3G Modem Comparison

Hey everyone,

I've scoured the net for a good comparison of 3G modems, but I haven't found any. Let me get you all started with this guide I wrote for the LaptopVideo2Go forum: (hopefully we can start some kind of discussion here or there)


3G Modems:
CDMA/EVDO rev. A
I'm from the US, so even though I don't use Verizon or Sprint, I feel an obligation to mention this. As far as I know, all of the main manufacturers for 3G modems make CDMA devices as well as GSM devices. CDMA should not be confused with W-CDMA. EV-DO Rev. A is now a fairly dated spec, since CDMA networks don't really have a long-term future, so its speeds haven't been updated. That said, Verizon's 3G coverage is far more extensive than any other US network, and Sprint's network is very speedy, assuming you can find a signal.

EVDO networks in the US operate on the 1900 and 850 MHz frequencies. Higher frequencies allow for greater fidelity at short ranges, such as in cities, while the lower frequencies allow for greater range, especially in rural areas. While upgrading to revision B is on the table, current theoretical speeds lag behind AT&T at 3.1 MBps down and 1.4 MBps up.

Novatel Wireless, Sierra Wireless, ZTE, Huawei, and Option (Gobi) all make CDMA-compatible devices. I have no experience with CDMA networks since switching from Verizon a year ago. Note that in the US, CDMA networks do not use SIM cards, so switching carriers is quite difficult (except with Gobi modems) and unlimited "LaptopConnect" data packages are usually $60/month.


GSM/HSPA

GSM is the global mobile telephony standard, for the most part. In the US, AT&T and T-Mobile operate on the GSM standard, on the frequencies of 850 MHz and 1900 MHz. Until the days of UMTS (part of the updated GSM spec) the technology used in GSM networks lagged substantially behind that of CDMA networks in terms of network capacity, fidellity, etc. However, for the past decade, inevitably more research has gone into improving GSM networks than CDMA networks due to their widespread use. In Europe, GSM networks also operate on the 2100 MHz and 900 MHz frequencies, so if international use is important to you, look for quad-band EDGE/tri-band UMTS. GSM systems use SIM cards which allow for switching networks, and also paying for data plans designed for feature-phones but using them for data-cards and data-intensive smartphones.

UMTS is an upgrade to the GSM system that incorporates W-CDMA, developed by Japan's NTT DoCoMo telecom; it incorporates many of the same advantages of previous legacy CDMA networks. However, UMTS allowed for several additional features that did not exist in conventional CDMA systems. There are also extensions to the UMTS spec called HSDPA and HSUPA which currently allow for theoretical download speeds of 7.2 Mbps and upload speeds of 2.0 or 5.4 Mbps. When a card/modem/phone has simultaneous HSDPA and HSUPA access, this is often called HSPA. HSPA+ will add further speed enhancements to the spec. Note that T-Mobile has branched from AT&T and uses the 1700 MHz (AWS) frequency for its brand-new 3G network. Coverage on both AT&T and T-Mobile is significantly worse than on Verizon, although AT&T is currently rolling out more and more service on the 850 MHz frequency, resolving many users' connectivity issues. T-Mobile is still playing catch-up. UMTS will be superceded by LTE in the coming years, and all of the US carriers seem to be converging on LTE, and seemless handoffs between both GSM and CDMA networks have been demonstrated. It seems that Sprint and Verizon will also then use SIM cards, allowing network switches on unlocked phones and modems.


The Cards:

Data modems or 3G modems or AirCards are a popular way of getting online wherever there is cellular signal. Data plans are often pricey, but with GSM networks, these high tariffs can be circumvented by paying for plans designed for less data-intensive devices. These days most cards are supported in all 3 OSes, Mac, Windows, and Linux. For Mac and Windows, both native and client-based support is often available.

Data modems generally come in three variants, USB, MiniPCI-E, or PCMCIA/ExpressCard. Note that these last two standards are really only similar in that such modems are generally slid into an expansion slot in the side of a laptop. There are also 3G routers such as Verizon's MiFi (and various other competitors) that have a MiniPCI-E card and a WIFI chipset built in and function as a limited wireless router. Previously, many USB data cards were merely USB-to-MiniPCI-E adapters with MiniPCI-E cards connected internally. This type of hardware is becoming less popular as manufacturers build smaller and smaller modems.

There are essentially only a handful of manufacturers who make 3G modems:

Sierra Wireless (Californian, firmware and software very easy to obtain from their website, easy to unlock GPS/voice features, good performance)
Novatel Wireless (Canadian, firmware hard to find, make the MiFi, only manufacturer who makes a MiniPCI-E card with a built-in SIM card reader, ideal for slots not designed for 3G modems, but now discontinued)
Option (Belgian, make Gobi, (dual-purpose CDMA/GSM module) good support, PCMCIA cards crash, only models with pop-out butterfly antennae, on some cards GPS and voice features can only be enabled via a serial interface)
Ericsson (Swedish, only make one GSM chipset to my knowledge, has GPS)
Huawei (Chinese, also make refrigerators and heavy machinery, decent performance and reliability with recent firmware)
ZTE (Taiwanese? Little else known...)

HP seems to like Option's Gobi chipsets as of late. (un2400) Dell likes Gobi, Option's GTM382, and Ericsson F5307g. (don't remember Dell Wireless model names...) Acer seems to like Option's GTM380 and GTM382. Beyond that, I have no idea which manufacturers use whose products.


Anyway, I'd like to pose a question to the community: which cards have you had the best luck with in terms of speed/reliability/signal?


Obviously driver support is an issue for everyone, but beyond that, I've heard that Sierra Wireless cards such as the 720 series for CDMA and the 8781 series for GSM have great performance overall. This chipset seems to be the same age as the Ericsson chipset, which is also popular. However, the Option GTM380 and GTM382 are newer cards. I can't conclusively say how they compare in terms of performance.

