Can I Connect to Free Wi-Fi Services with My Mobile PC Card?

Mobile data plans often include the ability to use a Smartphone or other mobile PDA device as a modem for laptop computers. You can use Bluetooth-enabled laptops to connect to a Blackberry PDA, for example, and get online using the Blackberry's wireless Internet connection. Another option is to purchase mobile broadband PC cards for your laptop instead of connecting through a Smartphone or Pocket PC. It's important to remember that using a PC card requires you to activate the service through your cell phone provider. You can't simply purchase the PC card, plug it in to your laptop and connect to the Internet. Some new users of PC cards mistakenly believe they can connect to free wi-fi services using a PC card, but this technology is much different than wi-fi and requires you to establish a connection with a subscription-based mobile broadband Internet service before you can connect.