Anyone using a Blackberry 8130 or wireless broadband card???

Polk user

I'm dropping my VoIP phone at home and moving the phone number to a cell phone with Verizon. I also want to drop my internet access at home and go with either an 8130 or a wireless modem for my laptop. Anyone have any experience with either?

movtarget

I haven't checked in about a year, but initially, Verizon was restrictive in using a cell phone in 'tether mode' (where you gain access to high speed internet data by hooking a cable from your PC to your cell phone, some newer models may even support bluetooth connectivity). If you used it or the Verizon aircard agressively, they would shut you down for use outside the agreement, but the agreement was really not clear.

Sprint had no real restrictions on tethering or excessive usage, and specifically promoted their aircard solution as 'truly unlimited'.

I'm currently using both (a Verizon aircard and a Sprint Aircard), and have had great success with coverage, even in the mountains of NC (Asheville area). Almost 90% of the data services for both Verizon and Sprint have been upgraded to REV A, which is the equivalent of DSL or Cable 'lite' versions. Not quite full-bore, but very adequate for general usage.

Additionally, I've used the Sprint card in a Broadband router that supports aircards, so the the aircard/router combination works just like Cablemodem/router combo, and can be shared by multiple PCs.

I've got about 40 Verizon aircards in use at work, and about 15 Sprint aircards (reporters and news trucks/vans). Only complaints are typical of any cellular coverage... there's places where you ain't got none.

Movtarget in NC