Sprint AIRAVE Nationwide Launch August 17
New Sprint AIRAVE Wireless Service Solution Available Nationwide 8/17 Provides More Than Just Enhanced Coverage with “Wireless Landline” Features
As I mentioned in my Sprint AIRAVE overview a few months ago I have been waiting to get my hands on exactly this type of solution for a number of years now and I am delighted that after limited trials in Denver and Indianapolis Sprint yesterday finally announced that it would make this terrific solution available nationwide starting August 17.
Unlike competing solutions, one of the best features of the AIRAVE is that it can be used with any Sprint phone (including naturally both the Sprint Palm Centro and new Sprint Treo 800w) – something which allows you to be up and running with the service in a snap and without the need to worry about getting a separate phone to work with it.
The way that I see it, AIRAVE essentially provides you with a “Wireless Landline” – basically a supercharged landline that you can use with your mobile phone that provides you with a range of additional benefits compared to traditional phones.
Among others, this Wireless Landline allows you to save some money because you no longer need either a cordless phone or a landline. Next you have the benefit of using your Treo or Centro smartphone to not only continuously synchronize all of your contacts but to be able to call any of these ultra quickly – thus saving you the hassle of either entering them manually (on keypad or memory) every time you dial using a traditional cordless phone. Additionally, the further benefit of using your smartphone with AIRAVE is that you can make calls wirelessly with your New Jawbone Bluetooth headset for example.
Finally if you do not already have one of Sprint’s unlimited voice plans (such as Simply Everything), the AIRAVE offers unlimited incoming and outgoing calls (including nationwide long distance) for only $10 per month for a single line and $20 per month for multiple lines (family) when using your Sprint phone and initiating the call via AIRAVE – something which allows you to save all your precious wireless calling plan minutes if you do not have an unlimited plan (see image below).
The above benefits alone make the Sprint AIRAVE service a no-brainer for me as I’m simply tired of having to manage multiple cordless phones. Now I can use just my Treo or Centro smartphone for literally all calls – a much simpler and convenient alternative. No wonder that AIRAVE was named one of the 25 Most Innovative Products of the Year 2008 by PC World.
Having said this, the AIRAVE offers more than just a great Wireless Landline solution as it creates an indoor CDMA wireless signal footprint (covering up to 5,000 square feet) which is ideal not only to enhance your coverage under normal circumstances but also if you happen to have poor coverage or no coverage at all – it’s basically like having your own miniature cell tower at home or the office providing you with “5 Signal Bars” all the time.
The AIRAVE is ready to use straight out of the box, with no configuration changes required. The box simply plugs into your broadband router (graphic above) and after pairing it with your smartphone any calls you make are sent via the Internet (VOIP-style) to the Sprint Nationwide Network gateway and from there to the landline or mobile network you’re dialling.
All calls originating inside the AIRAVE area automatically transfer to the Sprint Nationwide Network once you leave the coverage area but those that start outside do not. Also, the AIRAVE supports up to three simultaneous Sprint phones making calls at any one time and up to 50 phones can be registered with each base station. Finally, the AIRAVE service is supported across the continental U.S., Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands (Alaska is not supported).
Sprint customers will be able to purchase the AIRAVE at Sprint stores across the country for $99.99 (taxes excluded) starting August 17. Customers are required to subscribe to the AIRAVE enhanced coverage plan, which is priced at just $4.99 per month in addition to the customer’s regular wireless voice plan. Customers who do not have one of Sprint’s unlimited voice plans, such as Simply Everything, can get unlimited in-home calling by subscribing to the optional AIRAVE Unlimited Voice plan for an additional $10 per month for individuals or $20 per month for families.
Overall I love the idea of having a “Wireless Landline” at home or the office and I feel that the AIRAVE service will prove to be an excellent companion for your Sprint Treo or Centro smartphones. I can’t wait to test the service upon its release in a couple of weeks.
Treonauts always rave… 
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341c71a953ef00e553c5e9888833
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Sprint AIRAVE Nationwide Launch August 17:
Comments
I see Sprint and T-Mobile trying to get a leg up with these kinds of units... so when is one coming that will work for AT&T?
Nice. I've been waiting for this technology to be released. Sounds like it'll be cheaper than maintaining my AT&T landline.
Does anyone know if or how fax can be sent if you give up your home phone for this arrangement?
I've been waiting for such a solution myself for a while as well, but having to shell out $100 Plus $20/month for my family in order to take load OFF sprint's network and onto my local internet connection is a bit hard to take!
I've been waiting for such a solution myself for a while as well, but having to shell out $100 Plus $20/month for my family in order to take load OFF sprint's network and onto my local internet connection is a bit hard to take!
I know there used to be Palm OS apps to send a fax (e.g. from a Palm VII); I'm sure there's still something available--though you'd probably need a scanner or a good camera.
This is a technology called Fem-to-cell. Yes att is going to release it but they are slow to market on this one. As far as the fax goes keep your twisted pair (land line) and for those of us that do satellite for internet....Sorry
I just don't see much advantage, at least for me. My monthly land line - which I need for my Dish receiver anyway - is only $20. I have a good signal in my house and not sure my wife and I want to have to carry our centros around the house all the time. Now if this would allow the existing cordless phone base to plug in and be extensions of my cell phone when it is within range of the box, then we have something. Then we come into the house and if any calls come in it rings the cordless phones all over the house - that would be slick.
1. Dish now allows the Broadband connection to replace the phone line connection.
2. You can fax with an internet based fax service, I use MaxEmail. Efax is the more popular one, can get expensive if you are a heavy faxer (why can't emailed edocs just take this over - don't get the hang up with faxes in the business world).
I got an Airave last week from Sprint. Without it, I usually get 1-0 bars, or I roam to a Canadian tower across the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Pretty bad in my house.
The Airave works, but I have experienced 3 problems so far.
1. It really only works effectively when I locate it on the second floor. It didn't work well on the first floor. If I put it in the front of the house on the first floor, I got a poor signal in the back of the house and little to none in the back yard.
2. When I leave the house in my car, I noticed on two occassions I dropped the connection before it will pick up a local tower. The dropped connection is only for a moment, but....
3. This morning I had the same problem without the Airave -- my Treo 650 did not pick up an incoming call, even with 2-3 bars from the Airave connection. I got the voice mail message several minutes after the call.
So far, Hmmmmn? I definitely get a nice 2-4 bars pretty much every where on my standard city lot, even in the basement. I kept an excellent and reportedly crystal clear connection (as good or better than my very expensiive Panasonic cordless landline business phone) over a 30 minute call as I moved all about my house and yard. I know Verizon has adequate service for my location, but is it worth an extra $40-$50 for voice, data and text, and the frustration of waiting for Verizon to come out with the newest Treo???
Thank you so much for giving me so much information about the AIRAVE. I just got it and set it up this evening and we immediately went from 0 - 2 bars to 5 steady bars in the house!! My husband is going to be so thrilled! In a perfect world, we should not be responsible for boosting Sprint's signal for which we already pay a healthy amount; but in reality, it's worth the c-note and the $20/month to not have the frustration of dropped calls and not having to venture out of the house into the elements to have a simple conversation. Sprint was the only provider which could get us a signal in the house which is why we have them and now I'm real happy we made that choice many moons ago.
I got AIRAVE couple of weeks ago, and I am having a problem that I cannot explain. I have Vonage VOIP service for home phone. After installing AIRAVE, during an incoming call I cannot hear the other person but they can hear me. This happens with my Vonage phone and Sprint phones (Centro and 3 Katanas). If I make a call on either Vonage or Sprint phones everything works.
The comments to this entry are closed.