It is also worth pointing out that many of these cards are based around Qualcomm chipsets, usually of the MSM series. MSM7200 was a popular series chipset for a while, and I believe that Option, Sierra, and Novatel generally use Qualcomm chipsets. I don't know if this is the case for the other manufacturers since they may have more independent design and manufacturing capacities.

Notes:
Tethering performance may also be worth noting, in case certain networks are highly optimized for certain phones, such as the iPhone 3GS. Of course this generally is not as elegant a way of connecting: on CDMA networks an incoming call will interrupt data access. However, comparing tethering scenarios is a good way of comparing antennas/chipsets/driver-sets.

Obtaining the latest drivers and firmware is often an issue for certain cards in certain scenarios. Bez-kabli.pl is a good place to start. Beyond that, YMMV. Often times firmware updates unlock new features like higher access speeds, GPS, voice, stability, etc.

 

I'm using mini PCIe modules inside my two laptops: Sierra Wireless MC8780 which came pre-installed with my Fujitsu LifeBook S6410G and Sierra Wireless MC8781 which I installed myself in my Dell Studio 1735. All have been upgraded with the latest available firmware to have 7.2Mbps with GPS capabilities. Other than those two, I also have USB modem Sierra Wireless AirCard 875U.

What I like the most about Sierra Wireless 3G modems is that all are using the same installation driver/software and have presets for many world operators.

I don't have issues in terms of speed/reliability/signal. Mostly since I use them in areas where the 3.5G signals are good and I realize speed is very much depended on the operator's internet bandwidth.

The only wish I have for next version of Sierra Wireless Watcher software is that it should have the capability to store SMS outside the SIM card since SIM card's SMS storage space is very limited. The current software could save the sent messages outside the SIM card, but not for the incoming ones.

 

Just to refine your knowledge, CDMA has a long term path, and it is currently used in many other countries than US (e.g. Korea, Canada, etc.) and although is not be confused with WCDMA, this latest is CDMA technology based (spread spectrum technology).

WCDMA was not developed by Japan NTT DoCoMo, it was developed by the 3GPP working group (most of world wireless OEM's got involved) of the ITU to support the UMTS effort, which is an attempt to harmonize the air interface for easy global roaming and to drive broadband services.

HSPA is a 3.5G UMTS WCDMA technology that increases the service capacity.

LTE is 4G and is true, is the next technology, with even higher capacity comparable to Ethernet.

 

I live in the EU so we use GSM so HSPDA and Edge.

In my Sony SZ i have built in wwan and have an Option 378 module installed. I normally pick up about 2 or sometimes 3 bars at home. Outside it gives me a very good signal.
It consumes about 2hrs battery more than i get over wifi.

I also have two PCMCIA HSDPA cards.
I have an unlocked option GX0201 card and an unlocked Option Globetrotter Fusion and HSPDA card. I disable the built in wifi because i don't need it. The first card supports speeds up to 7.2 and the latter one supports speeds up to 1.8. They are both fine for just web browsing.

I also have a usb Huawei E180 stick.

The Option Globetrotter HSDPA card actually gives just as good as signal as i get with the built in wwan module. I can pick up 2-3 bars at home. My other PCMCIA card gives me between 1-2 bars at home. I find that these consume less power than my built in wwan module.

I can get over 7hrs using 3G with either cards. I use the Option software to connect to BT. I have also used 3 mobile broaband in the past and i found their service to be very good.

If i use the Huawei stick yes i get a stronger signal but i only get about 5hrs battery life max. It uses more power than my built in card in my Sony SZ.

This is also a very interesting article. It looks amongst other things at the different power consumption of different cards/modules.
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Internet-online-anywhere-everywhere.14870.0.html

 

Oh, my God, I'm amazed at all the replies! No one on LaptopVideo2Go cares, apparently.

Wirelessman, you truly are a guru. Thanks for clarifying my slight inaccuracies. I was trying to simplify for the sake of conciseness, but you hit it on the button.

However, as far as I know, at the very least W-CDMA technology was inspired by NTT DoCoMo's setup. W-CDMA is still Cell Division Multiple Access, but it is NOT the planned successor to EV-DO, UMB or Ultra-Mobile Broadband, which never got off the ground.

Perhaps WiMax and pre-WiMax is worth discussing here as well, but maybe it's best to keep this topic more narrow.


@wirelessman,

We obviously correct one another and make everything more factual, which is great. However, I have some questions: to what extent does Qualcomm have its fingers in everybody's 3.5G pie?

Also, what are your network/3G modem/settings/drivers/firmwares/antennae of choice? I want to learn from a master. Maybe I should ask this ham radio guru at my hackerspace, nycresistor.com.

In addition to a Sierra MC8781, I have also used an Option PC Card, GX0202, (GT Ultra here on AT&T, but it crashes when signal is low...) I also bought and returned an Option GTM378 and an Option GTM382, but they don't support the US 3G frequencies, so I had to return them. (I wasn't shrewed enough to buy the M0202 and M0302 models instead of M0201 and M0301)


@Rachel,
Way to go for being a girl and a 3G geek! I guess it's becoming more and more common. With your Option Fusion card that runs only at 1.8 MBps, do you notice any slowdown versus your other cards? I think I've pulled 298 kb/s here in the US on AT&T on both the US equivalent of your GX0201 card and the Sierra MC8781, which is about 3.2 MBps, I do believe. Are 3G modems really only capable of delivering their rated speeds? Do they sometimes fall short or exceed ratings? Also, I've failed to get GPS working on any Option card, despite the guide online. GPS is no biggie on the Sierra cards, especially with DC-unlocker...I think Option cards that only have the MAIN antenna and not the AUX antenna connected can't do GPS; PCMCIA, ExpressCard, maybe even USB, etc.


How to people like their experience with Gobi 1000 and 2000?

