Cingular Wireless Broadband Internet Access

Cingular Wireless has wireless Internet access available through their cellular network. This enables advanced cell phones, Pocket PCs and PDAs to browse the Web, send and receive email and transfer documents. It also lets mobile professionals connect to the Internet on their laptop computers without having to track down a WiFi hotspot. Imagine being able to use the Internet from your car in the parking lot, any restaurant or public place, or the client's office.

To access cellular Internet service, you need what is known as an aircard. The Sierra Wireless Aircard 860 for Cingular Wireless is a standard PC Card Type II that simply plugs into the side of your laptop computer. Power comes from the PC card slot, so you don't have to mess around with extra power supplies. Run your PC and aircard off battery power for the ultimate in portability.

This particular aircard has an external removable antenna. It's a small whip antenna that picks up signals from the GSM network bands of 800, 850, 1800 and 1900 MHz. These are the 4 GSM bands used worldwide.

Cingular's ALLOVER network offers a mixture of high speed and low speed Internet data throughout the U.S., based on 4 technical standards that are all supported on the Sierra Wireless Aircard 860. The fastest speeds are on the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) with an upgrade called HSDPA or High Speed Download Packet Access. Cingular calls their implementation BroadbandConnect. It's available right now in selected major metropolitan areas including Phoenix, Arizona, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California, Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland, Chicago, Illinois, Boston Massachusetts, Las Vegas, Nevada, Portland, Oregon, Austin, Dallas and Houston Texas, Salt Lake City, Utah, Seattle and Tacoma, Washington. In these service areas you can expect download speeds of 400 to 700 Kbps on average with bursts up to 1.8 Mbps. This is as fast as you'll get from many DSL and Cable Internet connections.

When you are not in one of the UMTS/HSDPA service areas, the Sierra Wireless Aircard 860 will switch to the lower speed GPRS/EDGE network. GPRS or General Packet Radio System is the most basic implementation of data channels for a GSM network, such as the one Cingular operates. EDGE or Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution is an upgrade to GPRS that Cingular has widely deployed. It's available in 13,000 cities and towns and along 40,000 miles of U.S. highways. Typical EDGE speeds are 35 to 70 Kbps with bursts up to 216 Kbps. That's more than adequate for most business and personal Internet use, including email, Web browsing, text messaging and connecting to a corporate network.

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Dynamic T1 Lines offer Voice and Data Integration

T1 lines are digital trunks that can carry voice, data or both. The traditional T1 line is configured as 24 channels of 64 Kbytes each for a total of 1.5 Mbps bandwidth. Each channel carries one digitized telephone call. Since the channels are pre-configured, if you have only 12 telephone lines in use, the other 12 are simply idle. In some cases, the line is set up to be 23 telephone calls plus 1 data channel to carry information such as Caller ID and signaling. This is called a T1 PRI or Primary Rate Interface. The biggest application for T1 voice lines is to support PBX telephone systems and call centers.

A T1 line can also be configured as one big data pipe instead of 24 individual channels. Unchannelized T1 lines are often used to provide dedicated Internet access with 1.5 Mbps bandwidth. Another application is point to point private data transmission between business locations.

If you need both telephone and Internet or data exchange service, there are several ways to accomplish this. One is to buy separate T1 lines, each set up for a particular purpose. A T1 voice line would service the telephone system. A separate T1 data line would provide Internet service for the business. In larger businesses, it is possible that more than 24 phone conversations would be going on concurrently. In that case, multiple T1 lines would be used for the voice application. T1 data lines can be bonded to incrementally increase bandwidth to 3, 4,5, 6, 9 or more Mbps.

Small and medium size businesses may not need a full T1 line for telephone service and another full T1 line for Internet access. Integrated T1 service combines voice and data on to a single T1 connection. A static setup allocates a certain number of channels to voice and the rest to data. A typical arrangement is 12 phone lines plus 768 Kbps of Internet data over the remaining bandwidth. Many businesses can get by with a single T1 line serving all their telecom needs.

A newer and more flexible arrangement is Dynamic T1 line service. A dynamic T1 line may be channelized, but the channels will be assigned as needed. If there are no phone calls in progress, the entire bandwidth is used for data. As soon as someone pick up a handset, one channel of 64 Kbps is dedicated to that call and data bandwidth is reduced by 64 Kbps.

