Wednesday, 04 November 2009

Verizon Wireless Illegally Bans Competing 3G Products

verizon illegally bans competing products

In an unusual move, Verizon Wireless has begun banning resellers from selling all antennas and cell phone amplifier products that improve signal for 3G mobile broadband devices and cell phones (such as the Droid, BlackBerry Storm2, LG enV, MiFi, iPhone, and other popular devices). These antennas and powered amplifiers are typically used as a retention tool to keep customers from canceling service when in a weaker signal area or when in-building coverage is poor or non-existent.

The first victim of this new unfair policy is 3Gstore.com. 3Gstore.com has been selling 3G / EVDO mobile broadband devices and service since 2005 and has been one of Verizon's biggest cheerleaders and supporters, but earlier this year they had their authorization to sell Verizon Wireless products and services suspended with no warning or explanation. After much digging, the reason given by Verizon was that 3Gstore.com also sold antennas and cell phone amplifiers. 3Gstore was told that if they wanted to continue to sell Verizon Wireless products, they would need to cease selling all signal enhancing devices.

Ironically, Verizon Wireless stores sell some of the exact products that 3Gstore.com sells and Verizon Wireless B2B has sold exactly the same powered amplifiers that 3Gstore.com sells. Why has 3Gstore been targeted? Apparently, Verizon Wireless is coming out with a new signal enhancing product, called a femtocell, which Verizon Wireless is calling the "Verizon Wireless Network Extender". While this product uses different technology, it competes with the powered amplifiers sold by 3Gstore.com and thousands of other resellers as well. So, it appears that Verizon Wireless is trying to illegally ban competing products in order to increase sales of the models sold directly by them.

Michael Ginsberg, president of 3Gstore.com, responded to Verizon's new policy: "If we give in and stop selling antennas and amplifiers, what is stopping Verizon Wireless from coming to us next month and demanding that we stop selling 3G routers? What Verizon Wireless doesn't seem to understand is that we have prevented thousands of Verizon customers from canceling their service contracts, because a signal-boosting product we sold to them allows them to use and enjoy their service. These products allow Verizon to retain customers that otherwise would have canceled their service due to weak or unreliable signal." Many agencies and companies understand the value that cell phone amplifiers provide (see NTSB Article).

In addition to 3Gstore, there are many other Verizon Wireless resellers and agents that sell antennas and amplifiers to help their customers. If this action against 3Gstore is allowed to go unchecked, they could be the next to get a notice to stop selling Verizon Wireless products.

"We are looking for Verizon Wireless to realize that they made a mistake, and to rectify this by allowing 3Gstore to sell their products again. If Verizon continues to be unwilling to work with us, we may also be in the market for an experienced legal firm in the telecommunication industry to represent us pro bono," said Ginsberg.

Related Links:

For more information, read our blog post on this issue.
If you would like to comment on this article, join the discussion on the EVDO Forums
If you are a legal expert in the telecommunications industry and would like to further discuss 3Gstore's dispute with Verizon, please contact legal@3gstore.com
If you are looking to purchase Verizon products and services, please contact us. While we are not currently processing Verizon orders, we can help you select the right gear and point you in the right direction.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 November 2009 )

Wednesday, 04 November 2009

Prepaid EVDO from 3Gstore.com - No Contracts, No Deposits, No Credit Checks

pay as you go mobile broadband

For many mobile broadband users, a 2-year contract for $59.99/month (which is standard from all the major carriers in the US) makes perfect sense. There are many potential users, however, who would love to have access to mobile broadband but don't need it full time or don't want to go through a credit check and sign a contract, and 3Gstore now has a solution for you: Pay-As-You-Go 3G Mobile Broadband!

