Netgear Zing 771S tri band LTE mobile hotspot discussion

[mrknowitall526]

Happy Zing owners, (including you, Robert) if I buy the device outright does Sprint force

me into a 2 Yr contract in order to get it activated?  Are there other activation alternatives?

I notice Ting does not offer it nor others I've looked at..TIA

 

I bought a Mifi 4082 on eBay last year, and Sprint still made me sign up for a 2 year contract.

[S4GRU]

I bought a Mifi 4082 on eBay last year, and Sprint still made me sign up for a 2 year contract.

 

When you bring your own device and make you sign a contract, you still get to use your upgrade at any time.

 

Robert

[dedub]

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/services_solutions/category.jsp?catId=service_mbb&catName=Mobile%20Broadband

[S4GRU]

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/services_solutions/category.jsp?catId=service_mbb&catName=Mobile%20Broadband

 

 

Only available on select devices.  They wouldn't let me use it on the Zing.  Which is the only one I wanted.

 

Robert

[scubajwd]

Rats!! Looks like Sprint is keeping the Zing for themselves..my Tri-Fi is due for an upgrade in January so I'll

wait; not much LTE around here (yet) anyway but I'm really hoping for some Band 41 for the two wimax

towers near my house!!

[Rawvega]

I know that it's very unlikely, but by chance, is the Zing unlocked domestically? As in, can the SIM be replaced with an at&t or T-Mobile SIM and get HSPA data? I don't have a SIM from either of those carriers available to test in my Zing.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[S4GRU]

I know that it's very unlikely, but by chance, is the Zing unlocked domestically? As in, can the SIM be replaced with an at&t or T-Mobile SIM and get HSPA data? I don't have a SIM from either of those carriers available to test in my Zing.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

Nope.  I tried both my Tmo and AT&T SIMs.  It never would register a signal.  

 

Robert

[MacinJosh]

Rats!! Looks like Sprint is keeping the Zing for themselves..my Tri-Fi is due for an upgrade in January so I'll

wait; not much LTE around here (yet) anyway but I'm really hoping for some Band 41 for the two wimax

towers near my house!!

 

Hate to disappoint you, but Sprint/Clearwire hasn't even started to request permits to upgrade any WiMax sites in Vegas yet.  I'm quite disappointed in them over this.

[tommym65]

Hate to disappoint you, but Sprint/Clearwire hasn't even started to request permits to upgrade any WiMax sites in Vegas yet.  I'm quite disappointed in them over this.

Does the upgrade always require permits? I thought that existing antennas and backhaul could often be used, and all the needed work would be inside the cabinets. If true, wouldn't permits be unnecessary on many of their sites?

[MacinJosh]

Does the upgrade always require permits? I thought that existing antennas and backhaul could often be used, and all the needed work would be inside the cabinets. If true, wouldn't permits be unnecessary on many of their sites?

Permits are required for RRU's to be mounted on the tower. If they ground mounted them, then most likely no permit will be necessary. Al least, in Vegas it won't be.

[Rawvega]

Nope. I tried both my Tmo and AT&T SIMs. It never would register a signal.

 

Robert

Dagnabit! Locking down domestic GSM/UMTS service on otherwise compatible devices is perhaps my biggest pet peeve with Sprint.

 

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[S4GRU]

Permits are required for RRU's to be mounted on the tower. If they ground mounted them, then most likely no permit will be necessary. Al least, in Vegas it won't be.

Clearwire already uses RRU's for WiMax. If they are swapping them out one for one, then no permit would be required in 99% of jurisdictions in the U.S. Just plug and play on existing Clearwire sites. Should be able to be done as fast as they can get equipment and people to do it. It may already be well under way around Vegas.

 

When Sprint starts adding TD-LTE to Network Visions sites, that will require a permit. However, many places may allow them to just file an amendment to their existing permit, so long as it has not expired yet.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

[scubajwd]

Clearwire already uses RRU's for WiMax. If they are swapping them out one for one, then no permit would be required in 99% of jurisdictions in the U.S. Just plug and play on existing Clearwire sites. Should be able to be done as fast as they can get equipment and people to do it. It may already be well under way around Vegas.

 

When Sprint starts adding TD-LTE to Network Visions sites, that will require a permit. However, many places may allow them to just file an amendment to their existing permit, so long as it has not expired yet.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

 

I'll keep everyone posted on TD-LTE deployment here in my neck of the woods as I drive by and use the Wimax

tower that is 1 1/2 miles (as the crow flies) from my house.. I use it every day..when it goes dark we can all

celebrate!

[S4GRU]

I'll keep everyone posted on TD-LTE deployment here in my neck of the woods as I drive by and use the Wimax

tower that is 1 1/2 miles (as the crow flies) from my house.. I use it every day..when it goes dark we can all

celebrate!

 

If they use dual use WiMax/LTE RRU's, then they will broadcast both.

