I bought a new laptop yesterday. I was so excited. Well, I still am excited about the laptop, just not about Verizon’s Broadband plan. It works fine in Petaluma. It just doesn’t work up here at Bush-Field. I’ll have to return it tomorrow. The Tier 3 support guy at Verizon said that there are two reasons why the broadband service doesn’t work:

• Cell range is approximately 8 miles. We have to be within 8 miles of a Verizon cell tower. I can’t guarantee that we are. Systems are so fickle.
• There are huge AT&T towers right behind our property. There may be some sort of interference (and that is an understatement).

I am going to try the Cingular (hence AT&T) data plan next. Maybe I’ll have more luck.

Those guys at Petaluma Wireless are going to be sick of me by the end of next week. Until then, I’ll be in my SAD hell at home.

My new laptop kicks butt though. I just have to find some relatively secure public WiFi hot spots.