Should I really consider Huawei and ZTE or am I just prejudiced in assuming that all good networking gear is at least designed by Western firms? (Intel, Broadcom, Atheros--wait--scratch that, Realtek is Taiwanese...I'm not being racist, the US just has really advanced IP and patent laws, and a long tradition of VC, etc.)

 

The first part of your post made me laugh.
I don't notice any slow downs with the 1.8Mbps HSDPA card. I've just checked and at home right now i'm connected at 1.8mbps. I don't download really over 3G so I doubt that i would really notice a difference just for websurfing. It is a shame though that this card cannot be flashed. It gives me such a strong signal for a PCMCIA card. This is probably due to the antenna being better. I get 3 bars the majority of the time at home. These only consume about 1W in 3G mode.

I've never really explored GPS, i don't drive, if i did i would have an incentive to.

The Huawei product i own is good; it is just that it consumes too much power for my liking.

 

I use HUSPA+ 21.6mbps in Portugal.
It works great but... BEWARE the drivers. Huawei and ZTE support really sucks. no linux drivers, no win xp x64 drivers no win7 drivers no mac drivers. just be very carefull.
for example in some modem packages it says "compatible with win xp/vista" but when you try to install in a x64 system it doesn't work it's just for x86.
I've lot's of experience with ZTE and HUWAEI modems.
You can't say that there's a better modem. Usually they are very very similiar and you won't note any difference in the speed. They basicly have the same chips. you just have to buy one that works with the technology you are going to use. i.e. you can't use a HSPA modem to use with HUSPA+ network.
I also have experience with CDMA EVDO networks. Usualy they provide a much better coverage due to the techonogly that is used. but it's outdated and the data rates are really slow.

Tip, it can be a good idea to buy a good cheap signal booster to use with your modems.

 

What sort of signal booster could I buy? I imagine they don't exist for internal MiniPCI-E installations....


QUALCOMM Gobi Update:

It may be that Gobi chips are only popular in the US, so I won't dwell for too long on them, but here's what I've learned:

I received a Gobi modem, but have to return it since I returned the laptop I purchased it for. I tested it out tonight, and frankly it's a piece of junk. Sort of. I'll elaborate.

There is no non-OEM support. I haven't tried the Lenovo Windows 7 Beta drivers, but neither Panasonic nor Lenovo nor Dell nor HP drivers worked on my Toshiba. Basically, in order to use Gobi, you need the Qualcomm drivers, the Qualcomm firmware images, and an OEM-based client. At least I couldn't find any OEM-based clients that didn't run some sort of hardware-ID-verification; the Dell utility wouldn't install, I couldn't get access to the Panasonic software, Lenovo software wouldn't fully install, HP installed OK, but told me I didn't have relevant hardware.

I have since learned that a Qualcomm service uploads the firmware to the Gobi chip upon every startup/reboot/resume-from-standby. Depending on whether you've selected CDMA or GSM service, it uploads a different image. (there are likely different images for different categories) Lenovo claims they no longer support AT&T GSM images. (many printers use this firmware-upload-before-use procedure as well...)

Basically this also means there likely won't be any Linux or Mac drivers for a while since the firmware-uploading mechanism/handshake/verification needs to be reverse-engineered.

Gobi is a great idea for the US market: dual support for the two most prevalent standards available. However, the Gobi drivers, even if they install properly, seem to be tied to certain hardware manufacturers. If I weren't returning the chip, I'd test out 3rd-party 3G watchers, but I can't find any at the moment. I doubt any or many of them support Gobi.

Basically Gobi is great if you toe the line according to your laptop manufacturer's preferences, usually out of convenience, like most of the business world. Otherwise it is hugely restrictive.


Some notes on the notebookcheck.com article:

It is more or less incorrect that drivers and software can only be installed from USB-based 3G modems. I've now owned two PCMCIA cards that had that functionality, although the first required a firmware update to enable it. Also, I see little difference from the power management side of things between USB and the other interfaces.

Here's why: all of the other interfaces use or embed USB controllers that then are utilized via emulated serial ports and other sorts of network-device-like conduits.

I think that basically, given how complex modern 3G signaling is, all of these modems run highly slimmed-down Linux/Unix real-time OSes on onboard ARM chips. I guess the guys at DC-Unlocker would know more about this. This also helps explain the 20 watt power usage NotebookCheck cites.

I don't think it's that these chips are really that power-inefficient; an onboard real-time OS may just be the easiest/most flexible/cheapest way of making 3G modems, especially since they aren't quite mass-mass-market yet. Maybe a completely-dedicated, hard-wired chip would consume as much juice, I have no idea. I just do/don't like the idea that when my Option GX0202 crashes, a Linux kernel panics somewhere. Especially if the DC-Unlocker guys are responsible.

 

I use a Dell 5510 (otherwise known as the Merlin Xu870) HSDPA expresscard. I flashed it so that it realises it's actually the Merlin card so I could install drivers on my 64bit OS (thanks Dell, great support.....). The signal is ok in good reception areas, but my flat is partially below street level, and so I struggle to get a good signal.

I also have a usb Huawei E156G which suprisingly works better than the Xu870. Both give me maximum 7.2Mbps when in exceptionally good reception areas.

I did buy a booster antenna for the Merlin expresscard (which clips onto the top of my notebook), which does help a little, but not enough for me to use over the USB stick in my flat.

 

I never heard about WCDMA technology being inspired by NTT DoCoMo's setup. WCDMA is Wide Code Division Multiple Access, and it does offer a higher capacity than EV-DO because its larger bandwidth (5MHz) whereas CDMA is only 1.25MHz, but 3 CDMA carriers can overpass WCDMA capacity though. Real Mobile Broadband will come by the way of LTE.

WiMax will remain a very niche market but it won't be a big player, LTE will.

Nightalon: I have some questions: to what extent does Qualcomm have its fingers in everybody's 3.5G pie?

Answer: From the fingers up to the shoulders.

