Wireless 3G routers to enhance 3G functionality
The router provides users with the ability to share 3G wireless broadband access at speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps with Ethernet.
Users will now be able to create a wireless wide area network (WAN) for local Ethernet.
The D-Link router will have a Cardbus slot for the insertion of a 3G wireless notebook adapter interface for EV-DO, UMTS, Flash-OFDM and HSDPA networks.
Additional features are two USB 2.0 ports. One for wireless broadband access and the other to be used in conjunction with a USB enabled 3G mobile cellphone.
Users planning to set up an office or in-house wireless network will be happy to know that this router includes a built-in 10/100 Mbps switch to connect up to four Ethernet-enabled networking devices plus an integrated access point for wireless LAN support.
“This new 3G router and its extensive feature set will be an important product for wireless carriers looking to drive additional value added service revenue,” stated Steven Joe, president and CEO for D-Link.
Vodacom has already recognized the tremendous potential of this product for the South African wireless broadband market.
The prospects for this type of product in the SMME market in South Africa are tremendous, especially considering the latest rumours that Telkom will be introducing a new billing system effectively ending the 30G accounts SMME’s were using for business.
SMME’s will be able to provide Internet access to employees using this router. Current 3G data rates mean that sharing a connection is not viable for high-end data users, but with anticipated data price decreases this could change.
Jannie Van Zyl, 3G product specialist for Vodacom, has informed MyADSL that Vodacom has already tested various wireless 3G routers with positive results.
Vodacom’s introduction of HSDPA and possibly MTN at the end of this year means that this router might just find a place on South African shelves soon.
Some of the other players in the wireless 3G router market include Motorola, Novatel, Huawei. It is anticipated that some of these products will be available through the normal channels soon.
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