Have you tried Sprint?
Posted By: I use it. on 2009-03-07
In Reply to: Help -- I need alternatives to dial-up - in the boonies
Sprint offers wireless broadband too. I have an unlimited plan for $60 a month and I use just over 5 GB per month working full-time. In addition, I also watch all my TV shows online, so I am sure that accounts for a lot of my usage as well. They have a map on their site so you can see if you are in their covered area. It is very reliable (have been using it for a year now with no outages ever) and faster than DSL if you are in an area with a good signal. When I signed up, they did offer a 30-day trial period where you could cancel without penalty. A plus is that I can no go anywhere and have internet, so when I go to visit family, I just take my work with me.
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I love the Sprint commercial where Donnie Osman is talking to Sprint guy
and says now he can call all his relatives so on and so on and Tito. Then Sprint guy says Donnie doesn't have a Tito in his family. So funny. A play on Michael Jackson's family. I love the Sprint guy anyway.
Can you get Sprint? sm
Sprint has unlimited usage per month for the same price as the 5MB plans from Verizon and AT&T. Go to www.evdoinfo.com, and there is information about how much usage 5MB is. The audio files for transcription are basically the same (as far as usage) as any other audio file like a music download. If you do decide to go this route, the online store associated with that site is incredible and can assist you with any information you need, even before you buy anything. I have had mine for just over a month now and would never go back to dial-up 
Both Sprint and Earthlink have
"air" cards that allow you to go wireless provided you are in their service area. The service is about $50/mo I think and then you have to buy the card. I think the card is about $200, but they have deals sometimes where if you commit to 1 or 2 years that you get the card for free. You can probably go to the websites of both companies to check to see if you have service in your area.
We also have a service in my area called Clearwire. They have a modem that you plug into an outlet and you can take it and plug it in and get service anywhere within range. They have different levels of service, similar to DSL, where the faster the download the more the $$. I think the cheapest package is $25/mo. They may have the same service under a different name in other areas.
We also ran into this problem, but it was with Sprint. sm
My "unlimited" LD was $19 a month (plus taxes), but was of course limited. They offered me a small business for about $50 a month, with completely unlimited. So I just switched my LD from the main line, saved $19 there, and it cost about $30 extra a month (of course there are always extra taxes). However, they also wanted to switch my DSL, which runs $50 a month, and would have changed that to $80 a month. I said no, thanks, don't use it that much (since I use a C-phone). It costs a little extra, but no one should bother you again about limiting you "unlimited" LD. Life is complicated out here, but not impossible. Good luck.
Ack, Sprint that is, NOT Spring...nm
z
I use Sprint & have it through a router sm
My Sprint USB card is in my husband's PC, connected to a Linksys router and then to mine with Ethernet cables. You just have to run the internet connection sharing wizard on XP. I've been using this for almost 2 weeks now and absolutely love it. Also, Verizon has a cap on how much bandwidth you can use each month (5 GB) and you have to pay for overages. Sprint has unlimited usage for the same amount per month ($60). If you have any questions about it, I can give you the website where I purchased my equipment. My e-mail is pixie.chick@earthlink.net.
Sprint Air cards
I agree with the above poster, however, I know that when I visited North Carolina a little over a year ago, my cell phone coverage was terrible. The thing to remember with air cards whether they be from Sprint, Verizon or Cingular is that the speed that you get with using one of these is very dependent on how close you are to a cell tower. I have the USB air card from Sprint and can use it with either my desktop or my laptop.
air card Sprint or AT&T?
i looked at verizon and don't think i want that one. I was going to go through Sprint/Nextel, but then noticed that AT&T has a network as well. any advice? 
Sprint or Verizon
I had nothing available for my area. Even Sprint and Verizon wireless cards (you can get one for a USB, you just have to ask specifically) say that it will not work in my area. My employer let me try one of their cards and it worked great even though no signal. Verizon would still not let me purchase one being "outside" the service area even though I had one proven to work. Sprint did let me and I believe they have a 14-day guarantee that if it doesn't work you can return it. A bit expensive on the front end for devices, even with rebates, but well worth it. I have never lost a connection...even in the most rural of areas.
