The BlackBerry PlayBook has been available for nearly a year now (just a month with a full OS), but there's still no version of the tablet with a cellular broadband connection. That might not be the case for much longer, though, as an HSPA+ version and two LTE versions of the 7-inch tablet have been submitted for approval to the FCC. As usual with FCC filings, there aren't too many details, though we know that both tablets have Bluetooth, GPS, dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n) Wi-Fi, and NFC — a PlayBook first that we assume will be compatible with BlackBerry Tag. Additionally, one of the LTE versions will support the AWS and 700MHz LTE bands as well as HSPA+ on the 850MHz and 1900MHz UMTS bands, meaning it most probably will run on AT&T's network in the United States if ever released. The other LTE version has support for Verizon-friendly EV-DO and LTE Band 13. Lastly, the HSPA+ only version supports the 850MHz, AWS, and 1900MHz UMTS bands, so we'd expect this to be the international / T-Mobile variant of the tablet.
LTE and HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBooks make their way through the FCC, LTE versions bound for AT&T and Verizon?
Both an LTE and HSPA+ version of the BlackBerry PlayBook have made their way through the FCC today. Both tablets have Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, and dual-band Wi-Fi. One LTE version supports AT&T’s LTE and HSPA+ bands, while another can handle Verizon’s LTE network. Lastly, the HSPA+ only version supports AWS, which means it would be able to run on T-Mobile’s network.
Both an LTE and HSPA+ version of the BlackBerry PlayBook have made their way through the FCC today. Both tablets have Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, and dual-band Wi-Fi. One LTE version supports AT&T’s LTE and HSPA+ bands, while another can handle Verizon’s LTE network. Lastly, the HSPA+ only version supports AWS, which means it would be able to run on T-Mobile’s network.
While the tablets aren’t called PlayBooks in the filing, they do share the same length and width as the current PlayBook, so they can’t be the previously-rumored 10-inch Black Forest tablet. It’s worth mentioning that the tablets have been in the labs for well over four months — they were originally received on October 28th last year — so, like any product that pops up in an FCC filing, we can’t know if these two PlayBooks will ever make it to market.
