Items tagged with Hotspot
Have you been on the ropes about trying third-place wireless carrier T-Mobile's wireless network, but didn't want to go through the hassle of switching phones, changing numbers, or signing a new contract? Well, T-Mobile has relaunched an initiative that will let you dip your toes into magenta waters with a 30-day "Test Drive". T-Mobile is trying to show off its new 600MHz low-band spectrum, and as a result, you can sign up to receive a 4G LTE hotspot free of charge to use for up to 30 days. With 600MHz spectrum, T-Mobile says that signals travel twice as far compared to mid-range alternatives, while coverage in buildings provides up to a 4x uplift. According to T-Mobile, its customers in...
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It’s becoming harder to know which apps to trust these days, and that’s readily apparent with the disclosure of a vulnerability in the popular Android app “Wi-Fi Finder.” The purpose of the app is to make it easier for individuals to locate free public Wi-Fi hotspots that they can use on-the-go rather than digging into their cellular data. However, a password sharing feature of the app has been compromised according to security researcher Sanyam Jain. The feature allows users to upload Wi-Fi passwords stored on their devices so that they can be shared with others. However, this information – which should be separated from the public Wi-Fi hotpots that the app is...
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People across the country are using LTE 4G networks today, but soon those networks will be replaced with faster networks using 5G technology. Most major wireless carriers in the U.S. are gearing up for 5G rollout with some carriers expecting to launch their networks in a few cities this year, and others looking to 2019 for 5G rollout. AT&T recently predicted that 5G rollout might mean that smartphones go back to being carrier locked due to the lack of technology allowing the different 5G frequencies to be supported in a single modem. AT&T has announced a 5G mobile hotspot that will be the first 5G device consumers can buy; it is called the Netgear Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot, and it will...
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It’s interesting to see how quickly a company changes its tune once its nefarious deeds, or rather “public trials,” are brought to light. Earlier today we brought you a story detailing AT&T’s rather sloppy and risky behavior regarding inserting ads into webpages for users that connected to its free Wi-Fi hotspots. Computer scientist Jonathan Mayer determined that AT&T was using a service called RaGaPa that used JavaScript to inject adds into all non-HTTPS webpages. How AT&T managed to hookup with this small startup is beyond me. As Mayer describer, “Their video pitch features “MONETIZE YOUR NETWORK” over cascading dollar signs.” Mayer went on to describe why such behavior on the part...
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You would have thought that companies would have wised up after Marriott was caught using unlicensed jamming equipment in conference rooms to block the Wi-Fi hotspots of its paying customers. Predictably, when hotel patrons would complain about not being able to access the Internet with their smartphones or mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, hotel personnel would offer their own high-speed Internet services at a cost of $250 to $1,000. Needless to say, the FCC wasn’t amused by Marriott’s actions at its Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, so it stepped in and fined Marriott $600,000. Following the Marriott incident, the FCC noted that it was witnessing a “disturbing trend”...
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For anyone that lives in (or has visited) the San Francisco Bay Area, you’re most likely very familiar with the Bay Area Rapid Transit or BART. The commuter rail system covers a total of 104 miles, has 44 stations, and weekday ridership over 420,000. With so many people using BART on a daily basis, Wi-Fi access is a much-welcomed perk for riders. BART obviously agreed and in 2009 signed a 20-year contract with WiFi Rail to eventually provide Internet service to its entire 669-car fleet. Under the contract, WiFi Rail agreed to pay for the infrastructure and all costs involved in the getting the service up and running. WiFi Rail was eventually supposed to see its return on investment,...
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Hotspots are becoming less necessary due to most smartphones these days offering tethering by default, but hardcore road warriors still appreciate having a dedicated device, with its own battery pack, to provide Internet signals to a variety of hungry gadgets. Karma is stepping up their place in the game with the new Karma Go. This puck takes the place of the original, which relied on Sprint's WiMAX network. Now that LTE has shown to be the market leader, the Karma Go gains LTE support. The Go is, at its core, an LTE hotspot. You turn it on, and you can get up to 8 gadgets (laptops, phones, iPod touch, etc.) online so long as you're within range of Sprint's LTE network. What makes Karma unique...
