Ever since the demise of Metricom's Ricochet network last year, I've felt that a little something was missing from my life. For the uninitiated, Ricochet was a wireless ISP that delivered ISDN-like speeds (128Kbps minimum) in several cities around the country to users who were willing to ante up about $50 a month for all-you-can-use service. At the time of its demise, the company, which had been beset by delays and assorted other difficulties, actually seemed to be on the verge of getting its act together. It had established a loyal following among tech-savvy mobile users, who enjoyed untethered access to the Internet and e-mail from their laptops and iPaq Pocket PCs.

I'm not the only Ricochet fan who took its death hard. Over the months, several despondent readers wrote in asking for alternative services that might match the Ricochet experience. The only advice I could give them was what I was already telling myself: wait until 3G arrives.

Answered prayers?
Well, folks, she's finally here. By golly, I'm writing this week's column on a laptop equipped with a Sierra Wireless AirCard 555, which taps into Verizon Wireless's recently launched 1xRTT Express Network. Notice how I said 1xRTT rather than 3G. That's because there's some debate in the wireless community over whether 1xRTT is indeed a true 3G (third generation) network rather than a 3G network masquerading as a 2.5G network, such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). Why? Because pundits and sticklers say 3G networks are supposed to deliver data speeds at a minimum of 144Kbps, and this one doesn't quite get there--not yet, anyway.

In my tests in San Francisco, I average between 45 and 55Kbps, or somewhere in the neighborhood of your standard dial-up connection. You can get bursts up to 144Kbps, but Verizon reps told me that users should expect to average around 70Kbps. However, sustained rates above 100Kbps aren't likely. That's no Ricochet, but still, it's not bad, and it's a big improvement over the sluggish 14.4Kbps (on a good day) connection that Verizon's old 2G network offers.

What does it cost?
Of course, there's a catch. This new "high-speed" service doesn't come cheap. To access Verizon's Express Network, first you have to buy either a Sierra Wireless AirCard 555 or a 1xRTT-capable phone such as Kyocera's inexpensive 2235 (optional cable required). Then, you have to pay a $30 monthly fee. After that, the time you spend on the Express Network is deducted from your existing minute plan. (It has to be a digital voice calling plan of more than $35 per month.)

Verizon expects guys like me to knock its current pricing plans; I'm a fixed rate, all-you-can-eat kind of guy. The company answers us by saying that it's initially gearing the Express Network service to business users, not average consumers, and is focused on offering nearly nationwide coverage by year's end. Click here for current coverage maps. Pricing will evolve with time, particularly as competitors such as Sprint PCS launch their own 3G networks later this summer and as more 1xRTT phones become available. Both Verizon and Sprint will offer several new 1xRTT-capable models in the near future.

What's next?
After my experience these past few days with the AirCard 555--I also tried it out with an iPaq Pocket PC)--I can't say I'm blown away, particularly when I compare it to Ricochet. But I am impressed that the thing--whether it be 2.5G, 3G, or whatever--has gotten off the ground and works well enough. We're still early in the game, but at least the game has started.

Later this year, a smattering of 1xRTT-capable phone/PDA hybrids, including the Audiovox Thera Pocket PC, will hit the market, which means I won't have to deal with bulky iPaq PC card sleeves to get my 1xRTT fix. But the real Holy Grail is at least another year away, and probably two, when Verizon and Sprint launch their 1x EV-DO networks. With broadbandlike speeds (1-1.5Mbps), this is bona fide 3G, no doubt about it. And with Verizon currently running 1x EV-DO trials in Washington, D.C., it's not as far from reality as one might think.

If and when 1x EV-DO comes to fruition, I'll gladly ante up the extra $30 a month to make Verizon my high-speed wireless ISP. Make it an all-you-can-eat plan, and I'll even plunk down $50, which is about what my DSL costs. (Sorry, you'll need a 1x EV-DO-capable phone or modem to take advantage of the higher data rates; 1xRTT phones won't do.)

As for all of you Ricochet lovers looking for a new wireless fix, I can only say we're not quite there yet, but Verizon's on the right track--especially if your company's paying the tab.