Business Travel Essentials: High-Speed Cellular Access

Very few technologies have made this decade feel like the future, but there’s one thing I can unequivocally say is worth all the hassle: high-speed cellular internet. Two technologies are used, depending on the carrier. Verizon and Sprint use something called “EV-DO,” while AT&T/Cingular uses “HSDPA/UMTS.” The tech is different behind the scenes, but it doesn’t really matter to the end user—you’ll pretty much take what they give you. Both flavors offer the first cellular internet that feels like broadband (at least for basic internet needs, like browsing the web and downloading email).

There are two ways to use high-speed cellular: connecting through your cellphone, either via a USB cable or Bluetooth; or using a card that slips into your laptop (either PCMCIA or the newer ExpressCard). I prefer the latter, because connecting through your phone means managing two batteries. Plus, Bluetooth connections can be a little flakey. But either way, ultimately, is fine, as long as you’re drinking down the sweet gush of usable connectivity.

If you’re a heavy business traveler, look into it. Your smartphone may already support it, although you’re supposed to pay an additional fee to allow your laptop to share the connection. (Make your employer pay for it!) Prices are still fairly steep, from $50 to $75 a month or so, but the knowledge that you’ll never have to try to track down a coffee shop or pay the airport internet tax is worth it. Just be sure to check the coverage maps from your provider. The EV-DO rollout is a little more comprehensive than Cingular’s at the moment, but all three companies are deploying hardware in new cities all the time. T-Mobile doesn’t offer anything that compares yet, unfortunately.

“Broadband Connect” [Cingular]
“Power Vision” [Sprint]
“Broadband Access [Verizon]