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“Iridium GO! is unlike anything the world has seen before,” reads the bold proclamation on the Iridium website. “Powered by the world's furthest reaching network, this compact, rugged and portable unit creates the first ever reliable global connection for voice and data communications on up to 5 smartphones, laptops or tablets.” The device looks a bit unconventional--a boxy little thing with a stubby antenna that pops up--which is commensurate with what it offers, which is global Internet access. The device relies on satellites for connectivity and grants users voice calls, apps, two-way SMS, GPS tracking, and SOS alert functionality via what amounts to a mobile hotspot....
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Maintaining a connection can be tough even in the United States, but things become monumentally more challenging once you head overseas. High-priced roaming rates, incompatible 3G/4G bands, and unreliable rental SIMs can cause all sorts of headaches for those just looking to send one or two e-mails upon arrival, but thankfully, things are (slowly but surely) starting to improve. AT&T has in recent months lowered its rates for small overseas broadband tiers, and now, it has worked out a deal with a global provider of Wi-Fi hotspots in order to give customers even more options when traveling abroad. Via the AT&T Wi-Fi International App, AT&T customers traveling abroad can now gain access...
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Remember when mobile hotspots were clunky little black boxes that just had one or two LED notification lights? Those days are gone. These days, hotspots are just as whiz-bang as any other modern gadget, and AT&T is about to pick up perhaps the most innovative one to date. The company announced today that it will carry Sierra Wireless' Unite, a 4G LTE-capable hotspot that has a unique 2.4" touchscreen and can support up to 10 connections at once. Customers can also manage connected devices, change network and device settings and block unwanted devices from joining the network – directly from the screen. Customers can choose one of AT&T's existing individual or family plans or select...
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It's a wild, wild world we're living in. These days, cars don't just get you places -- they offer a place for your gadgets to feel cradled. Toyota recently announced that the 2013 Avalon Limited would have a wireless Qi charging station in the console, and now BMW is going a step above on its own with built-in LTE technology. Automotive 3G hotspots have been around, but they've been wildly expensive and pretty tough to find in terms of factory integration. But BMW's new Car Hotspot LTE will be able to snap right into the console of BMW Connected automobiles. All that is required apart from the BMW Car Hotspot LTE is an LTE-capable SIM card, which is simply inserted into the hotspot. It can then...
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It may not look like a mobile hotspot, but that's exactly what it is. Developed by Novatel Wireless, this AT&T-bound hotspot is actually not the strangest we've ever seen. That honor undoubtedly goes to the Verizon iPad, which also doubles as a wonderful mobile hotspot. That aside, this new Liberate is designed to operate on AT&T's 3G and LTE networks, boasting a 2.8" color touchscreen and support for up to 10 simultaneous connections. That screen is a real boon; anyone who has used a prior-gen MiFi knows how troubling it is to see flashing lights and nothing more as you attempt to troubleshoot. Now, the screen will inform users about data usage, network settings, etc., all while letting...
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Verizon has another Jetpack, the 890L, which is designed to give travelers a way to create a mobile 4G LTE-powered WiFi cloud hotspot. The device allows up to ten wireless devices to connect simultaneously, which is ideal for business teams travelling abroad; indeed, the device is supported in 205 countries. Users can employ VPN passthrough technology and WEP/WPA/WPA2 security. Verizon states that customers can count on between 5Mb/s and 12Mb/s download and 2Mb/s to 5Mb/s upload speeds where 4G LTE service is available. The device itself has a physical keypad and an OLED screen and will be available May 24th for $19.99 (after a $50 mail-in rebate and a two-year service commitment). Go Global...
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Good news if you get your Internet service through Bright House Networks, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, or Time Warner Cable: You just got free access to about 50,000 WiFi hotspots. The quintet of cable ISPs announced that they’ve partnered to provide free WiFi hotspot access to all of their combined customers under the network name “CableWiFi”. Currently, Bright House and Cablevision have CableWiFi networks set up in NYC and in central Florida. Over the next few months, more networks from all five participating ISPs will pop up throughout public places such as malls, restaurants, beaches, and parks in New York City (and the surrounding Tri-State area), LA, Tampa,...
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