QUOTE: "...Roaming is a scheme dreamed up by the big movers in cell phone technology to cement you to their service area."
Correct, sort of ... And more correctly, it's a way to charge more for what each calls "nationwide service" but not really either. Have fallen into that trap more than once by calling when I thought I was in "THE AREA" ... and got 'fooled' because my phone did not tell me I was roaming for one, and in addition thought roaming was included. But when I added more minutes, Sprint "forgot" to tell me that it also cancelled "free roaming" when I "changed plans" when I thought I was just adding minutes -- confused enough? I sure get that way whenever I make any changes and forget to ask all the questions that exist in the world of technology ...
Anyway, was just trying to figure out if 'downloading' time in any covered area was everywhere you can get signal -- like the salesman says (lies) -- or if roaming areas exist too in web searches.
I don't worry too much about the time as I usually just do email and searches, and rarely download movies or whatever -- but even with limited time online, a 'roam' can add fees even if you don't cross the time limits -- It's become a technology (cell and internet) that is almost impossible to do without if you have family and you travel. But, I get a little tired of paying a fee for something, and then get nickled and dimed to death on these tiny (I forgot to tell you's - or, that's not included's) -- just once, I'd like to get the service that I believe I'm buying without getting hussled by the add-ons and extras no one remembers to tell you until later if you forget to ask directly.
IT seems to me that if you have the air card, and use it only when you have no WIFI -- that will limit the extra hours too. And you can do the 'large downloading' when WIFI is available (or other connections - like library) and save your 'paid time' for on the road when other service is not available. That's my plan anyway --
