Travel Technology - Cellular broadband access instead of DSL at home?

Anyone here using a cellular access card as a full-time internet connection, instead of DSL or Cable modem? if it works, I could get rid of my verizon copper and DSL and save about $35/month. (Plus I could dump my office internet line for even more savings).

But is 5GB enough?

And are there any gotcha's?

If you only browse internet and check your email 5gb should be more then enough. However, if you need to download music or large files or stram music, it will not work for you. Also the latency is very high on all mobile broadband connections.

I use Sprint mobile broadband card, but not instead of my office or home internet. I use it when I am on the road or my isp is down.

the problem is, some jerk or outside company is going to send you a couple of gigabites uninvited.

i do not have text mail, but every now and then somebody sends me one, and ATT downloads it to my phone. i get a bill for it. the only way to get my money back is to call ATT billing and get it removed.

It depends on your usage patterns, need for speed, and location. I can get 2MB/sec at home with my AT&T aircard, but only 500Kbps at some work locations. If 5GB per month is a throughput limit, I up/downloaded about 500MB just yesterday, though I was moving some pretty large files around.

For email, web, etc, as long as you have decent speed, it may be a viable option. But I know that my cable service is cheaper than my aircard, unless you're contemplating just giving up cable and keeping an existing service you're already paying for.

Yes, depends on location. I am in a rural area where the choices are a T1 line at $350 per month, dial up at 20kbps, satellite, a wireless ISP using unlicensed frequencies, or now the 3G cellular networks. I am seeing quite a few folks switching to the cellular connection. It is working quite for them so far.

Just keep in mind, certain service that require "always up" service would not
work with wireless broadband. VoIP won't work well (or not at all)

At least until ATT closes the loophole, you can get unlimited data for $20/month:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10359382&postcount=23

http://www.pocketables.net/2008/06/how-to-get-att.html

It depends on your usage patterns, need for speed, and location. I can get 2MB/sec at home with my AT&T aircard, but only 500Kbps at some work locations. If 5GB per month is a throughput limit, I up/downloaded about 500MB just yesterday, though I was moving some pretty large files around.

For email, web, etc, as long as you have decent speed, it may be a viable option. But I know that my cable service is cheaper than my aircard, unless you're contemplating just giving up cable and keeping an existing service you're already paying for.

I have the Cingular 50GB plan for my laptop at work. It is much better than relying on hotspots when on the road, but it is far too slow to be a substitute for broadband at home.

It is fine for sending emails, and doing basic browsing, but it is way to slow for downloading files or streaming even poor quality video. Even with a strong signal, email can get tied up for quite a while if ending or receiving a big-ish file (few MB).

It could work as the least bad option if you don't have cable or DSL as an option - though I thought that sattelite had already filled that gap.

I use wireless broadband at home, for when I lose cable Internet (which isn't that often). I've purchased a Cradlepoint router with an Ethernet jack, and can swich my entire lan over to Sprint if I have to :D

is there any free software that will record my usage for a week/month

I have no idea if I am already using too much to use the mobile option or not ,

and I figure in the future I willl use more and not less....

Rally

http://www.shaplus.com/bandwidth-meter/

I enjoy having my computer (a Mac and a PC) tethered to my Blackberry (Verizon Pearl) when I'm traveling. But I doubt I'd give up my home connection. I travel 50% of the time and, although I spend a lot of money for a service I don't use often, it's nice having that fast connection at home. It makes it easier to get new music or new books from Audible for when I'm on the road.

As was mentioned in other portions of this thread you have to worry about usages patterns - do you use VoIP? do you download music or video? What size files do you share that are work related?

is there any free software that will record my usage for a week/month

I have no idea if I am already using too much to use the mobile option or not ,

and I figure in the future I willl use more and not less....

Rally

Both Windows and Mac record the bandwidth in their respective network setting for each time you restart your computer. Maybe not the easiest to keep track of though it is there.

As far as making the switch, I think it is still too slow, at least compared to Cable or FiOS. If DSL is your only other option then I say you may be better off making the switch, assuming you have a strong 3G signal. However I know that I eat through 5GB a few times a week. Downloading a movie on iTunes for example is about 1GB.

Anyone considering Sprint mobile broadband should keep in mind that they will be discontinuing PCS Mail at the end of the year, so you’ll have to provide your own SMTP server, or use something like Gmail.

As an aside, I’m continuing to experience very slow upload speeds, even in Rev A areas with a good signal. In some instances I’ve had to rely on the hotel’s WiFi to upload data to my FTP site.

I use mobile broadband in the UK as my primary internet access. £15 gets me 3GB that's good for 30 days.

Speed wise it's fast enough - though things can change over a very short distance (think desk to window).

In terms of bandwith 3GB is more than adequate for even the heaviest user of the 'net - unless you start downloading vast amounts of music, using p2p applications, or attacking the videos.

The best thing about it is the convenience as much as anything. Notwithstanding the variable signal quality I've basically got internet whenever, wherever.

If you have a wireless router that can accept 3G models that is one thing. Otherwise, I would do some reasearch into whether you want to be sitting 6 inches away from your laptop with a cellular receiver on - and radiating - for extended periods of time.

This is something that people havent throught about much but with your phone you have it on briefly, not the long periods that you would be exposed if the 3G card is the only internet connection you have.

But if you can move that receiver a bit futher away via a modem, maybe that is a bit safer.

No one will really know about this for a long time, but you dont want to be on the wrong side of the answer.

<SNIP> If you have a wireless router that can accept 3G models that is one thing. Otherwise, I would do some reasearch into whether you want to be sitting 6 inches away from your laptop with a cellular receiver on - and radiating - for extended periods of time.
If that’s a concern, a magnet mount external antenna (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3088300) would accomplish the same thing while being easier to pack (just not in the laptop bag).

Just stick it on the metal housing of the HVAC unit in your hotel room so you have a ground plane, or a cookie sheet at home.

WiMAX is coming to many places in the U.S. from Clearwire and Sprint. They bought up the MMDS licenses from the old MCI and Sprint systems. Many places such as Lubbock, TX and Stockton, CA are already covered.

I have a Sprint EVDO card but coverage is poor at home.

I would also recommend checking the TOS (Terms of Service) for your wireless broadband provider. I know that VZW at least use to say that it could not be used as your "primary provider". I have heard of people who used it as such getting nasty-grams from VZW for hitting the tower near their billing address too frequently....