Laptop "Air Card" ... What Do You Know?

tw · 01-21-2012, 08:42 PM

Early cards were nothing more than dialup modems that connected via a cell phone. Early Sprint cards were only dialup. One current example is Cricket.

Recently two technologies (that have been in development for almost ten years) finally arrived - WiMax and LTE. WiMax and LTE are the equivalent of broadband. Were only supposed to be available on 4G towers. But some 3G towers have it. Keep in mind that some AT&T towers are only 2G. Any tower without WiMax or LTE will revert to a 'dialup' type connection. Although Verizon has been aggressive in what appears to be a superior implementation of LTE.

Some providers also offer WiFi from their towers. WiFi only provides direct internet access in small hot spots. The scope of WiFi implementations is unknown.

WiFi hot spots are illegal in about 50% of the states (ie Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Nevada, Nebraska, Missouri ...) except by incumbent telecoms (or in some locations, the power company). Part of an effort after 2000 by Michael Powell, et al to restrict internet providers to a select few who were also major campaign donors. Intended to subvert growth of Earthlink's WiFi implementation in a few select urban cities for the benefit of companies such as Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, etc. And to undermine the 1996 Federal Communication Act.

01-21-2012, 08:42 PM	#9
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	Early cards were nothing more than dialup modems that connected via a cell phone. Early Sprint cards were only dialup. One current example is Cricket. Recently two technologies (that have been in development for almost ten years) finally arrived - WiMax and LTE. WiMax and LTE are the equivalent of broadband. Were only supposed to be available on 4G towers. But some 3G towers have it. Keep in mind that some AT&T towers are only 2G. Any tower without WiMax or LTE will revert to a 'dialup' type connection. Although Verizon has been aggressive in what appears to be a superior implementation of LTE. Some providers also offer WiFi from their towers. WiFi only provides direct internet access in small hot spots. The scope of WiFi implementations is unknown. WiFi hot spots are illegal in about 50% of the states (ie Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Nevada, Nebraska, Missouri ...) except by incumbent telecoms (or in some locations, the power company). Part of an effort after 2000 by Michael Powell, et al to restrict internet providers to a select few who were also major campaign donors. Intended to subvert growth of Earthlink's WiFi implementation in a few select urban cities for the benefit of companies such as Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, etc. And to undermine the 1996 Federal Communication Act. Last edited by tw; 01-21-2012 at 08:47 PM.

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