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Verizon Launches 3G Network (Silently)
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Math is like love -- a simple idea but it can get complicated. -- R. Drabek
Math is like love -- a simple idea but it can get complicated. -- R. Drabek
3g stuff (Score:1)
Great! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Great! (Score:1)
Re:Great! (Score:5, Funny)
Think he'll have a hand left to drive??
Technology isn't always a good thing...
Re:Great! (Score:2)
Don't blame technology -- the problem is good old-fashioned human stupidity. Inanimate objects do nothing by themselves, but in the hands of an idiot they can be dangerous. High-tech gadgets just give idiots more ways to inflict their stupidity on others.
Not for Phones Yet (Score:1, Informative)
I know this is wireless but.... (Score:1)
Launching a First Generation Technology in a radically new market is hard for any company. Lets see if it actually catches on.
Re:I know this is wireless but.... (Score:1)
Silent is better? (Score:2, Interesting)
Silent REALLY IS Better (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Silent REALLY IS Better (Score:4, Informative)
Speaking of that, ever Telco is getting their hardware from the same vendors, Eriksson, Nortel, etc... So whatever Verizon is doing, all the vendors are learning and applying to other Telcos. My tech support is your tech support.
Poll Results: (Score:3, Interesting)
How ready are you to utilize a "3G" service like Verizon's new Express Network?
The majority (32% of those who voted) said "Maybe never -- I don't plan to need that much wireless speed."
I find this quite interesting.
Re:Poll Results: (Score:2)
This number is mirrored by those saying "gimme now", which is interesting by itself and in view of the number you cited.
I bet those who say "never" had never used Ricochet.
My client is desparate for 3g. He (she? they? it?) saw Ricochet right before it cratered and is constantly asking "When can we go 3g?" or "When will Ricochet be back up?"
Re:Poll Results: (Score:2)
I have a big screen analog cell phone that I leave in the car too. But that's not the point. 3G doesn't affect the "phone" portion (ie., voice functions) as much as it does the "data" portion. We haven't seen the power of data on a wireless device (be it a cell phone or a PDA or a combination of the two) because the technology still sucks. When the technology stops sucking things will change. I think it would be great to have a little wireless phone/pda that I can suck data on demand into from a nice fat pipe. It will open up a lot of new innovations much like when the Internet took off and started to become used by average everyday Joes.
People think they won't want this stuff because they see the horrible WAP crap or the "wireless Internet" as it is today. The problem is that it really really sucks today, but it won't always be that way in the future.
Useless... (Score:4, Insightful)
No (Score:1)
Who doesn't want that!
Re:No (Score:2)
Cool, so this 3G also supplies power to the desktop and monitor as well? ;-)
Re:No (Score:2)
(tongue->cheek)I prefer to carry my laptop around instead(/tongue->cheek)
As a CDMA Verizon customer who regularly goes over his minutes using the Internet access, I can finally say "yee haw". Last June, when I finally got around to buying a data cable for my StarTAC, I called Verizon to confirm the setup, and the tech actually did say to me that they were going to 144k in January. 3 years late on DSL, but hey, he nailed that one perfectly! I've always joked with my friends that with the Linux firewall, I could NAT my network over my cellphone. But now? hmmm... ISDN-speed failover link.. (Rubs chin and raises eyebrow like The Rock).
But seriously, I can see some MP3-Car freaks using this to extend their network reach so they could, say, scp down some new MP3's while they drive to the store instead of sitting in the car running in the garage.
Re:Useless... (Score:1)
Eehhhhh no. (Score:5, Insightful)
This technology is terrific and I think it will be a big boost for PDAs.
Re:Useless... (Score:3, Insightful)
The problem most people haven't realized yet (and the press coverage doesn't seem to understand) is that the existing wireless bandwith is getting eaten up, not because individuals are using more and more of it, but because more and more individuals are using it.
Have you noticed an increase in "all circuits are busy" or "unable to connect" messages, even when you're getting perfectly good signal? I know I have. As more people get phones/PDAs/computers connected to the wireless networks, it's only getting worse.
Yes, 3G provides a fat pipe to your phone, but a more important aspect is that it's just plain capable of sharing a fatter pipe among all the phones.
Puff, puff, give. We're pushing the limits of what the existing networks can handle; 3G *should* give us enough capability so that we dont f*** up the rotation.
