Vodafoone co-operates on data card with Verizon

Dom · Aug 1, 2003, 08:59 PM

IN AN INTERESTING attempt to unite their disparate offerings, Verizon Wireless in the USA and Europe's Vodafone intend to market a data card that will work on both networks.

At present, the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card will connect to data services on GSM networks via GPRS. It then allows anyone with a suitable PCMCIA slot to obtain mobile access to their email, the Internet and corporate online systems.

The deal with Verizon is to have a dual branded PC Card – the Verizon Vodafone lap top card which will provide access to Verizon's CDMA 1xRTT based 'Express Network' network.

The INQ suspects the Mobile Connect card is supplied to Vodafone by Sierra Wireless which already has a 1xRTT card on offer – the AirCard 555 – so it shouldn't take too long to squeeze both technologies onto a single card.

Vodafone and Verizon made soothing noises about how they intend to co-operate on 'service inter-connectivity, roaming and inter-operator tariffing'. They don't say how expensive the card will be.

It also raises the interesting question of what happens if no 1xRTT connexion is available? Could the user still roam onto a rival network – say T-Mobile – and use that network's GPRS? We expect so.

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Source: TheInquirer

Aug 1, 2003, 08:59 PM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,942 Rep Power: 0	Vodafoone co-operates on data card with Verizon IN AN INTERESTING attempt to unite their disparate offerings, Verizon Wireless in the USA and Europe's Vodafone intend to market a data card that will work on both networks. At present, the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card will connect to data services on GSM networks via GPRS. It then allows anyone with a suitable PCMCIA slot to obtain mobile access to their email, the Internet and corporate online systems. The deal with Verizon is to have a dual branded PC Card – the Verizon Vodafone lap top card which will provide access to Verizon's CDMA 1xRTT based 'Express Network' network. The INQ suspects the Mobile Connect card is supplied to Vodafone by Sierra Wireless which already has a 1xRTT card on offer – the AirCard 555 – so it shouldn't take too long to squeeze both technologies onto a single card. Vodafone and Verizon made soothing noises about how they intend to co-operate on 'service inter-connectivity, roaming and inter-operator tariffing'. They don't say how expensive the card will be. It also raises the interesting question of what happens if no 1xRTT connexion is available? Could the user still roam onto a rival network – say T-Mobile – and use that network's GPRS? We expect so. _______________________ Source: TheInquirer