Lazyweb: best Verizon data card?
Tuesday, June 9th, 2009I currently have Verizon mobile data service with a Kyocera PC card, and it works well with recent distros using NetworkManager. However, my venerable laptop is being replaced with a Lenovo X200, which has no PC card slot, so I’ll have to replace my Verizon data card as well. According to the Verizon Wireless web site, my choices seem to be the NovaTel V740 for ExpressCard, or for USB the UTStarcom UM175 or the Novatel USB760.
My question for the lazyweb is: which data card/EV-DO modem should I get (assume that I’ll be running Linux 99.9% of the time when I use it)? The ExpressCard is substantially more expensive and less flexible (since I may want to use this card on a system without an ExpressCard slot someday), so I’d probably go with one of the USB cards if it’s left up to me. The USB760 doubles as a micro SD reader, which is not useful to me, and confounds things with a mass storage interface that probably just causes confusion, so my first choice would be the UM175 probably. However if someone with first-hand knowledge knows why that’s a bad decision, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
(And I put a very high value in not having to boot into Windows periodically to update cell tower locations or anything like that, for what it’s worth)