Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Just as I did with my Nokia N810 pre-order last October, I've begun watching Nokia retailers here in the US to see who has been promised how many, on what dates, and for how much.

I pre-ordered my original Nokia N810 on 10/23/2007 2:55:24 PM. Due to multiple delays from Nokia, it wasn't until November 21st, 2007 when I got my N810. Despite the delays for hardware and last minute flashing of OS2008 by the Nokia team, I was very happy with my pre-order and with my N810.

I have been involved with the Clearwire WiMax project as a systems engineer, and I'm pretty happy with where it's going. I'm especially looking forward to using the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition with Clearwire. As of 5/9/2008 11:57:41 AM, I have a Nokia N810 WiMax Edition on pre-order.

Two weeks ago, retailers in the US were expecting NOKN810WIMAX in mid-July. On Friday, May 16th, retailers were notified that stock would not be received until mid-October.

Does anyone know the details (and can say them) behind the N810 WiMax? With so many players (Clearwire, multiple Nokia teams, Maemo), I'm expecting the N810 WiMax release to be as much "fun" :p as the original N810 was last November.

The Nokia N810 WiMax is going to be the most fun I've had with the N800 and N810 series... there's some real potential here! :D

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Looks like you have done good on your homework... :)

Clearly the recent Sprint/Clearwire deal had shuffled the original schedule quite drastically...

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Thanks... but I don't think all the details and markets have been ironed out just yet. Do you think it's pretty safe to say we'll probably see more sliding? How secure are Nokia folks in preparing for an October shipment of Nokia N810 WiMax?

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Engadget says it'll be Mid-July -- however waiting on the Xohm/Clearwire/etc merger to go through (and all the rebranding and reorg that's associated with it) is what's going to hang it up I believe. So I'd project mid-to-late October at the earliest.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Cool, that's what I was figuring.

So what will the final branding be? If Sprint becomes the majority shareholder, are they going with Xohm? My understanding was that the JV with all its partners will still headed by Clearwire (ie "WiMax will live; Xohm dies"). Xohm has a pretty strong brand, even if Sprint itself is finding itself weaker.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Hard to say what the new brand name will be. I figured it'd be Xohm due to the shareholder requirement, but the name has been tarnished a lot for not delivering. So, it wouldn't surprise me if they just completely rebrand with something new/fresh. I hope Sprint and the rest get their act together, cause they're really hurting the technology (and scaring off early adopters) with all the delays.

I was going to get one with wimax, but decided the other day to finally just buy a regular n810 due to delays. :/

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

I for one hope they go with Clearwire instead of Xohm. Why use such an odd looking brand that consumers might have trouble pronouncing? I've had Clearwire in the past (In the Abilene, TX market, one of their firsts) and it was really nice.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Xohm is less syllables; as for spoken, most people will get the pronunciation right, and the few saying choam won't really confuse anyone...

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

If the WE is branded with anything other than just Nokia then I'm not buying. They would be missing the whole point of why I'm not in the cell market at all, provider lock in. Unless it is open and free to use on any provider that offers service there is no way it will meet my needs and price point. Even if there is only one provider at first I want to feel that the protocols are open for other providers to come in at some point. Otherwise it will be the same old game of high cost and low quality service. It isn't about the price of the device but the price of using it.

Right now my WiFI is mostly free to use, and yes, it is a phone to me. WiMAX promises better mobility so I'm willing to pay something for that but expect a service not unlike the simplicity of regular internet. Just get me online and I'll use my own choice of services most of which I'll provide for myself.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

For a new market like WiMax, I don't see how it's possible for them to open up the service without mid or long term contracts to build up their initial user base.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

They simply won't get my $ if they lock it down. An open protocol allows manufacturers to build cheaper devices that don't require subsidies and 'branding' to get me to buy them. I don't want a 'free' phone, I want affordable and reliable service. The device I use and services I run on it are none of their business if it plays by the protocols and bandwidth caps.

I can buy internet service from a number of providers and not be required to buy a specific computer of router. Even the modems are generic although they provide them if I choose. But I can change providers and not have to change anything but the authentication details.

I'm not a provider hopping user, I'll stay a loyal customer if they meet my needs. Cell providers in North America on the other hand have never been able to give me what I need and I won't be shackled by their tactics.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

I wonder how much the plans will be, and what/whether there will be limits on how much we can download (unlimited, ???MB, ?GB). If I can get 2+Mbit/s down and 256+Kbit/s up (similar to Clearwire's existing wireless), I'd be alot happier than my crappy AT&T EDGE tethering I have now.

The really "fun" question will be whether we'll be allowed Static IP on our Nokia N810WE similar to what Clearwire already offers for business plans. If I can get a long-term (2yr) contract with a business plan (3-8email, static IP), using my N810WE as a dedicated UNIX device with Skype/Gizmo for calling becomes a reality. I'd even consider dumping my AT&T Centro and using the N810WE alone.

I hope this all pans out... WiMax has great potential, just alot of details, markets, and network upgrades left to iron out.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

LINKS:

• Nokia Internet Tablets and the Next Generation (WiMax)
• Get Thee to a Geekery!

ClearWire emailed me this weekend to say that they are ramping up for their WiMax rollout in the Washington, DC, area. They’re currently expecting to go public in September 2008. Nokia resellers in the United States currently expect to receive Nokia N810 WiMax Editions in October. All going well, I hope to using WiMax and my new N810W in late September or sometime this October.

In other news, the stranglehold of cellular carriers in the DC Metro (WMATA) may soon be broken. Verizon had an exclusivity deal with WMATA preventing other carriers from providing coverage. That contract is now expiring, and other carriers are discussing similar deals or opening up coverage in the metro tunnels. Hopefully AT&T and/or ClearWire will soon get on board? I hope to be using EDGE or WiMax on the WMATA later this year??

XOHM comes to Baltimore, MD (September 2008)
 

LINKS:

• XOHM comes to Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC
• XOHM Insider: History in the Making

XOHM announced this week that it will be launching its first commercial market in Baltimore, Maryland in September 2008.

Up next are Chicago and Washington, DC, with commercial service planned to be ready by the end of this year.

WiMAX network preparations continue in Dallas, Fort Worth, Boston, Providence, and Philadelphia. Launch dates for those cities have not yet been decided.

If you are a XOHM Insider and live in the Baltimore area, expect to hear from us in the coming weeks with more detail on our launch plans.

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

With the release of OS2008 Diablo today, do you think we'll see the N810 WiMax Edition any sooner? I haven't seen any Nokia resellers update their expected shipment dates.

It looks like XOHM is rolling out their network piecemeal. Baltimore, MD, will be up in mid-September. Washington, DC, and Chicago will be coming later. Is Nokia's release of the N810WE dependent on XOHM's rollout schedule?

Re: Waiting for the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition
 

Yes, the N810W is tied to XOHM rollout, as far as is generally supposed.

Since Diablo was known to be slated for second quarter (and there had been some bragging about making release deadlines), we expected a release real soon. But it looks like a while before WiMAX is ready, so I don't expect them out soon.

(Before all the shakeup with XOHM, it was conceivable there could have been Diablo troubles delaying the release...)