Cell phone internet for laptops

[ginko]

I never knew they had this, hook your cell phone up to your laptop for wireless 56k connection anywhere(47 countries).

One website said it cost 4.5cents for a minute. That's like an hour an a half for 4 bucks. That's CHEAP!

Anyone try this or use it now? Looks interesting if the connection is stable...

[icepick]

(disclaimer: I work for a wireless phone company)

There's two ways of doing data via cell phone, for lack of better terms data over sound, and data over data.

Data-over-sound is old, and slow, it basically turns your phone into a modem. Slow, like 9600 bps max slow. It's my understanding this is billed per minute, just like if you were making a voice call.

Data-over-data (be it GPRS, EDGE, EV0, or whatever) is faster, depending on the technology used. This is billed per megabyte transfered.

I've used GPRS and EDGE extensively. It's very stable if you're stationary. Moving it is still stable, but not perfect.

The big problem I have with it is it's latency, IE your ping time. It's not uncommon for 1000+ ms ping times. So everything will be laggy.

[ginko]

Cool info, TY