Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 User Manual page 18

AirCard 555 Network Card User Guide
Note: Most service providers
have coverage maps on their
web sites.
Note: The fee for service is
usually higher when you are
roaming (connecting to a
network other than the one
belonging to your service
provider).
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If you purchased the AirCard from a service provider, you
may already have an account. (That is, your network card is
pre-activated.) Otherwise, you can refer to the Sierra Wireless
web site, www.sierrawireless.com, for a list of service
providers.
When selecting a service provider, it is important to consider
the following:
• Coverage
There are CDMA networks, that operate in the frequency
bands supported by the AirCard 555, throughout North
America and parts of Latin America, Asia, New Zealand,
and Australia. However, each service provider operates a
network that covers a limited geographical area within the
overall CDMA coverage area. Most service providers have
"roaming" agreements with other service providers, so
that they can offer service outside of the coverage area of
their own networks. For example, assuming you live in
Vancouver and travel frequently to Seattle, you can obtain
an account with a Vancouver service provider that has a
roaming agreement with a service provider in Seattle. You
would then have local service in Vancouver, and roaming
service in Seattle. (Most service providers charge more for
roaming service than local service.)
Select a service provider that gives you network coverage
in all areas you intend to use the AirCard 555.
• Pricing
Each service provider has its own pricing options. There
are flat rate accounts which provide you a maximum num-
ber of minutes of network usage for a fixed monthly fee.
There are accounts for which you are charged for network
usage by the minute or by the amount of data transmitted.
You may want to shop around to find the best value.
Your service provider will activate your account. To do so
your service provider requires from you:
• The billing information used to collect payment for your
network usage
• The ESN (electronic serial number) assigned to your
modem during the manufacturing process. (This number
is printed on a label on the AirCard and can be displayed
in Watcher.)
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