GigaOM » Collaboration

CLEAR 4G Mobile Service: Convenience at a Price

Charles Hamilton — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:00:52 +0000

The folks at CLEAR (formerly Clearwire) kindly sent me their latest 4G WiMAX modem to try out, so I’ve been testing it here in Seattle and on a weekend train trip to Portland.

The CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB modem looks like an oversized USB drive, measuring 1.28″ x 3.6″ x 0.48″ and weighing 44 grams. It comes with documentation, a carrying pouch, a USB Y-adapter cable, a mounting bracket, and the CLEAR Connection Manager software, which is currently available only for Windows.

The modem can be plugged directly into a USB port, and since the plug on the modem swivels, can be oriented vertically or horizontally. The Y-adapter was useful in getting the modem out of the way while working, but I didn’t use the mounting bracket. The modem put out a surprising amount of heat almost from the instant it was plugged in.

The CLEAR 4G network worked reasonably well at my office in a residential area of Seattle. According to speedtest.net, I averaged 10-15 Mbps down and 0.5-1.5 Mbps up, although both upload and download speeds varied considerably.

In downtown Portland, however, CLEAR’s 4G network was much slower. I averaged around 3Mbps down and 0.4Mbps up. A friend from Portland tells me that CLEAR’s network was faster when it was first installed, but that speeds have not kept up as it’s become more popular. Seattle’s 4G network is much newer; we’ll have to see how it does as more customers start using it.

The modem is supposed to automatically fall back to 3G when needed. It seemed to do this reasonably well, but it sometimes took 15-20 seconds for the switch to take place. And if the modem lost connection to all networks, I had to click the “connect” button on the software to make it rescan for a connection, then, once the network was found, click again to actually connect. Each of these processes took several seconds. As a result, the CLEAR modem did not work while on a moving train.

I found that the connection speeds were fine for most uses, such as checking email and browsing the web. But connecting remotely to my office computer via Hamachi was very slow. It would do in an emergency, but I wouldn’t want to rely on it on a daily basis.

CLEAR offers 4G service in several cities. The CLEAR 4G+ Mobile USB modem is available for purchase at $225, or may be leased for $6 per month. CLEAR offers a 3G/4G plan at $55 per month with a 2-year contract. This plan includes “unlimited” usage (see the fine print) in 4G coverage areas and a 5GB/month cap in 3G mode. If you don’t need the 3G fallback, a 4G-only plan is available for $45 per month.

If you frequently travel to places in 4G markets where other connections are unavailable, you may find CLEAR’s 4G service to be convenient. But I don’t think that I could use the service to replace my current connection. You’ll want to check your local conditions to see if the CLEAR network in your area is speedy and reliable enough to meet your needs.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): 4G: State of the Union

WWD Interview: Raven Zachary, iPhone Adviser

Dawn Foster — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:33:16 +0000

In an effort to give you a slightly different perspective from what you normally get on WebWorkerDaily, we decided to talk with folks whom we feel are doing especially interesting web working jobs. We’re kicking off the first installment of this series of web worker interviews with Raven Zachary.

Zachary works with investors, startups and established companies on iPhone strategy and product development. He has directed the launch of two “Top 20″ iPhone applications: Obama ’08 (for Obama for America) and Nearby (for Platial). Raven is the founder of iPhoneDevCamp, a not-for-proﬁt iPhone developer conference, and a contributing analyst with The 451 Group, an IT industry analyst ﬁrm and works closely with O’Reilly Media on iPhone and mobile technology-related events and coverage. Raven is regularly quoted by the press about the iPhone and is a frequent conference speaker on the topic.

Dawn: What does an iPhone Strategy & Product Development consultant actually do?

Raven: When people think of the iPhone opportunity, building and launching apps immediately comes to mind. While this is the bulk of the economic opportunity today for consultants (product development), there is opportunity between inception and execution (iPhone strategy). Not every engagement I do with clients is about building an iPhone app, in the same way that not every web project is about building a web app. In some cases, I am working with organizations, individuals, and investors on understanding the platform, evaluating opportunities, and helping to refine ideas around the market.

