I've been using Verizon's Wireless Access on my PalmIIIx for a year now. I got in on the ground floor and I have nothing but nice things to say about the connection. It's been very reliable and it has never been down yet.
When I started with them last August, they were charging $39.95 a month for unlimited access from Boston to South Carolina and you had to sign up for a 2 year deal with a $150 early termination fee for that rate. I thought it was high but I really wanted Internet Access in the Palm of my hand so I went for it. It was extremely complicated to set up initially with all these numbers and codes that had to go into all these different areas of the Palm. That got resolved after a couple of hours talking to their tech support, which was toll free. What was disappointing at first was that Verizon sent you this oudated software from Handweb 1.0, which could hardly get you connected to any site on the Internet. I called them up fuming, asking them what kind of Internet Software is this. The response I got was very revealing: Verizon basically told me that they provided the Wireless Connection and I was responsible for searching the World Wide Web for all kinds of software to use on my Palm with their service. They said there were plenty of free software out there that I could find and download if I used a good search engine; and they wished me the best of luck. Verizon gave me a 1 month trial period and they were pretty mellow.
I found two great free web browsers, which allowed me to access any site on the web, in Proxiweb and Eudora Web Browser, downloaded Yahoo Instant Messenger and decided to use Yahoo Mail, which enabled me to download all my Email from my PC, and I kept my Email program from Verizon also, which proved to be quite reliable and quick, though I couldn't retrieve my Email from my PC with it.
A couple of months ago Verizon lowered its rates to $24.95 a month and required a 1 year contract, with an early termination fee of $100. Of course, I switched over to that plan; and when I asked why they lowered their rates, I was told by customer service that their palm III wireless service was growing tremendously.
The Verizon Palm III service is really great because it's always up and running and they are very mellow. As long as you use their service for your own personal or individual use and not as a server device, they couldn't care less what you download and use the service for. They keep all your Email for a month and they permit you 2500 Email log ons per month.
I don't know to much about their cellular phones because I use Sprint PCS, which gives me a much better deal where I get a 1,000 anytime minutes and a 1,000 off peak minutes, without a contract for $75 a month. I use a wireless modem from Novatel Wireless so I don't connect my Palm via my Cellular Phone. WAP Browsers from cellular phones are nothing in comparison to what you can do with a Palm web browser. Verizon is #2 in the cellular phone market out here behind Sprint PCS.
I have friends who use Verizon as their DSL connection and their satisfied. I use Time Warner's Road Runner Cable Service. Verizon's regular phone service is fine.
In short: Verizon is known for its reliabilty. Most people talk about Omnisky or Go America's Wireless Service; but Verizon is the best( and cheapest) when it comes to the Palm. I don't know why but Verizon only takes care of the PalmIII,IIIx,IIIxe and IIIe at the moment. I was told by customer service that they were going to include the PalmV family in the future and that they were very busy upgrading their network for faster service in the future.
Verizon has a reputation in NYC of being deliberate, reliable, mellow and fair. Good company.
bam.com |
