Use HP 5455 & PCMCIA CMDA Card as cell phone?

[gai-jin]

I'm shopping for a new cellular provider. One of my main concerns is a provider/phone combination which will allow me good voice service as well as data service to both my pda and laptop. I've been looking at verizon service, as tmobile and att don't offer coverage in my home area.

Looking at their airprime cmda card, could I use this in my pda AS a phone, for voice conversations? After looking into their plans, it looks as though I could use a voice plan and add the unlimited express network as an option, thus having one device to cover both of my needs. Is this possible? Has anyone here done this? Experiences to share?
Thanks!
Gai-jin

[Bob Anderson]

I have used my iPaq 5455 with a dual PC Card pack and a Verizon/Sierra Wireless CDMA 1xrtt card for some time. It's a nice portable solution. And the card pops right out and you can load it into your laptop and carry on. (I commute via Ferry across Puget Sound (going into Seattle) every day, and use the wireless connection the entire 40 minutes I'm sailing across the sound! It's GREAT to be connected and get to do business on the net during this otherwise uneventful downtime!)

You can get the unlimited express network plan (I highly recommend you do so, MBs fly when you use your PPC on the internet!) and you can add a voice plan as well.

The thing to keep in mind is you have to use a headset adapter with the wireless card... that is, you can't use the iPaq as a speakerphone... to some people this would be OK, for others, having yet another wire/cable/headphone to carry around would be a deal breaker. The software for the Sierra Wireless card will integrate with your Pocket Outlook phone book and allow you to send SMS messages or dial calls directly without having to copy information, etc.

Like I've said, I've never used the AirPrime CDMA card (and prefer the Sierra card due to it's disconnectable antenna) but I'm sure the software integration is similar, and the CDMA 1xRTT service is a **must have** in my book. :D Let me know if you have further questions that I can help you with.