The package includes an easy-to-install CD disk. Complete Internet service is provided, including browsing and e-mail. A private, secure dial-up connection with dial up networking is provided. The dial up networking package has a time used measure built-in. The prepaid cards offer as noted above the 120/480 minutes of long distance/local service card at $9.99. The next level of card is 300/1200 minutes of long distance/local service for $19.99. The third level of card is 500/2000 minutes of long distance/local service for $29.99. You have no on-going costs and pay for only those minutes of service used. The cards have a one year service life. And, the cards can be added to just as phone cards can be. Call Sprint to add time to the card.

The Sprint Prepaid Internet card has the initial amount of time printed on the front, i.e., 480 local minutes and/or 120 toll-free minutes. The back has all of the setup information, i.e., User ID and Password. The card is dated and has a batch number.

The installation disk contains everything for an nearly automatic setup. There is an install Wizard that contains the necessary install steps, computer check, dialing adapter check, browser check, setup dial process. The Sprint Prepaid internet Dialer must be used each time to connect to the Internet. The Windows dial-up-networking (DUN) does not work past making the connection to the Sprint 1800 number. The Sprint Prepaid internet Dialer makes the connection and provides the vehicle for the browser, in my case, Internet Explorer (IE) to open the Sprint home site. The Sprint Prepaid internet Dialer provides type in windows for User ID and Password. You must use the Sprint User ID and Password of the initial connection and setup. A check box is available to “remember User ID and Password. There are three hypertext call-up settings pages that can be accessed from this window. They are <exit>, <change settings>, <modem setup> and <Connect>. Click <exit> to close the dialer. Click <change settings> to change the dialing location. There are two choices to get to the proper location on this page. One is to select <I’m At Home> to select a local phone number for local dial-up connections. This selection changes to another page to get either a local number or the 1 800 number. Another selection opens two menu windows, one for states, and the other for phone prefixes.  Once this is accomplished, the prefix town will appear with the local Sprint dialing number. That number will be set into the Sprint Dialer. The second selection for setup is the <I’m Traveling> and sets the 1800 numbers in the exact same way as the <I’m Home> selections did. This can be re-visited at any time to get a new phone number set in when traveling. It is a good thing to look at the dialer setting phone numbers at every location when traveling as the local number saves connection time costs. I had to use the 1800 number in New Mexico as there were no local numbers in my phone area. Here in San Antonio, I can use a local number when connecting with this setup.

The <Modem Setup> feature brings up the dialer characteristics for the analog modem being used. There are connection options check boxes for Connect automatically when dialer starts, and Redial automatically when line is busy. Number boxes can be filled in for the redial times, and the seconds between attempts. The default works fine. Display options for the amount of time remaining on the card can be set. Finally the modem characteristics and setup can be configured if needed.

The final action item is the <Connect> hypertext. This starts the dialer action. Once the connection has be authenticated, then bring up your browser of choice. In my case, I used IE. This takes you to the Sprint home page, where there is a connection for “registered users”.

My first attempt at connecting failed. I then called the 1-800 tech help number and we determined that this card had not been turned on at the Sprint site. The phone tech did this while we were talking. I then mistakenly went into the IE dial-up setup and attempted to use the Windows DUN. It would connect and authenticate, but would not allow use of the browser. A second call to the 1-800 tech help number got me directed in the right way. I had to use the Sprint Prepaid Internet Dialer. Once this was done, the connection was accurate and in-line with analog speeds of about 28 Kbps to 33 Kbps. It got the job done.

The Sprint tech help were all very helpful. Some changes may be necessary within the IE browser Tools Setup, but I did not run into problems. The tech help suggestions were to turn Cookies On, and set the IE browser Advanced Settings to Default. This was not the case for me.

This is an excellent alternative to AOL when traveling. The Sprint backbone is available nation wide and should have local connections in most commonly traveled cities. I was able to stay connected to my e-mail and do some browsing while I was traveling in New Mexico. One feature that comes in handy is to drag the mouse over either the Sprint Prepaid internet Dialer icon on the desktop or the icon in the work tray at the bottom of the screen to see how many minutes are left on the card. The Sprint local and 1800 number capability allows for complete connection service from nearly any location.

BRI Communications, Inc., 210/614-6588, is in the process of arranging for a Alamo PC Organization deal.