Detailed Tech Spec Comparison

3G/ 4G Modem Technology

LTE-Advanced

Meridian

Old Pepwave

New Pepwave

LTE-Advanced-Pro

Meridian

Old Pepwave

New Pepwave

LTE-Category

Meridian

Cat 18 (latest category available)

Old Pepwave

Cat 6 (super outdated)

New Pepwave

Cat 12 (previous category available)

Worldwide Coverage:

Meridian

Old Pepwave

New Pepwave

LTE bands

Meridian

Worldwide all 30 bands: B1, B3, B25(B2), B66(B4), B26(B5/B18/B19), B7, B8, B12(17), B13, B14, B20, B28, B29, B30, B32, B71, B38, B39, B40, B41, B42, B43, B46, B48

Old Pepwave

Americas/EMEA model - 15 bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B20, B25, B26, B29, B30, B41 (doesn’t even cover high-speed band 71)
Asia Pacific model - 13 bands: B1, B3, B5, B7, B8, B18, B19, B21, B28, B38, B39, B40, B41
Total bands: 22 (some are repeated in 2 models)

New Pepwave

Worldwide model 24 bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B9, B12, B13, B18, B19, B20, B26, B28, B29, B30, B32, B41, B42, B43, B46, B48, B66

3G fallback

Meridian

Old Pepwave

New Pepwave

Carrier Aggregation

Meridian

Downstream: 5x
Upstream: 2x

Old Pepwave

Downstream: 2x
Upstream: none
As a result, our modems are 4 times faster

New Pepwave

Downstream: 3x
Upstream: 2x
Meridian’s modems are 2 times faster than this one

MiMo

Meridian

4×4

Old Pepwave

2×2

New Pepwave

4×4

Max. Modulation

Meridian

Downstream: 256 QAM
Upstream: 64 QAM
higher modulation equals more speed

Old Pepwave

Downstream: 64 QAM
Upstream: 16 QAM

New Pepwave

Downstream: 256 QAM
Upstream: 64 QAM

Max CA Bandwidth

Meridian

60MHz

Old Pepwave

40MHz

New Pepwave

60MHz

Performance – BURST RATES (MIR)

Router Throughput

Meridian

4,800 Mbit/s

Old Pepwave

400 Mbit/s

New Pepwave

2,500 Mbit/s

Bonding Thoughput
(no encryption)

Meridian

4,800 Mbit/s

Old Pepwave

150 Mbit/s

New Pepwave

600 Mbit/s

Bonding Thoughput
(with encryption)

Meridian

2,400 Mbit/s

Old Pepwave

120 Mbit/s

New Pepwave

500 Mbit/s

Data Centre Counterpart Throughput

Meridian

2,400 Mbit/s

Old Pepwave

100 Mbit/s limit due to data centre license

New Pepwave

We don’t know yet if data centre license has been improved, maximum 500 Mbit/s

System Maximum Throughput (MIR) with Bonding

(meaning max speed of the weakest component)

Meridian

2,400 Mbit/s

Old Pepwave

100 Mbit/s (This is a big difference that really matters)

New Pepwave

We don’t know yet if data centre license has been improved, maximum 500 Mbit/s

Mechanics, Environment, Ergonomics

SIM slot location

Meridian

Front

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

Rear (this is super unergonomic to replace a SIM card)

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

Dimensions in mm

Meridian

44.5h x 483w x 300d, 1HU (height unit)

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

50h x 292w x 177d, 5mm more than 1HU so it will waste 1HU extra space in a rack

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

Rack Mounted Chassis

Meridian

Yes

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

No, need a tray to mount this device in a rack

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

Weight

Meridian

3.5 kg

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

1.9 kg

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

Operating Temperature

Meridian

-40 – 70°C

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

-40 – 65°C

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

Warranty

Meridian

2 years

Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

1 year

Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

Same as older Pepwave

1HU Worldwide, LTE-A-Pro

Pepwave BR1, HD2, HD4

what yachts have onboard now

Pepwave HD4 MBX

released end of March 2019

3G/ 4G Modem Technology

LTE-Advanced

LTE-Advanced-Pro

LTE-Category

Cat 18 (latest category available)
Cat 6 (super outdated)
Cat 12 (previous category available)

Worldwide Coverage:

LTE bands

Worldwide all 30 bands: B1, B3, B25(B2), B66(B4), B26(B5/B18/B19), B7, B8, B12(17), B13, B14, B20, B28, B29, B30, B32, B71, B38, B39, B40, B41, B42, B43, B46, B48
Americas/EMEA model - 15 bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B12, B13, B20, B25, B26, B29, B30, B41 (doesn’t even cover high-speed band 71)
Asia Pacific model - 13 bands: B1, B3, B5, B7, B8, B18, B19, B21, B28, B38, B39, B40, B41
Total bands: 22 (some are repeated in 2 models)
Worldwide model 24 bands: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B9, B12, B13, B18, B19, B20, B26, B28, B29, B30, B32, B41, B42, B43, B46, B48, B66

3G fallback

Carrier Aggregation

Downstream: 5x
Upstream: 2x
Downstream: 2x
Upstream: none
As a result, our modems are 4 times faster
Downstream: 3x
Upstream: 2x
Meridian's modems are 2 times faster than this one

MiMo

4x4
2x2
4x4

Max. Modulation

Downstream: 256 QAM
Upstream: 64 QAM
higher modulation equals more speed
Downstream: 64 QAM
Upstream: 16 QAM
Downstream: 256 QAM
Upstream: 64 QAM

Max CA Bandwidth

60MHz
40MHz
60MHz

Performance - BURST RATES (MIR)

Router Throughput

4,800 Mbit/s
400 Mbit/s
2,500 Mbit/s

Bonding Thoughput
(no encryption)

4,800 Mbit/s
150 Mbit/s
600 Mbit/s

Bonding Thoughput
(with encryption)

2,400 Mbit/s
120 Mbit/s
500 Mbit/s

Data Centre Counterpart Throughput

2,400 Mbit/s
100 Mbit/s limit due to data centre license
We don’t know yet if data centre license has been improved, maximum 500 Mbit/s

System Maximum Throughput (MIR) with Bonding

(meaning max speed of the weakest component)

2,400 Mbit/s
100 Mbit/s (This is a big difference that really matters)
We don’t know yet if data centre license has been improved, maximum 500 Mbit/s

Mechanics, Environment, Ergonomics

here Max HD4, LTE-A used for comparison

here Max HD4 MBX, LTE-A-Pro used for comparison

SIM slot location

Front
Rear (this is super unergonomic to replace a SIM card)
Same as older Pepwave

Dimensions in mm

44.5h x 483w x 300d, 1HU (height unit)
50h x 292w x 177d, 5mm more than 1HU so it will waste 1HU extra space in a rack
Same as older Pepwave

Rack Mounted Chassis

Yes
No, need a tray to mount this device in a rack
Same as older Pepwave

Weight

3.5 kg
1.9 kg
Same as older Pepwave

Operating Temperature

-40 - 70°C
-40 - 65°C
Same as older Pepwave

Warranty

2 years
1 year
Same as older Pepwave