Sierra Wireless on Wednesday introduced its AirCard 880U and 881U USB modems, Mac and PC compatible devices used to connect to mobile broadband networks worldwide.
The devices, which plug in to an available USB port on a Mac or Windows PC, enable users to communicate with wireless data networks using tri-band connectivity. They support High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), a data access protocol that can operate at a theoretical upload speed of up to 2Mbps and a theoretical download speed of up to 7.2Mbps. They’re also fully compatible with HSPDA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS and GSM networks.
The 880U is optimized for Europe and Asia, according to Sierra Wireless, while the 881U is intended for use in North America. Both devices also feature their own internal battery, to make sure there’s enough power support to handle peak or fringe area transmission requirements.
Both of the new USB modems feature power control, a patent-pending antenna design that Sierra Wireless claims maximizes data performance, and an architecture designed for data traffic management.
Pricing was not announced, but it’s likely to be set by cell service carriers that will offer the devices to their customers.
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