WiMax San Antonio TX

Those of you who have been regular subscribers to our website, were already aware that we’ve been working with a Texas based radio engineering firm to develop a “solution” regarding current CLEAR home modems that can’t accept a connection to an external antenna.

That status just changed for the better.  We’ve moved from theory, to proof of concept, to actual units in the field for testing, as of Sunday, July 11th.

We now have a solution for an external antenna / modem arrangement that is undergoing limited beta testing in San Antonio at select CLEAR customer sites, where their signal is less than to be desired, due to terrain and distance from the nearest CLEAR tower site.  We can’t create a signal out of thin air where there isn’t one, but we can enhance the receive signal where the signal is weak, in many cases, with our better antenna design and ability to mount it where can get a better signal.   If you are already getting 4 or 5 bars, or even just 3, on your home CLEAR 4G modem, you probably won’t be interested in what we’ve done.

Our solution won’t be the perfect one for everybody, but we think most of those who cough up the money for the conversion will be happy with the results. 

Our solution uses the same MAC address registered with CLEAR, and remains within the specs of the original FCC Type Acception.  We did not alter the existing specs regarding effective power output or range of temperature operation.  We’ve tested it up to 56 degrees Celsius (about133 degrees Fahrenheit), which is hotter than the original specs, and the modem kept on working, within FCC & manufacturer specs. 

We use some very expensive, sophisticated electronics radio gear to measure, test and adjust the built-in radio that is the modem, just to keep in specs and enhance performance. Every  conversion is tested by a certified radio engineer, prior to shipping or delivery back to the paying customer.  We only use, or convert, authorized CLEAR issued Motorola 4G WiMax modems, not a third party solution.  We provide before & after printed reports FROM THE M OTOROLA MODEM ITSELF, to let you compare the improvement in reception abilities after we have done our part.

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We announced that CLEAR was increasing coverage in the San Antonio metro area last month, but we learned yesterday, that they are currently concentrating on improving coverage within the city area by doubling up existing 4G Wimax receiver sites in the areas where coverage was heavily subscribed or there were weak signal areas.  Already customers have been reporting to us that they were used to getting perhaps 3 signal bars on their home modems, but as of this past week, they are getting 5 bars on a regular basis.  Way to go, CLEAR!

Obviously, it’s more cost effective for CLEAR to ramp up their existing tower sites, rather than paying for new ones to be installed, but we’ve been told that “eventually” CLEAR will start expanding outward from the current coverage area.   CLEAR’s coverage maps on their website don’t keep up with all the fast changes happening, so contact WiMax San Antonio for updated information.

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Thanks to CLEAR coming out with new, more compact and easier to use 4G and 4G/3G personal hotspot devices, even folks who chose to limit themselves to the iPhone 4 can now experience the speed and thrill of CLEAR’s 4G network here in  San Antonio and other markets in Texas.  And now you can easily share your 4G signal, unlimited use on the 4G side, with your friends, or even just with your own smart phone if you don’t own an EVO already.

CLEAR has released two new devices, the CLEAR Spot 4G and the CLEAR Spot 4G+, this month.  Don’t confuse these with the older model called a “Clearspot” made by Cradlepoint (PHS300).  You don’t need to plug in a separate USB modem to these new devices, it’s all built in!   Each also has an internal battery so you can slip either one into your shirt or pants pocket, or for the ladies, their purse. 

We recently attended a training session in San Antonio where we got to touch and feel one of the Clear Spot 4G units.  It’s so tiny!  Only about 2.5″ wide and 4″ long, about  4 or 5 ounces in weight (with battery installed).  Simple to operate with LED lights to tell you what’s happening.  And if you forgot what color LED light means what, the instructions are written on the bottom of the device.  Talk about simple!

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Thanks to a portable battery used to recharge my EVO on the go,  I can go all day without running out of battery power on my Sprint EVO.   I first learned about this device while reading my favorite EVO website, www.GoodandEVO.net.   

G&E Webmaster Jenn K. Lee did a very complete review of the Splash Intense 54oo mAhr portable battery that has 2 USB ports for charging devices or running them, and a single micro USB port for inbound charging.

The Splash Intense comes with a retractable USB cable and a handful of different tips compatible with various cell phones and media players.  

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We fondly remember the character Forest Gump, played by Tom Hanks, saying several clever sayings, including “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get next” and “Stupid is as Stupid does.”  Or at least we think that’s where we first heard those comments.

Anway, phishing emails are aimed at folks who aren’t properly self-educated about the Internet, or are too greedy to know when something’s too good to be true.   We delete them ourselves by the dozens every day, some days more than others, when they make it past our anti-spam filters on the server.

Remembering simple things, like no legit ISP, Bank, etc. will ask for your password via email.  Anyone getting a letter from an unknown person, telling them $$ are waiting for them if they only provide their personal bank account info, etc., ought to know it’s bogus.   Anyone getting an email from “your webmaster” saying your email was being suspended due to suspicious activity from a foreign country ought to know better.