 

Robert

[MacinJosh]

Clearwire already uses RRU's for WiMax. If they are swapping them out one for one, then no permit would be required in 99% of jurisdictions in the U.S. Just plug and play on existing Clearwire sites. Should be able to be done as fast as they can get equipment and people to do it. It may already be well under way around Vegas.

 

When Sprint starts adding TD-LTE to Network Visions sites, that will require a permit. However, many places may allow them to just file an amendment to their existing permit, so long as it has not expired yet.

 

Robert via Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 using Tapatalk

 

I didn't know they used RRU's already. I sure don't see any on the local Clearwire site here in Visalia. Or maybe I need to go take a closer look. Stupid Cigna Health building makes it difficult to see from the road at times.

[scubajwd]

If they use dual use WiMax/LTE RRU's, then they will broadcast both.

 

Robert

This particular site is collocated with Sprint; in this case rather than rush to get TD-LTE out will they wait

for the full build out of NV at this site?  What was the determining factor in the Denver push on TD-LTE?

[S4GRU]

I didn't know they used RRU's already. I sure don't see any on the local Clearwire site here in Visalia. Or maybe I need to go take a closer look. Stupid Cigna Health building makes it difficult to see from the road at times.

 

Every Clearwire site I've ever seen uses RRU's.  They were kind of pioneers in remote radios.  And given the propagation characteristics of 2600MHz, they needed every advantage they could get.  Some WiMax sites did have ground mount units, but they are very uncommon.  Since they only needed one RRU, most are right behind the panel.  Often, Clearwire has no rack and they mount the panel and RRU directly to the monopole/wall.

 

Robert

[twospirits]

For those that used to have the Sierra Wireless / Sprint 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot and now have the Zing. Is there a noticable difference in signal, use, accessories? In other words is it better in your opinion compared to the Tri-Fi?

 

 

TS

[delta772er]

So, delta, been a while since you posted..how is the Zing working out in your fringe LTE location?  Did you get any help

from an external antenna?  I'm getting -114 dBm fringe signal myself at the house  (won't connect) and wonder if the Zing

would connect..

 

Apologies, I've been traveling trying to find a place to live in Portland. It actually works pretty good even without the external antenna, with a -110 dBm signal I'm still getting 5~6 mbps down and managed to use almost all of my 6GB last month. Definitely much much better than my Sierra Wireless Overdrive that constantly overheated, that was my biggest concern with getting the Netgear (they acquired Sierra).

[twospirits]

Definitely much much better than my Sierra Wireless Overdrive that constantly overheated, that was my biggest concern with getting the Netgear (they acquired Sierra).

Interesting, I didn't now that they acquired them. 

[delta772er]

Interesting, I didn't now that they acquired them. 

 

I should clarify that they only acquired the AirCard portion of their business.

[twospirits]

It took me forever to find and get the dock for the Sierra Wireless Tri-Fi, I wonder if that would be the dame for the Zing dock.

 

TS

[David Mackler]

For those that used to have the Sierra Wireless / Sprint 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot and now have the Zing. Is there a noticable difference in signal, use, accessories? In other words is it better in your opinion compared to the Tri-Fi?

 

 

 

Just received and activated the Zing last night, replacing my Tri-Fi.

 

From what I can tell, the signal difference is negligible between the two. That is, the Tri-Fi was quite good and in the bedroom would flip flop between a very weak LTE and a good WiMax signal (by very week, I mean -11x or barely 1Mbit). The Zing now flip flops between a very weak LTE and a good EVDO.

 

The unit itself is smaller and less awkwardly shaped, boots and shuts down faster, and provides a LOT more info on the screen. The only downside is that my LTE coverage is not as good as my WiMax coverage right now, so falling back to EVDO is not as welcome as falling back to WiMax.

 

FWIW, the EVDO shows up EHRPD on the Zing. Never could figure out how to determine that with the TriFi.

Edited August 23, 2013 by David Mackler

[scubajwd]

David, thanx for the update; here in the Las Vegas/Henderson area we have limited LTE as well

and I use my Tri-Fi daily with Wimax (getting a 55-60 dBm signal in the house consistently); may

I ask why you gave up your tri-fi if your area is still weak with LTE as mine is?

[twospirits]

Thanks David and good question scuba. Why get the Zing if the LTE signal is weak but the Wimax signal is better?

 

In a way this is why I asked my question above since I'm the opposite. As I look at the screen on the TRi-Fi (when i use it mostly at work), I see that it has not connected to a 4G wimax signal for quite some time now, either its 4G LTE or 3G. and 3G is only if it is standing alone (without the dock) or in mobile state. If connected to the dock, I get just 4G LTE signal only. Its the reason why I asked about the Zing knowing that the accessory dock isn't out yet and can probably make it get a stronger signal if connected to it. 

 

TS