EVDO Wireless Cards

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Has anyone used one of these? If so, I'd like to hear any suggestions for optimizing the experience. The device fits into the card slot standard on most notebooks, and is, for all intents and purposes, a cell phone without a keypad or face plate (just a small antenna block that protrudes about one inch from the side of the computer). When you're in an EVDO coverage area, you get fast DSL speed wireless, and when in "regular" cell coverage, it runs at anywhere from 56k speed to 150k or so (faster than dial-up, but not by much). Many major cities are now EVDO, many mid-sized are cutting over soon(Pensacola in July, for example).

I've been using this thing for several days, and it seems better than dial-up, but a tad slower than when I was cabling to my old cell phone to use it as a modem. BTW, I work in New Orleans where only recently have comms returned to near normal.

Again, anyone have any experiences or recommendations for tweaking this thing?

The neat thing is that although I had to buy the card and a new phone (old one died, this is what prompted the trip to Alltel...), my total monthly service cost remains the same (including a new phone # for the card). Bye-bye Earthlink! In less than four months, cutting Earthlink out will pay for the card!
 
How much IS your service? Sounds nifty....

Seems like the cost is always the rub for me. I support a gaggle of girls on my income only, new house, new car, medical bills, food, cable, power, water, gas oh gas, NG, cable, trash, sewer, insurance, taxes x 12, registration, homeowner dues, school dues,........I never have $3 to eat out with. So I'm gonna get something like that? Not essential. Oh sorry.
 
Oh Pablo, I hear you friend, and I feel your pain. Three kids, wife, dog, cat -- I sleep with my wallet tucked inside my PJs. . .

The cost sounds a tad worse than it is -- at least in my situation. The unlimited time option is $60 per month (which I was already paying to have the high-speed data option on the old cell). Of course, I'll be recouping the $20 or so I was paying to Earthlink.* Since I've decided that I'll use this service initially as my connectivity when I return to my law practice later this year, the expense will be deductible, meaning in essence that it really costs about 1/3 less than it appears on the surface. AND, I won't be paying for a cable or DSL line into the office, as I thought I would have to (I guess I already am...).

*When I returned to NOLA in November, we had no phone service in the rooms on base. The cell network was clobbered, resulting in very slow or no service. After Christmas, my room phone came back on, so I ordered EL dial-up to have another choice when cell was bad. If I really wanted to go ultimate cheap, I'd just use EL, but since I can use EVDO as my office internet, that tipped me to this option. Plus, cell now works a lot better here.
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I hope you're talking about a Sprint EVDO card. If so, BUY IT. It will help secure my job, and bonus next year. Also, if you do buy it, never leave, and never call Customer Care (this will also help me).

In all honestly, I help test the network, but I never get to play with the gadgets:( I have never used one.
 
Ahhh, sorry kk, it's a "UT Starcom" card peddled by Alltel. . . And don't forget, "all work and no play. . ." Not a good thing.
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