Sierra Wireless AirCard 580 - Manual (Page 10)

User Guide
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A Type II PC card wireless modem
The AirCard fits into the standard (Type II) PC Card slot
available on most notebook PCs. Once installed and
configured, the AirCard 580 connects to the high-speed CDMA
1xEV-DO wireless network. You just insert the AirCard 580,
allow Watcher to autolaunch, click connect, then launch your
Internet browser—you’re on-line!
3G CDMA 1xEV-DO
The AirCard 580 operates on a high-speed Wireless Wide Area
Network (WWAN) which leverages a wireless cellular
technology called CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access).
CDMA technology provides a variety of connectivity features,
depending on your service provider and account:
• CMDA 1x EV-DO is a premier high-speed data service, 3G
(third generation) technology. This supports Internet
connections with typical speeds of 300-500 kbps with
bursts of 2 Mbps. Actual speed will depend on the
network.
Once the connection is established, you can open your
browser and connect to any web site that is accessible
through the Internet, or access other Internet services (such
as e-mail).
• cdma2000® 1xRTT, is another variant of 3G technology.
This supports packet data speeds of up to 144 kbps.
Additional AirCard 580 features
Beyond the features of high-speed wireless connectivity, the
AirCard 580 provides additional software and hardware
features:
• PIN security code to protect your AirCard and account
from unauthorized use.
• A 32-bit Cardbus electrical interface that extends battery
life.
• An Activation Wizard (page 14) to assist with configuring
your CDMA accounts.