Nightalon: Also, what are your network/3G modem/settings/drivers/firmwares/antennae of choice? Maybe I should ask this ham radio guru at my hackerspace, nycresistor.com.

Answer: Yes, that's a good idea.

I will be shopping for a 3G+ modem soon, and then I will give you my 2 cents.

 

nightalon is correct about NTT DoCoMo and the WCDMA technology. NTT DoCoMo is known to be the one whose responsible for WCDMA techonolgy. This page in Wikipedia and this paper explain it all.

 

I have a 3G Modem and I love it! It's fast and it doesn't have a download limit which was the reason why I bought it.

 

The first page says that NTT DoCoMo provides the service "FOMA" that is based on WCDMA as per the standard written by 3GPP. It is true that many operators (including NTT DoCoMo) and OEM's (including Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia, etc.) were actively involved in some concepts, but it is the 3GPP that developed the final WCDMA standard. Another standard for 3G is TS-SCDMA which is manly used on the country that proposed it, China.

 

Basicaly you have 2 options.
You can buy an external signal booster. just like the GSM ones. It will improve the signal over an area. They are expensive and only a few ones have a battery and don't need to be pluged.
Or, you can buy a signal booster for your usb modem. ofc they don't work with mini pci-e cards, unless you can make a connection to the antenna.
you have several examples here:
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/cat/USB-Dongle-Antennas.htm
but check other stores for better deals.

And about signal booster stickers. they are just a scam. obvious that a piece of sticker with copper wire doesn't improve any signal whatsoever...

The thing is that modems don't work better then others. you won't notice any difference between several models. the only difference is in the signal reception. and that's why a signal booster can be great.

21.6mbps it's the theoretical maximum. it's only available on most urban areas. Other places only have 7.2mbps. Though I've been using HUSPA+ since about 1 year ago. It's a major improvement and it has lower pings.

download limits are not limited by modems or 3G technology.
Fast? 21.6mbps vs 1024mbps cable fiber docsis3.0. not to mention pings. it's not even comparable.
wireless technology still has a very long way to run. 3.5g is still very far from 4G.

 

You mentioned standardization phase, then yes, in that case 3PPP is the one which put the final stamp. nightalon was only mentioning W-CDMA technology development phase which was done by NTT DoCoMo in the first place, so there's nothing wrong also with that statement.

There's a section of W-CDMA development in the White Paper that the link I've sent which pictures NTT DoCoMo introduced W-CDMA concept in 1995, before 3PP was formed in 1998.

Let me recall the corresponding conversation:

Both of you are trying to say something in terms of W-CDMA. No need to make these as opposing arguments.

 

1. Please remain on the subject (3G Modem Comparison).

2. Introduced and developed are two very different things, although Hedy Lamarr (Actress) first introduced the "frequency hoping" concept, is the army who developed the communication technology and later Qualcomm based their CDMA development on the army technology, which is not frequency hoping but spread spectrum.

3. These are my last words on this topic on this thread. The CDMA development subject is really interesting and you should open another thread
for it.

 

I have been considering getting a PCMCIA->Express card convertor. Do you think that this is a worthwhile purchase seeing as that i get decent speeds with my PCMCIA card?
I assume that these convertors that are made for specific brands like Option will work with other express cards?
Are there any good express modem cards that give a good signal that anyone would recommend?
I live in the EU so i need a GSM one.

 

GSM? GSM is limited to 14kbps... maybe it's not what you want... But ok, beware the frequences used by 3G networks in europe as they are different other places like USA for example.

About a PCMCIA>expresscard converter. why don't you just get a USB modem? it's way more usefull... easy to carry, you can use it in every notebook or desktop. and you won't have to waste money on a converter.
about the signal. most expresscard modems are as good as usb modems, sometimes worse but never better. this is because manufacturers don't really care much about expresscard/PCMCIA and don't develop many modems in that format. They are focused on USB. so all the lastest chips etc are always in the usb modems. But in the end the signal reception is about the same.

But if you already have a PCMCIA modem a converter be a worthwhile. But beware the modem limits. this is, it can be limited to 3.6mbps and if your plan/network is upgraded to 7.2mbps or whatever you will be unable to use such speeds.

 

If you do go expresscard, I'd recommend going for a 34mm one rather than 54mm one. This might be obvious, but I had a 54mm one and of course didn't even think about it when my new notebook only has a 34mm expresscard slot.

Definite Homer Simpson Doh! moment.

 

Thanks Fragilexx, that is a good tip.

 

you may also want to consider a mini pci-e modem. though I just used one and I don't known much about the signal reception but I think it's about the same thing. and mini pci-e interface also consumes less power. the only tricky thing is if your notebook is able to turn on and off the mini pci-e card. just like many do with the wifi card or bluetooth.
but power consuption has a lot to do with the chipset itself. some usb modems consume a lot less then other ones. though generaly usb modems consume a lot more then mini pci-e or expresscard ones. check the specifications of the modems

 

Heheh, I'm glad I started such a fruitful discussion!

wirelessman seems to act like the stereotypical forum poster, except that he really knows his stuff. Still, he is a little bit too antagonistic. I agree, a discussion of the evolution of CDMA would be really interesting elsewhere! I'm also glad wirelessman restrained from overwhelming the topic with that digression.

NTT DoCoMo basically seems like a magical wireless lab from which only awesomeness emits. Of course that's entirely absurd and excessive, but worth looking into if anyone's interested. Including wirelessman and the dude from Tokyo.

Basically, I'm really glad I returned my HP EliteBook since it locked down the WIFI and 3G modems via BIOS. The Dell Precision I'm replacing it with, (pretty much identical specs) won't have those restrictions, so I'll be LTE/WiMax ready! OMFG, can't wait. Until then I think I'll be sticking with Sierra Wireless internal cards and a butterfly-antenna PC Card modem by Option. And one of the Sierra cards came out of a USB 881U module, so if I ever need a USB variant, all I have to do is remove a MiniPCI-E card from a laptop, or pop a MiniPCI-E card into the USB adapter. It's even got an extra battery!

