Rates vary between about 3 cents and 30 cents per kilobyte. Some networks charge on a flat-rate basis. Analyze your application for the amount of time or the amount of data you expect to communicate. Coverage Most wireless networks provide broad coverage areas, but no service extends everywhere yet. You need to evaluate where you need coverage and choose a wireless network accordingly.
Some networks are available only in certain cities.
Metricom's Ricochet network is available in less than half a dozen cities in the United States. Our profiles of wireless networks below provides coverage information, but for complete detail you will need to consult with the specific networks. Many provide coverage maps on their Web sites. Voice or modem connections over the telephone network are circuit-switched connections. In the wireless world, the most common type of circuit-switched data connection is through a cellular telephone.