Wireless Internet in Arizona is crucial for most business professionals. If you're not familiar with wireless Internet, you might be surprised to find that many wireless Internet providers in Arizona offer connections that are equal to cable and residential DSL, and much faster than dial-up.
The point of Arizona wireless Internet is to be able to get an Internet connection just about anywhere you go, either through your laptop or cell phone. This means you can access your email, find the answer to a nagging question on a search engine, or look up how many cell phone minutes you have left, all while you stand in line at the grocery store. If this sounds convenient, note that you simply need the following:
1. A laptop computer, PDA, or Smartphone;
2. An ethernet card for the laptop, or a tethering cable to connect the phone to the laptop;
3. High-speed Arizona wireless Internet service, complete with free "sniffing" software to locate wireless access at different locations.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Use your cell phone to get Arizona wireless Internet access
Having a business-oriented phone such as a Smartphone or PDA allows you to access wireless Internet. Arizona residents have many options when it comes to wireless Internet because many cell phone companies offer plans.
I recommend: Verizon Wireless is one of the most popular Arizona wireless Internet providers because the nationwide company is stable and offers many business products.
Nextel also offers many options for wireless Internet for cell phones.
Use your laptop to get wireless Internet services in Arizona
Although there are few Arizona wireless Internet companies, you can still use the major cell phone companies to provide service for your laptop if you have an ethernet card in it. Most of the wireless Internet providers in Arizona offer service to a select region of the state, so if you plan to travel through the state often, it may be best to go with a cell phone provider's service.
I recommend: Arizona-based
CommSpeed Western and
WiMAX LLC both offer multiple packages for wireless service for businesses.
Plug your laptop into your cell phone to get wireless Internet in Arizona
If you do not have an ethernet card in your laptop and do not have the funds to buy it, but have an Internet plan for your Smartphone, you can do what is known as tethering. This involves either using a cable to connect your laptop to your phone, or using Bluetooth technology to connect the two without a cable. Both methods allow you to obtain wireless Internet. AZ Internet companies and cell phone service providers alike give you the ability to do this.
I recommend: AT&T and
Verizon Wireless both encourage tethering when possible, and both companies sell the cables necessary to perform this function. Tethering is also possible with some
T-Mobile phones, such as the Blackberry, Sidekick and similar Smartphones.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Some locations around each city offer free or cheap wireless Internet in Arizona. If you need help figuring out where such places are located, think about businesses that encourage people to stay for hours on end, such as coffeehouses and universities. For example, if you live in or near Tempe, the city offers Wi-Fi Internet citywide. Arizona State University allows two free hours of access each day to anyone who goes online from their campus, and many coffeehouses on Tempe's popular Mill Avenue offer free Internet. Such offers can save you money until you can afford your own wireless Internet plan.
The official source of Wireless Internet Providers in Arizona is
the Wireless Internet Providers in Arizona page at Business.com
Related Resources from Business.com
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