Your Account And Coverage Area - Sierra Wireless AirCard 881 Installation Manual

AirCard 800 Series Installation Guide
Note: If you purchased the
AirCard modem from a GSM
service provider, you may
already have an account and a
SIM card. Otherwise, your
retailer should be able to give
you the names of companies
that provide these items.
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• Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE)—236 kbps
• General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)—56 kbps
GPRS and EDGE are second generation (2G) data services.
UMTS and HSDPA/HSUPA are 3G data services.
When establishing a connection, your AirCard modem uses
the fastest available service. If, for example, you are using an
AirCard modem in an area that has GPRS and EDGE service
but not UMTS or HSDPA/HSUPA service, the AirCard modem
connects using EDGE service.
Once the connection is established, you have access to all
Internet services.

Your account and coverage area

Companies that operate GSM networks and provide access to
those networks are called service providers. You must have an
account with a GSM service provider to use the AirCard
modem. To use the modem's 3G capability, your account must
be with a service provider that offers HSDPA/HSUPA or
UMTS service. (The AirCard modem is backwards compatible
with 2G service.)
When you obtain your account, you are given a Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM) card, also called a smart card or smart
chip. The SIM card contains account information and must be
inserted in the AirCard modem before you use it.
Before you can use the AirCard modem, you must install the
AirCard modem software and ensure that your AirCard
modem is configured to use your account.
Once the software is installed and your AirCard modem is
configured, you can connect to the Internet with the AirCard
modem in any area where you can obtain GPRS, EDGE,
UMTS, or HSDPA/HSUPA service.
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