Anybody use an internet card for their laptop?

[L8 Braker]

I am completely clueless about these things, but want to get one, and I have a few questions...

--Who provides service?...Your phone company?...Cable company?...Other?
--How much do they cost?
--What is monthly cost for service?
--Can you buy used?
--Other stuff I'm forgetting

Any help would be greatly appreciated, so thanks in advance

[Homeslice]

I use Sprint. I got the USB stick instead of a card because it's more versatile, you can tether it to a cord and position it somewhere else for better reception. It's probably going to run you $60/mo.

[Cutty72]

When I'm home and traveling I have tethering for my BB. I hook up a cord from phone to computer and I have interwebz. Additional $15~ a month on the black berry internet plan if I remember right.

[Particle Man]

When I travel I use a Verizon Wireless card... It works pretty well but it's expensive (it's expensed through work but I always get to hear how $$$ it is)

[tommymac]

Are there a lot of hotspots out there now where you may not necessarily need one?

[Bluestreak]

You're talking about an Air Card.

These are usually purchased from your celular provider. AT&T, Verizon etc...

Verizon is about $60 a month for unlimited data service.

Sometimes you can get the card for free. Depends on their promotions at the time. Everyone you talk to will likely recommend getting the USB air card. That way if you get a new laptop, you don't have to worry about getting a PCMCIA card slot. USB is universal.

Or, you could just get a data phone and tether like Cutty. You just can't talk on the phone and surf the web at the same time. Your phone gets magicly tranformed into an internet modem. Best part of this setup is, you now have internet on your phone too!

Sometimes you can buy the modem's used, but I'm not sure I'd recommend that. You don't know what some hacker could have done to it.

[anthonyk]

I haven't used one, but to answer the first question, what I think you're talking about gives you internet access through a cell phone company.

[Dave]

heh i thought you meant pcmcia wifi card. I tend to forget im the only guy who internets on obsolete equipment

[Cutty72]

Originally Posted by Bluestreak

You're talking about an Air Card.

These are usually purchased from your celular provider. AT&T, Verizon etc...

Verizon is about $60 a month for unlimited data service.

Sometimes you can get the card for free. Depends on their promotions at the time. Everyone you talk to will likely recommend getting the USB air card. That way if you get a new laptop, you don't have to worry about getting a PCMCIA card slot. USB is universal.

Or, you could just get a data phone and tether like Cutty. You just can't talk on the phone and surf the web at the same time. Your phone gets magicly tranformed into an internet modem. Best part of this setup is, you now have internet on your phone too!

Sometimes you can buy the modem's used, but I'm not sure I'd recommend that. You don't know what some hacker could have done to it.

Oh yeah forgot to mention that part.
Incoming call means internet stops as soon as you answer, but is restored when you hang up.
You can txt while on the internet however.