Posted: 12/4/2007 10:34:30 AM EDT
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I bought a new laptop on Friday. I want to access the Internet when I'm not at home or near WiFi. Can someone recommend a decent wireless internet provider. I'm in Oregon. I think I'll need service on the I-5 corridor between Portland and The People's Socialist Republic of Eugene( if you are an Oregoinian, that name makes sense). Cost is an issue. I work full time and go to school part time. No grants. If a provider has a pay-as-you-go option like rechargeable calling cards, that would be really good. Thanks in Advance ZM |
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i've never heard of a pay as you go service. your limited to the cell phone companies in your area. cingular (att) verizon, sprint ?? you should be able to go to www.cingular.com www.verizonwireless.com www.sprintpcs.com and they will give you pricing and coverage for you area 
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You have no idea how much I know what you're saying.  Have you thought about Clearwire?? I think it is an option, though not sure about the coverage. I think your best is to try the 30 day trial period with th cell providers and decide if it is something you really need, or just a nice gadget, but not really necessary. |
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All the major carriers are going to run you $59.99 a month for unlimited internet service, and only Verizon and Sprint have large, truly broadband areas. Between those two, Verizon's service has far more areas that are covered, 308Sako's experience notwithstanding. You'd have to test it in your area to ensure it would work where you need it, but generally it's a pretty good service. I am biased though, I work for Verizon. I am willing to answer any questions you might have, just IM me. Prepay internet services are rather expensive... we just launched our own daily rate for the broadband service I mentioned above, it's $15 a day. The math isn't hard if you use it more than once in a while. |
Be very, very careful when it comes to megabyte pricing plans; most consumers have no idea how many megs they are using while surfing each month, and 10-20 megs of bandwidth will be used up in a heartbeat. Those urban legend multi thousand dollar wireless bills you've heard of are usually generated not by voice overages, but by data charges on XX megabyte plans. Make absolutely sure you know about any megabyte surcharges there may be. And don't accept kilobit pricing as an answer, ask for megabytes. Kilobit numbers sound deceptively small and innocuous, but multiplied to megabyte size the charges become frightening, quickly. If you pay more than $2 a megabyte, something is wrong. |
I may take you up on that. I called Verizon first. They're my cell provider. I've been with them waaaaaay back when they were Celluar One. According to the CSR they don't give any discount on Wireless Internet for current Verizon Customers. Thanks ZM |
They used to offer a discount if you were using your phone to access the internet. That was when unlimited data was $80 and they would knock $20 off. Now that everyone charges $60 anyhow, the discounts seem to have vanished! Imagine that. I have a Sprint EVDO modem that plugs into a USB port. It works very well, but don't expect miracles. They are usually too laggy to play games, but download speeds can be good depending on the signal you get. Major metro areas and some high-traffic corridors have good EVDO coverage, Rev A in some places. If you don't need to yak on the phone while using the internet, check to see if you phone is EVDO capable, or upgrade. Then all you need is a cable to connect it to the computer. With some phones you can even use the bluetooth connection for internet. You should also check on what shenanigans Verizon is up to lately. For a while they were pissing people off by shutting down accounts for using too much data(whatever that is...). People were getting shut down at 3-5 GB per month levels. Sprint hasn't done that, and I bought my modem when that stuff was going on, so even though I had a Verizon phone I went with Sprint for data. |
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According to Verizon's website: "If usage exceeds 5 GB/line/month, we reserve the right to reduce throughput speeds to a maximum of approximately 200 Kbps." I read that to mean they will screw with you at their whim and usually when you need the Internet the most, like when a new post shows up at the BOTD section. ZM |
How about using free 802.11 access. Just drop into any Holiday Inn Express and go to the lounge area, get a cup of coffee while your laptop boots up and surf away. Most chain motels have free wireless access. I did not sty in a Holiday In Express last night either...
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I have sold literally hundreds of these cards and data plans and only once did I ever see anyone who hit that wall; he was an over the road trucker who played online poker like 7-9 hours a day, 6 days a week. |
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I use Slingbox with my wireless connection .. I can do 1-2 GIGs in a single sit down .. when ATT says unlimited they mean it. you can do ATT pay per use < no cintract > by setting up a PYP and adding the 19.99 media net .. total 50 a month. no contract,,, down side is you need to get the card of ebay or somewhere like that .. edit: if you can get a sim card <ebay > go here to activate your phone.. < select "pick your plan " .. > get the lowest " Pick your plan " 29.99 add 19.99 unlimited media net and presto.. you never talk to anyone.. www.wireless.att.com/activations/?source=%20IC9301j13g0n5500&WT.mc_id=IC9301j13g0n5500 edit again : good luck getting anyone on the store to help you doing it this way as it gives them no commission . after your done change the APN from isp.cingular to wap.cingular and your set . |
even better google "backtrack 2 ".. and go to town . 
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bank I do helpdesk for uses Sprint aircards for some employees one user I was working with had connection speeds worse than dialup took over an hour to download 2 exe files that were less than 10 megs combined (a little over 4mb a piece) maybe she was just in a shitty area |
I have a cingular wireless internet card for work and the speed varies greatly.. Idont know the nomenclature, but assuming normal DSL speed is 1,500 something or another.. I have gotten speeds as low as 14.4 at my house, and up to 1,000 while in Nashville.. On average if you get 200 to 300 from my experience.. good luck Brian |
This is what I'm getting with Verizon. I am very happy with it. |
I ended up getting a Verizon 595 AirCard. I'm real pleased with it. Faster than I expected. Runs Pandora streaming internet radio all over Monsoon Central with few drops. ZM |