Peace.

 

Wise words nightalon, wise words.

I wouldn't count much on WiMax, but LTE will be the real thing, the true question is, when?

And as I said before, I'm very satisfied with my internal Intel 4965AGN working at hotspots, so I can't help you much with 3G cards, but I might do a little study and I'll share it when is done.

 

Here in Brazil I use a Huawei USB modem, with HDSPA. My nominal velocity in my plan is 1 megabit download, but it's common to reach 2 - 2.5 megs. Upload velocities aren't great, though, about 256 kbps. No complaints, it suits me well, downloading, playing online with voice coms, skype, etc. Only thing that bothers me is that I frequently reach my download limit and have to pass the rest of the month capped at 256. That sucks.

 

From UK, Used Option/Sierra Wireless and Huawei and Sony Eric cards..

Regarding the OP original question on which one provides better signal, well that varies not just by card but by the antennas used, network and coverage, gets very technical, but first will talk about the software side..

For most of the cards it is not as simple as inserting a sim and your online you need to enter the APN/Username/Password for your Mobile network, most people would not have a clue, but if you use Sierra Wireless or Sony Eric cards with their official software it will automatically enter the details for you...

Now onto the cards, you have three interface, USB, Expresscard and Mini PCI-E (USB Based), no need to talk about the older PCMCIA Form factor

The USB and the Expresscard are the only ones that are sold to consumers, Huawei only sell to Mobile networks such as 3 UK who then sell on to consumers, Option Sell to Mobile Networks and to Consumers via Distributors but only a select amount of resellers stock their items

The Mini PCI-E cards are only sold to OEM's Like HP/Lenovo/Dell/Sony and to mobile networks..

The advantage of the Mini PCI-E cards are they have variants which support
GPS as well as Voice, also usually gives you better reception as dual antenna's mounted behind LCD Screen

Now on to the best reception..

I have used Vaio TZ 31 (Option GTM 378), Flybook V5 (Sierra Wireless MC8775V), as Lenovo X200 ( Sony Eric) and also Installed an MC8775 in a Compaq mini 700 as well as the antenna.

Out of them all the Vaio TZ offers the best reception, able to grab and hold a constant HSDPA Connection where as the others only able to get GPRS in the same location, For curiosity sake I swapped the Antenna on the mini's mc8775 with a larger external one which could then get a HSDPA signal which proves it's not the card but the antenna which is main culprit towards poor reception.

Speedwise out of them all only the Sony Eric supported the 7.2mb/s, but since the max speed you get on any of the UK networks is <3mb/s realworld it did not make any difference, sure you connect at 7.2 but still only getting 220KB/s D/L, tested both the flybook and Sony Eric, managed to get 220KB/s constant so 100MB in less than 10 minutes which is not bad at all..

Speed all comes down to what network you are on and the area you are in, honestly if you want full HSDPA coverage in the UK you need minimum a 3 sim card and O2 Sim card, For Example in central london I get HSDPA on 3/T-Mobile but GPRS on O2, O2 has the advantage of offering better HSDPA coverage in the Uk though, I was travelling around 80MPH on a train and still pulling 220KB/s DL on O2 UK


One thing that let me down was the fact that except the Sony Eric card the rest refused to pick up a signal when coming out of a railway tunnel after a minute, you have to exit the connection utility then re open it to refresh the signal, the sony eric card picked up the signal again 10 seconds after coming out a tunnel

The Voice function on the flybook/MC8775 is great one set up properly you can use the laptop as a phone, using the laptop mic or external one to speak and laptop speakers/headset to hear.

For GPS only a handfull of Option/Sony Eric/Sierra Wireless cards support it but software wise only Sony Eric/Sierra Wireless allow you to use it, The best GPS Navigation software for Windows is Garmin Mobile PC, exactly the same as using a Stardard Garmin Sat Nav, except bigger screen and much faster searching and loading maps, also it supports the Sony Eric GPS and I presume the Sierra Wireless one to, whether or not it provides better recpetion than a USB/Bluetooth based reciever I will get back with that

Well that is just an insight into WWAN/HSDPA Modems, as you can see I prefer the Mini PCI-E ones due to them being internal and offering GPS/Voice

 

Good to know on the GPS front. I can attest that the Sierra 8781 cards work quite well, and can get a lock on ~7 satellites within 30 seconds on my Precision M4400.

I would also add that PCMCIA is not quite defunct. There's a slot on my brand-new laptop, as well as ExpressCard. Also, laptops left over from the Merom/Yonah generation are still quite functional under Windows 7, and they almost always came with PCMCIA/PC Card slots. I think Option just came out with a dual ExpressCard/PCMCIA modem.

Interesting that SonyEricsson seems to do well on the reconnection front. Could one argue that that's because they also design much of the world's GSM infrastructure? I suppose Qualcomm does too, and they make the guts for the Sierra, Novatel, and Option cards....

Am I right in assuming performance for all the Qualcomm-based platforms should theoretically be the same? (Option, Sierra, Novatel) Then all you have to consider as potential competitors are SonyEricsson, Huawei, and ZTE. What do we know about the availability of MiniPCI-E modules from Huawei and ZTE?

 

Some hardware updates:

I tried the Ericsson F5307g, and I did get 20% higher speeds consistently than with the Sierra Wireless card. Getting it working properly, however, was a nightmare. It turns out the KM266 variant I bought was designed for Europe whereas the XX982 variant was the one designed for the US. I was able to confirm that the firmware on my card was not the latest version, but the updater said it was not intended to be used with my card and would not update the firmware.

Part of my motivation for choosing the Ericsson card was that it integrates with Dell's ControlPoint Connection management software. It can manage all of my radios for me and still let Windows do most of the connecting. However, I was never able to get it to properly initialize my Ericsson card, even though the card is marked as a "Dell Wireless 5530" module on its sticker.

