AT&T Global Broadband

[corkyg]

I have been watching these commercials - and the latest one shows a guy on an island with a wrecked Lockheed Electra in the backgoround. This gives rise to the demise of Amelia Earhart prior to WWII who disappeared in the South Pacific.

This sort of gives the impression that one can access the Internet by popping in the AT&T USB aircard into one's laptop anywhere on Earth.

I am not convinced. Anyone that has that device, please lend some credence to the TV BS.

How about on the Douro River in Northern Portugal? Or Capetown, South Africa?

 

[TimeKeeper]

Originally posted by: corkyg
I have been watching these commercials - and the latest one shows a guy on an island with a wrecked Lockheed Electra in the backgoround. This gives rise to the demise of Amelia Earhart prior to WWII who disappeared in the South Pacific.

This sort of gives the impression that one can access the Internet by popping in the AT&T USB aircard into one's laptop anywhere on Earth.

I am not convinced. Anyone that has that device, please lend some credence to the TV BS.

How about on the Douro River in Northern Portugal? Or Capetown, South Africa?

Don't take any commercials too seriously. When was the last time you see any Financial Service actually "measure our success, one at a time"?

It is nothing more than cotract/roaming GSM service. Capetown? I suspsect it may not even work in Japan and Korea?

 

[corkyg]

That's about what I figured. Looks like the occasional "Internet Cafe" is still the most cost effective and universally reliable system.

 

[frostedflakes]

Heh, kind of a silly question, obviously the commercial is exaggerating.

I don't know about worldwide, but I'm pretty sure nearly all of the US is covered by 1xRTT, which offers speeds a bit better than dialup. EVDO coverage is getting better, but still probably only like 40-50% of the US.

Also, check and see what kind of data plans your provider offers. With Alltel you can get a datacard plan for $60/mo, or tether your phone for $25/mo, a lot less. If your provider offers tethering for around the same price it might be a lot easier to justify the data plan. And if your phone and laptop support Bluetooth you can tether wirelessly, although battery will run down fast on the phone, probably just as fast as if you were talking on it.

 

[corkyg]

I agree with your assessment on 1xRTT etc. I have travelled pretty much all over the USA, and if you are near an Interstate highway, you get EVDO. Any large city now has Rev A.

When I saw that ad take off on Amelia Erharts crash island in the South Pacific, it got my curiosity because I'll be in Portugal next week. Should have no trouble finding a Internet Cafe in Oporto or Lisbon.

I abandoned tethering two years ago. Now had a Novatel/Sierra S720 aircard with Spring - and it really works well.

Cheers!