Verizon Mobile Data Device and Plan...Switching to Internal Dell Mobile Broadband Solution..?

I currently have a external USB Verizon solution & data plan I use with my current laptop. I am buying a new laptop that has an optional "internal" Verizon mobile broadband solution. Do I have activate another Verizon data plan in order to use it or can I simply transfer my existing data plan to my new internal solution? I don't want to pay for both. Please advise.

Also, will the signal strength and quality be better or worse than that of the external USB solution I have now? Anybody out there that has experimented with this?

Thanks in advance.

Slim463

Accepted answers

risu

If you're buying the laptop out right (no contract/full retail), then you should be able to activate the built-in card on your existing line (which you can do through My Verizon or by calling Customer Support).

All comments

blackwidowinsc

(1) Do you get a discount on the computer if you start a new contract with VZW? If not, just do an ESN change and start using the embedded card with your current telephone number. The price plans will be the same and you won't have to have two numbers and pay the double fee.

(2) I wouldn't think that there wouldn't be a difference in using an embedded card vs. an external USB modem or card. Maybe someone who has used both solutions can give you more of an opinion on that.

risu

LukeTech

I have used both CardBus/ExpressCard, USB and internal data cards. Mostly, they were used in the field, on the road, sometimes in the middle of nowhere. Based on my experience, the internal types are slightly better than the externals because the antenna is, usually, wrapped around the LCD panel of the laptop; whereas the external type has the antenna directly on the device. However, you cannot attach an external antenna to the internal data card. In a marginal service area, you use an external type WITH an external antenna (3 to 10db gain) and it will perform MUCH better than the internal data card. EVDO speed is very sensitive to receive signal strength.