Bluetooth to the Rescue? (Score:2)
Folks - am I way off? This is not my specialty, after all.
do you really need (Score:2, Insightful)
come on, can't *anyone* think of good ideas for this? mobile videoconferencing with a pocket sized phone? on demand broadband almost anywhere? while talking on your cellphone, and giving / getting directions, you could also quickly pull up mapquest on your phone, and have images of landmarks sent over... Honestly, I'm a bad brainstormer... but someone else should be able to come up with something better.
A couple of Applications (Score:2)
* Order entry/tracking for roaming salesforces
* Inexpensive Logistics Tracking System using Commodity Technology (Combine w GPS and map system)
WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS!!!
Doesn't wireless Internet Access say it well enough?
Re:Useless... (Score:1)
Yeah, I know that this is slashdot, and I'm supposed to be all cynical about technology that doesn't have any real use, but that's going to be so freaking cool.
Re:Useless... (Score:1)
"Honey, did you want _this_ one?"
"How do I get there from here? I'm in a strange part of town, and I don't know where I am."
"When your system locked up, did you get a screen like (picture) this, or (picture) this?"
Cell phone porn was the only app you thought of??? (Score:2)
This is a DATA service primarily aimed at laptops and PDAs and the users who want to connect to the Internet from anywhere.
2 years ago, I wrote a small order-entry application for a automotive parts company. Salesmen would download the update for catalog in the morning (about 400K) and send thier orders when they needed to later.
If such a wireless system has existed, this would have enabled me to expand the application to provide realtime inventory updates and order status updates without having to hook up to the customers phone line.
I'm sure a lot of people have a lot of killer uses for wireless Internet access than just watching Jenna Jameson porn on thier cell phone.
Re:1XRTT (Score:2)
I *BELIEVE* 1XRTT works. I was pointing out that before 1XRTT, you really couldn't dream of 100k.
Unfortunately, the original poster wasn't saying "this is useless", he was saying, "this is useless for a cell phone". (I didn't catch that)
We're both dopes for responding to each others respective parent threads.
NOT useless. (Score:2)
Bluetooth.
Laptop.
(Note: You can replace "Laptop" with "Handheld" if you wish.)
repeat (Score:3, Informative)
think think think (Score:1)
This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:5, Interesting)
Verizon is claiming they'll offer up to 144kbps throughput, which will work out to provide real-world speeds of 20-30k.
Here's a <A href=http://www.forbes.com/newswire/2002/01/28/rt
But that's FAST, man! (Score:1)
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:1, Informative)
So technically, this is a legitimate 3G network if Verizon can show 144kbps burst speed.
-Dogpoop in the dishwasher.
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:1)
Troll Alert: This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:1)
Verison isn't calling it 3G -- the whole point of this article is that they haven't announced it at all. Where are you getting your 20-30k numbers? The Forbes link you gave says it IS 3G, and will provide 40-60kbps in the real world.
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:1)
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:5, Informative)
The main improvement over current cellular data services is that everyone in a cell shares a slice of bandwidth used for data. Since most data is bursty, this is much more efficient. It should feel, most of the time, like sharing an ISDN line. Of course, you don't control who you share with, so it will be intersting to see how good it is in the real world.
There are lots of ways to screw it up by not having enough bandwidth, to using too little bandwidth for data, to not controlling the number of users that can use data in a cell, etc. But if it is done right, the user expereince should be pretty good.
Real 3G uses two systems: An evolution of the CDMA system VZ and Sprint use called CDMA2000 (I bet they wish they didn't commit to that 2000!) and WCDMA/UMTS which vies with G.SHDSL for Worst. Acronym. Ever. These systems will do about the same thing: share data bandwidth among users in a cell. But they will enable up to a couple megabits shared capacity per cell.
The main advantage of data on cellular is that digital cellular is data ready now. You just have to get the phones to share access to the channels used for data, and built a moderate sized data network behind your radio network, and you have pervasive mobile data coverage. This is a huge advantage over systems like Ricochet, which had to build out networks just for data. By borrowing cellular bandwidth and piggybacking on the same digital radios in the cell sites and handsets, the amount of new stuff that has to be bought before we get really widespread coverage is vastly reduced.
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:2)
So you share a "cell" but each person sharing still pays for minutes at the voice rate. And that is in addition to a $30/month fee just to play. Wonderful.
This will fail, then they will be crying the blues that there is no money to be made in wireless data service....
Methinks the bean counters never took a simple economics class and learned about price/demand curves, elasticity, etc.. Free clue: People don't generally NEED this.
