Clearwire is releasing a mobile hotspot that is aimed at bringing 4G speeds to your Apple iOS device.
It’s clear (ha! get it?) that Clearwire is going after the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with iSpot 4G hotspot branding and the design of the device. The iSpot 4G device will create a WiFi hotspot of up to 150 feet and our own Marc Flores said he’s been getting between 2 and 9 Mbps on the go with his Clearwire WiMax on the EVO 4G.
The iSpot will cost about $100 and you can sign up for its promotional pricing of $25 a month for unlimited 4G access. There won’t be a long-term contract but it appears that this device will only work with the Apple iOS devices, so don’t even think of using this to replace your home Internet connection.
Of course, the iPhone 4 and iPad 3G already have mobile Internet connectivity built in, so why would anyone buy the iSpot 4G? In a blog post, the company said this could help users overcome pesky monthly data overage fees. Additionally, the added bandwidth of Clearwire’s 4G should make that streaming ABC app on your iPad look better than just over 3G.
“With the iSpot, Apple customers don’t have to sort through confusing service plans with overage fees, nor do they have to worry about how much data they’re using,” wrote Thomas Enraght-Moony, senior vice president of marketing at Clearwire. “Instead, with Clear, customers can run all of their Apple mobile devices at true broadband speeds for a single, simple monthly fee.”
This isn’t the first device we’ve seen that will bring mobile data to Apple iOS devices, as we recently spotted a ZTE Peel case which should use Sprint’s 3G network to bring connectivity to the Apple iPod Touch. The iSpot will definitely provide faster download speeds but its WiMax network is still not as pervasive as Sprint’s 3G network.
[Via Clearwire]