I was only able to get the card to connect with the software that Dell provides for its consumer line of laptops. This wasn't so bad, but it thwarted the whole point of my upgrading from the Sierra module in the first place. That said, both modules are quite well designed, and operate similarly, although the Ericsson may be slightly faster. I did not take the setup outside to test GPS functionality. I may send the KM266 version back, exchanging it for an XX982, and hoping that the firmware is already the latest version or that the firmware updater will work on that variant.

I have yet to try the Huawei EM770, but I probably will at some point once prices come down; this seems to be one of the pricier modules on the market. I hear that its software is very robust and fairly easy to come by, although I wasn't able to find it on Huawei's site, even after registering and scouring all of the drop down menus.

I also have yet to try the Novatel EU870D. I know nothing of its software.

Option seems to have produced the greatest variety of HSPA compatible modules: GTM378, GTM 380, and GTM382. I don't know if this implies that they produce the greatest volume of equipment, or have multiple hardware revisions because they screwed up multiple times. I have tried to obtain the GTM382 MO0402 variant that works on US 3G frequencies, but none of the eBay vendors ever seem to have it in stock. Consequently, I have yet to test an internal Option module on either my laptop or my netbook.

The Option PC Card modules, however, are fairly well-designed. The client software is easy to come by; the drivers are often more difficult. With my latest Option PC Card, no one had heard of a more recent firmware update, but just like with the Ericsson, the firmware updates I applied to other models were often finnicky and required more searching to find a compatible version. I think I am most partial to the Option PC cards because of their butterfly antenna, which while stowed, cannot be accidentally levered off in a backpack. However, my latest model does crash from time to time when it loses signal, requiring removal and reinsertion.


Software overview:

I have not yet tested a Huawei or a Novatel module, and thus cannot comment.

Option software has two variants: GlobeTrotter Connect and GlobeTrotter Mobility Manager. The former has been updated in the past 3 months. GTMM was never made with a 64-bit variant to my knowledge. Neither allows GPS access, but GTMM is quite polished in appearance and GT Connect is lightweight and simple. Both will automatically populate your APN and login info. Both allow SIM contact management and SMS.

Sierra Wireless has a one-size-fits-all software solution that works very well, allowing GPS, phone, and the same solid features as the Option software.

Sony Ericsson's software suite is very much like Sierra's, minus the voice capability. It has the same strengths and weaknesses. However, Ericsson-branded drivers won't install with a Dell, Toshiba, or Lenovo branded card, which is really frustrating, so you'll have to find the OEM-branded software installation package if you have an OEM-branded card. This is really frustrating.

Dell's ControlPoint obviously didn't work for me, although it now works quite well for all of my other wireless connectivity needs; essentially managing which radios are enabled a what times, which is certainly a functionality that Windows doesn't have by default. I still use Windows to connect to WIFI networks, and I manually uninstalled the Cisco extensions since they interfere with my school's network. The Dell ControlPoint software doesn't interfere undesirably with any of my other connections.

This brings me to a side-note: Gobi. Gobi is great if you exclusively use Windows (Option, Sierra, Huawei, and to some extent Ericsson cards work in Linux and MacOS) and need the flexibility to switch between GSM and CDMA carriers. (i.e. if you like Verizon's dependability in the US, but want to use GSM carriers abroad) This means you don't have to open up your laptop every time you cross the pond in order to switch your laptop between EVDO and GSM. Of course no normal user will do this. However, the reason the software doesn't work on Mac or Linux is that Gobi depends on firmware images that are loaded/reloaded after every resume from standby/boot/reboot, and this firmware loader is proprietary and only works on Windows. The reason you might care about this: any of these modules can be placed in an external USB adapter and used on a real Mac should the need arise. That is, with the exception of the Gobi.

Lastly, there's AT&T's connection manager. It's a good fallback to try if nothing else works, and uninstalling it has gotten a lot easier as of late, but in my opinion installing more software/drivers than you really need (think of ACM as an all-in-one package) is not advisable due to the extra overhead of possibly having extra daemons run in the backround; perhaps even one for each type of modem the software supports, even if none are installed!


A final note on BIOS-blocking: it is a well-known fact that HP and Lenovo like to block 3rd-party chips from being used on their notebooks. I have had the strange experience with an Acer netbook that a Sierra card didn't work with a later BIOS but did with an earlier one. Now MacOS kernel panics with the older BIOS installed. I do know that Acer usually ships Option models with their units, but in my experience the block is such that the machine won't boot and gives an "unsupported device" BIOS error message rather than refusing to see the card once inside an OS. I wonder whether the Sierra card was blacklisted, or whether only the Option cards are whitelisted. I will eventually test an Ericsson card to figure out what is going on with the Acer.


OK, that's my update, and just about all the wisdom I have to share on the subject.

 

By the way, eBay prices right now:

Option GTM382: 65 USD
Huawei EM770: 78 USD
Novatel EU870D: 50 USD
SEricsson F3507g: 59 USD
Sierra MC8781: 75 USD

Interestingly close to some of the earlier WIFI chipset prices. (circa 2001)

 

Do you have already installed it? I need some feedback about it, because I don't know if it is supposed to disassemble the monitor to install the antennas or if the card has one embedded.

The SIM card is inserted in the 3G module or it has to be on an external slot?

Thanks!


[[]]

 

I'm using an Option GTM382E in my Sony TT and it is pretty good. It gives me a good signal. I would recommend the GTM328W over it though but that it is pretty hard to find. The GTM328E only manages to pull up Edge speeds in the US.

 

Yeah, I've looked for the GTM382W; one vendor said he had it, so I hit 'buy' and he sent me the Euro variant.


