Why not UMTS or EV-DO as your broadband solution? If you can get a cell-signal, you can get these; be it a decent cell-signal.

That's what he was asking about in his original post, though actually his Treo will only do 1xRTT. Same coverage.

I'm aware of the Treo's limitations, however; you can get dedicated EV-DO or UMTS cards for your labtop/desktop and receive roughly 500Kbps down/up. For example, Verizon's offerings would be worth a look.

I am sorry but I have no idea what UMTS or EV-DO is. Please enlighten me.

By the way, cable is cost-prohibitive -- aren't you required to have basic cable (plus considering that it's an industrial location, maybe it's a higher rate.) too? And last time I checked satellite had no offerings for Mac users.

No. Like DSL, you can get stand-alone cable internet service which requires no other cable-like services. I am currently receiving stand-alone DSL because I did not want to pay for a land-line (POTS). As for Satellite data connections, STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THEM AS POSSIBLE, unless you have absolutely no other choice. Most satellite internet providers strip down TCP and use UDP as the session protocol, which means there is no guarenteed transmission/reception of packets. And thats before you even consider the physical distance to overcome (large delays).

EV-DO: Evolution Data Optimized, or 1xEV-DO is nothing more than a wireless broadband standard. Supports rates up to 3.1Mbps down, depending on the signal. It was originally designed to give mobile cell phones data capabilities.

UMTS: Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, is basically the same as EV-DO, but uses different frequendy bands and supports rates up to 2Mbps down.

In most places you are not required to have basic TV to get internet.

Satellite DOES work with the Mac, no issue there, but it's unlikely that you'll get a shot to the sky in NYC. It's also high-latency and expensive.

Bored28 is talking about a PCMCIA card that puts you on the cell network. Same as using your Treo, but the cards also do 1xEV-DO which is faster. I don't know where he came up with 500k, I consistently get 750-810k with Verizon cards and 790-830k with Sprint. Speed may vary by signal strength. This is also quite expensive; $60/mo if you have voice with the same carrier and $80 if you do not. Also they all require a one year contract.

Cable and DSL are your best choices.

As I stated, these are the maximum rates. Given a software program I have, RadioMobile, In NYC, the average rates are b/w 400Kbps and 2.4Mbps due to path-loss, Raleigh Fading, multipath-doppler delay, etc. I used 500Kbps as a minimum because there is no point in telling someone something that they may not be able to get.

Too often, people are told "the best" possible outcome, when in fact, they'll never see that outcome unless conditions are absolutely perfect or, in this instance, you live inside a Faraday cage. No disrespect, but I've see it all too often people being fed "heres what you should get" or "well i get this, so i dont know why you can't get it." I'm just trying to keep expectations low to ensure that this person does not go into this situation with hopes that are suddenly dashed.

EVDO PCMCIA card
 

Well, I can't get cable (the building has never been wired), so I am considering a Verizon EVDO PCMCIA card. How do the speeds compare to DSL?

(I realize you guys posted the actual speeds, but I guess I don't really know how those numbers compare to DSL.)

DSL service is dependant on the distance you are from the CO(central office) The closer you are, the higher the rate. I am 3.85 Miles from my CO and I am currently receiving 3.0Mbps down/640kbps up, however; that is the ISP's premium service for my area.

The basic plan that most ISP's offer is 1.5Mbps down/640Kbps up. EV-DO is capable of 3.0Mbps down/~up. However, that is dependant of the signal you receive. Data transmitted via EVDO is different than voice service sent via the same frequency band. I would imagine that you would get anywhere between 500Kbps-2Mbps down/256Kbps-540Kbps up where you are. You really will not know until you try it.

I would imagine you would get 500Kbps-750Kbps down/~256Kbps up according to my Radio Mobile program. But thats just an estimate.

Well, it sounds like EVDO is at least 9-10 times as fast as dialup, so maybe that's the way to go. At $60/month it's no bargain, but it could be my only real choice.

I am not using the connection for games or anything, just work, e-mail, etc.

Thanks!

Its a relatively new technology, that is: using EVDO as a dedicated broadband technology for your home computer(s). Its been around for quite a while, however; only recently has it been implemented to be used as the primary broadband connection to your home. After a while, the price will come down, or at least until you start to get more competition in your local market. Good luck!

Keep in mind that this use will be against the Terms of Service for Verizon, and possibly for Sprint (I have not checked that, but definitely Verizon). I don't know the likelihood of enforcement, it probably depends on total usage.

What use will be against the terms of service for Verizon?

Use as a fixed location or landline-replacement internet connection is against the TOS.

"Use as a fixed location or landline-replacement internet connection is against the TOS."

Maybe if I just walk around the room while using the card I will be within the Terms of Service.

I think you are reading into the fine print a bit too literally. The same could be said if I used my cell phone's GPRS functions while standing still. Simply ridiculous. At no time will Verizon risk losing a customer based because of a fixed access service. Not only is that a poor business model, but it will alienate its loyal customers who want to use Verizon as a complete service provider. And even then, the whole idea is that this card can go into a laptop, which is inherently portable.

Go to howardforums.com and do a search, then ask all the people who have been reporting service cancellations if they are lying.

Better yet, I'll just call Verizon and ask them about it. Its always better to get information from the horses mouth rather than from a 3rd party entity. And I don't think anyone is "lying." This isn't second grade, unless of course you passed a note in studyhall saying that Verizon's policies are overbearing. I was simply looking at it from a business and economical perspective, whereas such a policy would make little sense in the overall scheme of a telecommunications company's business model.

Yes, however the customer service reps are generally clueless. The whole issue of using phones as a modem or using the cards for various purposes, as well as the amount of data included in the "unlimited" plans (they are NOT unlimited) is an ongoing controversy. In three calls I got three different answers on how much "unlimited" is, and it's not defined anywhere.

The business model is that you want to advertise "unlimited" usage to get people in the door, then knock off your top 5% heavy users. That's how you make the bigger profits, not keeping your heavier users. People HAVE been cancelled for excessive use and for "landline replacement" usage. Also at that point they bill you for termination since you broke the TOS.