There are several commercials on television lately about Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and Cingular about their "true" wireless internet.  These differ from WiFi in that they work off the cell phone network and not a high speed internet connection with a wireless router.  The cell phone internets that are out there can only connect at approximately 300-700Kbps.  In relation, dial up internet is 56Kbps, DSL is 768-3000Kbps, and Cable internet is 3000-8000 Kbps.  Relatively speaking, the only advantage to using the cell phone internet is that it works wherever your cell phone does.  Otherwise you have to find a "hot spot" to use WiFi.  But how do these companies differ?

     With the newer computers, the companies have taken out the PCMCIA slot and replaced it with the PCMCIA Express slot.  Verizon Wireless seems to be one of the first companies that have adjusted to this transition.  They continue to have the old slot as well.  They also have a USB version of their cards.  Several vendors are building their wireless solution into the laptops.  However, only the newer cards that have come out are currently Vista ready.  They are working towards this goal and should be ready for Vista by the end of April.

     Sprint is another company that has been able to adapt to the hardware changes.  They have also made a USB version of their card so that you can use it without a PCMCIA card.  They also have several vendors who are building their wireless solutions into their laptops.  They are fully Vista ready as well.

     Cingular is the one company that I could not find any information about their hardware.  They have the old PCMCIA card as well as several vendors who have their wireless solution built into the laptop.  They are also fully Vista ready with their hardware and software.  They do not, however, have any PCMCIA Express cards out yet.  And in a world where the laptops only have the Express slot, it seems a bad move not to support that as well.

     So with all of that said, it seems as though Sprint is the sure shot as far as hardware and software compliance.  Verizon would be the next choice when all of their hardware and software are Vista compliant.  Cingular seems as though they should catch up with the hardware times.  Get rid of antiquated hardware, or at least support it better.  Have choices in all areas as far as hardware and software, and everyone will progress much easier.

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