I've had great luck with t-mobile over the last 1.5 years. They recently revamped their access plans to include a nationwide $29.95/month (annual contract) unlimited time/data plan. This is a step up from the previous regional plans.

I've had no issues with tech support and have (luckily) not experienced any password/authentication issues aside from the occasional failed T1.

The hotspot service has been very useful to me - either at Starbucks or the Admiral's clubs. I also use Boingo for those places that aren't covered by T-mobile. I'm on the road/out of the office quite a bit, and the ability to instantly sync up email and grab files without looking for a slow modem port is essential.

T-Mobile has worked out well for me.

Oh, to answer your questions flyingscots, you need a WiFi (802.11b) network adapter in your laptop. T-Mobile is wireless, so if you have the network adapter, you simply navigate to any web page. If you are not authenticated to the service, the access point will redirect you to the login/sign up page.

Speeds are essentially T1 speeds - depending on the site you are hitting, and the number of people you are sharing the access point with.

You should first try out the service with a prepay plan. No obligations, and if you aren't happy, you are only out $50.

Good luck.

[This message has been edited by msilano (edited 03-26-2003).]