Cell service in the US used to be local only, too.

Also, just because Xohm doesn't cover everywhere doesn't mean that it is useless for it to cover anywhere. All I ask is coverage for one little city -- Los Angeles, a tiny spot on the West Coast. I do venture out of the Los Angeles area from time to time, but that little bit of coverage would be a great boon to me.

note:will not suit much of the public that travels not it "will not" be good,.
The Washington DC demographics include a lot of people that travel extensively and require an easy to carry computer [NIT] to keep in touch and a cell phone. That's why everyone has one or two Blackberries. If Nokia had packaged it with a cell phone package I might have switched. As it is I'm probably going to go T-mobile with web access.

I had been using an LG VX9800 w/ Verizon with free WAP. It greatly assisted me in avoiding a blizzard in NY and tornadoes in KS, and helped me price things in stores etc. I probably did not need to use it more than 1 hour/month. But when I needed it I needed it. But Verizon shut free WAP down recently.

I can put up with paying $6 (T-Mobile) a month for limited data and occasional use, but not $45 (5gb Verizon). And if Xohm is going to cost $40/month that's an entire N810W+ in 1 year, to use in DC and Baltimore and I still need a cell phone when I leave my locale.

It reminds me of when RIM Blackberry first came out and you had to be close to the telephone poles that they put their equipment on.

Give me widespread coverage (2010?, 2011?) and I might switch.

I have to say, I'm "cautiously optimistic"

It'd have to sread pretty far east in Los Angeles County before it'd be very useful for me. I'm really looking forward to seeing real competition in ubiquitous wireless data in the US. So far, it's pretty much at&t and verizon for reliable access, and I'm pretty sure they're raping customers.

I really don't know what device I'd want next...
Android/Dream: T-Mobiles 3G coverage is pathetic, and the dream isn't compatible with at&t's 3G as far as I understand.
n810W: Again, with pathetic coverage, it's hard to call it "wireless" access.

The reason I'm optimistic is that with a lot of companies backing wimax, and t-mobile possibly providing an inexpensive 3G plan, if either of these are reliable and accessible from the places I'm at most frequently, I might be persuaded to buy a device.

What do you guys think the chances are of either of these services having a wide range?
What are the chances that wimax will last?
How soon will there be a new wireless technology to replace them (and how far behind Asia will it be ?

Apologies for the US-centric post. We've got a lot of problems and I'm interest to know what others think

Actually T-Mobile has pretty widespread coverage. One of the guys I teach with has a T-M Bb and was getting good coverage in small towns all over the US.

wimax femto cells?
http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=163140
this could be interesting...

T-mobile has roaming with AT&T; if your phone has 850 (almost all they sell do, these days), T-mo coverage is the same as AT&T coverage.

Once again, despite the news that it's 'rolling out now'... I'd like to see a map from someone who's providing this coverage so that I can see WHERE and watch its progress before I even consider it.

Map please? Until then.. I'll continue to take it with a big heaping of salt.

Yes, this is currently one of the disadvantages of WiMAX.

Also, the question is whether you'll have coverage while in a building. The WiMAX network I've been following information about (WorldMAX, Amsterdam) provides network coverage in Amsterdam inside the A10 ring around the city, but coverage inside buildings wasn't good yet. They've announced they're going to fix this, but I believe such promises when I see them.

If you for example live and work/study in DC you're generally around there. The question is also how long you'd be out of the DC/Xohm area and whether it'd still be worth the price you're paying. You won't pay per minute for WiMAX.

Also, don't forget: if you're using WiFi you generally have small coverage or you're using a network of several WiFi hotspots which are connected with each other (e.g. WDS). I found WiFi not suitable for SIP because I'd have to stand still. The CT2/DECT syndrome. For an Internet device this is Not Done (tm) IMO.

Wow, I just read WiMAX supports QoS. This allows a WiMAX provider to give (unencrypted) SIP traffic priority over bulk traffic. Killer feature.

Will Nokia sign other deals with providers in Europe? Berlin, for example, has WiMAX coverage