Novatel Wireless’ HSPA+ MiFi has made it to North America, but before US readers storm their nearest GSM carriers it’s Canada that gets the speedy goods. The Novatel MiFi 2372 is just one of Canadian carrier Bell Mobility’s new HSPA+ devices, taking advantage of the new high-speed network set to go live in November.
MiFi 2200 owners in the US have a treat in store, with a new firmware update available seemingly for both the Verizon and Sprint versions of the intelligent mobile hotspot. The new firmware addresses WiFi compatibility issues with the Nintendo DS and BlackBerry Curve, as well as – for the Sprint MiFi 2200 at least – enabling “international roaming”. However don’t get too excited; that doesn’t mean Novatel have suddenly unlocked GSM support in the hitherto CDMA-only hotspot.
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Last we saw of Novatel Wireless' HSPA+ modem strategy was the MC996D clearing the FCC earlier this week; now the company has officially announced the Ovation MC998D, a triband HSPA+ (850/1900/2100 MHz) USB dongle that promises up to 21.6Mbps downlink rates and 5.76Mbps uplinks, network depending. Meanwhile there's also a microSD card slot and integrated MIMO+ antenna array.
Novatel Wireless have announced the first round of applications which will be offered on its MiFi Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, including photo uploads, NAS-style network drive functionality, and VPN support. The apps – which are produced by developer partners Eye-Fi, Nomadesk and Alcatel-Lucent respectively – will run on the applications processor found in the European MiFi 2352 (which we reviewed back in June) and the MiFi 2372 which will offer AT&T and Rogers Wireless HSPA.
Novatel Wireless’ MC996D HSPA+ USB modem has cleared the FCC, paving the way for up to 21.6Mbps connectivity. While the company has successfully blocked internal or external shots of the modem, together with the user guide, we caught up with a prototype MC996D back in April.
Video overview after the cut
Are Novatel planning to put a MiFi module inside Dell’s Latitude E4300? That’s one interpretation of the company’s recent FCC filing, which shows a dual-mode WiFi and WWAN module capable of concurrently using both wireless radios, and with antenna connections for the E-series notebook.
Carrier T-Mobile will be the first in the UK to offer Novatel Wireless’ “Intelligent Mobile Hotspot”, the MiFi 2352, which SlashGear reviewed back in June. Available through retailer The Carphone Warehouse in early October, the Novatel Wireless 2352 will be priced from free, assuming you’re willing to sign an 18 month contract (at £20 ($33) per month for 3GB data). We sat down with Rob Hadley, Novatel Wireless’ senior VP of sales and marketing earlier this week to talk trademarks, software and the next step for personal hotspots.
We’ve made no bones about how impressed we are with the MiFi “intelligent mobile hotspot” from Novatel Wireless, having played with both Verizon and Sprint’s CDMA models. If you’ve been tempted by a 3G hotspot of your own, but been put off by the $300 sticker price, then head over to Amazon where both the Verizon and Sprint models are down to just one cent with a new service plan.
Hot on the heels of yesterday’s MiFi 2352 HSPA launch in Spain, together with the release of the MiFi SDK, comes the official announcement of the much-anticipated Novatel Wireless MiFi 2372, the North America -optimized HSPA model. As with the other MiFi devices, the MiFi 2372 allows the sharing of a single GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSPA connection with up to five WiFi-connected clients; what makes it different is its support for North American 3G networks.
Vodafone Spain have announced that they are the latest carrier to be offering Novatel Wireless’ MiFi 2352 “intelligent personal hotspot”. The device, which we reviewed back in June, shares a single HSPA connection with up to five simultaneous WiFi clients, and runs off an internal battery for completely wireless use.
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