Verizon wireless - Broadband card

Author

Broadband card

Roughrider50

2007-04-16, 12:33 pm

I'm in the process of adding Verizon broadband coverage($59 a month no
contract) to my service.I have a VX8300 with Bluetooth & a Dell Inspiron
1505(also with BT). I also have a cable(can't get to work). I signed up for
the service & then found out that the drivers for the VX8300 aren't Vista
compatible. The express cards for the service run $99, $129, & $179
depending on the card with a 2 yr contract.
So I went & bought a V740 on Ebay for $129 with no contract. Just talked to
nice CS rep at VZW & now I'm told I have to pay $79 a month or take 2 yr
contract to get it for $59(aaaaaaaargh). Ok
If I take a 2 yr plan for the lower rate I can also get a discount on any
card, activate my Ebay card & sell my discounted card.
Anyone see any drawbacks to this? If not what would be the most saleable in
VZW's line of cards? Or should I just be happy I got a card for $50 less &
bite the bullet & take their 2 yr contract? TIA

Dennis Ferguson

2007-04-16, 12:33 pm

On 2007-04-16, Roughrider50 <corkyf56@hotmail.com> wrote:
> So I went & bought a V740 on Ebay for $129 with no contract. Just talked to
> nice CS rep at VZW & now I'm told I have to pay $79 a month or take 2 yr
> contract to get it for $59(aaaaaaaargh). Ok
> If I take a 2 yr plan for the lower rate I can also get a discount on any
> card, activate my Ebay card & sell my discounted card.
> Anyone see any drawbacks to this? If not what would be the most saleable in
> VZW's line of cards? Or should I just be happy I got a card for $50 less &
> bite the bullet & take their 2 yr contract? TIA

You could try a Verizon store, store managers seem to have some
discretion. I told the salesman I couldn't take more than a one year
contract, and he got the manager to modify it to one year. They also
gave me a good discount on the hardware (perhaps there was some bonus
for selling data service when I bought it?).

I'm a fan of the USB720 since I think it works better, though not
everyone shares my taste.

Dennis Ferguson

Todd Allcock

2007-04-16, 3:33 pm

At 16 Apr 2007 12:13:00 -0500 Dennis Ferguson wrote:

> I'm a fan of the USB720 since I think it works better, though not
> everyone shares my taste.

In addition, the USB unit can double as a backup for desktop connectivity
if your main broadband service goes down- something more difficult/more
expensive to accomplish with a PC card.

Roughrider50

2007-04-16, 3:33 pm

"Todd Allcock" < elecconnec@AmericaOn
Line.com> wrote in message
news:f00ign$t0o$1@ai
oe.org...
> At 16 Apr 2007 12:13:00 -0500 Dennis Ferguson wrote:
>
>
> In addition, the USB unit can double as a backup for desktop connectivity
> if your main broadband service goes down- something more difficult/more
> expensive to accomplish with a PC card.
>
>
That's provided you live in an area that receives broadband. I don't even
have Verizon service where I live. This is strictly a travel deal, & will
only be used on my laptop when I can't find a free wi-fi signal. If I could
have got the drivers for vista I would tether the phone(VX8300)

Dennis Ferguson

2007-04-16, 10:33 pm

On 2007-04-16, Roughrider50 <corkyf56@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> "Todd Allcock" < elecconnec@AmericaOn
Line.com> wrote in message
> news:f00ign$t0o$1@ai
oe.org...
> That's provided you live in an area that receives broadband. I don't even
> have Verizon service where I live. This is strictly a travel deal, & will
> only be used on my laptop when I can't find a free wi-fi signal. If I could
> have got the drivers for vista I would tether the phone(VX8300)

It matters very little. I think the USB720 and the V740 are identical
devices other than the form factor (the expresscard is also a USB device),
both of them are good. I like the USB720 because I can use it with my wife's
laptop, which has no Expresscard slot, as well as my own, and because I can
use a long extension cable to get the device away from the laptop and close
to a window (or on the roof of the car) where the signal is better in
weak signal areas. Oh, and the USB720 seems to sell at bigger
discounts for reasons that aren't clear to me.

I agree with you about tethering, I prefer that. What really bugs
me is that the data cards are essentially phones without the
screen, keyboard and separate power supply, which makes it seem like
they should sell at prices that are lower than phones which include
all that extra hardware.

Dennis Ferguson

Todd Allcock

2007-04-16, 10:33 pm

At 16 Apr 2007 19:21:05 -0500 Dennis Ferguson wrote:

> I agree with you about tethering, I prefer that. What really bugs
> me is that the data cards are essentially phones without the
> screen, keyboard and separate power supply, which makes it seem like
> they should sell at prices that are lower than phones which include
> all that extra hardware.

It's probably an "economy of scale" thing. Manufacturers pump out a lot
more, say, Razrs, than they do aircards or dongles.

But I do agree with you- back when aircards were significantly faster
than tethered phones, I understood the premium, but these days, many
phones are just as fast, and retail for less.

George

2007-04-17, 10:33 am

Todd Allcock wrote:
> At 16 Apr 2007 19:21:05 -0500 Dennis Ferguson wrote:
>
>
>
> It's probably an "economy of scale" thing. Manufacturers pump out a lot
> more, say, Razrs, than they do aircards or dongles.
>

I would say that is accurate. There is an incredible cost reduction once
you get into huge quantities of something.

> But I do agree with you- back when aircards were significantly faster
> than tethered phones, I understood the premium, but these days, many
> phones are just as fast, and retail for less.
>
>

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