Hi All,
We've been following the cell phone/email thread with great interest.
In the mail today was a brochure from Bell Atlantic Mobile (BAM) describing
"Wireless Internet Access". After seven or eight calls, I found someone who
actually knew the details AND who actually uses the service (when camping -
whatever). The rest of this is what the BAM person told us (that is,
theoretical until one of us tries it out).
What is it?
Apparently, all the BAM cell antennas also carry another technology's
antenna - CDPD - a wireless data network. It has nothing to do with cell
phones or voice data. BAM is marketing it as a way to get to your ISP to get
web-based data and email.
How does it work?
You attach a special modem (wireless modem) to your computer. This modem
acts like a radio transmitter/receiver to interface with the CDPD antennas
to make your connection with your ISP (like a telephone connection). The top
speed is 19,200 (which the BAM rep says he consistantly acheives).
Costs
BAM has coverage from DC to Boston and they are about to merge (acquire?)
GTE, which will give them coverage south at least to North Carolina. You can
get email-only unlimited access (they give you a POP account) within the
coverage area for $24.94/mo. You get unlimited email and internet
connectivity within the coverage area for $54.95/mo (one year contract) or
$39.95/mo (two year contract).
There is also the non-recurring cost of the wireless modem. They range from
$200 for a PCMCIA Type I (not recommended - too slow) to $450-600 for a Type
III (19,200).
Outside the coverage area (for all plans) there is a charge of eight cents
per kB. The typical TWList is about 2-3 kB, so this would be 16-24 cents per
message.
Is this good or bad?
Depends. Obviously, this is for coastal cruising only (antenna range). But
based on the recent cell report ($2K in roaming charges!) and our recent
cell experience (we pay 32 cents per minute of air time) of roaming at about
an additional dollar per minute of air time, this approach may be more cost
effective and less complex. If you assume a two year write-off of the
equipment, a two-year contract, and 500 messages/mo from the TWList, that
works out to about 10-13 cents per message. If cell is only connecting at
4800 or so, then this could be a significant savings (if it works, of
course!!!) BAM's web site is (http://www.bam.com).

--
HNick&Sherri&SmallWonder (HNMorgan@mindspring.com)

Nick & the List

In addition to Demos' reply about it being 9600 baud, an important point is
that BAM is offering a digital, not analog, service and you need a digital
phone and interface cable to your laptop. Here's the stinger... it's
virtually impossible to find a digital phone that is available with a 3 watt
booster kit. I know SOME are out there, but just try and find one! I had a
Nokia 2160 (digital) with a 3 Watt booster, but was told I would need a
Nokia 6100 series, or some other "improved" model, just to get on that
network. Those improved phones don't offer the 3 watt booster. I probably
don't need to tell you how important that extra power is away from shore! I
also need another feature, I'll get to that below.

Those nasty roaming charges can go away with the right digital phone and
plan. I currently have a Nokia 6120 with a DigitalUSA plan from Cellular One
Boston that only costs $159.95 for 1600 minutes per month (26 hours)!!
That's just 10 cents a minute for any call, anywhere in the whole USA, with
no roaming charges and no long distance fee. This is the absolutely best
deal offered in the entire country right now. AT&T has a similar deal but
they stop at 1400 minutes. Extra time with CellOne (yes, believe it or not I
do use it that much) is 20 cents/min., with AT&T it's 25 cents/min. The AT&T
advantage, though, is that the special phone features like CallerID and
VoiceMail notification (an Icon on the phone display lights) work most
everywhere but with CellOne only work in most of New England. SO... now I
need a digital phone, with one of these great rate plans, that has a 3 watt
booster, and... here goes... offers an interface box like the one Motorola
uses with their analog phones as Bryant Vann described in a message to the
list in April. Not too tall an order, eh?

So, maybe someone can help me. Bryant wrote about connecting his analog
Motorola phone through a adapter from Motorola that gave a dial tone to the
attached equipment such as an answering machine, fax, etc. It even worked
with a regular phone attached and presented some great ideas for giving
"normal" phone access from various extensions around the vessel. I'm well
versed on that analog solution but need to find a digital version of this so
that we can qualify for those great rate plans!!!

