Looks like they ARE using a pager network

http://www.ambientdevices.com/cat/orb/orborder.html
Better coverage. Wireless coverage from the Ambient Information Network
covers over 90% of the U.S. population. Check if you're covered.



>From the FAQ 
https://myambient.com/java/my_devices/help.jsp#9

Is there a monthly cost? 

The Ambient Device will work perfectly with no monthly fees, we at
Ambient have a firm belief that every product should be useful without
having to pony up ever month. We do offer some types of information that
cost us more to operate, these Premium Channels we do have to charge a
monthly fee for - but are completely an optional choice on your part.
Basic channels, like stock market indexes or weather in major cities are
always free. 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
> [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of William Chops Westfield
> Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 9:13 AM
> To: Microcontroller discussion list - Public.
> Subject: Re: [EE]: ambient orb
> 
> 
> On Jun 30, 2005, at 11:02 PM, Alison Lewis wrote:
> 
> > Is it a cell phone network, or is
> > there something else going on there? It just seems to
> > just plug into the wall and bam it works.
> >
> > quote: "No computer or Internet connection required.
> > Uses a nationwide wireless network to bring
> > information to your Orb"
> >
> there are lots of possibilities.  Back in the pre-web days when
> "internet" meant mostly usenet newsgroups, there was talk of
> usurping one of the FM subcarrier or TV verical retrace areas
> to broadcast the newsgroup data.  If you were "read only", you
> could have collected huge amounts of data for free (essentially.)
> 
> But I suspect this device simply ties into something based on the
> alphanumeric pager protocols, which gets simplified a lot if the
> "pager" side doesn't have to be individualized.  Is there a
> "subscription fee"?
> 
> BillW
> 

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