We all know that Clear will be taking over XOHM in Baltimore at some point, but neither Clearwire nor XOHM has fully explained how that will effect XOHM users. XOHM's website has some FAQ's on the issue and indicates a couple of interesting points - your XOHM modem won't work in Portland, for instance - but there aren't any "clear" (hardy har har) answers about what will really happen when Clear takes over.

After several chats with XOHM and Clear, I was able to find out the following:

• Right now, XOHM modems will NOT work on the Clear network, and vice versa. If you take your ZTE tu25 USB Modem to Portland, you will NOT be able to get Clear.
• When Clear takes over in Baltimore, XOHM modems will NOT automatically work! According to a Clear rep, they are hoping to provide firmware updates for the available XOHM modems at that time - you would have to install a new firmware version before being able to access Clear.
• If they are UNABLE to create new firmware that would allow XOHM users to use their existing modems when Clear takes over, they will provide an upgrade to a Clear modem free of charge.
• XOHM users who have signed up for the "$50/month for Life" plan will be allowed to keep that plan when Clear takes over, even though Clear does not offer that same plan.
• NO ONE seems to know just when this takeover will occur. One estimate placed it at about four months, but there is NO indication that that is an accurate guess.

By all accounts, Clearwire is doing their best to keep things simple for XOHM users and the CEO has repeatedly stated that in the future XOHM and Clear users will be able to roam on each other's networks without a problem. However, it doesn't sound like this can be accomplished without - at the minimum - a firmware upgrade. And just WHEN this will start to effect Baltimore XOHM-er's is still the BIG question.

Discuss the future of XOHM - and its relationship with Clear! - on the 4G Forums

XOHM currently offers three modems for use on their WiMAX network, and they're all different formats: there's the Zyxel Home Modem, SWC-e100 ExpressCard, and their latest offering, the ZTE Tu25 USB dongle. So which one are you supposed to choose? Which one is the "best"? Do they all work the same?

We at 4Ginfo.com have tested all three available XOHM modems, and after comparing the performance and benefits of them we've put together some information that should help you make your choice!

Our Favorite: Zyxel Home Modem: If you're going to use XOHM primarily at home, the Zyxel is far and away the best choice. It's incredibly easy to set up and is compatible with any computer (it is the ONLY one that works with Macs right now) AND can be used with any standard router! It works just like a regular cable or DSL modem: just plug it into the wall and then either connect it directly to your computer via an ethernet cable or use it with a router. Its built-in antennas are powerful, and it is the only modem with antenna ports that can be used with future antennas, like EVDO aircards (there aren't any available yet, but stay tuned).

It also out-performed the other two options. We saw consistent download speeds of 4-5Mbps (even higher than XOHM promises on their site) and we were seeing consistent uploads of well over 1Mbps. Unless you're going to be traveling a lot and don't want to worry about having to find an outlet everywhere you go, this is definitely the best modem to go for.

First Runner Up: ZTE Tu25 USB Modem: If you want to go truly mobile, we suggest the USB option. It worked well for us, and obviously works with any PC that has an USB port (not on Macs, though!). As for speeds, we were able to occasionally hit download speeds of nearly 10Mbs, but the average speeds were much lower than that. The upload speeds, on the other hand, were significantly less than what we saw with the Home Modem, in the range of about 800Kbps as opposed to 1.2+Mbps.

Unlike the Home Modem, there probably won't be an option to hook up an external antenna to this modem. It does have two connectors on the bottom of the modem beneath the label, but they are u.fl connectors and not designed for repeated connecting and disconnecting of an antenna like we do for EVDO aircards.

And in a Distant Third Place: The Samsung ExpressCard: Unless you have too many peripheral devices taking up your USB ports or you just love ExpressCards, we do NOT recommend the SWC-e100 ExpressCard. There have been activation problems, and those that have been able to activate it have experienced slow speeds and difficultly staying connected to the network. In our tests, we maxed out at 1.5Mbps or so down and our fastest upload speed was 791 - the average upload speed was more like 500. Better than dial-up, but those are speeds we expect from EVDO Rev-A, not WiMAX. With the USB modem also available for "on-the-go" users, there is no reason to opt for the ExpressCard.

If you've used a XOHM modem, let us know if you agree with our opinions! Share your experience with the 4G community at the 4G Forums