An AirCard is a wireless modem that connects to a cellular service provider for internet access anywhere. Sierra Wireless manufactures proprietary AirCards for different services, and they come with different interfaces. AirCards vary in price, and there are different plans available to suit different budgets and needs.
An AirCard® is a wireless modem that plugs into a computer and connects to a cellular service provider for nationwide or worldwide Internet access. The term “aerial chart” is sometimes used to refer to technology in general and will be used the same way as it appears in this article.
The advantage of an airline card over other types of wireless service is that you can use it to connect to the Internet anywhere cellular service is available, rather than relying on hotspots. Using an airline card, one can surf the web, collect mail, or download files from the back of a cab, the center of an oil field, a secluded cabin, or a white-sand beach.
Sierra® Wireless manufactures AirCards® for a wide variety of customers, making each card proprietary for a particular service. An airline card made to work with Verizon’s wireless broadband service, for example, won’t work with Sprint, so you’ll need to choose your carrier before purchasing an AirCard.
If you already have cell phone service, start by considering extending your plan to include wireless broadband. Most providers offer a discount to those who already have cellular service. In some cases it may be better to switch to a different provider, however, depending on your needs and the coverage offered.
AirCards come with different interfaces to work with different devices. Laptops and notebooks may use an airline card designed to fit into the ExpressCard slot, formerly known as a PC Card slot or PCMCIA slot. This port or slot has evolved over the years into slightly different configurations that adhere to different protocols and interfaces. When buying an airline card, make sure it supports the specific type of slot on your machine. If your laptop doesn’t have a card slot, consider a USB air card.
If you will be traveling internationally, look for an airline card that supports quad-band GSM frequencies and tri-band UMTS frequencies for connectivity on second generation (2G) and third generation (3G) architectures, respectively. GSM stands for Global Systems for Mobile Communications and UMTS refers to Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems, which will also support fourth generation (4G) networks.
AirCards vary in price and can sometimes be discounted when you purchase a plan, but are generally available for $45 US Dollars (USD) and up. Cost largely depends on features and the type and number of frequency bands and architectures supported.
The convenience of wireless broadband service doesn’t come cheap, but there are many plans available to suit different budgets and needs. Pay-as-you-go plans allow the customer to pay a flat fee for a 24-hour subscription, the shortest increment of time sold. This can be useful as a fallback measure when a hotspot is unavailable and access is absolutely necessary. You may also be able to purchase a period of time, such as a week or month, for access on a business trip or vacation.
The best plan, if you can afford it, is an unlimited plan. This can cost $80 USD a month, about double the cost of cable broadband. However, the cost can be offset by increased productivity, especially for executives on the go. Major carriers may also offer special discounts to companies for group plans.
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