In a mail order catalog from Hammacher-Schemller I found the right phone
system for the boat, a 2.4 GHz cordless 2-line phone with support for up to
8 individual handsets, allowing up to 4 of those handsets to be used
simultaneously for use on either incoming line. They can also intercom
between each other! The price is very reasonable at $400 for the base phone,
which also includes a digital answering machine, and a portable handset.
Then, each additional handset is only $150. It also offers Call
Waiting/Caller ID with info sent to the handset!

OK, so now, when the boat is tied up at the dock, we connect the landline to
LINE 1 of this phone and we have LINE 2 attached to the interface of our
cell phone. Home or away, we are reachable. Then, BA offers a Call
Forwarding II service from your landline that will ring your landline number
for a desired number of rings and then, getting no answer, will ring another
number. It only costs $1.35/month! So... you only give out your landline
number and the calls arrive on the cell phone when you're away from the
dock.

As everyone can hopefully see, I'm trying to create a versatile telephone
system that also minimizes cost (most of the time). If anyone has
suggestions, please send them to me privately and then I'll compile them and
do one post to the list. Thanks all!

Capt. Paul Shirley

The CDPD stuff has been around for some time, but hasn't been very
successful.  The real throughput rarely gets above 9600 baud, even then that
rate is sometimes tricky.  Also the coverage is far less than the regular
cells since the system is designed for urban areas. Most of the antennas are
aimed towards the populated areas and the water areas are often not covered.

The cell phone industry has been fussing about data standards for some time
(years) and still hasn't come to grips with a good one to support data. Now
there is talk of developing a new global technology to replace the GSM
technology used to such good effect in Europe and the less effective
technology used in North America and Japan. Based upon past experiences
observing these two groups debating about common standards, I am not holding
my breath for a suitable network connection while on the water.

Maybe next century.

Bob Miller
M/V Loon Song
Semiahmoo, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com
[mailto:owner-trawler-world-list@samurai.com]On Behalf Of nick morgan
Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 1999 3:44 PM
To: trawler-world-list@samurai.com
Subject: Email on the water

Hi All,
We've been following the cell phone/email thread with great interest.
In the mail today was a brochure from Bell Atlantic Mobile (BAM) describing
"Wireless Internet Access". After seven or eight calls, I found someone who
actually knew the details AND who actually uses the service (when camping -
whatever). The rest of this is what the BAM person told us (that is,
theoretical until one of us tries it out).
What is it?
Apparently, all the BAM cell antennas also carry another technology's
antenna - CDPD - a wireless data network. It has nothing to do with cell
phones or voice data. BAM is marketing it as a way to get to your ISP to get
web-based data and email.
How does it work?
You attach a special modem (wireless modem) to your computer. This modem
acts like a radio transmitter/receiver to interface with the CDPD antennas
to make your connection with your ISP (like a telephone connection). The top
speed is 19,200 (which the BAM rep says he consistantly acheives).
Costs
BAM has coverage from DC to Boston and they are about to merge (acquire?)
GTE, which will give them coverage south at least to North Carolina. You can
get email-only unlimited access (they give you a POP account) within the
coverage area for $24.94/mo. You get unlimited email and internet
connectivity within the coverage area for $54.95/mo (one year contract) or
$39.95/mo (two year contract).
There is also the non-recurring cost of the wireless modem. They range from
$200 for a PCMCIA Type I (not recommended - too slow) to $450-600 for a Type
III (19,200).
Outside the coverage area (for all plans) there is a charge of eight cents
per kB. The typical TWList is about 2-3 kB, so this would be 16-24 cents per
message.
Is this good or bad?
Depends. Obviously, this is for coastal cruising only (antenna range). But
based on the recent cell report ($2K in roaming charges!) and our recent
cell experience (we pay 32 cents per minute of air time) of roaming at about
an additional dollar per minute of air time, this approach may be more cost
effective and less complex. If you assume a two year write-off of the
equipment, a two-year contract, and 500 messages/mo from the TWList, that
works out to about 10-13 cents per message. If cell is only connecting at
4800 or so, then this could be a significant savings (if it works, of
course!!!) BAM's web site is (http://www.bam.com).

--
HNick&Sherri&SmallWonder (HNMorgan@mindspring.com)