I want to access the internet just by using wireless. Do I have to have a landline service provider like say ATT? Last year I made a contribution to the One Laptop Per Child Foundation set up through MIT to give children around the who live in places where telephone don't exist , access to computers and the internet. It's a terrific idea. For my donation, I received a computer through the project's special offer program, Give One Get One. My current HP laptop is about 4 years old. When I replace, do I get one that doesn't have to be connected to a phone outlet? I think the OLPC idea of wireless only for the kids is great. Or should I just keep using the traditional PC laptop? Any help you can give to a "technically challenge" 70 year old will be most appreciated.

Sabagio

It depends on what your internet providers offer in your area.
To have internet without phone service you want to call ATT, Comcast, Verizon or whatever providers are in your area and ask if they carry cable, broadband or fiber optics

If your computer has Windows XP it should work
Anything older than that I don't think works

Faxes may be a problem by going cellular.

Sabagio - Let me see if I have this right: You want your next laptop to run completely wirelessly, correct? That's no problem - depending on how you expect to get broadband service into your house. For most of us the only choices are DSL (i.e. the phone line) or cable. In either case you can install a wireless router in your home and then run your laptop wirelessly. You would occasionally have to connect via hard-wired patchcord to the router from a PC in order to administer it (set passwords, for example), but only as needed.

An alternative is to use cell phone service as your broadband access. Companies like Sprint and AT&T sell plug-in hardware that lets your PC connect to the internet over the cellular network. The service tends to be expensive, and slow compared to DSL or cable modem.

If you already have cable service in your house you may find the best option is to switch from DSL to a cable modem. You can then get rid of your old analog phone by either subscribing to the cable company's digital phone service, or go cellular for all phone calls.