Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR - TSX: SW) today introduced the 15th
product in the company's flagship AirCard(R) product line, the
AirCard 875 wireless wide area network card for HSDPA networks. The
AirCard(R) 875 offers increased data speeds and high-speed worldwide
roaming, with tri- band HSDPA / UMTS and quad-band Class 12 EDGE /
GPRS connectivity. Commercial shipments of the card are expected to
begin in the third quarter of this year.
"The AirCard 875 is the latest in a long line of high-quality
AirCard PC Card products, built on Sierra Wireless's 13 years of
wireless product development experience," said Trent Punnett, Senior
Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Development for Sierra
Wireless. "We are committed to continuing industry leadership in
developing products for new network technologies and providing the
reliable, high-performing wireless devices that our customers have
come to expect from Sierra Wireless."
According to the GSM Association, GSM-based networks (which
include GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, and HSDPA network technologies) have been
deployed in 208 countries worldwide, with high-speed UMTS or HSDPA
networks deployed in 50 countries. Compatible with all GSM
frequencies used worldwide, the AirCard 875 offers true global
connectivity to the best GSM-based network technology available(1).
The AirCard 875 is a Type II PC Card with a fixed antenna,
supporting peak theoretical data rates of up to 3.6 Mbps on HSDPA
networks(2) and is upgradeable to support future network upgrades
providing peak data rates of up to 7.2 Mbps(2). The AirCard 875
supports HSDPA and UMTS on the 2100, 1900, and 850 MHz frequency
bands, plus EDGE and GPRS on the 1900, 1800, 900, and 850 MHz bands,
allowing one card to operate at the best available speed on wireless
networks worldwide. In addition to the increased data speed and
worldwide roaming capability, the AirCard 875 offers several new
advanced features:
- Receiver equalization enables reductions in signal interference and
better throughput, which is particularly beneficial to customers in
urban areas with high levels of signal noise;
- Simultaneous voice and data capabilities allow customers to use the
card as a phone with a headset, without suspending access to email or
online applications (available with future software upgrade, subject
to network support);
- High-performance antenna in a rugged housing includes integrated
status indicator lights and a new low profile design.
Sierra Wireless introduced its flagship AirCard product line in
June 1997 with the AirCard 210 for CDPD networks. The AirCard 875 is
the 15th card to be introduced in the product line, which has also
included the AirCard 300 and AirCard 350 for CDPD networks; the
AirCard 400 for the Ricochet network; the AirCard 510, AirCard 550
and AirCard 555 for CDMA 1X networks; the AirCard 710 and AirCard
750 for GSM/GPRS networks; the AirCard 775 for EDGE networks; the
AirCard 580 for EV-DO Release 0 networks ; the AirCard 860 and
AirCard 850 for HSDPA networks; and the recently announced AirCard
595 for EV-DO Revision A networks, expected in the third quarter of
this year. |
