Clear releasing two new WiMAX modems with integrated VOIP functionality
By Tim Stevens 
posted January 15th 2010 9:36AM
posted January 15th 2010 9:36AM
We were recently lucky enough to experience Clear's WiMAX service in Las Vegas for a week and, after having 4G available whenever we wanted it, we were a little sad to go back to our 3G domiciles. For those who live every day in a WiMAX wonderland, Clear has a pair of new modems for you, both featuring built-in ATA compatibility meaning those signing up for Clear Voice VOIP can jack their phones straight in. The devices are the Gemtek Series G, available in Vegas, and the Motorola CPEi 725 Series M, available in Portland. Both are $80 up-front or $5 per month on lease, and neither are available where we are, so if you'll kindly excuse us we're going to go pout in the corner for a bit.
Poor Engadget.
Hi from the passenger seat of my bosses car as we're driving to an appointment, using Clear on my laptop.
/rubs it in. =)
@stangmeister RUN! It's not an appointment. He's simply driving you to the bad side of town to inconspicuously 'fire' you, and get your Clear access.
@ebob9
=O
I love Clear best service, I used FIOS before but ever since they try to jack up the price I dump them and never looking back, and their phone service is great too.
im interested in getting clear...anyone know how the network speeds compare with dsl (this is what i currently have)? faster? slower?
@tenacious d
I'd say it is pretty on par with DSL but it does have coverage issues if you are on the move while working / playing on it. (On a train or something).
@tenacious d - Generally, it's about the same but if you're in a good location, it can be much faster. At my local Starbucks, I get about 5MB down and 1MB up. Not quite as much at home.
@stangmeister
nice. clear has home service (as opposed to mobile) for half the price of verizon, so i think i might make the switch..
@tenacious d
I know when you use Sprint's 4G (which is running on the same network) that they guarentee 6Mb down and 1Mb up with peaks of 10Mb down.
Wimax is heavily dependent on signal quality though i.e.
http://gizmodo.com/5174718/exclusive-wimax-uncapped-speed-tests
@tenacious d In most cases if your WiMAX signal is strong the connection speed is much better than DSL.
@wimaxatl
even if im not in atlanta? lol.
@tenacious d CLEAR is on an aggressive roll-out in 2010. Most major cities are going to be hot soon. If you are close to a tower and your signal is good, WiMAX is hard to beat right now. I will find someone to help you no matter where you are. :)
@tenacious d
Speed varies by number of people using it at any given time. I've gotten anywhere between 3 and over 7 Mbps, but usually these days it's between 4 and 6 Mbps on a regular basis. More than enough to watch Hulu and Netflix.
@gerrrg as long as modern warfare 2 runs, I should be satisfied :)
Just began using clear in Seattle area and they have a tower rather close to me. Go to one of their kiosks/stores and they'll use Google Earth to show you a tower location near your address. It'll help you determine line of sight issues, too, say if you're in a valley or on the other side of a hill, which are plentiful here. Fortunately, works well for me. For what I'd pay Comcast for home service, I get home+mobile 4G service. I have constant 4-6mb down and about 1mb up. It's not screaming fast, but certainly better than DSL. And I don't have to give Comcast more money. That's worth something alone.
I use clear home service in lubbock, tx and for 30 bucks a month it is unbeatable. Def. Not screaming fast but I can stream hulu "hi-def" tv shows without having to pause for buffer. They also have awesome customer service.
Comcast's contract with our building for Internet and TV ends soon. I've been looking at Clear as an alternative due to their home and mobile bundles.
They have a store a couple of blocks from my place, and their map shows full coverage in the city of Chicago, but their ZIP code locator says I don't have service. Um?
@Dale P - you get a 7-day full money back guarantee if for some reason service doesn't exist at your place. There are pockets that just don't have 4G service in "covered areas," so they acknowledge it. Otherwise, signing the 2-yr contract would have been a show stopper for me.
WiMax coverage ends when you enter my street. I'm 9 houses in, so no coverage (or soup) for me. I'm in the Atlanta metro area. Comcast can't deliver reliable cable to my home, so bump getting their internet.
Coverage maps for just about any service show an asterick in my neighborhood. They all call and offer to switch me, then when they lookup where I am, they get really quiet.
I've had Clear since they started offering service in Portland. Even if you happen to be in an unlucky outlying area's basement studio and you can't get service, you have to appreciate what clear has done to the prior ISP duopoly that existed; Qwest and Comcast have dropped their prices for internet service by about 50% as a result of the competition.
THAT is AWESOME.
I'd stay "clear" from Clear service till the whole layout is completed. Had there service here in dallas. The mobile device worked marvelous outside in areas where no coverage was listed. Very fast ul and dl speed. As on conditions in my so called "coverage area" no so what of luck with home modem or usb mobile.Customer service is scripted and really dont look to solve solutions. Said tower been out for 3 weeks for "upgrades".
In all I cancelled service next day, and I say beware to those who dont with in there 7-day period. A 2-year contract to be stuck on is very unplesant. Just google about clear and you will see the real results of there service.
I live in SE Portland only 1 block from a Clear antenna, I would pay for a 5 year contract if only they had a 4G phone which could tether to a PC and your tv. Skeptical? Check out the HTC Max 4G phone.