Re: [IRCA] (OT) High Speed internet update

[Rick Kunath <k9ao@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Patrick Martin wrote:
> We have Verizon Wireless for cel phone and AT&T here. I use Verizon for
> my cel phone now. I have not called Verizon or AT&T to see if they offer
> internet service. Maybe I should give that a shot.

I've used Verizon before, and ATT/Cingular as well as Nextel also.

I run a wide area public safety backhaul network over 2g and 3g wireless 
here as a backup to my microwave backbone and I've had the chance to 
test most of the vendor's offerings.

Keep in mind that (unless you are a corporate user spending millions 
with them) wireless access is anything but unlimited, no matter what the 
plan says (just like satellite). It won't be that hard to run against 
invisible caps if you do any appreciable amount of usage other than 
simple text-based email. One other more important thing is that wireless 
access is pull-based. This means that apps that work because they need a 
real IP (dynamic or static) won't work on 3g. 3g does not have what you 
would refer to as a real IP present out on the Internet, so you have to 
initiate any connection from your end and any app that needs to initiate 
a send from it's end won't work (lots do.) I actually have servers in 
place to simulate that inside the VLAN we run for our backup network and 
I have virtual IP addresses available, but it's not affordable to the 
typical single user.

Be aware of the limitations before you go that route if you decide to, 
and you'll be OK, but don't expect to have the same level of "stuff just 
works" as you do with a real IP from dial-up, DSL, or cable access 
(satellite is double-natted and has it's own issues.) Pay attention to 
what apps you need to work, verify that they will, and have monitoring 
software running to avoid running into the invisible caps, and you might 
be happy.

Rick Kunath
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