Internet Browsing & Emails - Australia

[betachz]

As far as the Gulf & Caribbean, Will cellular be enough to keep in constant contact using something like a Sprint Sat/Cell Card for my laptop? I'm looking to have FTP, full internet & phone communications 90% of the time.. but want to hit most of the major areas of the caribean. Thoughts?

[AnchorageGuy]

The problem will be the loss of coverage as you leave one area and move to another. Whatever carrier you are using in one place may not and probably will not have coverage at your next port of call. This is why most folks use something that will give them access to open WiFi spots along the way but you will not be able to count on this on a regular basis, especially in the out of the way spots most of us like to cruise in. Many simply use thier laptop and find internet cafes on route.

[Pblais]

looking to have FTP, full internet & phone communications 90% of the time..

Sat phone would be the only real option. These rates would about 10 times what you pay for roaming cell phone charges. A Verizon setup might work a lot of the time along the east coast of the US in the ICW for example but even then not 90%. It too won't go south with Internet coverage. That is not a commonly available thing.

I would contact Sprint and see where they actually have coverage. It won't be most places but you might have in a few ports on the northern most leg.

Chuck indicates what is pretty standard for most people. WiFi hot spots with broadband are getting almost very common in most places.

[Huntermoo]

Andrew, go to Internet for Boats, Internet at Sea, Marine Internet, Internet for Ships i saw them at the Sanctuary cove boat show

[betachz]

Very interesting. Do you have one of these? Have you tried it in and round the carribean?

[Huntermoo]

i have tried it, but not in the area you are saying

[waterworldly]

I went to the web site but couldn't find the prices. Do you have any idea what the cost is (equiptment and monthly?)

[dogs]

I signed up to telstra $20 a month deal where I had $20 of free calls per month and $5 refund on my bill I also had 1 hour free to make any calls I like in that nominated hour. I signed up for prepaid isp dialup called hello. Which you can buy a $20 card at retravision and other shops this will give you 3 months of dialup access with plenty of download limit. During the free telephone hour I would dialup the isp and get my email and weather reports. This works fine but I suggest you get a program such as Mailwasher to delete large files and files with attachments from servers before they start downloading into your computer.

[W32PAMELA]

The price for the Ericsson is us$999. As other posters have indicated, in the Caribbean each island will require another SIM card and contract if 3G is even available.

Bob Stewart
IslandTime PC