Time Warner Cable has come up with yet another way of keeping its subscribers connected with today’s launch of a mobile hotspot called IntelliGo.
Time Warner Cable spokesman Justin Venech wrote about IntelliGo this morning in a blog posting.
IntelliGo, which is from Sierra Wireless, is small enough to fit in a shirt pocket and provides 4G and 3G network access for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously. The device weighs just under 4.5 ounces.
IntelliGo will seek a 4G network first, and if one isn’t available, it will connect to Sprint’s nationwide 3G network. Time Warner Cable and Comcast are both reselling Clearwire’s Clear 4G service under their own brands. Outside of Time Warner Cable’s 4G markets, the company’s subscribers can access Clearwire’s 4G network with their IntelliGo devices.
While on the Time Warner Cable 4G network, customers using Road Runner Mobile can get Internet speeds up to 6 Mbps.
“IntelliGo allows customers to really leverage the speed of the Time Warner Cable 4G network and the coverage of a national 3G network on all of their Wi-Fi-enabled devices anywhere they go,” said Mike Roudi, general vice president of wireless products for Time Warner Cable. “We are excited to be bringing our customers IntelliGo and the ability to connect their favorite Wi-Fi devices to our 4G mobile network.”
IntelliGo features an LCD screen that shows how much of the battery life is left, the status of the network connection and a built-in GPS. It also has a MicroSD slot for a memory card in order to get up to 16 GB of shared storage on the various connected Wi-Fi devices.
“IntelliGo, the Sierra Wireless AirCard W801 Mobile Hotspot, provides a simple solution for those who live the modern digital lifestyle,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of network operator sales for Sierra Wireless. “With IntelliGo from Time Warner Cable and Sierra Wireless, it’s easy to keep all your devices connected, even on the go – cameras, media players, gaming devices, notebooks and tablet computers can update and be updated in real time. We’re thrilled to be able to collaborate with Time Warner Cable in bringing IntelliGo to Road Runner Mobile customers.”
Time Warner Cable’s 4G network, featuring Road Runner Mobile, is available in Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas; Charlotte, Raleigh and Greensboro, N.C.; Honolulu and Maui, Hawaii; and Kansas City, Mo.
Road Runner Mobile customers will also be able to access the 4G network in additional cities outside of Time Warner Cable’s footprint, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Additional 4G networks planned for launch in 2010 include New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles.
IntelliGo costs $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year contract.
