Tetherless Wireless

TolkiEinstein writes "Here's an interesting tidbit from the NY Times on Verizon's new EV-DO network they've dubbed simply, BroadbandAccess Plan. A mere $80/mo. gets you wireless access over Verizon's 3G network at "giddy" speeds of 400-700 kbps. True, that's not exactly breakneck, compared to my 2800-3400 kbps desktop connection. But, the fact that it's hotspot-free (tetherless) wireless access from major metropolitan areas should count for something. One negative is slow upload speeds of around 100 kbps."

Comments

Verizon EVDO compared to Covad DSL in n. Virginia

[expo1892]

Okay, here's an hour and a half of research into my bandwidth (on a Saturday morning):

• Verizon PC 5220 card, no booster antenna: 158 kbps
  • 7 trials
  • high 677, low 39
  • standard deviation 216 kbps
• Verizon PC 5220 card, with booster antenna: 485 kbps
  • 7 trials
  • high 772, low 51
  • standard deviation 292 kbps
• Covad DSL: 472 kpbs
  • 7 trials
  • high 607, low 381
  • standard deviation 74 kbps

The Verizon PC 5220 card is in a PowerBook. The Covad DSL is plugged into a Power Mac. The laptop performance was measured lying in bed, next to my sleeping wife.

Coverage is pretty good for me. My wife drove us from north Alexandria to Fair Oaks Mall out in Fairfax, I was surfing the web all the way.

Yeah, the slow upload won't let you run a server, but lots of companies provide webhosting, some for little money. Works for me.

Notes:

1. I researched and bought the EVDO plan at http://www.evdoinfo.com/.
2. Bandwidth was measured using "CNET.com - Internet Services - BandWidthMeter Results" ( http://reviews.cnet.com/Bandwidth_meter/7004-7254_ 7-0.html, 2005-06-25T07:40/P1H).
3. Calculation of standard deviation was done at http://invsee.asu.edu/srinivas/stdev.html.

(end notes)

Wife's in the shower. Time to go make French Toast now!