Verizon Getting Ready For Revision A WIth New PC AirCard

Verizon Wireless has not yet launched its Revision A EV-DO service (a new version of EV-DO boasting much faster upload speeds and slightly faster download speeds) but announced today the availability of a Revision A compatible PC Card, the AirCard 595. The idea, of course, is to satisfy prospective customers who would otherwise hold back on subscribing to the service in order to wait for Revision A to be ready.

Offered at $150 along with a $50 rebate, the Aircard 595 will allow subscribers to use Verizon's current EV-DO and 1X network and, eventually, EV-DO Revision A. Verizon is working on its EV-DO Revision A network and will announce its availability when sufficient cities are available. As usual, mainly customers located in the largest metropolitan areas can expect to have access to that enhancement. Sprint currently offers Revision A in 20 large metropolitan areas.

What should you do? Consumers who were already considering subscribing to Verizon's service should definitely get the AirCard 595. Current subscribers should adopt a wait-and-see approach. Who knows if your city will be available anytime soon? And Verizon has not mentioned yet when they will offer an ExpressCard Revision A connection device, a soon-to-be-a-must: Some new laptop computers have no PC Card slot, only ExpressCard.

Verizon's Press Release