News: Computer Hardware for Small Business

Verizon Broadband Wireless

Fast, reliable EV-DO speed

by Keith R. Wheeler

2/8/2006

Broadband internet access has reached a respectable penetration rate in both the residential and commercial markets. The next logical demand for high-speed internet would then be everywhere else. With inexpensive notebook computers offering high-end computing power with super-sized storage and lots of fast RAM, the only computing need not being supplied by an off-the-shelf notebook is access to the online world when you’re not at Starbucks or Panera. Enter Verizon’s BroadbandAccess service. Based on a new technology fitted to Verizon’s cellular tower infrastructure, EV-DO allows data speeds at a realistic 400-700kbps. That’s not as fast as a T-1, but it’s as fast as many DSL lines. Just add a Verizon EV-DO card starting at $49.99 with contract and unlimited wireless broadband service can be yours for $59.99/month. The service is available in 181 metropolitan areas across the United States. The service works very well in the Chicago area. For the most part, any location where a decent voice signal on Verizon’s network was available, the wireless card picked up a high-speed signal, EVDO. When traveling outside of the Chicago BroadbandAccess area, communication is handled with EV-DO’s predecessor, 1XRTT which is much slower (approximately 70kbps). Responsive has been evaluating the Verizon service and is impressed with the results. There are times when the call will drop, usually after extended online sessions. However, most of those sessions wouldn’t have ever taken place without the BroadbandAccess service in the first place. This week’s articles were all researched, written, and posted while online with this recommended Verizon service.