WWAN same account - different computer?

I am new to WWAN. So my question is this:
When I pay for service, does my account follow the SIM card, the laptop's ID, or the WWAN card? For instance, if I buy minutes from Verizon, can I just move that SIM card to another laptop's SIM slot? Or do I have to buy time on that laptop/WWAN card too?

 

The account is for your SIM card. You can put your SIM into any phone, aircard, computer, whatever and it'll work, as long as the equipment is compatible with your carrier's network.

Minutes does not equal data. Check very carefully about what is included in your plan before putting it in your computer... and then turn Windows Update (and any other auto update, really) off or you may get a huge bill next month!

 

So far I have only bought $15.00 (100 MB of data which will probably not be used up before my one day limit is up anyway). This was just to test the WWAN, and make sure it worked. Pre-paid data plans are not very good bargains per MB of data. But I like the idea that when I am out of town, I can just get some pre-paid data for that time only.

But I have 2 laptops with WWAN and SIM slots, so it is good to know that I can move the SIM from one to the other to finish using whatever data I have purchased.

Thanks!!

 

I use binaries for downloads. The other day I had some downloads still open in nzbsab and forgot about them. Went away but had the 3g connection open , it silently downloaded some 1800mb... Costed me an extra €40. Not the end of the world, but not something I particularly liked.

But I now don't have an asdl connection at work any longer, I just use a 5Gb plan, costing me €45 a month. Of I get over the 5Gb, it will cost me 0,9 cents per Mb. Compare that to the 33ct per Mb on prepaid plans.

 

My 3G costs me USD 16 per month. Unlimited traffic, 2Mbps.
After first 10GBs speed is limited to 128Kbps.

In Windows 8 you can restrict windows update when you are on 3G connection. It's a very convenient feature

 

I feel like I've said this like 100 times before, but I will re-iterate:

CDMA 3G doesn't have SIM cards. (Sprint or Verizon). 3.1M down and 1.8M up TOPS, realistic: 1.5M down and .5M up. (EVDO revA)
GSM HSPA and HSPA+ all have sim cards. HSPA MAX: 7.2M down and 1.5M up. realistic HSPA speeds: 5-6M down and 1M up. HSPA+ MAX: 14.4M down and 4M up. Realistic HSPA+ speeds: 10M down and 2M up

4G LTE is where it gets a little confusing. LTE is a form of GSM and requires a SIM card. Even if you get a Verizon or Sprint phone with 4G LTE, it too will have a SIM card. This is for the 4G portion of the data. if you don't have the sim in there, the data will still work, just only at 3G speeds.

If you have 4G LTE on a GSM network such as AT&T, the SIM provided has to support the 4G LTE speeds (which all new SIMS do).

Speeds that I've been getting with my two 4G LTE services are as follows:

AT&T 6 - 12M down and 3M up
Verizon: 10 -15M down and 10 - 15M up.

Long story short:

if you want to be able to use WWAN in multiple machines (hence swapping out a SIM card), then you want to consider only GSM based devices (ESPECIALLY if it's only 3G). 4G all requires SIM cards, but are NOT easily swappable. Verizon, for example, knows and WILL send a NASTY letter in the mail! (SOME of these are MICRO SIMS TOO)

All of what I just wrote is from FIRST HAND PERSONAL EXPERIANCE, NOT from what I found on the internet! Local: Chicago Suburbs!

 

Remember that your WWAN card is just a cellular phone; and like cellular phones, they can be optimized/linked to a particular carrier.

Here in the States, we have a variety of ways for carriers to lock you into their service. Some use customized radio protocols, some use MODEMs with custom firmware to keep you from connecting to other carriers, most use a combination of the two.

Since your MODEM uses a SIM, it is probably a GSM-based technology. In theory, it doesn't matter which carrier you connect to, but again... US carriers will generally do whatever it takes to lock you into a 2-year contract on any cellular communication device. European carriers are different and actually have to follow some rules which protect the end-user, as opposed to the free-for-all we have to put up with.

I seem to remember you saying you were from VA; so like me, you get to play Carrier Roulette.

IF both your laptops have MODEMs from Verizon then yes, you will PROBABLY be able to swap your SIM between the two, provided they have both been activated at some time and neither of them is listed stolen AND both use the same Data Protocol (Edge, HSPDA, 3G, etc). Some carriers will allow you to use the same account across different protocols; I haven't been with Verisuck since I got my iPwn, so I don't know what their restrictions are now.

Your best bet is to try the sim. If your MODEM is from a different carrier, you may be able to flash it (or take it to one of those WE FLASH PHONES places) and make it so it WILL work on another carrier; others here will know which models and which carriers this is possible with.

mnem
Not so wide.

 

Interesting... the only "locked" SIM cards I know of in Canada is the Telus Mobility Smart Hub... it's a landline adapter and wifi all-in-one, with a special rate plan attached to it (used a lot by rural dwellers and construction/oil crews in mobile trailers.) You can physically swap the SIM but it won't work in any other device. That said, I've swapped my SIM between an android, Blackberry and Sierra Wireless aircard - the rate plan I'm on has provisioning for all three APNs. Apart from the aircard, all are unlocked devices originally from other carriers.

Do the carriers know you've swapped devices? Yes.
Looks like the Canadian ones don't care too much if you do. Besides, you're the one footing on overage bill at the end of the month anyway!

 

In the US, swapping sims to unlocked phones is okay, but still not common. We differ from Europe in this regard.

Any standard phone you buy (even from AT&T) will be locked. You won't be able to put another carriers SIM in there without a headache worth of work.

Thanks

 

One of the modems is a Gobi1000 (Thank-you, Rob), and the other is a Gobi2000. I believe neither is locked to Carrier. That matters little since Verizon has better coverage here anyway. Other Carriers have very spotty coverage around here. AT&T has no coverage at all here.

I finished using my Verizon 1 day or 100 MB (whichever comes first). The next day, I tried to connect, just to see what would happen. It told me (pretty much) that I needed to buy more minutes, so I hope that means they won't do to me what they did to Alecgold (post #4 above - ouch!)

It sounds like it is a little unpredictable what will happen if I switch SIMs, so I guess I will try getting another $15.00 worth, and move the SIM to the other computer, and see what happens.

Since you can get external (USB or PC Card) WWAN modems, I presume you can move them from one computer to another. To me, I am wanting to do the same thing (moving SIM instead of whole modem). I'll find out if the Carrier (Verizon) sees it that way.

 

I've found flashing a smartphone with a custom unlocked ROM is similar to flashing a computer bios. Just follow the instructions to the last detail and you're all good

 

Sonuvacrap; I KNEW I should have asked you if they were GOBI MODEMs first off...

The Gobi MODEMs are a different animal all together; they are a special beast specifically designed to be used on multiple carriers and across different protocols. As a result, they cost a fortune new - because you are paying for them outright, up-front. Their cost is NOT subsidized by the carrier. This (and the fact that they can be used pretty much anywhere in the world because of this) is why the GOBI cards are such a hot commodity as used goods.

We were talking generalities as reflected in common WWAN hardware; in your case, the only difference between the MODEMs will be the protocols they cover; as I recall, the GOBI2000 supports 6 more protocols than the 1000. This means that pretty much anything the GOBI1000 can connect to, the GOBI2000 can connect to as well. Screw Verizon with a shovel if they don't like the fact you're not subsidizing them with rental on the MODEM you bought for yourself as well as paying for their data plan.

mnem
mrrp!