Set up my Verizon national-access wireless-internet plan today

[MicroBob]

This is not an endorsement for Verizon specifically.
I don't know if it's any good or not because I haven't done anything on it yet.
Cingular is out there as are a couple of other plans.

Just relating my experience so far because I suspect there are many people who are interested in this stuff.

Verizon is running TV advertisements for their national-access unlimited internet packages.

It's $59.99/mth IF you already have a Verizon voice-plan (meaning your cell is with Verizon).

It's $79.99/mth otherwise (as is the case for me...but I may switch to Verizon by Jan 5 for phone-service if all goes well to get the internet price cut-down to $59.99).


I also had to purchase a wireless network-access card.
He recommended the Kyocera KPC650 which also has a little external antenna. Costs $150 if you get the 2-year broadband/national access plan.


There are a couple of cheaper cards...including one for $49 which was their very first card but that one doesn't even get the broadband access because it's so old.


Anyway - the cust-serv rep was VERY helpful and mentioned that he's been selling quite a few of these lately (I told him it's because of the TV spots they've started running for this).


The digital cell-phone coverage area is pretty good in the Eastern half of the U.S. (they have coverage maps on the website).

Anywhere you can get Verizon digital-service you can get the internet-service which will usually be approx. 2x the speed of dial-up (which is plenty for playing online-poker...I play on regular dial-up all the time).

In the major cities you will have broadband speed...but this isn't available in Memphis yet.
No problem...probably moving in May or June anyway so maybe our new location will have it (initial plans to move to one of our favorite cities, New Orleans, have now been cancelled obviously).


I get a 15-day free-trial to see if I like it and how it works.

Obviously drop-outs are the primary concern for me.
Tdarko says he takes his with him throughout his travels. when he is in an area where he would normally have a decent cell-phone signal he doesn't have drop-out problems for the most part. He has a different plan than Verizon though I believe but I suspect it's mostly the same (no matter how much each one will tell you that they have the BEST coverage in america, blah blah blah).


There is also a concern about whether Verizon will get upset if you are on non-stop. but this is for purposes of running a server or a web-cam or something that they would have a problem.
They can terminate your service at any time if they think you are using it to host a web-site (or something like that).

but I think that even up to 10-15 hours a day surfing and internet-poker type usage would not fall into their range of problem-areas.
They teminate your internet-connection after a few minutes of non-usage anyway.

So probably they won't be as happy if you are a hard-core overnight-type data-miner on the party tables for example (which I am not).


I'm really looking forward to getting it and then purposefully going out of my way to play in a park or some area where I would not normally have internet access.


If I like it enough after the 15-day trial-period then I will be cancelling my stupid dial-up service and just using it as my primary (and also using my WiFi card when in such an area).


I especially like the idea of not paying $8-10/day for wireless service in an airport or a hotel or some other hotspot that only allows specific services (like TMobil at Starbucks) as seems to be a growing trend.

And if we happen to move to one of the markets that have the broadband access (and they should hopefully be adding more) then I will hopefully be doing even better speed-wise.

We're likely taking a road-trip at end of Sept up to Wash DC and then over to Cumberland, MD/Keyser, WV area (to visit my grandmother).
The thought of getting to play poker on the internet while we're heading up there is particularly appealing to me.

We'll see how good the coverage is...as we will be travelling through some areas that definitely won't have digital-cell service at all (especially Western Maryland and West Virginia). But for most of the trip I expect it should work pretty well.


Hope this info helps some of those who are looking to become even more portable with their computers like I am.

[Uglyowl]

I look forward to hearing your report.

It is an interesting piece of technology. Not one that intersts me at $79/month, as I would not need it that much. Don't travel really or spend alot of time away.

Like every piece of technology though it gets better and cheaper and love to hear about it.

On my way to Vegas, Boston has paid internet (did not buy) and Las Vegas (McCaren) and Long Beach had free internet service which was great especially with a 2.5 hour delay at Vegas going home.

[marsvolta619]

i work for best buy and trust me, if you get it from there you'll get the card for $99. The service itself is awesome. Unlimited broadband access kicks ass.

[krishanleong]

My wife and I have a similar thing through sprint. It works well.

Krishan

[Slacker13]

MicroBob, I was just looking into this today but didn't get enough information. Could you actually be driving in a car and use your laptop as long as your travelling through hot areas?

[Smackdab]

Very interested in hearing your report on this Bob. I live in a rural area with no access to cable or DSL conection. I currently have Direcway but want to dump it as soon as my current contract expires. As I am currently a Verizon wireless customer so the cost is comparable but Verizon's plan gives me the flexibility of access from anywhere.

I already have wireless card on my laptop although not the antenae type. I have no problems with signal on my home or business networks. Hoefully, I won't have to upgrade wireless cards.

[teddyFBI]

Thanks very much (as always) for your detailed post(s)

[Voltron87]

do you have any idea what kind of bandwidth this gets?

[awr000]

I have had this service for 9 months or so. In Dallas-Fort Worth which is one of the EVDO broadband cities. I get anywhere from 100kbps to 500kbps depending on location. I haven't tried it anywhere where I've had to drop down to the 1xRTT service which should be 70-90kbps.

I'm very pleased with this service. It is high bandwidth but has fairly high latency. 200-300ms pings to most places.

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Could you actually be driving in a car and use your laptop as long as your travelling through hot areas?

[/ QUOTE ]


It will pick up either the broadband (available in select large markets) OR the digital cell-phone signal.

For me in Memphis I'm just picking up the digital-cell signal...which gives me internet-access at 2x the speed of regular dial-up for the most part (sometimes worse if you are further away from the cell-tower or there is heavy-usage).

Basically...any playce where you get Verizon digital cell-phone coverage you have internet-access.
So yes...you can be in your car on the highway....or on the beach...or wherever. As long as you have the digital cell-phone service (which is getting closer and closer to being just about anywhere you could regular cell-phone service).

when I got to my grandmother's in Keyser, WV I'll be out of luck. No digital cell-phone service there.
Same would go for anyplace remote enough where you just don't get any bars on your cell-phone for a signal (for the most part)


but when I'm in Washington DC or Atlanta or somethere then I can be anywhere in the city have full hi-speed broadband...and this would be ANYWHERE within the city.
And then once I leave the city (if I'm riding in a car for example) I'll stay connected...but at some point I won't have broadband hi-speed anymore and I'll just be back to digital-cell speed.


So what I'm getting is the combo package.
Broadband Access and Digital Access.
Broadband in select large markets.
Digital in most of the country.