Care to share your mobile internet connection? Then Rogers’ new Rocket Hub is just the device for you. This Ericsson HSPA WiFi router provides both voice and wireless data, and supports up to 15 connections at a single time. Installation and operation is as easy as plugging it into a socket and connecting to the internet. The Rogers Rocket Hub is retailing for $149.99 on a 2-year contract or $399.99 outright purchase.
Flex rate Data Only plan options for the Rocket Hub are $35 (up to 3GB), $45 (3GB-5GB), and $60 (5GB-10GB). Voice and Data Plans, meanwhile, are $50 (up to 3GB), $60 (3GB-5GB), and $75 (5GB-10GB). Local voice calls are unlimited, but for an additional $20/month, you can upgrade this to include unlimited Canadian long distance as well. International roaming, however, is disabled on these accounts so using this while venturing outside the country is out of the question. It should also be noted that the bundled SIM card is locked to the unit.
The Rocket Hub, apart from providing a WiFi connection, also comes with standard LAN jack so you can hook up non-WiFi enabled devices to it via cable. Max data speed rates max out at 7.2Mbps. Sorry guys, you won’t be able to take advantage of their new 21Mbps HSPA+ network with this baby. Nonetheless, the Rocket Hub is a nice hassle free solution to share your internet connection either at home or work without having to install any additional lines. Interested? You can find out more about it over here.
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Comments (6)
Don’t be fooled by all the Rogers hype. I tried out 2 of these devices and tech support told me all kinds of stories about needing an antenna, they deleted my acct., exchange the unit for another one, and then when I go to return it, I find out that Rogers has a problem setting the units up and they are delayed by over a week. Well, they only let you return it within 15 days so waiting a week or would have put me outside my return period. Tech support tells you to call nerdsonsite for an antenna and nobody there can tell you how much the antenna costs. Someone else has to call you and when they finally do, you need to spend about $350 and on top of that the antenna company that makes them is closed for holidays, so you can’t get an antenna till mid January when, once again, my 15 day trial period expires. Seems Rogers has rolled this out before putting the proper infrastructure into place. Oh, and tech support either can’t speak English or the ones that do are arrogant and rude and hung up on me. You won’t see this device in my house again. Definitely NOT ready for prime time. Be afraid, be very, very afraid.
Bottom line on your comments Michael is you don’t keep the hub if it can’t keep the signal. Rogers doesn’t set up these units other than activating it before you get it. The hub either receives a strong signal or not. There are no Roger’s adjustments as you suggest. At the time of your post there was no solid information on antennas. Now they are available starting around $60. As for your comments about support being arrogant and rude and hanging up on you, I for one think you initiated the attitude and they ended it. The 15 day return is plenty. People should be able to decide in the first couple of hours usage if this is for them or not. Now Bell offers up the same system at a slightly higher usage fee. I suggest people determine where the towers are before getting this unit and choosing their preferred provider.
http://www.ertyu.org/steven_nikkel/cancellsites.html shows most towers available. To give you an example of range I am 6 miles from a tower where my bud is 4 miles and his signal only reaches 3 bars. I get 4 and up to 5 bars occasionally. Why? Who knows, I have further to go and am surrounded by trees, my bud isn’t. The download speeds range between 3.5 and 5.5 kbps when tested occasionally and depending on time of day. The unit works flawless and $20 a month local calling sure beats Bell who come in over $40 local calling. A great system for the country folks.
$10 / month after 10GB makes this a rather expensive form of internet for households that actually the internet. You easily go well over 10GB with just browsing, youtubing, OS updates (some of them automatically), PS3 gaming, Firefox updates, Thunderbird updates, etc etc.
10GB is silly. People should NOT think that this is a $60 internet – prepare to pay a lot more.
I live very close to town & am not very rural but because the road I live on only has a limited number of houses, cable will not come in our road. I am in the Rogers HSPA+ voice & data coverage area. I have been using a Rocket Stick for the past couple of years and have been very pleased until I got my last few bills. When I signed my contract, it was $ 100 max.. My last few bills were in excess of $500. I called Rogers billing and got no where at first, I then fought with the rep to speak to a manager, finally talked to a great guy & got my account credited back but was told even though my contract was for $100 max., the new max was now $500. I thought a contract was a contract, but with Rogers it is not. The manager ended up putting a Rocket Hub plan on my Rocket Stick ( only possible for HSPA not HSPA+ by the way ). This plan has a max of $110. I thought this was a good solution to my problem. I then asked the question, ” what is a Rocket Hub ? “, it was explained to me & I thought this would be great for my internet & voice as I liked the wireless option & did not need the portabilty. I did not want to be tied to a contract, so I bought the W35 for $400. Internet was great for a few days, then I switched over my home phone to the hub. The Rocket Hub locks up 2-3 times a day, 80% of my phone calls go directly to voice mail without even ringing or the people calling me just get a dead tone. Like I said before, I am not rural like some others on this forum & others I have read in the last few days. I do not have a problem with signal. I have full bars or 100% at least 90% of the time ( the odd time, I drop one bar ). I use my phone a lot for business ( as this is a business account with at least 10 devices on it & a monthly bill between $900-$1500 a month ) and this service is very unacceptable. I have read in a lot of other posts about this service being poor & needing an antennae, this is not my case. Well enough said, if anybody can suggest any thing, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Brian: Question: Since you’re not really rural, can you get DSL?
If so, then you want that all the way.
For DSL service I don’t recommend dealing with Bell, but with TekSavvy. $32 per month for very good speed internet and excellent support staff that actually knows a thing or two. No contract and zero sign up fee.
Brian: also, lastly, I’m finding that there are 3G modems you can buy on ebay for about $150 that you can actually use with Rogers. No phone option though. But it is a way to get 3G service using rocket hub pricing without a contract.
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