Cingular today announced BroadbandConnect, the first commercial cellular network in the world which supports HSDPA and UMTS and has fall-back to EDGE.
BroadbandConnect will make its debut in Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Salt Lake City; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle; Tacoma, Wash.; and Washington, D.C.
The service will offer customers average data connection speeds between 400 and 700 kbps when using HSPDA, with these highest rates currently only available to laptop users through the Sierra Wireless AC860 and Novatel 720 PC Cards. The cards cost $100 with a 2 year contract. Unlimited data service is being offered for a promotional price of $60 per month. Cingular also promised to expand BroadbandConnect coverage to 100 markets during 2006.
Releasing HSPDA is a good idea. It seems to be confirmed that this will be the new technology standard for data transport (3.5G), and while the usual suspects (SE, Motorola, Nokia) have not yet announced any HSPDA devices, HTC (the maker of most Windows Mobile phones) has promised HSPDA-compatible handsets in the second half of 2006.
Announced 3G devices should also work with the network though, at least those with US bands (such as the Nokia N80, Nokia E70, and Nokia 6282) at speeds of up to 384 kbps. Unless Cingular have changed it's Terms of Service, however, they seem rather restrictive:
Data Service sessions may only be conducted for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) e-mail; and (iii) corporate intranet access (including access to corporate e-mail, customer relationship management, sales force automation, and field service automation applications). The Services cannot be used with server devices or host computer applications. Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to, telemetry applications, automated data feeds, continuous jpeg file transfers, Web camera posts or broadcasts, other machine-to-machine applications, and voice over IP. These Services are not intended to provide full-time connections, and the Service may be discontinued after a significant period of inactivity or after sessions of excessive usage.
[via Slashphone and Phone Scoop]
