Mobile Internet Access

Being on the road no longer means being out of touch.

Many of today’s RVers find internet access while on the road is essential, whether it is to find information, perform online banking, or to maintain contact with family and friends. Some RV parks have installed equipment that provides internet access from the comfort of your RV using a technology called Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity. To use it, you need an 802.11b-enabled laptop computer, and an account that will allow you to pay for the time you use on the internet. Wi-Fi networks are also found in locations like truck stops, airports and hotels. The $100 wireless cards installed in your computer can supply speeds up to 11 megabytes per second, which is about 100 times faster than a typical modem at about one-quarter of the monthly cost of satellite access. High-speed wireless service is available at prices as low as $1.95 for 60 minutes, $4.95 per day, or $200 per year.

Canada’s four mobile phone carriers are creating a common network of hotspots that will allow RVers to use the system just as they now use Interac bank machines. They intend to increase the number of hotspots to over 500 this year, each with a range of over 200 metres. A roaming charge would occur when an RVer uses a hotspot operated by a competing provider.
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(Read full article in the magazine)