As for installing extra antennae/SIM cards, here's a briefing:

*Compatibility: most internal (MiniPCI-Expresss) 3G modems connect via a USB interface built right into the slot connector. If you don't have a free slot, you probably shouldn't bother buying an internal modem. Some netbooks have the traces, but not the connectors. If you are a skilled solderer, you can solder one on. "tnkgrl" did this to an Acer she has. Google "tnkgrl 3g acer" for more info. Of course your mileage may vary, and you might still have to deal with a BIOS blacklist of any card you might buy, (especially HP/Lenovo) and then there's the problem of getting the card/slot to turn on. This may require a software or hardware switch depending on what laptop you own.

*SIM card slot: Look on your motherboard; sometimes SIM card slots are blocked by tape or face plastic "dummy" cards. Additionally, it may be possible to solder a SIM card slot in if you have the traces present/accessible. I would not recommend doing this on an expensive laptop, but I did it on my $300 netbook. Look for a white outline approximately the size of a SIM card and 6-8 parallel traces, also roughly the width of a SIM. There used to be a Novatel Expedite module that had a built-in SIM card slot, but it's now discontinued. It was available for a while on mobilx.hu. Note that if you have a US CDMA contract, you do not need a SIM card slot. However, on some laptops some of the "SIM card traces" on the motherboard need to be shorted in order to enable the WWAN MiniPCI-E slot.

*Antennae: I have now added antennae to a Toshiba Tecra M7 for a 3-antenna 3G modem and to an Acer AOD150. I basically bought them on eBay and generally followed them up into the laptop lid, parallel to the antennae already present. Luckily they are cheap. Also, be sure to cut away any foil between the antenna and the laptop lid. Also, I think it's a good idea to space your antennae as much as possible. For the Acer, I put one 3G antenna in the lid, and the other in the base. The latter was a Macbook-style antenna. As a result, I don't think I get very good GPS reception, but 3G performance is quite good. My Dell had the antennae pre-installed.

*Note: if you do buy a CDMA internal 3G modem on eBay, make sure it has been de-activated. I bought a Sprint modem for the USB adapter, but when I tried to sell the MiniPCI-E module that had lived inside it, I found that I could not untie the modem from its previous user.

 

Sierra Wireless:
My only update for this card, the MC8781, is that its GPS performance is very good: better than my cell phone by far.

Additionally, I now appreciate good Linux support, functioning Mac drivers, universal firmware updates, etc. Speed also looks good with respect to the Ericsson card in the speed test table I'm compiling.


Sony Ericsson: (Dell version)
I have been unable to test GPS with this card, the F3507g. I am still missing a "Smart Card" driver. This is the only card that Dell ControlPoint can successfully manage the radio for. I still need the XX982 version if I want ControlPoint to manage more than just the radio. It is interesting that a firmware update for the XX982 version did not work on the KM266 version I have. There is still no Lenovo firmware update, and the Toshiba one also failed. Interestingly, this module is not supported by DC-Unlocker.


Novatel Wireless: (Toshiba version)
I was never able to get this module, an Expedite EU870D, to work properly. It is also registered as a Merlin XU870 PC-Express module in DC-unlocker and in diagnostic messages. Initially the indicator light was on constantly, only the outdated Toshiba drivers would install properly. The Dell and generic firmware updates both failed, the Dell asking me to "remove the device" which was not remedied by any manipulations done in device manager. The generic firmware updater, (the most recent one after the Toshiba one) simply hung at "updating firmware". Only the Toshiba one worked. At that point the indicator light was off, and only the Toshiba version of Mobilink would see the card. I had no way of turning on the radio, though, in Mac, Windows, or Linux at this point, even though all three OSes would see the card. Allegedly under Linux you're supposed to use "toshset" to turn on 3G, but I have a Dell not a Toshiba. The Dell drivers also wouldn't install: it said I had an unsupported Dell system. I thus learned the value of unbranded cards.


Here are my Speed Test.net results:

Sierra Ericsson
Trial 1 Up 0.72 0.61
Down 2.06 1.83
Ping 122 107
Trial 2 Up 0.85 0.58
Down 2.04 1.96
Ping 111 165
Trial 3 Up 0.56 0.48
Down 2.08 1.97
Ping 114 116
Trial 4 Up 0.98 0.59
Down 2.02 1.83
Ping 113 131

 

Hello
I want to use Voice with Dell Latitude E6400. I need to buy card GSM +GPS ?
Thanks

 

mean make a call?

 

Yes. Make a call with Laptop Dell E6400

 

O very nice information.. I was thinking was experience a wireless connection but now I think I should try it out..

Thanks

 

Help I want to use Voice (call) on Laptop Dell.
Please help me.

 

Voice works with sierra wilreless cards that support voice and the voice lines need to be wired, seems the voice cards don't use the usb interface of the pci-e connector but some sort of variant, maybe pci-e interface, to get the voice lines working, thenyou need to make sure your soundcard is compatable, had a flybook v5, voice enabled, but needed to update sound drivers to hear anything, also sierra wireless watcher is only software which supports voice that I know of, sony/huawei and option do not make voice apps, they rely on network provider to implement it.

Anyone got the sony f307 to work with windows 7 with sony software?

 

8781 supports reciever diversity fo us only, need 8780 but can't get hold of it

 

Well, this is embarrassing.

I finally got the US variant of the Dell Wireless 5530, and despite reinstalling every ControlPoint component, DCP refuses to properly initialize the card. So I tested on a clean Windows 7 install, and everything works properly. I made sure all other related drivers were uninstalled, and I even manually removed all of the previously used ports. (I was convinced for a bit that since the device had been installed with ports 24 and 27, maybe DCP could only see single-digit ports)

The one nice thing about this setup is that it uses Windows 7's Mobile Broadband management, which is kind of cool, and should only get better. I'm still annoyed that the driver situation isn't just better. I guess I'm paying the price for having been a Windows 7 early-adopter who used Vista and pre-release drivers for a time, and probably didn't uninstall+reboot when updating to the final versions of these drivers.

