Instant HSDPA hotspot

Short Review

I played around with the Huawei B970 today and the device does exactly what you expect of it. Setup is very easy and it ‘just works’. It looks good too – a nice glossy black surface. I think it will leave fingerprint marks when handled often, but I guess wiping it with a cloth will restore its glory :)

I did a few speed tests as well:
Downlink typically between 1 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps.
Uplink between 600 Kbps and 1 Mbps

For basically the same price as a HSPA modem like the Huawei E272 it is priced particularly well. From what I have heard the R 2000 – 2500 price is about half of what it was only a few months ago.

In my opinion this is a very suitable device if you want to connect your home or SME office quickly and will not use much data.
 
it does seem like its a good idea, i am sure i have seen a similar product having like 3g adsl and other bits bundled in somewhere
 
Hoorah! This looks like a serious alternative to WiMax and, with a decent external antenna, perhaps even a serious alternative to ADSL.

Plug in a few IP phones and a poynting antenna and you can have an office up an running instantly with hosted switchboard, cheaper calls than Telkom, and Internet access included.

Now MTN just have to do something about those shocking out-of-bundle data rates. I don't see why, if my first 2GB can be 19c/MB, the excess should be R1.20. On the plus side, one should be able to use the analogue phone port on this device to load pre-paid airtime bundles without having to swap SIMs and without taking your data offline for more than a few seconds.
 
Only IF !

IF ONLY ,

Voice interconnection rates were 5c per minute To all networks.

Data out of bundle rates were 10c per megabyte.

VOIP were allowed over 3g.

Sms's were charged according to data rates. 1c per SMS.

MTN could rake in the $$$ and become a serious player in the fixed line business.

DxL - Mobile
 
Isn't this a bit pricey compared to something like the Linksys WRT54G3G Mobile Broadband router ? 4 ethernet ports, 1 Internet Wired port (For DSL/Cable connections) plus a PCMCIA slot for use with a Cellular Based PC Card data card of your choice ?
 
Rouxenator said:
Isn't this a bit pricey compared to something like the Linksys WRT54G3G Mobile Broadband router ? 4 ethernet ports, 1 Internet Wired port (For DSL/Cable connections) plus a PCMCIA slot for use with a Cellular Based PC Card data card of your choice ?
Click to expand...
I think here one must look at the total cost of an HSDPA enabled device. If I am not mistaken there is quite a bit if IP costs attached to any HSPA/GSM device which must be factored into the total cost of the device.
 
"Instant hspa hotspot" ? wtf this ain't a femto cell its 3G router. This is Mtn's way of capturing the soho market with the convenience of a multiple broadband connection with voice. If only Mtn had wide hspa coverage instead of hotspoting areas & drop data prices they'd get more customers. Is it me or why do Mtn launch products before Vodacom with out any proper marketing of em. Interestingly enough in Singapore Umobile offers this router free with specific contracts. Speed wont be great unless you have a external antenna expect to add another R1000 just for it.
 
Take note Neotel. It would be awesome if you could introduce something like this...
 
I think I'm gonna get myself one as soon as it's out.
 
"ease of use and plug-and-pay on the MTN network"

Too true my friend, too true :D
 
I'm assuming everyone thinks this is good idea due to the cost being extensively cheaper than the current offerings of HSDPA / 3G modem market. I can't possibly imagine what else would be great about this inititiave?

Broadband Modem + internet connection sharing + wireles router = fast LAN + no cabling + fast internet. Is the router the sales pitch, i'm cofused... It also says affordable...Where exactly is it affordable?

I understand the current products on the market is R550 for a HSUPA connection with 2 Gig. Is the router more beneficial or the modem...

This thread looks like a marketing ploy.
 
How would you use the analogue phone port. I don't understand this part. Should there be a normal POTS line in and a normal old analog phone out? Perhaps you could use the old phone as a VOIP phone? Someone please help.
 
rpm said:
I played around with the Huawei B970 today and the device does exactly what you expect of it. Setup is very easy and it ‘just works’. It looks good too – a nice glossy black surface. I think it will leave fingerprint marks when handled often, but I guess wiping it with a cloth will restore its glory :)

I did a few speed tests as well:
Downlink typically between 1 Mbps and 1.5 Mbps.
Uplink between 600 Kbps and 1 Mbps

For basically the same price as a HSPA modem like the Huawei E272 it is priced particularly well. From what I have heard the R 2000 – 2500 price is about half of what it was only a few months ago.

In my opinion this is a very suitable device if you want to connect your home or SME office quickly and will not use much data.
Click to expand...


The MTN Huawei B970 wireless gateway is expected to be available at retail outlets towards the end of September.
Click to expand...
rpm, when will this device be launched? Cannot find anything on the MTN website.
 
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Found this on the autopage site. Select the MTN tab. There is a R990 pay in for the device. not mentioned in the article.

At a subsidized rate of R 449.00 per month – which includes 2 GB of data usage – and offering real life download speeds of over 1 Mbps and uplink speeds of around 1 Mbps it compares very favourably with Telkom’s ADSL offerings for low usage.
Click to expand...

MTN - Extended Data Free 2GB

R449.00 x 24 month contract
+R990.00 Huawei E970A HSUPA WiFi Router
+R239.00 Once Off Sim & Connection

MB Per Month - 2 Gb
In Bundle Rate - R0.22
Out Of Bundle Rate Per MB - R1.20
 
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