Print this article | E-mail this article | Comment on this article

Avis to Make In-Car Internet Available

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

May 21, 2007, 12:16 PM

Car rental company Avis said Monday that it will provide its customers with a service called Avis Connect, which allows multiple computers to connect to the Internet wirelessly from any location, including within the car. Service would be provided at a rate of $10.95 per day, and would initially be offered at airport locations in San Jose, Oakland, Los Angeles and Newark.

The device was produced by Autonet Mobile, which plugs into the cigarette lighter and runs on 1xRTT and EVDO cellular networks. The cellular data service itself is supplied by an agreement with Verizon Wireless, but all customer support is handled by Autonet. Autonet also plans to market the service independently for $399 USD for the router and $49.95 USD per month for data service, it said.

Add a Comment (5 Comments)

BetaNews reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Foul language and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

By imafurby

posted May 22, 2007 - 2:29 PM

What about an in-internet car? Virtual traffic jams anyone?

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted May 21, 2007 - 6:39 PM

OMG... more things for the retarded masses to do while driving. I hope someone crashed an sues thier a** off.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited May 21, 2007 - 2:39 PM

Sounds convenient at first thought, but that's what we need! Its not enough the idjets are oblivious chatting on their cell phones, but we need them even further distracted.

You already get the service on overpriced cell phone data plans.

Where did they get this ideas? From the rates some hotels charge for internet access on the room phone?

And $10.95 a day!!! How can I resist! Where does that line form!

Avis, you've got to try harder!!!!

LOL!

Score: 0

By horsecharles

edited May 21, 2007 - 1:13 PM

I was prepared to post "hurrah, about time!"...but this is basically nothing. The price, while low for this segment, is still too high; more importantly though: why should we use this/ be limited to their locations-- because other competing services charge more?
Now, had they partnered with a satellite provider, they'd get tons more business-- even at a higher pricee, as one'd get the service outside the area.

Score: 0

By rsx508

posted May 21, 2007 - 12:57 PM

And the added insurance fee for crashed rentals will be how much?

Score: 0

Oct 6 - 12:01 PM ET Mono, the open source .NET counterpart, releases 2.0

Oct 6 - 10:21 AM ET Real suspends RealDVD in wake of MPAA lawsuit

Oct 4 - 3:11 PM ET Verizon study: User error the cause of more IT breaches

Oct 3 - 6:49 PM ET Bill to investigate video content-blocking passes Senate

Oct 3 - 6:19 PM ET New Sony Reader includes touch, but no wireless

Oct 3 - 6:07 PM ET Was the Yahoo/Google deal a ploy to weaken Yahoo?

Oct 3 - 5:48 PM ET A mixed week for citizen journalists as Steve Jobs declines to die

Oct 3 - 4:56 PM ET Payment standards body will let failed security protocol lapse

Oct 3 - 3:38 PM ET DC Metro transit system finally gets some bars

Oct 3 - 3:35 PM ET Apple seeks dismissal of Psystar's 'monopoly' counterclaims