Pay-As-You-Go Mobile Broadband from 3Gstore works just like a pre-paid cell phone, but with data instead of voice minutes. You simply purchase the aircard and then purchase pre-paid service as you need it (the service can be bought in 1GB or 250MB increments, and you can re-load anytime online or by calling a toll-free number). The modem is a Sierra Wireless 598U and works on Sprint's nationwide 3G network. Once you activate your pre-paid service, you can use your aircard just like you would if you had a contract with a service provider - you can use the aircard right in your computer or even use it with a router to share the connection with multiple computers! To make things as easy as possible for our customers, 3Gstore includes a helpful tipsheet and a CD with the latest versions of the Sprint connection manager software (for both Mac and Windows computers, including Mac 10.3 - 10.6x and Windows XP, Vista and Win7) when you purchase your modem.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 November 2009 )

Saturday, 31 October 2009

If you purchased your Kyocera KR1, Top Global MB8000, Top Global MB6800, Top Global MB6000, or Linksys WRT54G3G-ST router from 3Gstore, you can trade up for the Cradlepoint MBR1200 for as low as $149.99 (MSRP is $299.99)!

Whenever new or improved technology becomes available, folks who own older equipment often wish there was a way they could exchange their now-outdated products for the latest and greatest models. Usually, these folks are out of luck and stuck with their old gear, but not this time! 3Gstore is offering a special trade-in program for our customers who purchased a KR1, MB8000, MB6800, MB6000, or original Linksys WRT54G3G (not the V2) - send us your "clunker", and we'll give you a credit to use towards a brand new Cradlepoint MBR1200!

What is the Cradlepoint MBR1200, and why do I want to trade my clunker for it?

With its three USB ports, ExpressCard and PCMCIA slots (it's the ONLY Cradlepoint router that supports PCMCIA cards!), the MBR1200 officially supports more 3G and 4G modems than any other cellular router. The MBR1200 is also the first cellular router to offer a built-in four-port ethernet switch that offers not just 10/100 speeds, but also 1000mbp/s LAN connectivity (a.k.a. "gigabit ethernet"). It also features a huge wireless range, thanks to its built-in wireless "N" radio, and you can even increase that range with optional external WiFi antennas.

The MBR1200 is a great solution for many 3G and 4G mobile broadband users, and for folks with PCMCIA cards, it's truly the BEST option on the market! To learn more about, Read our MBR1200 Review.

How much can I save by trading in my "clunker"?

The Cradlepoint MBR1200 has an MSRP of $299.99. During the "Cradlepoints for Clunkers" program, 3Gstore will be offering up to $150 off MSRP when you trade in your eligible "clunker" router. Below is a list of the eligible routers and the price you can get on the MBR1200 when you trade yours in:

Your old router does not have to be in good condition, or even functional! As long as your router model is on the above list and you purchased it from 3Gstore, you can trade it in for a discount on the MBR1200! Please note that ONLY customers who purchased their clunker from 3Gstore (formerly booster-antenna.com) can participate in this program.

Sounds great! How can I take advantage of this offer?

Once 3Gstore has verified that your clunker is eligible for trade-in, you'll have two options: you can choose to mail in your clunker first and then purchase the MBR1200 at the discounted price once we receive it, or you could choose to purchase the MBR1200 at full price and 3Gstore will issue a credit back to your credit card for the difference in price when we receive your clunker (this is a good option for folks who are still using their clunkers and don't want to be without a router while they wait to receive the MBR1200). To get started, email clunkers (at) 3Gstore.com with your invoice number.

Program Details and Restrictions:

This program is ONLY available to customers who purchased eligible routers from 3Gstore (formerly booster-antenna.com). If you own one of the eligible routers but purchased it elsewhere, we CANNOT accept a trade in from you.
It is the customer's responsibility to pay for the shipping of your "clunker" to 3Gstore as well as the shipping of your new MBR1200 from 3Gstore.
Your trade-in credit can ONLY be used towards the purchase of an MBR1200.
This trade-in program is for new sales starting November 1, 2009,
This program will run through the month of November. All trade-in requests must be processed by November 30, 2009 and received by December 7, 2009.

If you purchased a KR1, MB8000, MB6800, MB6000, or original Linksys WRT54G3G router FROM 3GSTORE and would like to trade it in for a discounted Cradlepoint MBR1200, send an email to clunkers (at) 3gstore.com with your invoice number (if you no longer have your invoice number, make sure to include the name and email address you used for the original order as well as the serial number from your router so that we can look it up).