Still have unlimited with Sprint.
Last time I checked I was close to 6 GB, but I do watch all my TV online.
What's Sprint EVDO? (nm)
.
PC card/Verizon & Sprint ?
I don't mean to hijack the OP question, but you mentioned you use a PC card for your Internet since you live in the country. I too live in the country and do not even have cable available - only dial-up.
I recently purchased a laptop and it only came with an ExpressCard slot (which it is my understanding that laptops in the future will be built with these and not PC slots). The ExpressCards have not hit the local Verizon or Sprint stores yet but I hear they are to soon and I plan to try one. I hope to be able to drop my dial-up ISP and just use my laptop for my on-line job. I also have my own local account where I pick up tapes and deliver their transcription and I can continue to use my regular PC for that work if I choose to.
Anyway, I would really appreciate knowing how you like your "card" for connecting to the Internet and how well it works out for you. Do you know if Verizon or Sprint has more coverage area? Have you traveled much with yours to see if you are able to get connections? How reliable has this been and how fast of a connection rate do you get on average?
I sure would appreciate any info you could share regarding this. Thanks so much.
Sandi
Wireless Broadband/Sprint, etc.
Hi to everyone!
Is anyone out there using the wireless broadband, like Sprint or Verizon (not so unlimited)? I am currently using Verizon and have now found out the unlimited is not so. I have ordered Sprint and the USB modem will be here in a few days, but am now paranoid about 0ver-Use on that!
I just moved to a house in the country, with no DSL, no cable and am unsure about Wild Blue for satellite because of the start up cost and then not being satisfied.
Any country living transcriptionists out there with advice? I am in northern CA.
Thanks for any help!
Sprint Mobile Broadband sm
I have been using this service for the last 3 months or so and would never go back to dial-up. However, be aware that there is a 5GB limit per month with any of the $60/month data plans offered by Sprint (starting next month), AT&T, and Verizon. I have been checking my usage, and even with downloading a ton of songs for my son's MP3 player, work, and occasional youtube type stuff, I am averaging about 3.5GB for the month. Also, check what service has the best coverage for your area. I went with Sprint because of the unlimited package they had at the time, but since that is going away, there is no difference to me in carriers except their coverage area. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me, and I can give you the website where I purchased my equipment. They have incredible customer service and even helped me get my modem switched out when it broke (my fault but I had the total protection plan on it, only $7 per month and well worth it).
Also - new vs old Sprint for unlimited usage sm
Any new Sprint accounts as of 11/2008 are subject to the 5GB cap. From what I am understanding, accounts created before then say that they can throttle your speeds, terminate service, or charge overage fees for going over 5GB but so far have not really done so.
sprint limited usage
Do you work more than your 5GM? I just wondered since I am thinking about getting a card. I think Verizon and ATT do the same. My daughter has 5GM on her cable and she went over once, but they did not charge extra.
Thanks a lot.
Sprint advertises they have the largest coverage area. They should have
a map on their website showing coverage area. I haven't used a broadband card yet. I know someone who used a Verizon air card and they said they were able to get service everywhere they went. They were on the west coast, where it seems more reasonable that there would be a wider range of service. You can check Verizon's website for coverage area too. Another option may be for you to get dial-up at your mother's house. You can get People PC for $10.95/month, but I don't know if they require a contract. If none of the big ISPs have a local number you can get service through a small local provider and they usually do not require a contract. I have traveled extensively and have spent several weeks in some places where dial-up was the only available option at the time and even though I had an ISP they did not have local service.
Another option is to try the free trials with various ISPs if they have service in your mom's area. There is no charge is you cancel before trial period is up.
A laptop, wireless router or a card from say Sprint, good battery
you could work anywhere. Being wireless has great benefits, say if you are in the hospital, dying, why you could make a few bucks to pay for the funeral.
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