Upcoming Sprint AIRAVE Refresh to Bring VoIP and EV-DO Support 32
If you're a Sprint subscriber and you live in an area of spotty cell service, you're probably familiar with the AIRAVE, the company's CDMA femtocell. If so, you're also probably familiar with the gadget's limitations, namely its lack of 3G and VoIP support.
We've been expecting updated hardware to come down the pike for some time now, and a tipster has recently made us wise to the fact that a refresh to the popular device is neigh, citing an internal Sprint email that's being sent around picturing a revamped AIRAVE boasting VoIP landline and EV-DO support. Corroborating this tip is a FCC filing recently dug up by the folks over at Engadget.
We're still digging around for the details on pricing and availability, but it's probably safe to assume that it'll be priced similarly to the current offering (free for some, $99 for others, with monthly fees starting at $10). As far as availability, when draft manuals start getting emailed to employees and filings bubble up on the FCC's website, you can assume that it will be "soon".
Current AIRAVE users: are the upcoming enhancements enough to warrant an upgrade for you?
Thanks to gilligan793 for the tip!
32 Comments
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Awesome, now i just need to get one for my aunts apartment since its a cell phone deadspot for Sprint, Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile
I have an original one. No point in getting it for me as when I am in my house, my Pre can use the WiFi...don't really need evdo.
If it extended the range of the signal...then I would think about upgrading...but still probably wouldn't.
I've got a model from 6 months ago, and it's just fine for me, honestly. I don't really need VOIP since I'm not calling overseas much, and we don't even come close to using our Sprint minutes. As far as speed.. I can download an episode of This American Life (1hr) in about three minutes, and I can stream youtube without a hitch. There's not much else this phone requires in terms of throughput at this juncture.. let me get this straight, we're not talking 4G, right? I haven't noticed any kind of lag using Wifi on my Airrave. I won't buy unless getting a new 4G phone and the device also supports 4G. I'm good til then.
Love the airrave though! We get NO reception otherwise.
I must be missing something.
What us gained by these "new"offerings? We can already talk on the phone using the Airave, attached to our broadband connection and we can just use the wifi from that broadband service to surf.
This seems a non-issue. If I missed it, my apologies. Otherwise, I think it'd be worthwhile to explain the benefits in these types of articles.
Of course, one doesn't want to talk down to these people OR talk over the heads if those people, so I'll finish up with a thanks for all you folks do.
Thank you.
If you are unfortunate enough to have a sprint Pixi then it is an issue. Otherwise I agree with you. Btw I love my airave/pre!
C'mon Sprint...take the leap into this century! Charging monthly access for the "privilege" of off-loading cellular bandwidth to an ISP...ridiculous.
No switching to the new Airave her. Great device as is, don't need more.
My wife has the Sprint Pixi. Data speeds sloooooow. I on the other hand have the Pre. Internet is faasst, with WiFi.
I have edited my previous post. It seems this will allow for static configuration of the Airave. I will buy one as soon as it is available.
The manual states that the External GPS is not weatherproof and do not use it outside. However, I live in washington state. My GPS has been outside my apartment for a good 10 months or more and I have had no problems with it.
double post
this update means nothing to me as (since you have to have internet any way) I always have my wifi on at home. The voip could be an advantage, but I don't see this as worth a 100 dollar upgrade. It really is ment for those without an airave already, and in that case it is great.
Heck yeah if viop is available no need for vontage!!
The current Sprint AirRave/Pre combination is not reliable. Regular cell tower coverage at my house varies from 3 bars to 0. I can be standing next to the AirRave with 5 bars, suddenly hear the blip meaning that it's switching to the public network, drop to 2 bars, and then lose my call.
This happens all the time.
I don't have a landline because it's really just a solicitations line, and my Pre is unreliable at home. My neighbor works for Verizon wireless, and I plan to test the Verizon Pre with their minitower, and if it proves reliable, I'm switching over.
But I'm worried that the problem is the Pre, with logic in the Pre deciding to switch networks when it shouldn't. Nothing will help me then.
The new AirRave may keep me from switching, if I get it in time.
JT: There's a simple fix for the network switching: just use phone prefs to either turn off data on the phone radio (use WiFi instead for data), or use those prefs to force the Pre to use Sprint/1x when you're home. That's what I do, and I always have a good signal.
Currently, the most hassle-free way to do stuff like this is to use Sconix's Mode Switcher. Just switch to "Home," and those settings (and any others you want) are applied automatically.
WHAT THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE PRE (PRECENTRAL) NOT SPRINTCENTRAL
I was thinking the same thing. I guess we have a Sprint troll/fanboy amongst us. Hahahahahaha
I was thinking the same thing. I guess we have a Sprint troll/fanboy amongst us. Hahahahahaha
I was thinking the same thing. I guess we have a Sprint troll/fanboy amongst us. Hahahahahaha
Laughable is you calling anyone a troll.
Hmm? Because I have a Pre and a functioning AirRave is crucial to my using it; no AirRave, no cell service, no Pre.
other carriers have the pre too and they dont care about sprint antennas... we need pre news.. not what verizon,att, or sprint r doing with ther antennas.. or we should talk about htc too cuz they r using the same antenna on sprint? no right?
Dude, I for one am grateful for the news. The current AirRave is proving unreliable for me. A new one might solve the problem. If it doesn't, I have to conclude that the problem is either Sprint or my Palm Pre. I could solve the problem by ditching my Pre. This news will keep me hanging on to my Pre a bit longer, unless a certain solution shows itself sooner.
well i appreciate the news of it. If it does have VOIP that would be great i could drop my Cable co phone, need a land line for the babysitters, at 29.99 a month, the cost would pay for itself fairly quickly! We have a airave now it's great but 3g would be better. Seems to drain the bat now. Hoping they offer an upgrade option on this.
Not sure why I should be paying Sprint to boost my signal when I live in a metro area... otherwise I would pay for the device. At home I get 2 bars at the most; everywhere else I get full bars. lol
For getting voice at home my Airave is a must.
However when I am at home I am able to use WiFi - so data speeds are a complete non-issue.
No reason to upgrade.
The only downside to my Airave is my GPS locator has me spotted 50 miles away...
When no news a precentral, I usually flip back and forth to http://palmnewsdaily.com/
I will not upgrade since my Pre uses WiFi. And a requirement for a phone upgrade (Pre 2 or Pixi Plus) would require WiFi for me to even consider it.
Still nice to see the capability for those that are stuck without WiFi.
I wonder if I can get them to replace mine that I got for free...