New wireless service for laptops

[breadman]

Ive been seeing more and more advertisements for the new wireless internet service that cellphone companies are now providing. All you need is a wireless laptop card and your ready to surf anywhere there is cell phone coverage for your plan.

Anybody have any experience with this type of service yet?

 

[bond_james_bond]

I had something similar for a PDA.

The speed is like the old 54 Kbit dial-up modem days.

Maybe it was my PDA, but I eventually considered the cellular as a last resort, and a WiFi hotspot as being more preferable.

 

[Voyager]

Sprint option

I had something similar for a PDA.

The speed is like the old 54 Kbit dial-up modem days.

Maybe it was my PDA, but I eventually considered the cellular as a last resort, and a WiFi hotspot as being more preferable.

I have no 1st-hand experience, and with the expansion of WiFi, I probably won't try mobile broadband.

Here is what Sprint says about their $49 card:
Where coverage is available, experience broadband-like download speeds using EV-DO technology. The average download speeds range from 400 to 700Kbps with peak rates up to 2 Mbps.

I'll assume that there is some charge, or plan, for the actual connection time. I could not find coverage for the Montreal area, however.

When I stayed in Montreal last year, my laptop automatically connected to some nearby wireless network and I saved the daily charge for the HiSpeed connection at the hotel!! WooHoo!

There are towns near Boston that are installing free town-wide WiFi, and Boston is looking into it.

Regards,

Voyager

 

[ops_com]

Wireless card

I have one of these card with Bell. It's available in Montreal, the speed is around 400kbits in Montreal, Toronto has the same speed. I don't have the price, but I heard it's pricey. Coverage is better in the US and the speed more reliable. As soon as you left GTA, Montreal or Vancouver area the speed drop at around 56k to 100k.