Verizon V740 questions....

[mklos]

I just bought a Verizon V740 Express Card for my MacBook Pro. I live in the sticks and can't get DSL or Cable so I bought this as the next best solution. I do however get a perfect Verizon Cell Signal where I live (6 of 6 bars).

My question for anyone who owns this is, do you need to have a special plan for this? It didn't make me buy a special plan other than the 2yr regular plan that I needed to renew for my cell phone. Does this use your plan minutes? Is it free for people with a current contract only? I'll do basically anything to make this work. A 24k dialup connection is just killing me. I've been on dialup for 8 years now and I've had enough. Satellite internet isn't an option as its very expensive, limited bandwidth, and most important, its not mobile.

I called the local Verizon store and person was absolutely clueless about this thing.

Does anyone use this? Good, bad experiences? Thanks in advance!

 

[madog]

I've heard that there is a specific monthly fee that you have to get that differs depending on if you are a current verizon customer or not. Of course it's not easy to find any info about this at verizon's site [I can't even find info about the card itself].

What I'd do is call other Verizon stores in your city and not rely on the ignorant fool working at your closest store. I once called Sprint on behalf of a customer about using their cell phone as a bluetooth modem and could not get a single customer service rep. who had any idea what the hell I was talking about.

Oh, that's another thing you should think about. Instead of using that card, ask around about using your phone as either a bluetooth or USB modem [depending on the phone and your needs]. If you can't find any info about one try the other. I'm sure you can return your card when you instruct the people that no one has been able to give you any information about how to use it.

Otherwise, I have heard good things about both ways. Depends on which service you have on the phone or card [the high/low speed services].

I really, really think that there is a monthly payment plan you have to get to enable the card. For some reason I'm thinking around $80 but I am not 100% sure on that.

 

[mklos]

Yeah I am a current Verizon customer and have been for 2 yrs. now. I was just in the process of renewing my plan and of course with Verizon they give you some instant rebates for renewing and the V740 card was one of the upgrade options so I took that because I never use the damn phone anyways. I think I used 5 of 450 minutes last month. Everyone I call also has Verizon Wireless so my minutes almost never get used. I only have a simple phone that does basic calling with text messaging and voice mail and the simple things like that. I like the V740 because it attaches to my laptop, and I can use it basically anywhere I can get a Verizon signal (which is pretty much everywhere around here). I will stop at the store tomorrow after work and ask someone else. The person who works at the store during the day knows a lot more about this stuff. Either way I think its the best way to go for broadband access. Bearfeats apparently uses this very same thing for their lab for the same reasons as me and they apparently have a Unlimited Access plan that is $59.99/mo for current Verizon customers. But, like I said, when I bought the card off Verizon's store it didn't make me buy a special plan for it other than the regular cell phone plan.

And you're absolutely right about Verizon's website. They don't make it very clear about this stuff. They do have Broadband Access and National Access links on the V740 page but it doesn't say its required to make the card functional. Below is a link to where the card is:

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/...t&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=2910