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We just returned from a CLEAR Wimax Dealer’s briefing on the new 4G+ USB modem (4G/3G combo) that will be available in the San Antonio, Austin and nationwide markets effective July 1st.  We learned about the new modem that is Mac Compatible!  Yay!  My wife will be very happy as soon as she gets one of these, cause, as our readers are aware, my wife is a Mac Consultant  (www.MacAnswers.com).

This disc shaped USB modem can swivel 180 degrees, making it easier to fit more computer’s USB port configurations.   The swivel is metal, not plastic, which should help in both durablity and heat disipation.  But see that little cover on the right edge of this photo?  That’s for an external antenna connection. 

Yep, you can connect an external antenna for about $20 (according to Sierra Wireless Rep)  to increase your signal by about 50%.  

The Sierra Wireless Rep showed how she  velcroed her external antenna to the upper lid of her laptop, so when it was opened, the antenna would be sticking up in the air more.  One might even assume that you could connect to a really external antenna, stuck up higher in the air, over in a nearby window, or some other place where you can pull down a better / stronger signal.  At this time, we don’t know if the CLEAR dealers can sell those antennas with the modem, or if you will need to visit www.SierraWireless.com to purchase direct from them.

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CLEAR has announced they have  dropped the dreaded early termination fees (ETF) on some contracts, effective June 1, 2010.  If you subscribe to CLEAR under a new 2 year contract, and lease the equipment from them, there will not be an ETF applied to the account.  Rather, you will be charged a $40 per device “Restocking Fee” if you cancel before your contract expires.  Of course those who chose to buy equipment and go without a contract don’t have to worry about ETF at all.

Folks who buy Wimax Embedded Devices (i.e. laptops with built in wimax) will still face an ETF fee, as will anyone who buys the CLEAR equipment outright and still enters into a 2 year contract with CLEAR for service.

They have also modified the criteria for opting out of a contract, such as moving out of a coverage area, or being deployed in the military, so if you find yourself in such a pickle, please contact CLEAR’s Customer Care department direct to discuss your case with them.

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Nothing ever stays the same in the tech world, especially pricing.  But it was announced by CLEAR earlier this month that  CLEAR customers wanting to buy their own equipment from CLEAR, rather than leasing it under a 2 year contract, can now expect to pay higher prices.   CLEAR has reduced the subsidy amount they had been applying in the form of discounts at the time of purchase.  Of course if you go on contract, the up front cost is much much less.

Home modems are now running $84.95, while USB modems (depending on model) are running $59.99 – $69.99 each. 4G  Combo modems (i.e. 4G/3G USB modems) are running $224.99 (same price), but the new Mac compatible 4G+ modem is only $112.99 (available starting July 1st).

CLEAR slashed the price of their current CLEARSpot router (aka Cradlepoint’s PHS300 router) from $139.99 to only $49.99 (no lease or contract required), but you still need a CLEAR USB modem of  some sort to make it work on the 4G or 3G network.  We’ve used ours (paid a lot more for it) with both the 4G and 4G+ modem in the past few months.

CLEAR has announced some other changes also, so watch for more postings by us on this topic also.

We are now selling CLEAR services in the San Antonio and Austin Texas markets, including New Braunfels and San Marcos along the IH-35 corridor between the two cities.  Contact us if you are interested in getting CLEAR and we’ll bring it to your door!  Call us at 210-771-7075 or email us at lee@wimaxsatx.com with any questions.

Since the expansion of our marketing territory to include the Austin Metro area, plus San Marcos, New Braunfels and the San Antonio metro area, we find ourselves looking for outside sales reps to help us sell the services we represent in those areas.  

We only offer 100% commission based positions, with 1099 forms issued at the end of the year.  We pay monthly as CLEAR pays us, but we have some other options available as well that can offer faster payouts.  Reps are independent contractors who pay their own taxes, and set their own hours and working conditions.

Because we believe in feeding the golden goose, so to speak, we offer higher commissions than most of our competitors  to the sales force, keeping only a small fraction of the total payout by CLEAR.  For exact figures involved, you’ll need to contact us in person of course.

There is a movement recently within both CLEAR markets (San Antonio and Austin) to reduce the number of smaller volume dealers and concentrate on a fewer number of larger volume dealers instead.  It only makes good business sense for them to do this.   Therefore it is our goal to be one of those surviving higher volume dealers in both markets, and we recognize that we need more help to achieve that goal.

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We had lunch the other day with the San Antonio Indirect Sales Manager for CLEAR.  He said that subscriptions for CLEAR have been double the expected levels as of this point in time, with 40,000 wimax devices currently active in the San Antonio, Texas, metro area.  That number also includes devices sold by Sprint or Time Warner on the 4G network also, but it was mostly CLEAR customers who are using these devices.  

The rapid growth resulted in the San Antonio market winning multiple awards from CLEAR awards six months in a row, over all other CLEAR markets.  But it also resulted in a heavier use load on their system locally.

So they have embarked on an earlier than planned expansion of their network in San Antonio, increasing the number of receiver sites by about 50% over the next  60 days.  Some sites will be used to fill in holes where coverage is spotty, and areas where usage is higher than expected.  But some will be used to expand coverage further out from the city, perhaps catching some of those folks outside 1604 who currently can’t yet get reliable 4G coverage.

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