PHS300 Personal Wi-Fi Hotspot

CradlePoint, Inc., a company that engineers and manufactures docking cradles, cellular routers, and software platforms, recently announced a new product that has aroused my attention. It is the new PHS300, which is “a pocket-size, battery powered, Personal Hotspot (PHS) that lets mobile broadband subscribers extend Internet access to any WiFi enabled device and share connectivity with friends and colleagues.” So, you can use this device as a router for your mobile broadband network from your cellular provider.

The PHS300 works like a home router. When you use it with a 3G USB Cellular modem or 3G handset, the PHS automatically “generates a secure, personal hotspot that follows subscribers wherever they go within coverage of their mobile broadband network.” It requires no special software to enable broadband access via Wi-Fi on PC’s, PDA’s, MP3 players, game devices, or whatever other toy you can come up with.

This product is now available with support for a number of USB Modems from Sierra Wireless, Novatel Wireless, and Franklin Wireless. Data plans on these modems are available from Sprint and Verizon. Further, some cellular phones, PDAs, and Blackberries can be linked to the PHS300 to provide instant internet access, provided that a ‘Tethered Data’ or ‘Phone-as-Modem’ data plan is activated. The company plans to extend coverage to other devices and carriers in the newar future. The PHS is available for $179 and comes with an AC adapter and replaceable Li Ion battery.

“With the PHS300, shared Internet access is simple and available at higher speeds with virtually unlimited coverage”, said Gary Oliverio, VP Marketing and Co-Founder of CradlePoint, Inc. “Plugging a phone or modem into the PHS creates an instant hotspot for consumers and enterprises that is flexible, reliable and secure.”

You can use the PHS300 to: