m1330 mobile broadband?

I bought my m1330 without selecting the mobile broadband option. My question is whether or not I am able to sign up with a mobile broadband provider, get the SIM card, and just pop it underneath the battery and have it working after installing some kind of software?

Or do I need to purchase hardware to add on? If so, what do I need?

 

i have been wanting to know the answer to this also. Seems no one really knows.

 

you need to buy a mini express card and install it next to your wifi card. I believe you have to get them from dell though, although at&t makes them, every laptop has a different antenna and you could burn the rf amplifier out if you don't get one made for your laptop, aka, search on the dell online parts store for a broadband card. I'll post it if I can find it.

 

Just an FYI that if you have ITM (Turbo Memory), you will have to remove it since it resides in the same slot. There is no comparison though since the GSM card is about $200 and change and ITM is like $25

 

Yes, you have to have the mobile broadband modem installed in your machine. All units have the SIM slot underneath the battery, but unless you've got the mobile broadband option that slot is not connected to anything..

Also, I can confim that at least the UMTS/GSM version of the modem is not network-locked, regardless of Dell's marketing materials which all uniformly indicate (in the UK) that you have to use Vodafone.

monahk: you're right, there's no competition - ITM can't connect me to the Internet while I'm on a train!

 

You could buy the card from Dell but I have seen surplus ones on ebay for 1/3 of the cost. The sim slot is only for the GSM ones like the one for the ATT network, otherwise, if you use the EVDO on Verizon or Sprint, then you obviously do not need a sim.

I am on Verizon and originally use their ExpressCard unit, decided I want to use an internal unit so that I won't have anything hanging out. Didn't want to get the Dell unit as I have heard complaints about its dialer so I went and bought the Verison USB720 off ebay for like $60, extracted the built in Novatel mini PCI card and dropped it into the slot next to the WiFi, hooked up the 2 antenna leads, loaded up Verizon's S/W and have been using it for over a month.

You may want to visit the EVDO forum if you are interested. As far as the antennas go, there's no difference and they won't cause a burn-out, the only difference is the length but since Dell is nice enough to pre-install these, there is no problem if you simply want to hook up a compatible card.

Considering the speed differential between GSM Edge & EVDO (Rev A), there is no reason to go with the slower GSM configuration IMHO.

 

Actually, GSM providers aren't the only ones that use SIM cards now.

 

Moreover, aren't GSM 3G systems in Europe much faster than what EVDO has to offer?

 

I thought we are talking about the WWAN card in a notebook and not handsets.

 

You are correct, the European 3G is faster than EVDO Rev A though it is not "much faster" in actual throughput. I may have been mistaken but I presume we are talking about units in the U.S., hence I don't believe the current WWAN cards used in the Dell supports the US 3G, and if they did, we still have to deal with the different bandwidth as the ATT 3G is not compatible with TMO's.

 

We are talking about the WWAN card.

Telus here in Canada (which is a CDMA provider) will issue a SIM card to you if you sign up for their mobile broadband service.

 

OK, then I am confused. I know the some of the newer VZW handsets have a sim slot to alllow for inerantional roaming, etc. But what is the benefit of the SIM for a EVDO WWAN card that is currently available in the Dell?