Sierra Wireless PINPOINT X HSUPA - Manual (Page 13)

Introduction to the PinPoint X
Rev 4.0 Oct.09 7
UMTS
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)
supports up to 1920 kbit/s data transfer rates, although most
users can expect performance up to 384 kbit/s. A UMTS
network uses a pair of 5 MHz channels, one in the 1900 MHz
range for uplink and one in the 2100 MHz range for downlink.
EDGE
EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) provides end‐
to‐end packet data services with an enhanced connectivity
building on GPRS technology and using the established GSM
networks. EDGE provides higher transmission rates and better
transmission quality for data than GPRS. EDGE can carry data
at speeds typically up to 384 kbit/s in packet mode.
When EDGE is not available, your PinPoint X will fall‐back to
GPRS for the connection to your cellular provider to provide
continued connectivity.
GPRS
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) is packet‐switched with
many users sharing the same transmission channel, but only
transmitting when they have data to send. This means that the
total available bandwidth can be immediately dedicated to
those users who are actually sending at any given moment,
providing higher utilization where users only send or receive
data intermittently. GPRS provides speeds of 30–70 kbps with
bursts up to 170 kbps.
Connection methods
You can connect the PinPoint X to a USB or a Ethernet (RJ45)
on a computer. When connected to a USB or Ethernet port, the
PinPoint X behaves like a network card.
USB
The PinPoint X is equipped with a USB port which increases
the methods by which you can send and receive data. The USB
port can be set to work as either a virtual Ethernet port or a
virtual serial port. A driver installation is required to use the
USB port in either mode.
It is recommended that you use a USB 2.0 cable with your
PinPoint X and connect directly to your computer for best
throughput.