Verizon Announces December 5th Launch For VZ4G LTE
3Gstore_Matt said
01:10 PM Dec 1, 2010
Today Verizon held their teleconference in Walton, MA to announce the official launch details of their new VZ4G LTE service. The main speaker was CTO Tony Melone, who announced that the VZ4G LTE service will launch on 12/5/2010. The service will be initially available in 38 markets covering 110 million customers at launch. You can view a list of the 38 cities at 4Ginfo.com/ltemarkets, and Verizon will make street level maps available on 12/5 so that potential users can check to see if coverage is available at a specific address.
Thanks for the update Matt. I was just reading about this yesterday. They are shooting for nationwide 4G coverage in 2013.
Looks like 4G phones won't be available until sometime in mid-2011. I was hoping to upgrade Linda's phone a little sooner than that. Oh well.
As your link states, there will be a couple of 4G USB modems (aircards) available really soon. Can't find anything as to whether they will have external antenna ports, though.
Glad to see they will have both the 5GB and 10GB plans.
I'm surprised they aren't launching with a 4G MiFi. I would have thought that would have been a no-brainer. I would think a 4G MiFI with an external antenna port would wrap up a big portion of the RVer market. But they didn't ask me.
FD5 said
06:26 PM Dec 11, 2010
Matt, I have a PHS300 Cradlepoint I purchased from The 3G Store. I had a Verizon 3G UM 175 aircard to run 2 wireless laptops and 1 wireless printer. Verizon called and said we were eligible for an upgrade so today we went down to the local Verizon and purchased the 4G UML290 aircard with external antenna port. Set it up on both laptops with the CD that was provided. The new 4G aircard works in both laptops but not thru the Cradlepoint.
Does the PHS300 Cradlepoint work with a 4G aircard?
Thanks, John
-- Edited by FD5 on Saturday 11th of December 2010 06:28:43 PM
bjoyce said
07:05 PM Dec 11, 2010
John you are a pioneer. You can recognize pioneers from the arrows in their backs. (I hope you realize this a joke.)
I have heard it will be a while before any Cradlepoint supports these new Verizon 4G USB modems. Plus no one seems to know what adapter cables will work with the antenna port. Now you know why I am calling you a pioneer, you are out exploring before everything else catches up.
FD5 said
07:11 PM Dec 11, 2010
Hey Bill,
The Verizon "staff" said this new 4G aircard will work with the Cradlepoint router I have. Guess I will have to wait til Monday to find out from the 3Gstore. The antenna port looks just like the antenna port on my UM175 aircard. Somebody had to start, figured it may as well been me. I didn't feel the arrows going in but they are there.
Racerguy said
09:11 PM Dec 11, 2010
John,I wouldn't put too much stock in what the Verizon store guys tell you.The manager of one of the stores here in Silver Springs told me if I used my Trucker antenna to pull in the signal I would "burn up " my usb760 modem.When I asked him what the antenna port on the modem was for all he could say was "that's not an antenna port" ,so I just left and will buy the adapter I need from 3g store.
heyduke said
01:14 PM Dec 12, 2010
okay so now when are they going to release the Mecha or Incredible HD????
inquiring minds want to know....
Racerguy said
01:55 PM Dec 12, 2010
heyduke wrote:
okay so now when are they going to release the Mecha or Incredible HD????
inquiring minds want to know....
heyduke,explain Mecha or Incredible HD for us tech dummies
J Riechman said
07:01 PM Dec 13, 2010
I guess I have those arrows, also. The problem is I feel them in my head. I went in today and picked up the VL600. The staff knew that I wanted to run it thru my cradlepoint 1000, but when I tried to set it up. No go. It cannot be used with the router because it needs the VZAccess Manager in order to operate so it seems that I up the river and my paddle is still 2 years ahead of me! At least that is th date the Verizone support staff gave me.
FD5 said
07:28 PM Dec 13, 2010
Talked with Cradlepoint today, they will be releasing a router for the Verizon Pantech UML290 aircard in Jan/Feb. Nothing availble now, I got on the email list to be notified when they are available.
3Gstore_Matt said
05:00 PM Dec 14, 2010
FD5 wrote:
Talked with Cradlepoint today, they will be releasing a router for the Verizon Pantech UML290 aircard in Jan/Feb. Nothing availble now, I got on the email list to be notified when they are available.
FD5,
Sorry for the delayed response but the update as you said should occur in the next 2-3 months. Did you contact us to send you a notification when the support is added in the next firmware update?
FD5 said
05:10 PM Dec 14, 2010
Matt,
Will this be a firmware update to the PHS300 or a whole new router? Cradlepoint said they would email me when the update is out.
