Introduction

What do you do for Internet access when you're away from the office?

Internet access is essential for my home-based business, and I also frequently travel. Here are the methods I've tried when I'm on the road:

1. Staying in hotels that provide Internet access and connecting only at night.
2. Accessing Sprint PCS through my phone and a PCMCIA access card.
3. Looking up free wireless hotspots online and using them.
4. Paid Wi-Fi access at bookstores, coffee shops, and airports.

The only available option I haven't tried that I'm aware of is Clearwire wireless broadband, which is available to me since I live in Boise, Idaho. Unfortunately, its area of coverage was too small to be a real alternative, since I worked with too many clients that lived in states that weren't within the Clearwire service area. If you want information about Clearwire's coverage areas in the United States, check their Interactive Coverage Map.

What doesn't work? The four approaches I've listed above. This article will describe my experiences with the four approaches so that you can see why I feel that they don't work. I'll also describe my switch to Verizon Wireless' broadband wireless service.