07/ 25/ 2006
Business owners who are laptop computer-dependent have grown savvy about where they can find the closest wireless Internet (often called wi-fi) access. If lucky, you can find a friendly merchant or governmental agency (parks and libraries in some towns) that will provide you free wi-fi. Companies like T-Mobile have developed multi-city wireless networks that allow customers to access their systems for one-time, multi-day or monthly fees.
However, if you're a heavy wireless user and can justify fees of around $70 per month, you may want to look into the wireless broadband Internet access now being offered by cellular telephone companies.
More than likely, your current cell-phone provider has a product that will allow you to use your laptop anywhere in their nationwide coverage area at speeds of up to two to three times faster than dial-up. It works just like a cell phone, so that rather than having to sit in one place to have wireless access to the Internet—like a coffee shop, for example—you can be in a moving car (but please not while driving!).
To make the service work, you must purchase equipment that is fairly simple to find and install. Some newer laptops come configured to support access to a cellular network (called Evolution Data Only or Evolution Data Optimized and referred to as EV-DO, pronounced E-V-D-O). You can purchase an EV-DO card that will fit into a slot or USB port on your laptop. Some newer phones offer an EV-DO feature that allows you to connect your computer to the phone and use it to access broadband Internet service.
Be sure to check for coverage and availability in the cities where you'll be using it the most since the coverage is still rolling out nationwide. Also, do the math: It may seem expensive to use EV-DO, but if you often find yourself paying for Internet access at airports and hotels, the cost may be easy to justify.
For more information, visit www.EVDOinfo.com.
