"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 13:50:12 -0700, "Dene" wrote:

Sprint offers broadband service, useful anywhere within their cell phone
service range, for $79.99. $59.99/mo. if you already are a customer. I
intend to subscribe when we move, using it for home, business, and marine
applications.

Yes, I have internet access through my Sprint phone but it is too slow
(400 msec ping latency) to support a virtual desk top environment.

It is fine for casual web browsing and EMAIL however.

How is your ping time to something like google.com ?


Wayne:

I subscribe to Verizon's Broadband Access service, using an air card with my
notebook. I've run numerous speed tests with it. If I'm a metropolitan
area, I'll usually be in range of Verizon's EVDO signal, which delivers
download speeds in the range of 750-850 kilobits per second. Not exactly
the 2000-3000 kilobits per second that I get from my cable modem, but quite
usable when I'm out and about. While I'm out on the boat I only have a
1xRTT signal, which results in speeds of about 150-170 kilobits per second.
A bit tedious to be sure, but much better than the days of dial-up, which
was never available on the boat to begin with, and I'm damn glad to have it
while on the water. I just pinged google.com using the air card with an
EVDO signal, and the ping time averaged 207 ms (193, 216, 189, 230). My
cable modem averaged 80 ms.

The original post asked about wi-fi offshore, but that is simply a pipe
dream. Wi-fi would only be appropriate in a marina setting, assuming the
marina was set up for wi-fi. Anywhere else, including offshore, one of the
cellular broadband services is your best bet, short of a broadband satellite
service.