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:2)
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:2, Informative)
Capability to support circuit and packet data at high bit rates:
144 kilobits/second or higher in high mobility (vehicular) traffic
384 kilobits/second for pedestrian traffic
2 Megabits/second or higher for indoor traffic
I'm not too sure how you pulled out a real world speed of 20-30k. According to the FCC standards this "IS" considered a 3G network for High mobility Vehicular traffic, but is not the full 3G deal, as it does not support the other bitrates or the full functionality of a complete 3G Network. The system when fully implemented will allow for much higher than 20-30k and will vary depending on the location you're in. 3G isn't all marketing hype, it's a very large step ahead of our current network (when fully implemented of course). Unfortunatly we won't see the full benefits of the system for a while, until the products using 3G become more available, and companies such as Verizon implement more aspects of the 3G standard.
Re:This is NOT a 3G network. (Score:2)
Verizon launches what it calls a 3G network
Daniel Terdiman - www.the451.com
Verizon Wireless says it has begun rolling out its third-generation wireless
network and that about 20% of its US subscribers will be covered. But the
company expects that most subscribers who upgrade to the network will use it
to get a 40-60Kbps connection for their laptops or PDAs, a scenario that
falls far short of the wireless industry's hype about what 3G is supposed to
deliver.
For months, a public relations battle has been raging among several of the
major US wireless carriers over who would be the first to upgrade to 3G.
Verizon, Sprint PCS, Cingular and AT&T Wireless have all said publicly that
they would be - or are - the first, and that their competitors are lagging
far behind.
But as the carriers argue over who is first, and whether cdma2000 is
superior to WCDMA or GPRS, they have begun to shy away from promising
super-fast networks capable of running the complex, multimedia applications
that will bring them billions of dollars in revenues. It used to be that
handset manufacturers blamed the carriers for not having the networks to
match the technological progression of the new handsets. Now, instead of
promising transmission speeds in excess of 2Mb, the carriers are trying to
get customers excited with talk of speeds of 144Kbps. Even more troubling,
they are beginning to point the finger at the handset makers when explaining
why the 3G multimedia killer app is still so far from reality.
Verizon's version of 3G - the Verizon Express Network - is a cdma2000 1XRTT
network. The upgrade will, at least initially, cover about 20% of the US,
with concentrations in the Northeast US, as well as in and around Silicon
Valley and Salt Lake City, Utah (site of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games). The
company says it should be able to cover about 50% of subscribers by the end
of 2002. Verizon is saying its network will top off at 144Kbps.
In the early stages, Verizon expects very few of its subscribers to upgrade.
The advantage of a 1XRTT network, explains company spokesperson Jeffrey
Nelson, is that it is forward- and backward-compatible and will allow
existing Verizon subscribers to continue using their current handsets. But
without upgrading to a 3G phone - and Verizon is pushing a Kyocera model as
its phone of choice - users would not be able to take advantage of the
higher speeds.
Further, most of the subscribers who upgrade will do so in order to use
their handsets as modems for their laptops or PDAs. As such, Verizon is also
pitching a Sierra Wireless card to offer this functionality. Users paying at
least $35 for a monthly Verizon wireless plan would have to pay $300 for the
card, $80 for the Kyocera phone and then $30 a month extra in service
charges just to able to use the 3G network. And even then, Verizon promises
transmission speeds of only 40-60Kbps, equivalent to what former Ricochet
wireless modem customers had before Ricochet's parent, Metricom, died last
year. Says Nelson of customers' expectations for complex 3G multimedia
applications: "This is a reality check right from the get-go..All that ooh
ahh stuff belongs in convention halls. We're after customers now with
realistic expectations from the service."
Certainly, in the US there is much disagreement about what 3G really is and
who is providing it. Last year, Sprint PCS said it would be the first to
unveil 3G in the US. Then AT&T Wireless said its GPRS networks had been
first. Earlier this month, Sprint PCS once again announced that it will be
the first when it rolls out its network this summer. Now, Verizon claims it
is first. Cingular Wireless, of course, says Verizon is exaggerating, and
claims its own 2.5G service is akin to Verizon's 3G: "Today's announcement
by Verizon essentially provides the same service that Cingular has been
providing customers in a number of markets since August of last year," says
Cingular spokesperson Monica Mears. "Cingular currently offers this 2.5G
service to consumers in [six states]."