Dawn: What are your biggest challenges with working remotely while balancing your work and spending time with your wife and four boys?

Raven: The remote aspect of my work is less of an issue now that I have hired three amazing people to work alongside me, two of whom reside in Portland. I still travel a lot, but I am moving more towards day trips, especially with my clients on the West Coast. Having been a telecommuter for over three years, I am looking forward to daily contact with my colleagues. My wife is a saint — that’s the simple answer to the second part of your question. My kids are easily bribed with candy.

Dawn: You recently started this new consulting practice. What advice can you offer to other web workers who are thinking about starting a new business or offering a new service?

Raven: This is a crazy time to start a business. We’re in one of the biggest economic downturns in recent history and it just happens to be a dramatic growth phase for the iPhone market, a technology that is less than two years old. I struggled a lot with the notion of staying an independent adviser vs. building a consulting company and having employees. After dragging my heels for months, it was, finally, a few deals on the table that forced the issue — grow to accept the work, or pass and take a different path. I am happy that I chose the growth path. As I am bootstrapping the business, I am growing with the demand, not ahead of it. I’d love to make some strategic hires in advance of the work coming in, but that’s just not possible when bootstrapping. That remains one of the benefits of taking on investment.

Dawn: How do you see web working evolving over the next few years, and how will mobile applications and technologies play a role in the future of web working?

Raven: I still love kicking off new client engagements with an in-person meeting. This is not an essential part of a project, but it tends to start things off on in the right direction. I would hope that increased comfort and use of video conferencing would reduce the need for in-person meetings. I know my wife and kids would be happy about that. Yet we’ve had video conferencing for decades now and it doesn’t seem to be catching on. It remains a novelty. I do think that pervasive technologies like the Internet and mobile telephony are decreasing barriers to telecommuting and virtual teams. I suspect we will see greater decentralization in the information economy. It’s a proven model.

Who would you like to see interviewed on WebWorkerDaily?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

Where Is Your Community?

Dawn Foster — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 22:00:37 +0000

As a freelance consultant, I spend my days in front of a computer occasionally shifting around the house to the couch, kitchen table, or porch when I need a change of scenery from my home office. I have a kitchen instead of a lunch room, a phone instead of a conference room, and no water cooler in sight. While the solitary web worker life can get lonely occasionally, most of us have found ways to engage with communities of our peers in less traditional ways outside of an office.

There have been many posts about engaging with coworkers and clients via Twitter, IM, Facebook, and other social networking sites. Those are a great first step to keep in touch with real people throughout the day, but what about those times when you just need to get out of the house?

I’m lucky to live here in Portland where we have a large number of freelancers, consultants, telecommuters, and other remote workers. We frequently get together during the week for coworking sessions at coffee shops where we each work independently, but by meeting in groups, we have people to watch our computers when we go to the bathroom, share quick stories, or get feedback on a tough issue. There are a few coffee shops where my web worker friends regularly congregate, and I can almost guarantee that I’ll see someone I know wander in during my visit.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have something similar already, consider scheduling it. How about coffee shop Wednesday? Pick a few friends who are also busy and who know that the purpose of the day is work (not chatting), and then find a place with solid wireless and caffeinated beverages. I typically save up those tasks that don’t require extensive concentration (responding to email, proposals, contracts, etc.), since you might not do your best strategic recommendations with the distractions of a coffee shop.

Beer and Blog Geek Meetups

photo used with permission from Aaron Hockley.

I also rely on attending regular events where I can interact with people who have similar technology interests. In some cases, I attend events that already exist. Here in Portland, we have events like Beer and Blog, Portland Web Innovators, and many user groups. I also noticed a few gaps, which I filled by working with other people to help start new groups like the Online Community Manager Meetup and PDX GeekChix. Attending existing events and starting new ones is a great way to meet new people and increase your interactions with other human beings offline.

What do you do when you crave human interaction during the work day?

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.