lauramba!

I've been wanting to write about wireless broadband for a number of months and am excited to finally sit down to discuss one of my favorite devices. Last year I invested a couple of hundred dollars in a small device from Sprint that connects my laptop to the Internet from just about anywhere. I simply take this wireless broadband device and plug it into a USB port and I am connected in about 15 seconds.

If you travel a great deal, live between two homes, or need a connection at your house and your business then you are probably a good candidate for wireless broadband. However, there are a few things to consider before you make your purchase.

Connectivity Speed: while I love my wireless broadband, I traded speed for portability. Cable provides me with a faster connection.

Reliability: with cable I often have periods where I can't connect (Suddenly-not-linked). With Sprint as long as I am in one of their zones, I connect each and every time.

Portability: obviously wireless broadband provides users with portability, though beware that there are zones or areas where connection is extremely slow or non-existent (Chico, Calif). Read before you purchase and take advantage of their 30-day money back guarantee. After I purchased mine I tried to travel to all the locations where I work to make sure I could connect.

Terms and Conditions: month-by-month was not an option for me at the time I purchased but I suspect it is available now. Shop around and don't lock yourself in to more than one year.

Hardware: my Sprint device is about the size of a small cell phone, which is truly on the large end of the scale. AT&T makes a nice little card that you plug into a slot on your laptop.

International: When I purchased my wireless broadband I was told that International service was not an option. If you travel abroad with your laptop you may have to shop around to find a provider with reasonable international services.