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Kernel · 08-10-2007, 07:45 AM

Just wanted to post my experience with a new internet connection for the road. I went to the Cingular ...er/uh... AT&T store and inquired about a modem card that plugs into the PCMCIA port on your laptop.

Cingular/AT&T offers a service called 3G in most metropolitan areas (not hard to find in SoCal). The modem cost $149 and unlimited service is $60/month. I bought it and sent in the $100 rebate for the hardware.

So far, it has been great. Usually pullin' around 750kb and pushin' about half that.

This card swaps 'airwaves' based on where you are and what is available. The 3G/UMTS service is as described. The next best is GPRS/EDGE and it should do close to 400kb pull down. The least best is plain ole cell-phone service but AT&T claims it compares to 128K service. I can live with any of those.

Haven't had to use the least of these yet. Perhaps when we go to Mt Rushmore in Oct I'll have to. But the first two do everything and more that I ask it to. Very happy with the new tech.

I hear Verizon has a similar device. I haven't read any reports on it but DH's business partner uses it in their store daily and it appears to provide similar results.

Hope this helps someone.

Kernel · 08-10-2007, 07:51 AM

oops. Been watchin' too much baseball.

DH's should have been, " ...DWs business partner.."

Bill Davis · 08-11-2007, 05:56 AM

I'm running right now on the same card with AT+T service. In a weak signal with poor service, two bars, -91dbm. Can still operate. Even when it drops to one bar, I don't disconnect. But I also have a Wilson Trucker antenna on the roof. Wouldn't be doing this well without it.

Rick Coleman · 08-11-2007, 06:05 AM

I use a Sprint mobile broadband card. The Novatel wireless Merlin S720. Reception has been outstanding in my laptop wherever I've been. I don't recall the coast offhand, but it costs $59.99 per month for the service.