It's all still hype. When the wireless industry began to talk in colorful
terms about the incredible applications that would soon be available on 3G
handsets, it was attempting to justify the billions and billions of dollars
its member carriers had invested in network upgrades. Clearly, no US carrier
has gotten anywhere near what has been promised. Although a 50Kbps wireless
connection for a laptop is a nice offering for a former Ricochet customer,
it is hard to see how anyone else is going to be impressed.
3G, How about make PCS/GSM work (Score:4, Offtopic)
Phone companies should spend less time with data services and make voice work. Consumer reports has an article on Cellular this month. They say that 2% of all calls on a cell phone drop in the first 2 minutes.
That is unacceptable.
Damn straight! (Score:3, Funny)
I've just moved to East London (Stepney), and now I've got multiple dead spots in my flat.
I have maybe six locations in the flat where I must sit to talk. No more wandering around, doing stuff while talking on my mobile.
And yet almost every month I get a solicitation from BT Cellnet, imploring me to upgrade to new services - usually things that would double my monthly bill.
All of these carriers have a lot of work to do to finish the job they started out on with voice.
Re:3G, How about make PCS/GSM work (Score:2)
Phone companies should spend less time with data services and make voice work. Consumer reports has an article on Cellular this month. They say that 2% of all calls on a cell phone drop in the first 2 minutes.
That is unacceptable.
Please realize that not every area in the country has such shitty coverage as you. In my area, I will welcome 3G when SprintPCS rolls it out nationwide this summer. And no, I won't use it to watch video, as the stupid-ass media reports, but rather as a data modem. (DUH!)
Perhaps they're trying a silent rollout first. (Score:5, Interesting)
DSL had similar problems. The demand was greater than the infrastructure could handle, and service (technical and customer) suffered as a result, and in some cases, it still does. They might be trying to avoid a similar problem.
Of course, I haven't known Verizon and GTE before that of going out of their way to avoid problems. The best screwup I remember, is when they cut off the phone service for my entire city (Plano, TX ~ 200,000 people) for 8 hours. Cellular service and payphones were also out of commission. The police had an officer stationed at every major street corner in case of emergencies since 911 wasn't functional. I had to drive 5 miles just to find a working payphone to call someone from. This happened about 2 years ago, fyi.
That was a fun day.
-Restil
Re:Perhaps they're trying a silent rollout first. (Score:2)
Re:Perhaps they're trying a silent rollout first. (Score:2)
Link to verizon info (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Link to verizon info (Score:1)
Re:Link to verizon info (Score:1)
grammar silliness, and relevance... (Score:3, Interesting)
One would thing they would want to publicize these items. "
Sorry you've got a cold, man.
How long do you guys think it'll take for the service to make it out of the original three launch areas? (arrgh, they picked SLC instead of Denver, those tools! Stupid Olympics...) Seems to me like new wireless services come and go all the time...is this just another flash-in-the-pan?
already available in Japan (Score:1, Interesting)
No need for media, just point, click, then email to yourself! With the 3G service, it's lightning fast.
Just imagine yourself on vacation with an almost unlimited supply of snapshots, anytime you want it.
Re:already available in Japan (Score:2)
Now if they can only support all the users and maintain a high speed link.
Some additional information (Score:2, Informative)
http://www.techtv.com/news/computing/story/0,24195 ,3369727,00.html [techtv.com]
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-824392.html [com.com]
Re:Some additional information (Score:1)
Express Network [verizonwireless.com]
Let's get specific here: (Score:1)
REPEAT! (Score:4, Funny)
Geez, the thread isn't even cold yet!
Re:REPEAT! (Score:2, Funny)
3G? Meh. iden is the way to go... (Score:1)
You can get a pretty good deal from Nextel on a phone and service. The data service is unlimmited and you can receive calls when using it.
Not to mention, the i90c is a sweet phone.
One would think... (Score:2)
Too damn much of this American -- Gottahavitrightnowgimmegimmegimmeawshititdoesn- tworkanditsfullabugsmanyouguysallsucki- mgonnapostnastyaboutyouwiththegoatsecxguyonslashdo t!
Pity it had to be Verizon... (Score:3, Insightful)
They don't do a great job of handling my local phone service. They provided extreme discomfort when trying to acquire DSL (through a different carrier, mind you; I've already seen what they do to their own customers), and have not exactly heard wonderful things about their wireless phone service.
Now they have extended this wonderful track record to a 3rd generation wireless internet access?
Likely, they will embitter so many people with their poor service that the technology itself will be labelled 'bad'.
