hal9000x wrote not long ago (8/3/02 12:26 PM):
> Just wanted to gather some opinions. I'm thinking of switching to Nextel
> for cellular service and wanted to know if anyone else on the list is
> using it and what thoughts they had. Any Mac connectivity possibilities?
Nextel has excellent national coverage. I've driven across country several
times and never lost service.
But their aging iDEN network is yesterday's technology. Currently, data
speeds top out at 19.2kbps (in a vacuum, at 2 degrees Kelvin :). 9600 or
less is common.
And Nextel is unlike other major network providers, who have imminent new
network which will boost their data speeds. Verizon and Sprint are competing
CDMA 2000 providers, which, depending on who you believe, could offers
speeds as fast as 144kbps. True, usable, fast (!) wireless Internet. At a
cost, of course.
Not to be outdone, Nextel says a system which uses compressed data should
allow for data speeds up to 50kbps on their network by January 2003. They've
also said they may upgrade to CDMA 2000 -- like Verizon and Sprint -- but
that's a very expensive upgrade for their huge network.
I dunno, but I'd place my long-term bets on the "true" faster network as
opposed to the compression scheme on the antiquated one.
As for usage, the 2-way-radio feature of their phones is cool if you have
somebody to talk to, but Sprint has already announced their intention to
introduce a similar service, which the new networks will facilitate.
All things considered, choose the provider that serves your needs best at
the best cost. And Nextel's rates -- particularly their $99 unlimited, which
they offered in some markets not long ago -- are hard to beat.
But if you need fast connection speeds, or fear from suffering of "network
envy" when these cool fast networks start popping up -- then wait a few
months. By January you'll have a number of choices: GPRS, CDMA 2000, maybe
even Nextel's faster speeds.
And like Steve Jobs said, "we like choices."
Cheers--
--Jesse
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