david stainback
woodstock,ga
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Joined: 06/16/2005
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We got a T-mobile air card $99.00, best money I have ever spent for the computer.I surf the net any time, any place. Cruise/surf down the road.
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1Maverick
Titusville, Florida
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Joined: 01/13/2003
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I have not read all the posts thoroughly regarding internet access via cell phone so I apologize if this topic has been already covered.
Is there any benefit in getting an antennae booster (like Smooth Talker) to increase signal strength in dark or dead signal areas. Has anyone had any experience with other type antennae boosters for cell phones? Would this be helpful in eliminating dropped calls or eliminating disconnects when on the internet?
In theory it seems very useful ----your thoughts?
Thanks in advance for your input,
Richard
2004 Diplomat with 2002 4X4 Yukon Toad or 2006 Saturn VUE V6 AWD
FMCA# F373941
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04admiral
Lake Orion, Michigan
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Joined: 05/02/2005
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I am using Nextel. It costs $45.00 per month unlimited access and no minutes off my phone. It is slow but it does work anywhere that I can get phone reception. It allow me to view and send email and to surf the web. There is no software. You just call , in my case, Motorola and they set everything up. It runs about 60 bps.
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beekay
Rowley MA
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Joined: 08/03/2004
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jflanagan wrote:Great post.
For those that haven't tried this yet, keep in mind that you cannot recieve a phone call while your phone is being used as a modem.
Now that dedicated data cards are down to $49 to $149, it might be worth picking one up.
Also, at least verizon is slowly expanding their broadband access service (which their $149 cards are forward compatible with) and it offers 300kbps-2mbps speeds. They'll probably have phones soon that are compatible with it too. They might already. But I'd rather have a pcmcia card in my laptop for $149 than tie up my cell phone.
$80/month is a lot, but verizon (and probably other carriers) have started monitoring bandwidth and have the right to shut down your data connection if they figure out you're using the phone as a modem tethered to your PC to avoid paying the $79/mo.
There is a way to use the phone as a phone and a PC hookup. I used it when I had ATT. you do not use it as a modem, instead you use the edge (or your cell providers version of this)network. There is a configuration in the phone that you will set up to do this. it is a special number (4-5 digits i think) and it is set up by the modem configuration in your phone. I could be on a confrence call while getting email. very cool.
the choice between the wireless Card for your PC or the phone modem option is really how much you will be on the road. if you are a full timer, or on the road often, or like to surf the net, you will not want to use the phone modem option, it is slow and costly (unless you have an unlimited download plan, then it is just slow). If you are an occassional user, just need to suck email, or send your email from the road, the phone modem option is good, just set it up right.
As far as Bluetooth, I think some were concerned with the distance limitation. 30 feet is pretty good. we are not talking wi-fi here, just a link between your phone and your laptop. BT is one of the best kept secrets in technology. it has been around for many years and is only now starting to get the credit it deserves. car manufacturers are now making cars BT enabled,so you dont have to have that special phone or cable to make hands free work in your car. wireless headsets are getting cheaper and the batteries are better now than just 2 years ago. my jabra headset gets 5-8 hours of talk time out of it.
bk
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beekay
Rowley MA
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Joined: 08/03/2004
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also just found out that with cingular and the media.net package, modem based calling is not offered as it was with ATT and some of the other plans, PLUS they charge you .01 cents per kilobit (8 bits to a byte) and is TOTALLY separate from the minute plan. this sucks and is very disapointing to me as i changed from ATT and did not have this issue. just wanted to close the loop for those with Cingular (do your checking before dialing in!)
bk
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brenthunt
San Diego, CA
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Joined: 08/07/2003
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VerizonWireless Broadband access using thier V620 air card for $79.99 a month and is separate from my cell phone is amazing. I get on at about 600 kbs up to 1200 kbps always here in San Diego. we're going to Lake Skinner, CA Thursday and I'll be interested at what speed, if any, I can connect.
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04admiral
Lake Orion, Michigan
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Joined: 05/02/2005
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Sounds good, but that is a fair amount of sheckles per month. Think I'll wait till it and fuel comes down a bunch in as much as I am spending more sheckles for home broadband, cable TV ....so on and so forth.
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Crabbypatty
Long Island, New York
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Joined: 02/18/2004
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I just purchased an antennae and power booster from alternativewireless.com and all I can say is I CAN HEAR YOU NOW!!!!! It is truelly amazing, living in an area with some hills and dead zone, where I have had total signal loss, I now have full bars. Yes it costs a few bucks, but I use the phone all day for business and when I travel to remote locations, this will cure the signal loss, when rving. For the TV I am using a maganetic mount this way I can switch cars with my beautiful wife, but for the TT, I mounted a Wilson Trucker up on the batwing. I needed the trucker as the roof is rubber and offered no ground plane. This way when I set up, crank up the batwing and full bars it is. Once less thing to be frustrated about when traveling.
Happy Trails.
John, Lisa & Tara">">">
2015 F250 4x4 6.2L 6 spd 3.73s, CC Short Bed, Pullrite Slide 2700, 648 Wts Solar, 4 T-125s, 2000 Watt Xantrax Inverter, Trimetric 2030 Meter, LED Lights, Hawkings Smart Repeater, Wilson Extreme Cellular Repeater, Beer, Ribs, Smoker
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Marinermark
Fort Myers, FL
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Joined: 01/23/2002
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I've been using the Susteen Data Pilot software and USB cable through Motorola V180 for 6 weeks with the Cingular 3.99/mo data plan. So far no additional charges for data services - just minutes used. With 5000 minutes after 9PM and on weekends that's no problem. I'm sending this from a campground near Albany, NH. It's not fast, but works OK most of the time. I'm going to change plans to travel in Canada for about a month. I hope that doesn't foul up my Internet access there or when I return to my present plan as I reenter U.S. mid - August.
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JAMAR
North America
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Joined: 10/10/2000
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Great information. Many thanks.... I only wish I could understand it all.....![[emoticon]](http://www.coastresorts.com/sharedcontent/cfb/images/frown.gif "frown")
use CB# 13 when in your RV. ">
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