Re:Pity it had to be Verizon... (Score:1)
Re:Pity it had to be Verizon... (Score:2)
Oh sure, I've had a lot of customer service screw-ups with them. (Most recently, I tried to request a copy of my packing slip or receipt for a new phone they shipped me, so I could send it in for a mail-in rebate. It took 3 cust. service reps before someone had a clue - and even then, she took 3 days to figure out how to get that sent out to me before calling me back.)
These days, this kind of thing will happen with any large company though. When it comes down to it, Verizon provides better coverage and reception than most of the competition. Their pricing plan fit my needs more closely than most of the others, too. I've been using them for close to 4 years straight - and still think they're the best choice for my purposes.
3g (Score:1)
still screwed in canada.
VZW (Score:2, Insightful)
Considering that the service has only been in a fraction of Verizon's coverage area, they may be attempting to maintain the option to retract their company from the 3G market in case significant service problems arise.
Yes, they've most likely executed extensive tests on the technology, but it is logical to wait and ensure that the implemented technology is stable before asking $30-50 a month per individual for the privilege of using it.
as cool as it is, (Score:2, Insightful)
Are you kidding? (Score:1)
Great (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Great (Score:2, Insightful)
This was modded as "Funny", but this is really a sad reality. Many accidents are caused by irresponsible drivers who don't think about how talking on a cell phone impairs their driving ability. This problem is big enough that some cities have passed or are debating rules about cell phone use in cars.
I observe daily that some people just don't care whether they put other lives at risk while driving. These people just aren't qualified to drive, yet they all do.
My ultimate phone wishlist (Score:5, Insightful)
For me, the ultimate cellphone would have the following:
1) A decent phone, with decent battery life, reception, and audio clarity (how many convergence devices overlook the fact that the primary purpose of the damn thing is a telephone?)
2) Palm Pilot-like functionality, with emphasis on providing space/ability for uploading apps of my own as well as the canned apps.
3) A GPS, with detailed street maps and wayfinding ability built in.
4) Integrate this stuff as tightly as possible, and keep as much of the data local as possible.
I can see, for example, having the complete North American phone directory on the phone, so I can look up numbers without hitting the network. Tie this into the GPS, and now I can do stuff like "get me the phone number for the house I'm standing in front of right now" or "Let me search the yellow pages for [whatever] and now that I've made a selection, give me driving directions to get there"
Or allow phones to transport GPS data on voice connections, and now I can get a map of where whoever it is I'm talking to is - geographic caller ID.
Network access is all well and good, but phones are phones first and foremost. Build in apps that support the "phone" part (things like searchable directories) and the "mobile" part (with the GPS) and now you're talking!
The Kyocera Smartphone (which is a Palm) seems close, and will probably be my next phone, but I'm still looking forward to a well-done phone+GPS combo.
DG
A modular alternative (Score:2)
I want a little black box with no particular features that I can drop in a pocket that connects to a 3G network on one end and creates a bluetooth cloud around me on the other. It doesn't have to have any real interface.
I want a handsfree bluetooth earpiece which interfaces with the black box.
I want a bluetooth PDA which interfaces with the earpiece and the black box to provide directory and dialing services, and to browse the web and do wireless email.
I want a bluetooth digital camera which interfaces with the black box to transmit my photos to my mac, so when I get home the photos are already in iPhoto. Perhaps it could cache them in local storage and transmit them when I happened to have the bandwidth available. That would also give me the opportunity to review them and delete any duds, and mark pictures I want printed so the mac could know to send a copy directly to Kodak for me. It would also be nice if the camera would interface with the PDA so I could use the PDA's more comfortable screen and interface to manipulate my photos (delete some, select others for printing) before they get sent to my machine at home.
I want all of this stuff to be separate so I can choose whatever manufacturers, models, and features I want, but to communicate seamlessly so I can use it pretty effortlessly together.
I don't expect to ever get what I want. It would be too... consumer focused. Manufactuers want to sell you an all-encompassing, proprietary device to ensure you pay *them* for everything you want. I'm looking for an open, standards-based system of interchangable devices to perform specific tasks well and interoperate smoothly. It'll never happen.
Re:My ultimate phone wishlist (Score:2)
Re: Absolutely! (Score:2)
In fact, I just bought a Kyocera smartphone. Let me tell you, if you get one - you'll be very happy with it!
First and foremost should always be the fact that these things are telephones. I can't stand when they do things like drawing the keypad on a flat screen (can't dial without looking at it first)!
