The GC83 is an EDGE-based device compatible with AT&T Wireless and Cingular networks. It includes a removable antenna and a SIM that slides into a bottom slot on the NIC. Although it installed as a standard Windows network adapter, the GC83 will not operate unless AT&T's Communication Manager client software is running, and it won't autoconnect. The card does not provide much visual feedback, but the client software offers significant configuration flexibility. EDGE performance was substantially better than GPRS, with downstream throughput averaging 100 Kbps and upstream throughput averaging 50 Kbps. Latency was better than T-Mobile's GPRS, but at 650 ms, still high by conventional network standards, though well within the service's advertised technical parameters. Available from AT&T Wireless; list price $249.99
Verizon Wireless PC 5220
I tested the PC 5220 (manufactured by Sierra Wireless) with Verizon's CDMA2000 1xRTT service in Syracuse and other locations and compared it with previous CDMA2000 EV-DO tests done in the D.C. area. The 5220 NIC has a flap antenna with an LED and sticks out more than 1 inch from the side of the laptop. The installation routine was a bit bumpy, with the card drivers wanting a USB-related DLL not found on the installation CD or my target computer-- I had to retrieve the file from my laptop to complete the installation. Although Verizon advertises typical throughput of 300 Kbps and 500 Kbps, I saw average downstream throughput of almost 600 Kbps, though upstream performance was only about 40 Kbps. Latency averaged less than 200 ms. For those who don't live in areas served by EV-DO, the card automatically falls back to 1xRTT. Although this is the same network technology offered by Sprint PCS, I consistently experienced 100 Kbps throughput upstream and downstream, with a latency of 450 ms. The only significant shortcoming: The client app must be running for it to operate. Available from Verizon; list price $149.99 --Frank Bulk
I tested Nextel's Wireless Broadband service, both as a mobile solution and as a stationary cable modem/DSL alternative, in and around my home in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) area of North Carolina this past July and August. Based on Flarion Technologies' FLASH-OFDM (Fast Low-latency Access with Seamless Handoff and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technology, the service is undergoing a limited market trial, at least through the end of this year.
Unlike other cellular data offerings, which co-exist to varying degrees with voice services, FLASH-OFDM was designed for mobile packet switched IP services. Therefore, it provides seamless mobility, high speed and low latency. The system is proprietary to Flarion, but the company is promoting its technology in various wireless standards organizations.
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