[Macworld.com]

For the past two months, Rick LePage and his MacBook Pro have been happily—and seamlessly—connected to the Web 24/7, no matter where they’ve been. They have been connected, not by hopping on and off available wireless hotspots, but via Novatel’s V640 EVDO card and Verizon’s BroadbandAccess Connect EVDO service. [more]

[awoogs]

Has any other user of the V640 noticed processor usage skyrocket when the VZAccess application is open? Consequently, battery life on roadtrips would be reduced to less than an hour... I haven't seen the problem since I upgraded to OS X 10.4.8 (from 10.4.7), but I'd be curious to know if anyone else had seen this happen on their MacBook Pros.
Don

[EVDOguy]

If you want to get the Novatel V640 from the Mac Experts at http://www.EVDOinfo.com, their sister site, http://Booster-Antenna.com sells it for only $99 (that is $80 less than Verizon).
If you are going to MacWorld Expo in January 07, stop by the EVDOinfo booth to see all the latest EVDO gadgets for your Mac.

[OS11]

Great article Rick - just wanted to add for other readers that Kyocera now makes the "Kyocera KR1 EVDO Router" which allows you to plug in the wireless PC Card (not ExpressCard as of yet) to let other machines (wired or wireless) share that Verizon/Sprint connection.
fairly cool if you have this service... further details below...
Built In WiFi - rebroadcast EVDO over WiFi (using 802.11g)
4 Port Ethernet Hub 10/100 - great to attach desktops
http://snipurl.com/jjow
os11
-

[Rick LePage]

I didn't notice it as a problem on my MBP, and now I'm on 10.4.8, but it's definitely possible. I wasn't really doing much more tha email and Web surfing, though, and it was stocked with RAM. Battery life seemed about the same as it was before I started using the card, as well.
Rick

[EVDOguy]

There is a difference if you use the Apple built-in drivers vs. VZAccess, see:
http://www.evdoforum...thread3321.html

http://www.evdoinfo.com/Tips/PC5220/VZAccessforMacOSXand10.4.7Issues20060726789/

[feefer]

Quote:

---

For the past two months, my MacBook Pro and I have been happily and seamlessly connected to the Web 24/7, no matter where weve been be it Boston, San Francisco, Syracuse, Portland or Seattle; up Interstate 5 from San Francisco to Seattle or on Interstate 84 alongside the Columbia River in Oregon. <a href="http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2006/10/evdo/index.php">[more]</a>

---

And just as a word of caution, the article suggests that you can use Verizon's service for streaming applications (radio, video, etc). Do so at the risk of having your service cancelled, as Verizon has a particularly draconian definition of "unlimited use" in their Terms Of Service that forbids such activities (although such limits are curiously missing from their adverts).
Many users have reported having Verizon unilaterally cancel their service as a result of unauthorized use (which includes downloads from iTunes, etc). There seems to be a 5GB/month limit, but users have reported cancellations for much less. As an aside, sharing the connection via a KR1 (or even Airport, via Internet Sharing) is also considered a violation of TOS. Sprint's user policy is much more realistic, FWIW.
BTW, I've used the KCP650 PCMCIA card with my PB 1.5Ghz with Verizon for over a year now, and I love the mobile broadband service (hate the threats from VZW). In some ways, I think the mobile connection has brought my laptop to life more than any other possible upgrade. Pretty cool to drive down the highway and get real-time traffic and event data from Highway Patrol, CalTrans, etc.
Chris

[Rick LePage]

I suggested you could try to use it for streaming audio or video, but it really didn't work that way for me. It constantly rebuffered whenever I tried to connect to streaming services. Many times it couldn't even stream an iTunes store sample without rebuffering - even when we had a strong connection.
Rick

[flybynight]

"I also had a few connections that averaged in the 200-Kbps download rangestill workable, but at times reminiscent of my modem days."
From what I remember, didn't modems top out at 56K? Not that 200K is good by today's standards, but that would be one hell of a modem!

[Rick LePage]

you're probably right - I get spoiled by the faster connections we seem to have everywhere these days.
I'm sure it's really due to the fact that my memory is getting dimmer with each passing day, and that I can't really remember what it was like to connect via a modem on a regular basis. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Peter Cohen]

I had the misfortune of being stuck with dialup access one week this past summer, and I wanted to kill myself.

