broadband news

3 unveils wireless broadband router

Mobile broadband giant 3 has used its annual sales event in London to unveil plans to launch its own wireless router.

The provider shocked broadband industry observers with the unexpected announcement of the hardware, due to for release in early October. The move represents 3's first tentative steps into the home broadband market, although it currently has no plans to offer fixed-line broadband packages.

The 3 wireless router, a D100 Wi-Fi kit, is a small piece of hardware into which a USB modem, or dongle, can be plugged. This makes the unit fully wireless and allows up to three devices to connect to the internet at the same time.

This is significant as it means households do not need to have a landline in order to become broadband-enabled, potentially saving families around £11 per month that they would otherwise be spending on line rental. Pricing of the wireless router is yet to be confirmed, but it is likely to be subject to a one-off fee, or it may come bundled with a 3 mobile broadband package.

The announcement came at 3's annual dealer sales event, which took place earlier this month. The event featured a number of keynote speeches, including one by 3's director of indirect sales Bernie O'Beirne, who revealed that the mobile broadband provider aims to double its business over the course of the next five years. It is thought the announcement of the wireless broadband router forms part of that plan, as the company seeks to extend its influence in the broadband market.

22/09/2008
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

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