Where is it available besides Verizon? Any recommendations or opinions would be greatly appreciated...
Both Verizon and Sprint have EVDO networks. Sprint just announced that they are expanding their networks even more. They have pretty good coverage already. I have a Sprint PPC-6700 phone and am able to watch TV in my car (through my Slingbox) all the way from home to work. That's from Beltway@290W to Beltway@59S. I just got the phone so haven't been able to check coverage in many other places. But I get around 300-600kbps speeds off this thing. I can use it as a modem for my laptop too. All this for $15 a month.
As far as cell phone providers providing wireless internet, ive heard sprint and verizon are the way to go. the cingular EDGE and other new technology is far behind... and tmobile is by far the worst http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-11288_7-5664933-4.html?tag=nav
Or you could just get a wireless cardbus adapter and ride around town looking for open signals... ...not that I've done.... that... ...before. (Don't worry, now I just use it at home, or in a free wi-fi hotspot.)
Don't go with Cingular. Got their data plan a few weeks ago, and so far, the speed is very slow. Not only that, the 'phone as a modem' is an extra charge per month. What a rip.
how mcuh are the verizon data plans? And do you have to use their broadband phones or can you use their smaller phones as a modem via bluetooth?
to teather (use phone as a modem) is 59.99 a month. It is expensive to use a phone as a modem with verizons EVDO.
Sprint has the fastest and most affordable plans. They have a $15 unlimited plan for the phone and a $25 plan for tethering (use as modem). The $25 is only for 10MB though so I would go for the $40 unlimited plan, which is for the phone and tethering. I have the Sprint PPC-6700 phone, however, and they are unable to detect usernames on there. So I essentially can get the $15 dollar plan and tether for free. Not that... I... would do... that.
