Like so many tablets that have hit retail shelves this year, the Motorola XOOM launched in a slightly unfinished state. Updates have been rolling out, of course. Back in July a software update allowed owners of the Motorola XOOM to finally make use of the tablet’s microSD card expansion slot. Around the same time, a key hardware update surfaced as the XOOM’s LTE modem checked in with the FCC.
But it wasn’t clear when the LTE upgrade would actually be made available. Initially, a vague “later this summer” was all anxious owners had to go on. It now looks as though “later” means next month, as Droid Life is reporting that some XOOM owners (business and government users, initially) are now being invited by Motorola to join an pilot program for the LTE modem.
The process is straightforward, but it requires going on a brief tablet hiatus. You’ll receive an email from Motorola that details the process, and they’ll even send you a pre-paid FedEx box to securely ship your XOOM back to the company’s upgrade partner, repair specialists CTDI. Turnaround time is estimated to be three business days, which is pretty darn snappy. Motorola reminds users to back up everything prior to sending in your tablet and not to send in any accessories — all they need is your XOOM, since they’re just yanking out the original 3G modem and sliding in the new 4G LTE replacement.