Trade-in Model	Your MBR1200 Price	Your Savings
Kyocera KR1	$199.99	$100
Top Global MB8000	$149.99	$150
Top Global MB6800	$199.99	$100
Top Global MB6000	$199.99	$100
Linksys WRT54G3G (not the newer V2)	$199.99	$100

Last Updated ( Monday, 02 November 2009 )

Friday, 30 October 2009

Congratulations to our Contest Winners!

Following the success of our September contest, 3gstore ran a contest in partnership with Wilson Electronics during October to give away two very useful wireless signal boosting kits. Participants were able to enter to win either a FREE Wilson SignalBoost Mobile Professional amplifier or a FREE Wilson Signal Boost DT repeater. Like last time, we asked folks to email us and tell us what they would use the products for and why they needed them, and we received some GREAT responses - everyone from RV'ers to students to business executives to entrepreneurs to families in rural areas with no cable/DSL access wrote to us and gave us compelling reasons why they should be the winner. Unfortunately, we couldn't give the prize to everyone, so we had to narrow it down. Congratulations to:

Wilson SignalBoost Mobile Professional WINNER: Harold G. from New Jersey will be pleasing his family and receiving the Wilson SignalBoost Mobile Professional. Below is an excerpt from Harold’s winning entry:

[I'd use the Mobile Pro] to increase signal strength in the car and hotel rooms when we travel. The better my daughters can stream video in the car moving down the interstate means the less whining I would need to listen to. I prefer the hum of the tires....... I would use the repeater to primarily boost the signal of my Merlin EX720 and my Blackberry 8830. If it'll work with the iPhone [3Gstore note: it does!] then the oldest daughter will be happy....back to the less whining.........

Harold will be enjoying his trips in the car from now on! Congratulations, Harold!

Wilson SignalBoost DT WINNER: Steve G. from South Carolina will be receiving the Wilson SignalBoost DT. For all customers hoping to boost their cellular signal in a static location, 3Gstore always recommends that the customer perform a site survey (read more about site surveys here: http://www.3gstore.com/rssi) to determine what equipment is right for them. Based on Steve’s results from his testing and what he's hoping to accomplish, we believe he will have great success with the DT! Below is an excerpt from Steve’s winning email:

I currently have a kr1 router with a KPC680 card that I bought from alltel about 1.5 years ago. Verizon took over my phone plans but the Internet is still under the alltel plan. I have an Alltel tower about 2 miles from my house. I have an -84db signal about 20yards outside my house now, since I called them about -110db signals causing phone and Internet service to drop. They said I was between sectors causing low signals; they rotated the tower to improve our signal to -84db. We still have problems inside the house and have to walk outside to work. We are using Blackberry curves 8330 and the Blackberry Storm. Also any other person who comes in my house has the same problem. I live in a rural area where there is absolutely no other options! I don’t know how long the tower will stay in its current position, but I would devote whatever you need for feedback on this product. The -84db seems to surge/burst sometimes!

Congratulations, Steve!

Thank you to ALL of you who participated in the contest. We look forward to running more contests in the future and hope you'll all participate again!

Use Your Cradlepoint Router for Cable/DSL/Satellite Internet

We've done quite a few Tips of the Week that focus on Cradlepoint routers, and there's a good reason for that: there is SO much you can do with a Cradlepoint router, and many Cradlepoint owners aren't even aware of some of the features they're not using! One such example is the fact that the WAN (ethernet) ports featured on the CTR350, CTR500, MBR1000, and MBR1200 aren't just for connecting non-WiFi computers/devices to the router - they can also be used to connect a cable, DSL, or satellite internet modem. Your Cradlepoint router is not just the best choice for use with mobile broadband, its also a top-notch router for use with common cable, DSL or satellite internet connections!

Your Cradlepoint router's ability to be used as a router for cable/DSL/satellite internet can come in very handy in a variety of situations. By taking advantage of this functionality, you could set your router up to use your cable/DSL/satellite connection primarily and "fail-over" to mobile broadband if your hard-wired service goes down, or simply eliminate the need for two set-ups (one for mobile broadband, one for your hard-wired connection). Even if you don't have cable/DSL/satellite right now, the fact that your Cradlepoint router CAN be used as a router for those types of internet connections makes your router that much more of a wise investment in case you ever do have access to those options!