Another technical approach gets rid of the channelization completely and sends everything as data packets over the T1 line. Internet data is already packetized, so the telephone calls must be converted from analog or TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) digital to VoIP packets at each end of the line. The beauty of this approach is that bandwidth can be allocated on the fly packet by packet, making optimum use of the available bandwidth. The process is known as dynamic bandwidth allocation.

To ensure voice quality, the voice packets are given priority over the data packets. Email and Web traffic, even data downloads, aren't much affected by short delays, also called latency. A data packet can wait for a voice packet. Voice is a continuous stream and will become distorted or drop out if the latency delays get too long. The other quality control comes from the dedicated T1 line from customer to carrier. The carrier installs a IAD or Integrated Access Device at the customer location to handle the conversions, and telephone gateways and routers at the carrier end. This arrangement can guarantee sufficient bandwidth to ensure toll quality telephone calls.

Note that even though dynamic bandwidth allocation is based on packet switched technology, you don't necessarily need VoIP telephones to take advantage of this service. The IAD provides analog phone lines or a T1 telephone interface to your PBX or Key Telephone System, plus a WAN data port for your Internet router. You can use the equipment you already have. If you have already installed an enterprise VoIP phone system, you can also take advantage of dynamic bandwidth allocation without the need for conversions to TDM or analog standards.

Is Integrated T1 or Dynamic T1 service right for your business? The best way to find out is to let our Shop For T1 technical consultants review your needs and recommend options that will give you the service you want at the best possible price. Just enter some basic information on our real-time quote engine at T1 Rex and a consultant will be in touch by phone or email at your convenience.

Verizon's Wireless Broadband Service To Go

Broadband is just what you need for Internet access, but who wants to be tethered to a wire? No problem. Go wireless.

Oh, sure. That works great when you happen to be in the right place, like home, the office, the coffee shop or the airport. But what about everywhere else? Wouldn't it be great to pop open your laptop for a quick update in the parking lot, the park, or any of the millions of locations that aren't a WiFi hotspot?

Now you can. All you need is a radio card to slide into your laptop and a cellular broadband plan. Cellular broadband? Yes. You may not be aware of it, but a lot of cellular towers are now transmitting broadband Internet along with the usual cell phone traffic. Some phones are designed to pick up the data signals as well as voice. The Motorola RAZR V3c razor phone is a good example. What broadband does for a cell phone is let you watch streaming video programs, such as Verizon's VCAST service. The circuitry to accomplish this is already built-into the phone. You simply have to add VCAST programming to your service plan.

You can also get just the broadband data service without a voice plan. Verizon's service is called BroadbandAccess Unlimited. It's a two year contract for $79.99 a month. For that you get unlimited data usage on Verizon's BroadBand Access network that runs at 400 to 700 Kbps average with bursts up to 2.4 Mbps. That's as good or better than the real world speeds you see on many DSL and even Cable Internet connections. The service is available in most major population areas. When you move outside of BroadBand Access coverage, you'll automatically switch to the lower speed NationalAccess service that runs at 60 to 80 Kbps. In essence, you can connect to the Internet virtually anywhere you can get a decent cellular signal. That's most everywhere, including locations that aren't even wired for DSL or Cable, much less a WiFi hotspot.

The technology involved is called EV-DO for EVolution, Data Only. The evolution is an ongoing upgrade to cellular base stations with circuit cards that assign some cellular channels to high speed data rather than digitized voice.

In addition to BroadbandAccess service, you'll need what's called an aircard. This is the radio set that transmits, receives and decodes cellular network data transmissions. A good choice is the popular Audiovox PC5740 EV-DO PC Card for Verizon Wireless. It's available to you free when you order it with Verizon Wireless BroadbandAccess Unlimited - 2YR service. This card is compatible with most versions of Microsoft Windows and plugs right into a PC Card Type II slot on the side of your laptop computer. Power is provided through the PC card slot, so you won't have to plug in an additional power supply.

You can also choose the Novatel V620 EV-DO PC Card for Verizon Wireless when you order it with the BroadbandAccess Unlimited service. The Novatel card has an external antenna port that lets you plug in a booster antenna to increase your signal strength in fringe areas.

We also offer a wide selection of cell phones, including smartphones, PDAs, and Pocket PCs. Find just what you are looking for at a terrific deal from Cell Phone Plans Finder.

