With the increasing use of the Internet and e-mail for communication, the demand for getting wireless Internet service is growing. Now you can get your e-mail or surf the web on your PDA using a wireless modem from your car, on a trip, while running errands, or anywhere else that you can't access your desktop computer. However, as always when something new comes out in technology, there can always be a lot of confusing issues. To solve this, we set out to investigate the wireless Windows CE web.

Data networks work in essentially the same way as mobile telephone networks. Currently, there are two different networks that GoAmerica uses to provide coverage. These are the BellSouth Intelligent Wireless Data Network (BSWD) and the Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD). Both essentially offer the same wireless features. The trick is to make sure that you know which network is available in your area because the modems only support one or the other. To make sure, click here to go to the search by zip code feature on the GoAmerica site. This search will tell you which network to go with. The best part is no matter which network you choose, there are no roaming fees anywhere in the country. Once you have decided on the network, it's time to choose the equipment.

In order to get wireless Internet access, you have to acquire the right equipment. You will need a PDA and a wireless modem. GoAmerica offers complete packages on their webpage if you want to outfit yourself with all new equipment. But, if you want to use your current PDA, you have to make sure that a wireless modem is available for it that works with the GoAmerica system. Currently, there are two wireless modems available for Windows CE H/PC's as well as Palm OS organizers.

	The Aircard

First, the The Sierra Aircard 300 is available from GoAmerica for $349. This card only allows connectivity to the CDPD network and is compatible with the following devices without a battery pack:

• Hewlett Packard 620 LX - Hewlett Packard 660 LX
• LG Phenom Express - LG Phenom Express (2.1)
• NEC 750 C Hewlett Packard Jornada 820
• Sharp Mobilon Pro - Sharp Mobilon TriPad

If you have one of the following devices below, you will also need the Sierra Wireless Rechargeable Battery Pack for $49.95.

• Hewlett Packard 360
• Compaq Companion
• Sharp Mobilon 4500
• Sharp Mobilon 4600

Or Windows CE users can pick up a RIM Wireless PC for $199. This card only allows connectivity to the BSWD network and fits any device that has a PCMCIA Type II, Type III and Toshiba 16mm slots.

	Palm III with Minstrel Modem

Minstrel makes two wireless modems for the Palm OS, the Minstrel and the Minstrel III. The Minstrel fits the older PalmPilot Professionals, while the Minstrel III ($199) fits the Palm III series organizers. These modems attach easily to your organizers and give you full connectivity to the CDPD network.

GoAmerica offers two service plans designed to fit everyone's needs. For the heavy user, the GoUnlimited service plan for $59.95 per month allows for unlimited e-mail checks and web surfing regardless of the amount of data you access. For the more occasional user, the GoLite plan offers the first 25 kb of data access for 9.95, plus an additional .10 for each kb on the CDPD network or .30 for each kb on the BSWD network. So how far will 25 kb take you? Well considering that each character in an e-mail is approximately one byte, you could download up to 25,000 individual characters for 9.95. That's quite a bit of e-mail.

There are a few extra things you should know. First, access to web pages using SSL is not supported for Palm OS devices. Second, you must have a POP3 e-mail account to access it on your PDA. Third, due to some problems with the configurations, GoAmerica does not support AOL, Compuserve, Prodigy, MSN, or ATT Worldnet Mail.

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