An Aircard by Any Other Name is Exactly the Same

Aircard is a term for mobile broadband devices. It was probably first used by Sierra, an aircard manufacturer. But the term is certainly not the only one used. Each company that sells mobile broadband seems to have a different word for these gadgets.

AT&T calls theirs connect cards. This isn't a bad term. It's short and explains what the card is good for.

At my local Alltel store, they advertise them as data cards. That's a bit confusing because some people use that term for cards that store data or software.

I've heard people refer to these devices as 3G cards. That makes sense due to the fact that they may use of 3G (third generation) signal technology. Maybe when 3G is replaced by 4G we'll start calling them 4G cards.

The term broadband card or mobile broadband card is becoming popular, though some would argue that the cards seldom reach "broadband" speeds. They do offer high speeds, especially when compared to dial-up.

Another synonym for aircard is wireless card or 3G wireless. I don't like this one because "wireless card" can also mean a card that connects a computer to a wi-fi system, which is very different than 3G.

You may have heard of other terms for aircards. If so, let me know in the comments.

Top 10 Reasons an Air Card is my Best Purchase this Year

I purchased a USB air card from Alltel. This air card is the best purchase I've made recently. Here are just a few of the reasons why.

10. Alltel has no limit on how much data (bandwidth) I can download and upload with my air card. Some companies charge more per megabyte after you excede a set limit. With Alltel, I get unlimited data transfer for $60 per month.

9. There was only a small $25 installation fee. That's compared to the $700 it would have cost me to set up satellite internet.

8. Since I bought the air card and got off dial-up, I can watch videos. Now I can see what's so funny about a sneezing panda on You-Tube.

7. I can download a song from itunes in 30 seconds. Before I bought the air card, it took 30 minutes and wasn't worth the trouble.

6. I have internet access anywhere I take my laptop and air card.

5. I can download and upload pictures and large documents.

4. The wireless USB dongle makes my laptop look like it has a tail.

3. My air card gives me something to write about on Aircard Information.

2. I can surf the web while riding down the interstate in a car.

And finally, the number one thing I like best about my air card....

1. I no longer tie up my phone line every time I get online.

3G Aircards make Everywhere a Hot Spot

A laptop with wifi makes computing more mobile and flexible. It lets you be online in restaurants, hotels, airports, or anywhere with a hot spot. However, your internet access is limited to locations that have wifi access. This is no longer the case if you've been introduced to 3G, the third generation of wireless computing.

3G aircards have changed the way people use their notebook computers.

Now, with a broadband aircard, you can use the internet nearly anywhere, even in rural locations, and usually at speeds much faster than dial-up.

To get hooked up, all you need to do is visit your local cell phone store and get an aircard that connects to your laptop through a card slot or usb connection. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and Alltel have wireless aircards. They will usually give you the card for free if you agree to pay about $60 for a service plan. When I bought my aircard, I also paid a $25 installation fee. AT&T even sells a netbook computer with the aircard built inside.

After buying the aircard, I installed a small piece of software that came with the card on a CD, and presto, I was on the internet through the aircard without having to find a hotspot.

How is this possible?

A new generation, or third generation (3G), of wireless products have entered the market that allow customers to use their wireless cell connections to access the internet at broadband speeds. So instead of looking for a wifi hotspot, with an aircard, you just have to be in range of the nearest cell phone tower for your network.