Selecting Your Hardware

Today, GSM 1900 is the only PCS technology that has deployed digital data and fax. Therefore, this section talks about GSM 1900 handsets and data cards exclusively. As soon as CDMA and IS-136 TDMA have digital data and fax deployed, information about them will be added.

• Selecting a notebook computer
• Selecting a GSM 1900 handset *
• Selecting a GSM 1900 data card*
• More hardware information

* The following information is intended to be a reference for products and services related to mobile PC computing over PCS networks. Neither Intel nor the Mobile Data Initiative endorse the products or companies listed below. This information has been submitted by the companies listed for informational purposes only. No guarantee is made about its accuracy.   

Selecting a notebook computer

Generally speaking, there are no special requirements for using PCS data, that restrict your choice from the vast offerings of mobile PCs. You are therefore free to make your selection based primarily on features such as price, performance, brand preference, or which models are supported by your corporate IT. However, here are things to consider when making a purchase:

• The mobile PC should include a PC Card (formerly called PCMCIA) or CardBus slot. This is what enables you to use a PCS Data Card, and is a standard feature on most mobile PCs.
• The mobile PC should have Windows* 95 installed, since this operating system has special features designed for travelling professionals, such as Plug n' Play, OS-level modem support, Dial-Up Networking, and built-in fax support, that make it easier to connect to the Internet and send faxes. If the mobile PC is unavailable with Windows 95, then either consult with the manufacturer for its compatibility with Windows 95, or consider other models. If you would like to use Windows NT*, you can, but will not presently benefit from Plug n' Play or OS-level power-management support that is important for mobile PCs.
• Most major mobile PC manufacturers have already compatibility-tested their products with a number of PCS data cards, and in many cases either publish a "compatible" list or market PCS data cards under their own brand name.
• Look for mobile PCs that are offered bundled with a PCS data card and phone. This not only assures compatibility, but may offered a reduced price over the individual components.

Selecting a GSM 1900 handset

You should plan to purchase your GSM 1900 handset along with your network service. This allows you to obtain your handset at a (usually) heavily-discounted price. Discounting in this manner by operators is called subsidizing. Operators subsidize handsets to allow you to start your service without your making a large initial investment.

After signing up for GSM 1900 service, you will receive a Subscriber Information Module or SIM. SIMs are "smart" cards that must be placed into GSM 1900 phones before they will operate. These register the user with the GSM 1900 network and allow calls to be routed to your location. You will receive a SIM card when you register with a GSM 1900 service provider.

Make sure when activating your service that you ask the service provider to 'provision' your account for both data and fax. Also ask them to provide you with the additional data and fax numbers needed for others to send data or fax transmissions to your mobile PC.

The table below lists handsets available today in North America that support 9.6Kbps data. Your network operator will most likely carry only a subset of these. In some cases, the handsets will be labeled differently. What is most important when you select your handset is that it supports data at 9.6Kbps and that a compatible PCS data card is available for purchase.

Selecting a GSM 1900 data card

The final piece of hardware you need is a GSM 1900 data card. These are credit-card shaped devices that plug into your PC Card or CardBus slots on your computer. An external cable is used to connect the card with the GSM 1900 Phone. Since there is no standard interface between a GSM 1900 phone and data card, data cards are designed to work with specific phones.

For data cards that work with more than one model of phone, there are usually different adapter or kit options available for the different phones. For these reasons, it's a good idea to purchase the phone and data card together. If you already own a phone, then consult with the dealer or phone manufacturer to make sure you get the right modem and adapter. Remember, you must pick a data card that is compatible with your phone.

Below is a selection of some of the GSM 1900 Data Cards on the market today.

GSM 1900 Data Cards

For further information on hardware:

The PCIA Mobile Wireless Communications Guide

Wireless Data Services info base