CDMA v 802.11

Just reading about Verizon Wireless in the US offering broadband
connections frmo anywhere with a CDMA card in a laptop claiming 400k
speeds,

Questions

1) Does this use hotspots or phone masts ?

2) Can CDMA really get 400 k ?

3) What is the coverage area like ?

4) Is this broadband service also available on mobile phones ?

5) Will CDMA be a direct competitor for 802.11 or will thy co-exist
peacefully?

On 16 Jul 2005 07:02:50 -0700, "sam1967" <footballdvds@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Just reading about Verizon Wireless in the US offering broadband
>connections frmo anywhere with a CDMA card in a laptop claiming 400k
>speeds,

See:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/m...band/index.jsp

>Questions
>
>1) Does this use hotspots or phone masts ?

Cell towers. No 802.11, wi-fi, or unlicensed spectrum involved.

>2) Can CDMA really get 400 k ?

1xEV-DO. Sure. Even faster as limited by the available bandwidth.
http://www.airvananet.com/1xev/faq.shtml

However, watch out for Verizon's disclaimers. They're not going to
give you the entire cell sites bandwidth.

"Maximum possible speed varies. It declines with distance from
cell site and is limited to 1.54 Mbps at certain cell sites
with backhaul limitations. Number of users on the Verizon
Wireless BroadbandAccess network may also affect maximum possible
speed. Average upload speeds expected to be between 40-60 Kbps.
Speed claim based on our network tests with 5 MB FTP data files,
without compression. Actual throughput speed and coverage vary."

>3) What is the coverage area like ?

See above URL for list of cities with service.

>4) Is this broadband service also available on mobile phones ?

No. You need the Verizon 5220 PC Card for your laptop. It would be
nice if you could use your phone as a plugin broadband modem, but
Verizon has this aversion to people buying a flat rate plan, and then
sharing it with everyone nearby using Wi-Fi.

>5) Will CDMA be a direct competitor for 802.11 or will thy co-exist
>peacefully?

Cellular Data and Wi-Fi are currently not directly competative. The
battle will begin when you see cell phones with built in 802.11 VoIP
capeabilities. Why pay minutes to make a cell phone call when you can
do it for free at a local hot spot? Let the battle begin.

You might wanna move the question to:
news:alt.cellular.verizon
for details.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

sam1967 <footballdvds@gmail.com> wrote:
> Just reading about Verizon Wireless in the US offering broadband
> connections frmo anywhere with a CDMA card in a laptop claiming 400k
> speeds,

I don't see the word "anywhere" on the Verizon page
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/m...roadbandAccess

Tha access is limited to 30 cities, not including mine ;-)

> 1) Does this use hotspots or phone masts ?

Cellular, CDMA, EV-DO.

> 2) Can CDMA really get 400 k ?

The EV-DO can, in the rest of Verizon coverage areas, you get the National
Access plan, which IIRC is about 40Kbps.

> 3) What is the coverage area like ?

> 4) Is this broadband service also available on mobile phones ?

The high speed EVDO? No.

> 5) Will CDMA be a direct competitor for 802.11 or will thy co-exist
> peacefully?

I have Cingular GPRS, with a Motorola V220 phone that I occasionally
connect to my PC with a USB cable. This gives me 20Kbps.
The Motorola v551 can do EDGE, the higher speed network from Cingular, up
to 384Kbps.
PC cards can be used as well, but I just use my phone for an occasional
network connection.

I would drive a few blocks to locate an 802.11b hotspot, or might just fire
up the GPRS, depending one what I'm going to do.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8,-122.5