So basically I have to re-install Windows if I want to use this card. (I do...with the latest firmware I was pulling 360 KB/sec last night in New Haven! Upload speeds were around 1.8 Mbit) I guess that means I'll be waiting until Spring when Office 2010 comes out as I am in the middle of a semester at the moment.


As for the comments about voice on a Dell: you won't be able to unless you know how to solder the correct pins on the MiniPCI-E slot for your 3G modem to the correct pins on your onboard sound chip. The only laptop I've heard of that supports voice is something called a Flybook. Otherwise, it's usually fairly easy to enable voice on Novatel and Sierra cards, but you just won't hear anything and won't be heard unless you're using a Flybook.

 

Also, does anyone know about the transmit/receive diversity on any of these models, aside from meansizzler's note about the Sierra models?

 

I bought one of these a couple of weeks ago for my nieces notebook. She is only in HS and is enjoying all this technology.
I tried it a bit and it is a good card. I used to only go for Option but i would consider a Sierra now.
Where she lives she said that picks up a full signal.
Try ebay for a 8780. I got mine from a UK seller.
I should have the laptop back it then next couple of weeks as i will be upgrading to W7 for her.

 

Greetings,

Apologies if its posted here already but I searched and could not find the download for my MC8781 to enable 7.2 downlink. That is with the latest ATT f/w for Sierra 881U.

Mine links up at 3.6 down/2 up with GPS capability. I am willing to lose GPS functionality if it means getting 7.2 downlink. Would appreciate any help in this regard.

 

Are you sure you can confirm that 7.2 speeds are available in your area? I believe the latest firmware update for an 881U available from Sierra's website should add this capability. No guarantees, though, and I haven't used that card in a while.

I switched to the Sony Ericsson F3507g, and like it a bit better. Do note that the F3607g is now released and available on eBay. Slightly different appearance, and likely a newer firmware revision. I don't know what benefits it has, but the press release says something about lower power consumption.

I am now using my F3507g with Dell's ControlPoint software, and it works rather well when all is said and done.

I have purchased an Option GTM382 (US/Int'l/MO0402 variant) and will be testing that in my netbook. (I believe Option cards are compatible with the latest BIOSes) Will update.

 

I upgraded to an unlocked UNDP-1 Gobi 1000 in my TT now. It seems to be a very good card. I upgraded because the GTM382E just wouldn't cut it for travel outside the EU.
The connection software could be better but other than that i have no complaints.
I was looking at the Gobi 2000 specs and really there doesn't appear to be any difference that would benefit me with the latest card.

 

you may want to try this version of watcher and associated driver:
Sierra Wireless - AirCard® 890

should encompass the 8781

 

Works on Acer Aspire 1810TZ with Huawei EM770W 3G module after application of notepad.exe

Michael

 

currently I'm using an Huawei E1820, 21.6Mbps down 5.8Mbps up HSPA+, in Portugal. works great.
I advise you all to use an external antenna with 3G modems.

 

I have unlocked and upgraded a couple GT MAX (7.2 Ready) PCMCIA cards. Will be leaving one at our secondary home on Long Island, NY for when our cable modem has disrupted service. (This occurs quite often.)

The other I will sell on eBay, although I don't imagine I'll get much for it. I think I bought it for $20.

I also purchased an MC8790 on eBay for $65. I haven't tested it for any period of time, although my internal SonyEricsson modem is all FUBAR, so I might give it a shot. The SonyEricsson had full Windows 7 support; I cannot get similar functionality for the MC8790.

Some notes on the SonyEricsson F3507g in my Dell: I'm still annoyed that both drivers and clients are not universal, meaning they have to be supplied by your manufacturer. After updating my Bluetooth drivers, ControlPoint Connection Manager (the corporate-targeted way to connect to 3G) stopped functioning. I then uninstalled the connection manager and installed the consumer-oriented version, which is actually SonyEricsson's client. I then discovered how to change the APN, which caused the SE client to crash. Now both crash, and Windows 7 generally won't let me connect. Time to try the MC8790.

I will probably do a clean install in a couple weeks so that I can connect natively. I hope this works in conjunction with the GPS functionality.

Note that the F3607g is also out, but the drivers won't install for my older Dell model. Surprisingly, the F3607g has been available for some time on the Latitude E6500, which is the lower-end sister model to my Precision M4400.

Another interesting thing of note is that the MC8790 won't install properly from inside my Sierra USB 881U module, so I can't use it externally. It does however work in the guts of an Orange Option iCON 7.2 USB module that I have been using as a USB-to-MiniPCI-E module for quite some time. I will be purchasing one with a shell this time so that I don't damage the bare circuitboard I am using currently.

 

Umm, the MC8790 blows away the F3507g.

It stays constantly connected throughout my whole commute. It pulls a nice 3.4 MBps (only seen at night before) when in the station, and always pulls enough to stream MP3s for the rest of the commute, often reaching 2.4 MBps while moving a 60 MPH.

I will not go back to the Sony Ericsson. I hope I can sell it.

I think I'll compare this to the Option GTM382 and see how those two cards stack up. The Huawei EM770 is getting a lot cheaper. I'd be game to try the F3607g, but I don't really have faith in SE anymore. Someone should loan me these cards/pay me to do the research.

Oh, also, the MC8790 gets a GPS signal pretty much anywhere, and gets a lock within 10 seconds. I think it must be using A-GPS. It took ages for the SE card to acquire a GPS lock on my commute, and a lot of times it just didn't. It must be using Google's open SUPL server or something. ATT's is usually (meaning down), or so I'm told.

Oh, also, now I have to worry about AT&T's 5 GB cap. Possibly. It's a feature-phone data plan, so it might be 2 GB. I think I used 3.6 GB last month, but I was streaming radio during a graduation trip to South Carolina.