Sprint PCS Vision Offers Wireless Broadband Connections

Sprint's broadband cellular network makes it easy to have high speed Internet service available on your laptop computer without having to troll for Wi-Fi hotspots. Unlike Wi-Fi access points which have a service radius of about 300 feet at best, the "PowerVision" broadband cellular network gives you coverage in an entire major city, such as Chicago, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, or even smaller cities such as Rockford, Illinois or Madison, Wisconsin. It's not quite nationwide coverage yet, but is available in over 200 major markets.

Sprint PCS Vision or Power Vision Mobile Broadband is Sprint's name for its EV-DO technology. EV-DO or EVolution Data Only is a technology that uses cellular radio channels to provide always-on broadband Internet service. It is capable of data download burst speeds up to 2.4 Mbps with 400 to 700 Kbps being more typical. The evolution is from a older technology called 1xRTT that provides speeds similar to dial-up Internet service at 40 to 70 Kbps. In fact, if you happen to roam outside of the EV-DO coverage area but are still able to connect to the nationwide Sprint network, you'll be able to surf and send email at the lower bandwidth.

Sprint has been upgrading it's nationwide PCS cell phone network over the last few years so that cell towers in major population areas support EV-DO. You may not be aware of this, as it is transparent to cellular phone users. However, with specially equipped cell phones like the Samsung A900 Multimedia Phone or a PC connection card you'll be able to access the broadband network. You'll also need to order the optional Power Vision service for your cell phone or the Sprint PCS Vision for PCS connection cards.

On a cell phone, Sprint Power Vision Ultimate is an add-on package to your Sprint voice service that gives you unlimited web and data access, streaming live news channels, streaming music channels, and Sprint TV for news, weather and sports. It's a little like having satellite TV or satellite radio on your cell phone.

For the mobile professional who needs Internet access on a notebook or laptop computer, Sprint has a couple of plans available. These are strictly Internet access only, and do not include any cell phone voice ability. For occasional users, who mostly operate in an office or at Wi-Fi access points, you can get a 40 MB PCS vision data package for $40 a month. For heavier users who want to be able to use their computers like they would in the office but without being tied to their desk, $80 gets you unlimited data access.

These services may also be of interest to those in areas that have solid cellular signals but don't have DSL or Cable Internet available. You'll need to check the coverage maps for your location to see if you are in the broadband or lower speed coverage area for Sprint.

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T1 Lines For Wireless Internet Service Providers

Wireless Internet service is becoming more available in both cities and rural areas. A WISP or Wireless Internet Service Provider often has the broadband market to themselves in areas where telephone companies have been slow to add DSL capability and Cable TV companies haven't built-out. This is certainly true of low population density agricultural areas, but is often the case with newer residential subdivisions as well.

Wireless service only needs a tower and digital radio transceiver. It's often more practical than trenching wires to every user, especially for competitive service providers who don't already own the landline infrastructure. A WISP can get Internet to the users, but how does the WISP get connected to the Internet?

The best answer is often a T1 Line or multiple bonded T1 lines. Why? T1 was designed from the beginning to be easy to deploy over long distances. Like DSL, it is provisioned on copper wire pairs. Telephone wires work just fine. You need two pairs, one for upstream or transmit and an independent pair for downstream or receive. This gives you full duplex digital service. Unlike DSL, T1 is a synchronized transmission system that can be regenerated every mile or so. It is also compatible with other tariffed telecommunications services, such as DS3 or OCx. Over long distances, your T1 service might be carried part of the way by optical carrier if that is more cost effective for the provider.

T1 service is almost universal throughout the country. If you can get telephone service to a location, chances are you can also get T1 service. That makes T1 carriers perfect for providing Internet service to remote tower sites, housing subdivisions or farms.

T1 line service runs at 1.5 Mbps. You don't share the Internet feed like you do with DSL or Cable, so you get a full 1.5 Mbps of bandwidth all the time. This is generally adequate for serving up to 20 or 25 simultaneous users through a WISP or Wi-Fi hotspot. If you need more bandwidth, you can bond T1 lines together to get 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5 or 9 Mbps. The nice part of bonding is that you can start small and keep your costs low until you get a subscriber base large enough to need and pay for the additional bandwidth.

What does T1 cost? Every installation is different, as T1 circuits are priced individually based on distance to the carrier's POP or point of presence. Even so, T1 prices are highly competitive and quite reasonable for most businesses. We'll be happy to get you competitive quotes and talk about what level of service makes the best sense for your WISP or other business. Simply enter some basic information using our simple Shop for T1 form at T1 Rex anytime.

