Cingular has just launched BroadbandConnect, a 3G wireless network that Cingular claims is the largest national high-speed wireless data network. The broadband service will be available to around 35 million people. Cingular, plans to expand the high-speed wireless network throughout 2006. Cingular's 3G network uses HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access), which is a combination of GSM and EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Environment). It provides mobile data speeds between 400 kilobits per second (kbps) and 700kbps. About time someone gave Verizon some competition in the high-speed wireless arena! In fact, Cingular claims that it has a competitive advantage in that
Cingular's BroadbandConnect's modems are compatible with its older
EDGE/GPRS network. Thus, if customers travel outside the 3G network,
the modem will automatically switch over to the slower EDGE network.
From Cingular's BroadbandConnect website:
Take your laptop virtually anywhere with the confidence that you can access the information most important to you and make the most of your time. From email to the Internet to your business applications, a Laptop Connect PC Modem Card from Cingular will free your laptop from the limitations of wired connections and extend your reach far beyond the range of hotspots—from park benches to taxi cabs.
Connect on the Cingular EDGE network in 13,000 cities and towns and along 40,000 miles of U.S. highways. And now with BroadbandConnect, EDGE is supercharged to give you broadband speeds in 16 major metropolitan areas including over 50 cities - with many more on the way.