But I agree, an integrated GPS would be icing on the cellphone cake. I suspect the only limiting factor is battery life. I've owned several portable GPS devices, and all of them ate through AA batteries in only a few hours of operation.
If you have to power a phone in standby + some actual talk time, and still run a GPS in the background, today's small batteries just aren't going to last.
You can't really just power on a GPS "as needed" either. They take as long as 10 minutes to calibrate themselves to satellites on initial power-up. You can cut this time down to maybe 2-3 minutes by giving it a rough idea of your current location, so it knows which satellites to listen for; but that's still pretty inconvenient. If you're in front of a house and want it to fetch the number, it'll suck to key in your city and state from a list, and then wait 3 minutes for the GPS to sync.
Silently? Try *clicking* on the links (Score:5, Informative)
There is the link from verizon. It seems that right now service is limited only to those that have wireless service with verizon already. Although unlimited at $30/month is not bad.
Re:Silently? Try *clicking* on the links (Score:1)
ahh... but you need to have a digital voice calling plan of $35 or more per month. I'm out.
Re:Silently? Try *clicking* on the links (Score:1)
I guess, it might be unlimited night time minutes though, if you have a plan that has that.
Re:Silently? Try *clicking* on the links (Score:2)
Express Network service is available for just $30 per month on most digital voice calling plans.* Express Network data usage is taken from your airtime allowance just like your voice calls, so there's no need to keep track of a separate airtime allowance.
From now until March 15, 2002, when you sign up for Express Network, you get unlimited Express Network data session minutes! All you pay is the additional monthly $30 Express Network access fee - your Express Network usage will not be deducted from your airtime allowance.
Not Unlimited (Score:2)
More information from Verizon (Score:1)
It's in PDF, search for "1x" or flip to page 17 for the map. [verizon.com]
the service is lacking. (Score:3, Interesting)
They already offer a CDPD service that is 28.8, but it is unlimited usage for $40 a month. In addition, the CDPD service goes ANYWHERE Verizon does, the person I spoke with said the Internet Express service is currently more limited (though I expect that to change).
Both have contracts, though there is only a $100 fee for early cancellation. I think I'm gonna get the CDPD service, as it's cheaper and the the constant connection is important to me. If they change the new service to constant connection, I'll just pay the fee and upgrade. Also, both offer a two week grace period where you can cancel with no fee. I'm gonna test my connection out in places i usually go, to make sure I can get a good signal. If not, I'm cancelling.
Re:the service is lacking. (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm a big user of Verizon CDPD. 28.8kbps throughput is a significant overstatement. 14kbps is good for CDPD, 9.6kbps is what you get in general. That said, my wife uses it for her webcam [thesync.com], and it generally gets the job done. I've used CDPD on the Amtrak from DC to NYC. Both Verizon and AT&T (carrier for Palm-based Omnisky) have good coverage along the tracks with a few holes.
Of course, 144kbps sounds much better, but I can't imagine it being priced reasonably.
Not quite silently. (Score:4, Informative)
The pricing will be disgusting no doubt and anything but browsing w/ pictures OFF will probably be unwise except for those with to much money. They were saying how some of the current providers using the already existing technology charged as much as 75 bucks per SESSION online average. That was the extreme but I think thats a good indication it's not the pancea of wireless communication we're hoping for yet.
Jartan
Verizon Announcement (Score:1, Informative)
Sierra Wireless AirCard® 555
Starting today, Verizon Wireless customers in major East and West Coast
markets will be able to reap the rewards of a significantly faster,
more robust wireless experience with the company's commercial launch of
its 1XRTT network. The 1XRTT network will enhance all levels of
wireless communications - from a simple voice call, to full Internet
browsing, streaming video, and email. This high-speed network also
supports enterprise applications, giving companies with mobile
employees tools for increased productivity and efficiency.
The company is the first U.S. wireless carrier to commercially launch a
sizeable 3G footprint. The 1XRTT network is available now to
customers in areas of the Northeast U.S., from Norfolk, VA Washington,
D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, up to Boston and in Portland,
Maine; in the technology-savvy Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay
Area of Northern California; and in Salt Lake City, site of the 2002
Winter Olympics. 1XRTT network capabilities are already available in
more than 20 percent of the Verizon Wireless footprint, reaching more
than 53 million Americans.