RIM BlackBerry 7100i For Nextel Special

This BlackBerry for Nextel wireless service offers something unique in PDA cell phones: Push-to-Talk. Yes, the BlackBerry 7100i supports Nextel's legendary DirectConnect Push-to-Talk communications. Want to reach someone immediately? Push the PTT button and you're talking to them right now.

The RIM Blackberry 7100i is a full-featured business communications solution for mobile professionals. Fully integrated corporate-friendly email is automatically pushed to your 7100i. The email client comes with attachment viewer software for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. An HTML browser gives you access to Web documents.

You'll love the sleek new look of the BlackBerry 7100i. It has a taller rather than square profile and measures 4.7 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches. That package supports a large color screen and SureType advanced QWERTY keyboard for effortless text composition.

Did I mention that the 7100i is also a cell phone? It is, indeed. It will be a pleasure to hold for voice conversations but you also have the option to use a Bluetooth headset for hands-free operation. A speakerphone is included too. This cell phone operates on the Nextel network with lets you use it for conventional phone calls or in walkie-talkie mode with other Nextel PTT phones. Talk time is a generous 240 minutes with standby up to 192 hours or 8 days.

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Lawsuit Over. Get Your Free BlackBerry PDA

BlackBerry PDA users rejoice! The nail-biting showdown between Research In Motion and NTP Inc. that threatened to end Blackberry life as we know it is over. A settlement has been reached, as described in an Associated Press story from iWon News. One might say that RIM blinked, paying NTP over $600 million. But shares of RIM stock shot up 19% once the settlement was announced.

So who's the real winner? YOU are! That's because you can now purchase the BlackBerry phone that you've been wanting, with confidence that you won't be getting shut down or inconvenienced by that awful BlackBerry lawsuit mess.

The BlackBerry 7100g is designed for mobile professionals, with fully integrated corporate-friendly email automatically received by this device. It has quad-band GSM network capability, viewer software for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint plus WordPerfect and Adobe PDF attachments, HTML Web browsing, and Bluetooth wireless communications for hands free voice conversations.

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Cingular 8125 Pocket PC With Rebate

The stunning new Cingular 8125 is arguably the most capable mobile device going. It's a PC, a cell phone, a digital camera, a music player, a gaming computer, a multimedia viewer, and a wireless messaging device. Oh, yes, it's also a VoIP phone when you're at a WiFi Hotspot. Anything else you'd like it to do?

What Makes the Cingular 8125 state of the art? It starts with the 200 MHz Texas Instruments OMAP processor running the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system. Windows Mobile gives you the common look and feel with your office PC applications. Windows Mobile gives you Pocket Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Media Player 10, plus MS Pocket Explorer with HTML support for mobile Web browsing. It's basically your office on your phone.

The Cingular 8125 looks like one cool PDA in its closed state. Close? Yes, this mobile device sports something you don't have on your PDA. It's a slide out QWERTY keyboard. And here's another magic trick. Presto, Chango! When you slide out the keyboard, the color display automatically rotates its content so that you have notebook-like display with the wide aspect ratio to go with your keyboard. Close the phone and the display switches back to a format that is taller than wide for use in the vertical PDA / phone position.

I was going to say that this is like having two devices in one, but its more like three. First, the PDA presentation so you can use the 8125 as an organizer. Second, the notebook computer presentation with display atop QWERTY keyboard for data entry and messaging. Third, it's a cell phone.

The Cingular 8125 works as a standard cellular phone with quad band GSM capability. It has Bluetooth communications so you can choose to hold the device to your ear like you would any other phone or clip on a Bluetooth headset and communicate hands-free. On the cellular network, the 8125 is EDGE compatible for high speed data downloads.

When you are near a wireless access point or WiFi Hotspot, the Cingular 8125 communicates like your laptop computer using the WiFi 802.11 b/g support with speeds up to 54 Mbps. Skype software comes built-in for voice communications over the Internet using Skype's VoIP.

You also have powerful text and multimedia messaging capabilities. MSN Messenger is built-in, as well as MS Outlook with document attachment viewing support. You can use standard SMS text messaging or take and receive picture and video messages with multimedia messaging. The digital camera in the 8125 has 1.3 Megapixel resolution and a LED flash. It will take great still shots and capture short video clips. Other multimedia capability includes Windows Media 10 that lets you playback MP3 music with stereo speakers included.

TWhat are the hottest cell phone deals available right now, including free cell phones? Use the Cell Phone Plan Finder to check out the top phones and associated wireless service plans.