More on OQO + Sprint Mobile Broadband

Figured I'd break this out to a short, second post with the hope that other new OQO Model 02 users will run across it.

If you purchased an OQO Model 02 with integrated Sprint Mobile Broadband, here's the shortcut path to easy activation.

1. Completely ignore the activation card OQO sends along in the box. It will send you to a rep at OQO, not Sprint, who will try to do the activation for you. It's not necessary and it adds a third party into the mix.
2. Make sure you're sitting somewhere that your cell phone would work (based on the assumption that coverage is also reaching the Sprint modem).
3. Extend the tiny antenna.
4. Launch the Sprint Connection Manager.
5. It should pop up a dialog box telling you that activation is required. If not, click on the connect button, and then it will.
6. This "activation required" dialog box contains a direct phone number for Sprint support. Call this number.
7. Tell this rep you just bought a laptop with a built in aircard and you would like to activate it. (I started by saying "Sprint modem" and they were confused. After explaining, the rep said, "Oh, you mean an aircard?")
   
8. They will ask you for the ESN of the device. The Sprint Connection Manager will provide this to you on the next screen.
9. The rep may have to "translate" the ESN to the correct data he/she needs. If they ask you if it's in the correct form somewhere else, the answer is no. You can pull the battery off and check, if you like. The ESN number on the back of the unit is written the same as the one provided by the connection manager application.
10. The rep will take all your details to set you up with an account, or in my case, attach the new service to your existing account.
11. The rep will give you an activation code. Enter it as directed.
12. The rep will give you two sets of phone numbers to enter on the next screen.
13. After this is done, the device will attempt to connect to Sprint, confirm activation, and download whatever account data is necessary to enable service. Make sure you're in a service area when this is happening.
14. In my case this only took a moment, and I was up and running online while on the phone with the rep.
15. Make sure you disable wi-fi while testing the Sprint connection; you don't want to confuse them and think you're on Sprint while actually on wi-fi. Kinda defeats the purpose of making sure your Sprint connection works.

Sounds like a lot of steps, but it was actually pretty easy. The longest part was waiting in queue for the reps due to supposed call volume. Grr. Not counting that we were done in maybe 15-20 minutes, and mine may have taken longer than average because I had an existing account and the rep had to look up how to add/transfer service to the new account.