Using your Cradlepoint CTR350, CTR500, MBR1000, or MBR1200 as a router for your cable/DSL/satelite internet connection is easy (remember, this won't work with the PHS300 because that router does not have a WAN port):

Connect your cable/DSL/satellite modem to your Cradlepoint router's WAN port with an ethernet cable.
Log into your router's admin page by navigating your browser to 192.168.0.1 and entering your admin password (by default this is usually the last 6 characters of your router's MAC address, which you can find on the bottom of your router).
Once logged in, select the "Basic" tab from the top.
From the "Basic" section, click on the link entitled "WAN" on the left.
If you're using the CTR350 or CTR500, you'll first need to set the ethernet port to WAN mode (the port on these routers is by default set to "LAN" mode). There will be a section called ethernet port mode where you can make this change (MBR1000 and MBR1200 users won't need to make this change, because those routers feature a dedicated WAN port):
Further down the page, you will see a section entitled "Wired WAN Connection Type". Select your ISP from the drop-down menu for "Internet Service Provider". If your provider is not listed, select "Not Listed" or "I Don't Know".
The next dropdown menu, "Internet Connection" will change depending on your choice of ISP in the first dropdown menu. If you were able to select your ISP in the previous step, leave the "Internet Connection" menu alone. If your ISP was not listed above, you will need to contact your provider and find out what type of connection they are providing you and select it here. http://www.evdoinfo.com/images/stories/cp_wwan.jpg
The next section will be determined by your selection in the "Internet Connection" dropdown, and the fields in this section will vary. At this point you will want to fill in the fields with the proper information from your ISP. In some cases your ISP may not know some of the things being referred to in a certain field such as MTU or MAC address; this is generally not an issue and defaults can be left in place.
Once you have everything filled in on this page, click on the "Save Settings" button at the top of the page and reboot the router if prompted to do so.
Once the router has rebooted you will want to log back in to the router's admin settings and click on the "Status" tab at the top of the page. On this page there will be a "WAN" section that will allow you to look at your Network Status. If the status is "established", the router is connected and ready to go!
If the status is listed as "establishing" for a long period of time or as "suspended", your WAN settings are either incorrect or incomplete and you will need to review them and update them as necessary. Be patient - this can sometimes take a few tries, depending on the service provider. A helpful hint: search through EVDOforums.com for your ISP may help, as others may have already posted the appropriate settings for your ISP!

Verizon MiFi 2200 Firmware Upgrade Affects Tethering

Verizon MiFi

If you use depend on the MiFi tethering trick that allows you to tether and have your MiFi still act as a wifi hotspot (as explained here)... you may NOT want to do the MiFi firmware upgrade because you will not have the same functionality!

After the MiFi firmware upgrade you'll be able to either:

-- tether one computer via USB and only have that computer access the internet
-- charge your MiFi via USB & have up to five computers surf via WiFi connection to MiFi

but you will not be able to do BOTH!

After firmware upgrades on two different units, our MiFi's would allow a USb-tethered computer to access the internet and other computers were able to connect to the MiFi SSID via WiFi, but those computers could not successfully connect to the internet!

If we use the USB connection to a computer just to charge the MiFi, computers that connected to it via WiFi could then connect to the internet.

If we figure out a way to bring back 'original' functionality, we'll post the info on this EVDOforums thread: ATTN Verizon MiFi owners - firmware update caution!

Sprint Launches 4G WiMAX in Philadelphia

Last week, Philadelphia became the latest lucky US market to get covered by Clear's 4G WiMAX service, and today Sprint followed suit by announcing that Philadelphia is now a part of their Sprint 4G service area. The new service area is pretty large, covering users in Philadelphia and its surrouding suburbs, including Camden, Chester, Drexel Hill, and more. Click here to read the full press release at 4Ginfo.com

For more news and info on all things 4G, from service launches to new products, make sure to bookmark our sister site, 4Ginfo.com!

Last Updated ( Monday, 26 October 2009 )