airvana
Latest
Sprint's new Airave shipping to customers who 'qualify'
FierceWireless got the lowdown on the new Airvana-built Airave femtocell that Sprint is shipping, and it turns out there's a good reason why stores we called hadn't heard of it: the carrier's only shipping it to people who pass the test. What test, you ask? Well, Sprint is saying that "each customer situation is reviewed independently to determine whether the customer would qualify and benefit from Airave use," and if you qualify, you get the EV-DO-capable Airave gratis -- with the catch that you'll be charged a non-return fee if you walk away from Sprint and don't send it back. From our perspective, we don't see a good reason why these wouldn't end up replacing the 1xRTT-only Samsungs that stores are still stocking, but at this point, it's Sprint's call when or if that's going to happen. Update: We've been tipped with information that the Airaves are being provided to customers without a spending limit who are considered "mid" value or better; they're being offered via direct ship only and won't be offered in stores.
Sprint's 3G-capable Airave from Airvana starts shipping
Corporate-owned Sprint stores that we've called don't seem to know what we're talking about, but at least one reader has managed to get Sprint telesales to ship him one of its long-rumored upgraded Airaves from Airvana that supports EV-DO (the original model sported 1xRTT only for data). Our tipster tells us this bad boy will run up to six simultaneous calls -- up from the old Samsung's three -- and although the femtocell supports a VoIP landline connection, Sprint is telling folks that it's not available for use just yet. The jury's still out on whether this looks better than the outgoing model -- but hey, you can always shove it in a corner where no one will notice it; in the short term, the bigger concern will probably be finding a store willing and able to sell it to you. [Thanks, Connor]%Gallery-99924%
Sprint Airave gets remixed by Airvana, has VoIP landline and EV-DO support
The Samsung-sourced femtocell that Sprint and Verizon have been offering (as the Airave and Wireless Network Extender, respectively) is all well and good, but it's got one fatal flaw: unlike AT&T's aptly-named 3G MicroCell, it doesn't have support for 3G data -- it's compatible with CDMA 1x alone. Verizon's fixing that later this year with an updated model from Samsung, but thanks to a fresh FCC filing, it looks like Sprint will be taking a different route by roping in Airvana for the Airave's successor. On top of EV-DO, the interesting bit about this puppy is that it supports a VoIP-routed landline connection around back; we're not sure whether Sprint actually plans on enabling this extra jack, but it's specifically mentioned in the draft manual, so we wouldn't doubt it. No word on a release just yet -- but FCC approval is frequently one of the last steps on a product's road to retail, so we might see it soon.
