Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've only had this card for a week, but I am extremely pleased with the performance and stability of this card. I live in a rural area that only recently got Rev A and I happen to be right outside that coverage on the Sprint maps. I had already installed the latest Sprint Connection Manager software prior to the cards arrival so I had everything ready to go within minutes of opening the box.
Actually that is only partly true, apparently you have to wait "up to 4 hours" for the card provisioning after you contact the support line to complete the activation process. This was the hardest part of the process as all you can do is sit in front of your laptop and wait for the "Go" button to become active. :) Thanks to my hovering I was connected within seconds after the provisioning completed, which was thankfully well under the 4 hour window.
The Connection Manager software is pretty lean, but it is effective. You can see all the important status information needed for finding the signal sweet spot in your location. It also has a cute throughput counter, but this is not of real importance unless you are not on an unlimited plan. The card antenna itself is pretty small, but sensitive. I was able to get 1xRTT on my entire main level and found the windows that allowed me to ge to Rev 0 EVDO pretty easily. Due to my fringe location I required an external antenna and my additional purchased was immediately justified by hitting Rev A almost immediately.
I have no particular interest in the GPS/LBS offering as I already have a GPS in my car, but I was wondering why they offered it in its current state. As of the date of this review, you can only use it to find IIRC the nearest Sprint (owned) store, gas stations, hotels and restaurants. Maybe down the road it will become more feature complete, but I also would not be terribly surprised to see an upcharge for this functionality.
The card performs very well in the EVDO router I have and seems to be one of the most broadly supported Rev A EVDO cards. This is a PC Card/PCMCIA form factor card! There is a mini Express card version that may be in more recent Mac and PC laptops, so make sure you get the version you need.
I have no real complaints for this card, but I also spent quite a bit of time making sure it was the one I wanted. If you're in the market for EVDO be sure to take your time, plan ahead if you're going to need it before a road trip and seek out the advice of online communities that specialize in this arena. This card freed me from satellite internet, reduced my monthly cost by $20, dropped my pings from 1100-1200ms to 110-120ms, and increased my uploads 4x. Downloads are pretty close at the moment, but that is likely due to my fringe location. Others in better coverage areas routinely report 1500-2000+ kbps down and 600-800+ kbps up. Dropping to Rev 0 will slow you down quite a bit, particularly in uploads. If you have the misfortune of hitting 1xRTT it will feel like dialup, but at least you'll be wireless and maybe even in motion while you do it.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Novatel Wireless Merlin S720 Sprint Mobile Broadband Card - Wireless cellular modem - plug-in module - CardBus - CDMA 2000 1X EV-DO
Access your company's network and databases, send and receive email with attachments and surf the Web with ease via the Sprint PCS Connection Card Merlin S720 by Novatel Wireless. The Sprint Power Vision Network transforms the wireless experience from something that is simply functional into something visual, entertaining, and highly personalized. Receive broadband-like average data transmission speeds when downloading and uploading data to your PC. Employs CDMA wireless technology authentication and identification system for top-notch security. The Mobile Identification Number (MIN) and Electronic Serial Number (ESN), together with CDMA spread spectrum technology, make it virtually impossible for unauthorized users to capture and decipher messages and other sensitive information. Advanced flip-up antenna that offers advanced dual band diversity design enhances performance by maximizing data throughput. Operating voltage of 3.3V for optimal laptop performance and reduced battery drain. Single Sprint Connection Manager that supports all Novatel Wireless S620 and S720 product lines with one client to access Sprint Power Vision and backwards compatible with all versions of the Sprint Vision and Power Vision networks. Network Adapter support allows for Always On, Auto-Connect, faster connection time and Intelligent Data Traffic Routing. Allows IT Manager to host and control updates to the Sprint Connection Manger client, no need to cycle hardware through IT for updates. Control PRL, Firmware and Software.Dimensions -2.0 x 4.8 x 0.08 inch Weight -2.0 ounces