The Express Network is Verizon Wireless' 1XRTT data network, capable of
data transmission speeds up to 144 kilobits per second (kbps.) Business
customers and individual consumers in Express Network markets may take
advantage of high wireless data speeds and robust Internet access by
using the new Verizon Wireless 2235 handset from Kyocera with a
compatible Mobile Office kit as a modem for their laptops, or by using
the AirCard 555 PC card from Sierra Wireless, for their laptops and
select PDAs. Express Network subscribers on the high-speed data
network can now have access to their company network or Internet at
faster speeds.
The Express Network will give users full Internet access, intranet
access and traditional email functionality via a laptop at
unprecedented speeds for wireless access. Users should expect average
speeds between 40 and 60 kbps, significantly higher than speeds being
produced by competing technologies and comparable to what PC users get
when using a dial-up Internet service at home.
The rollout of our Express Network is a major expression of our
differentiation in the wireless marketplace: the high quality of our
wireless network," said Verizon Wireless chief technical officer Dick
Lynch. "Wireless data is only as good as the network it's on, and the
premier Verizon Wireless network, already the most advanced in the
nation, just took another giant step ahead of its competitors." Lynch
added, "We will continue expansion of the Express Network, and by the
close of 2002 the majority of the nearly 222 million covered POPs
should be able to use the Express Network every day."
"Together with the nation's most expansive network, Express Network
gives our customers a strategic advantage as they continue to
increasingly rely on wireless products for their business and personal
communications needs, " said Lowell McAdam, executive vice president
and chief operating officer of Verizon Wireless. "Given the very
positive response from the participants who previewed the 1XRTT network
this fall, we are confident that our high-speed data network will
fulfill and exceed our customers' expectations."
Verizon Wireless and Accenture Join Forces for the Enterprise
In conjunction with the Express Network launch, Verizon Wireless also
announced an alliance with Accenture (NYSE: ACN) to market and sell
mobile enterprise applications offered by the Accenture Mobile Service
Bureau. Through the alliance, Verizon Wireless and Accenture will be
able to offer enterprise customers access to a wide variety of
integrated mobile solutions deployed via Verizon Wireless' Express
Network as well as Verizon Wireless' existing coast-to-coast digital
network.
The Accenture Mobile Services Bureau takes the uncertainty and
complexity out of deploying enterprise mobile applications by
pre-integrating core solutions in a hosted environment. This provides
companies with enterprise-grade security, coordinated logistics and
provisioning for the distribution of wireless devices, high-caliber
customer service and wireless network integration with Verizon
Wireless' premier network. This allows companies to deploy mobile
applications easily, more quickly and at a reduced cost.
"By tapping into Accenture's experience in developing mobile solutions
and platforms, we can provide our business customers with a faster,
simpler way to achieve the benefits of mobility for their employees,
customers and suppliers," McAdam said.
Express Network Pricing
Customers with a monthly digital voice calling plan of $35 or more can
sign up for the Express Network, which lets customers use any of their
airtime allowance minutes for voice or data, for an additional $30 per
month. Verizon Wireless also anticipates introducing plans based on
kilobyte usage in the near future for customers and enterprises that
prefer such pricing.
Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 is 1XRTT Compatible
The Sierra Wireless AirCard 555, which retails for $299.99 will enable
customers to add voice, circuit-switched data and short messaging
service capabilities to their laptops, select PDAs, and other computing
devices.
"Sierra Wireless is pleased to provide Verizon Wireless with the first
PC Card product for its next generation service," said Jason Cohenour,
senior vice president of distribution for Sierra Wireless. "We look
forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with Verizon
Wireless, providing the award winning AirCard 555 as an important
element of the fast and reliable wireless connectivity provided by the
Verizon Wireless Express Network."
The Tethered Solution From Verizon Wireless
Beginning today, the Verizon Wireless 2235 by Kyocera, a 1XRTT
data-compatible wireless handset, will be available through Verizon
Wireless corporate sales and in those Communications Stores where the
Express Network is available. The tri-mode wireless handset, which
retails for $79.99, is a communications system that includes many
attractive features: voice-activated dialing, a WAP browser, electronic
games, two-way text messaging, and predictive text-input software for
rapid text entry. With a subscription to the Express Network and a
compatible Mobile Office kit, sold separately for $79.99, the 2235
offers customers the opportunity for faster Internet access. The
company expects to announce more wireless handset options soon.
"Kyocera Wireless is pleased to support Verizon Wirleless' launch of
their Express Network with our new Kyocera 2235 1XRTT wireless
handset," said Skip Speaks, president and COO of Kyocera Wireless Corp.
