev A network. This is among the fastest mobile broadband speeds on the market. Verizon claims download speeds of 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps, and upload speeds of 500 [...]

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