Sprint, Digi Introduce First Commercial 4G Routers

Digi International and Sprint have partnered to provide the first commercial-grade integrated 4G routers for connectivity to remote sites, devices and device/sensor networks via 4G networks.

The high speeds offered by the Digi Connect WAN 4G and ConnectPort X4 4G are geared at high-bandwidth machine-to-machine (M2M) applications including digital signage, video surveillance and mobile computing, Digi said. The routers have been certified by Sprint and its Clearwire subsidiary. When real-time device connectivity is essential, such as with remote industrial networks, the low latency of 4G enables mission-critical applications, the companies said.

"4G dramatically increases the bandwidth and lowers the latency of wireless WAN connections," said Larry Kraft, senior vice president of global sales and marketing, at the Minnetonka, Minn.-based Digi International, in a statement. Digi launched the first commercial-grade cellular routers over five years ago with its Digi Connect WAN product.

"4G is opening up new consumer and commercial applications that are transforming the way people use and benefit from mobility,'' and connectivity of M2M devices is growing rapidly, said Wayne Ward, vice president of emerging solutions, at Sprint, in a statement.

The Digi Connect WAN 4G has flexible device interfaces including RS-232 serial, USB and Ethernet for device connectivity. The ConnectPort X4 4G features ZigBee to WiMAX, so it can connect to ZigBee-enabled wireless devices or sensors on a network. For harsh environments, there is a version that comes with a NEMA X4/IP66 enclosure.

Digi's 4G routers can be used with several vertical applications requiring high bandwidth and low latency connectivity, including transportation, fleet management, outdoor street lighting, traffic control signal, security and energy management.

The iDigi cloud computing platform is integrated into Digi's 4G routers for remote device management and to integrate device information to a company's back-end systems. A built-in VPN is also included to enable secure connections over publication networks. The routers also support the open source programming language Python, so that custom controlled apps can be developed.

Pricing for the routers starts at $660. They come with a five-year warranty and are available from Digi.