[feefer]

Quote:

---

I suggested you could try to use it for streaming audio or video, but it really didn't work that way for me. It constantly rebuffered whenever I tried to connect to streaming services. Many times it couldn't even stream an iTunes store sample without rebuffering - even when we had a strong connection.
Rick

---

Hmm, not sure why you had that issue. I'm living in an 1XRTT area (140 kbps max), and can stream internet radio stations that feed up to 56 kbps (as long as there's not too much activity on the network at the time: the service speeds drop from 3-7 PM, and right now I have 40 kbps. Hey, it's like dial-up without the phone lines, I guess). Many low-res radio stations stream at 34kbps, and that's generally not a problem for me, even in a non-EVDO area (and in EVDO areas I've streamed video without a problem, although remember it's technically violating Verizon's terms of service to do so).
My point was simply to warn potential buyers of this issue: it's real. People get dropped from Verizon for doing what you've suggested. I may be migrating to Sprint, as I feel more than a little misled by Zerizon's claim of "unlimited" use when they might decide to vote me off the island for daring to live dangerously and buy a song off iTunes, for example. That fact should be VERY relevant to a Mac user, as most use iTunes....

Here's VZW's TOS:
Unlimited NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess cannot be used: (1) for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games; (2) with server devices or with host computer applications, including, without limitation, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, telemetry applications, automated functions or any other machine-to-machine application; or (3) as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections.
NationalAccess and BroadbandAccess data sessions automatically terminate after two hours of inactivity unless used with a Mobile IP-capable device. We reserve the right to limit throughput or amount of data transferred, deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone who uses National or amount of data transferred, deny or terminate service, without notice, to anyone who uses NationalAccess or Broadband Access in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts our network or service levels.
We also reserve the right to terminate service upon expiration of Customer Agreement term. BroadbandAccess kilobyte usage may not appear on your bill.
This is from:
http://www.verizonwi...e...t&catId=327


See these threads:

http://www.evdoforum...wtopic.php?t=77
http://www.evdoforum...thread2366.html

Chris

[Rick LePage]

You make a really good point, and I think you're link to the Verizon TOS is apropos. Like many corporations, I'm sure they'll be happy to use it when it suits them.
Case in point: I got booted from eMusic in their early days because I was "downloading more music than I should have been." When I pointed out that their promotional literature claimed that there were no limits at all in their membership, I was pointed to the TOS, which had less specific language than Verizon has, but still had a note to the effect that eMusic could cancel your account at their discretion if they thought you were downloading too much music. I was reinstated, and they changed their TOS (and their subscription plans) a few months later to be more specific.
With respect to Verizon's service, I should be able to listen to a broadcast, or an ESPN Gamecast of the American League Championship Series, for example, without having to worry that Verizon is going to cancel my account for doing so. I would imagine that I would be OK most of the time, but it would be interesting to hear if anyone's being cracked down upon here. (Maybe the folks over at EVDO Info have seen issues related to usage.)
Thanks,
Rick

[feefer]

Hi Rick,
I'm a regular over there, and have followed the issue for awhile. The unofficial word/consensus is that VZW doesn't crack down unless you push some threshold (thought to be 5GB per month).
Some tech-savvy contributors over there point out that Sprint seemingly has more bandwidth available systemwide, especially as they have more 1900 MHz towers available; hence Sprint doesn't have to be as worried about users "overutilizing" the service. Some people suggest that Sprint might adopt similar policies if they had the burden on the network that VZW has.
I dunno: on the one hand, I fundamentally agree that it's unreasonable for some users to try and set up their connection to share amongst multiple users, or to use it as a mobile router for filesharing, etc. Frankly, I don't like the idea of gamers hogging bandwidth (even though latency with Rev O EVDO makes it pretty unusable for gaming, as it stands).
On the other hand, it's a bit disconcerting to realize I'm paying $60 a month to be treated as a potential "bandwidth hog" if I'm on the road and wish to download "Tiki Bar T.V." episodes from iTunes (not to mention D/L'ing a full-length Disney movie).
Not that it's a threat: right now it's 6:30 PM local time, and VZW seems to have over-sold the service in my area. For the past 3 months, my connection speed has dropped at this time of day to about 10 kbps on average. That's right, service is about 5x slower than dial-up... But hey, it's mobile. :rolleyes:
Chris