The Crumps said
10:36 AM Dec 15, 2010
OK, we're not real tech savy. We have a Verizon 3G mi-fi, a laptop, iPad, and a PC tower. We're happy with all of these and haven't had any problems. My question is - what is a Cradlepoint?
bjoyce said
12:49 PM Dec 15, 2010
Cradlepoint makes routers you plug aircards into to provide wifi (like the MiFi) and most also allow Ethernet connections. A couple will also run on batteries like the Mifi. Advantages over the MiFi are: 1) Longer wifi range, at least 50 to 100 feet while the MiFi runs about 30 feet 2) More than the five connections the MiFi allows 3) Most aircards have external antenna adapters to get online in more marginal areas (this is true for us in a few places) 4) Models with Ethernet for those who need wired connections.
Advantage of MiFi are: 1) Much smaller 2) Easier to manage 3) Cheaper.
3Gstore_Matt said
04:48 PM Dec 15, 2010
FD5 wrote:
Matt, Will this be a firmware update to the PHS300 or a whole new router? Cradlepoint said they would email me when the update is out.
We do not know which models will get the official 4G update. They may or may not release firmware devices for all router models at the same time.
If I had to guess, I'd say that the MBR900/1000/1200 & CTR500 would be the first to receive the updates. The main reason I say that is they all operate on the same style firmware (minor differences in features between models).
I'll be sure to post an article up on the forums when the update is live and which models are supported. We may have something very soon but it won't be the PHS300 :(
FD5 said
05:47 PM Dec 15, 2010
When you say we may have something very soon are you talking about 3gstore?
3Gstore_Matt said
08:25 PM Dec 17, 2010
FD5 wrote:
When you say we may have something very soon are you talking about 3gstore?
Yes, I wasn't sure when we were announcing things but the Nexaira BC2 is currently fully compatible with the Pantech UML290 with the latest firmware. I'll keep you posted for updates on your PHS300 though!
FD5 said
08:28 PM Dec 17, 2010
We are back on our original 3G plan until the 4G aircard has been established with a wireless router.
You can read the details of the conference here - Verizon VZ4G LTE Launch Details
Thanks for the update Matt. I was just reading about this yesterday. They are shooting for nationwide 4G coverage in 2013.

Looks like 4G phones won't be available until sometime in mid-2011. I was hoping to upgrade Linda's phone a little sooner than that. Oh well.
As your link states, there will be a couple of 4G USB modems (aircards) available really soon. Can't find anything as to whether they will have external antenna ports, though.
Glad to see they will have both the 5GB and 10GB plans.
I'm surprised they aren't launching with a 4G MiFi. I would have thought that would have been a no-brainer. I would think a 4G MiFI with an external antenna port would wrap up a big portion of the RVer market. But they didn't ask me.
I have a PHS300 Cradlepoint I purchased from The 3G Store. I had a Verizon 3G UM 175 aircard to run 2 wireless laptops and 1 wireless printer. Verizon called and said we were eligible for an upgrade so today we went down to the local Verizon and purchased the 4G UML290 aircard with external antenna port. Set it up on both laptops with the CD that was provided. The new 4G aircard works in both laptops but not thru the Cradlepoint.
Does the PHS300 Cradlepoint work with a 4G aircard?
Thanks,
John
-- Edited by FD5 on Saturday 11th of December 2010 06:28:43 PM
heyduke,explain Mecha or Incredible HD for us tech dummies
FD5,
Sorry for the delayed response but the update as you said should occur in the next 2-3 months. Did you contact us to send you a notification when the support is added in the next firmware update?
1) Longer wifi range, at least 50 to 100 feet while the MiFi runs about 30 feet
2) More than the five connections the MiFi allows
3) Most aircards have external antenna adapters to get online in more marginal areas (this is true for us in a few places)
4) Models with Ethernet for those who need wired connections.
Advantage of MiFi are:
1) Much smaller
2) Easier to manage
3) Cheaper.
We do not know which models will get the official 4G update. They may or may not release firmware devices for all router models at the same time.
If I had to guess, I'd say that the MBR900/1000/1200 & CTR500 would be the first to receive the updates. The main reason I say that is they all operate on the same style firmware (minor differences in features between models).
I'll be sure to post an article up on the forums when the update is live and which models are supported. We may have something very soon but it won't be the PHS300 :(
Yes, I wasn't sure when we were announcing things but the Nexaira BC2 is currently fully compatible with the Pantech UML290 with the latest firmware. I'll keep you posted for updates on your PHS300 though!