"The wireless industry has eagerly anticipated the launch of 1X, and
Kyocera Wireless is proud to offer the first 1X phones commercially
available on Verizon Wireless' Express Network."
Express Network equipment and service are available through Verizon
Wireless corporate sales, select Communications Stores, or by calling
1-800-308-DATA.
Other articles (Score:1)
There is also an old article at CNN here. [cnn.com]
Could this be used for accessing the net? (Score:2)
Can the Verizon 3G be used to fully access the Internet (not just a watered down "wireless web" subset of it like the current 2G phones) What ISPs support this access mode?
If Verizon does this right, then maybe Ricochet users will finally have a viable substitute.
They are publicizing it... (Score:1)
Relevant links:
http://news.verizonwireless.com/ [verizonwireless.com]
http://www.verizonwireless.com/express_network/ [verizonwireless.com]
They Ran a commercial Last Night (Score:2)
Sound Quality (Score:2)
Don't be surprised if new and exciting ad placement techniques are used in conjuction with the new connectivity as well.
Re:Sound Quality (Score:3, Insightful)
IIRC TDMA (used by AT&T) allows the carrier to select various levels of sound quality, cramming more calls onto the circuit in exchange for crappier sound; since users always complain about dropped calls and don't usually complain about tinny voices, you can guess which choice they made.
Re:Sound Quality (Score:2)
Just because they are owned by a former big bell doesn't mean they are all bad.
-Pete
Very Limited. (Score:3, Interesting)
For pricing, you must have a $35 or above voice plan with them. Then pay an additional $30 for data access, AND pay per minute (minutes come out of voice allowance minutes + charge the same as your voice minutes for any overage).
Also, billing based on minutes make absolutely no sense, since these data connections do not tie-up a line like a voice call does, it only transmits/receives when there is activity. Many people can share a single channel.
Re:Very Limited. (Score:2, Interesting)
Whether it's the entertainment industry or the telecom industry, consumer preference is pretty clear: predictable costs drive product acceptance. The cellular industry, however, is justly famous for deliberately making costs hard to understand, let alone predict.
This pricing scheme is doubly insulting from a CDMA carrier; as those who are familiar with CDMA are aware, it's far and away the most bandwidth-efficient wireless communications system in widespread use. There's at least one carrier [cricketcom...ations.com] that's been quite successful in using CDMA technology to offer a truly flat-rate all-you-can-talk local calling service in a number of areas in the U.S. [Important disclaimer: I work for the aforementioned carrier's parent company, but don't speak for it in this forum; I'm mentioning the service here in order to illustrate a point, not advertise the service. If you live in a coverage area, you've heard about it already, I'm sure...]
Packet data can be even more bandwidth-efficient than voice traffic since the latency requirements are relaxed considerably, so it seems to me that there's really no excuse for Verizon to be billing for this service in such a boneheaded way.
Re:Very Limited. (Score:2)
The Wired article [wired.com] claims "...20 percent of Verizon's infrastructure in Philadelphia can accommodate the services. Verizon has also been testing the network in Philadelphia for at least a year..."
Re:Very Limited. (Score:2)
Circuit-switched? (Score:2)
(Also, can someone mod up the comment about how this service is not targeted to phones but to the AirCard that goes in your laptop?)
I sure hope Verizon can make it work (Score:2, Interesting)
Lil' Ol' Salt Lake City (Score:2, Interesting)
Streaming Video (Score:2)
It has been asked, so I will answer.
The reason you enable streaming video on a cellphone is so you can have a video phone. You are correct that nobody is interested in watching a Britney Spears video on their cellphone; but once our phones are powerful enough to do video encoding, you'd be able to do a video call as easily as a regular voice call.
Pricing issue - what is a "minute" of data time? (Score:2)
Charges for each Express Network data session that connects begin when you press or click the "SEND" or "Connect" button and have selected the "Express Network (1XRTT)" option at the user interface. Charges end when you press or click the "END" or "Disconnect" button.
OK, now imagine you are using the Sierra Aircard 550 [sierrawireless.com] PCMCIA card. Does just turning on the laptop start the session (and billing)?
I wonder if the PC card or interface software can be smart enough to recognize that it only needs to be connected to the network when you are sending or receiving data. The actual data utilization of most Web browsing at 114 kbps is probably only 10-20% of actual time spent by the surfer.
Of course, it you are watching video pr0n, your results may be higher.