Hot News !!!

Internet Access is Changing

Your Conventional Choices:

Dialup: 26K to 56K ($20 -$24 per Month)

DSL: Typically 300K, up to 900K ($40 per month) (Commercial $125 and up)

Cable: Typically 400-900K during prime time and up to 1.44 MB during non peak (Residentual $52 per month) (Commercial $100 per month)

DirecWay Satellite: Typically 300K transfer, Equivelant to DSL. ($60 per month) Equipment costs typically $500 Good for a business or residential customer where Cable or DSL is not available. A higher speed commercial service is available. Latency (delay) is noticable when first requesting a web page or file.

Wireless from Cell Sites: 70K from Verizon (called CDMA2000 1XRTT, also called 2.5G service), 40K from Nextel ($35 up, depending on data transfer or minutes, and $80 per month unlimited (Verizon) for residential or business)

New Right Now:

Wireless Hotspots: typically up to 1.44 MB ($40 per month) This is a real deal if you live or work near a Hot Spot. The cost of the 802.11b card is typically only $60. Service is presently provided by Verizon, StarBucks, and soon McDonalds in most of their service areas.

Coming Very Soon:

Cellular Wireless 1XEV-DO from Verizon (also called 3G). You will get up to 2.4Ghz transfer speed, far faster than DSL or Cable, from any Cell Site in their network for surfing power. The cost is $80 per month unlimited service for individuals or business and you need only one account to move from home to office or anywhere along the road. This service is based on CDMA2000 which means the cellular network and all the cell phones in that network are now using IP, the Internet Protocol, even for voice communications.

Previous models of 1X phones are compatible with 1XEV-DO, and if you were disappointed with only 70K wireless, your phone will now provide true 3G service. Simply use the cable adapter between your phone and the USB port of your computer. The PCMCIA card will do the same, but you loose the flexibility of using the phone for normal cellular calls. You can still use your phone to make or answer calls while surfing over your wireless connection.

Is it time to cut the cord with DSL and Cable? It sure looks like it.