I have a customer with NO landline phone. Cellular only and point to point wireless broadband internet access. He would like to get a HD DVR but the Tivo works via the modem. Any ways around this?

I know that he can still use the box and have the show listings but he will lose the ability to preset recordings of shows. What I'm looking for is an alternate way to connect to the Tivo service. Any ideas?

If it is a standalone Tivo or Tivo series two, no problem, the OS has built in drivers for certain USB to ethernet adapters (3.2 or 4.0 OS). There are websites that list compatability...

Linksys USB100TX, Belkin USB F5D5050, SMC 2208USC/ETH, among many others are reported to work... The Linksys USB200M does not.

If it is a DirecTivo (3.1 OS), like you are talking about, then the OS does not support these USB network adapters. However, there are well documented methods of writing the known adapter drivers onto the DirecTivo's OS. Some of the guide data is downloaded via satellite, but some people also have reported loosing season pass and extended scheduling features, while others reported their unit downloaded just fine if you ditch the phone line without activating the USB ports. If you rely on only satellite for guide updates, you will loose future OS updates and the ability to order pay per view. The hack in particular that you want is the Monte method for 3.1.1b

There are other issues such as backdoors for skipping the phone based setup, escape dialing sequences to access the ethernet based Tivo service, etc...

start looking at
www.pvrblog.com
www.tivocommunity.com
www.tivostuff.com
for a group of people who have the time and experience to talk about these things if you are still interested.

Initial setup requires modem call for some dumb reason, so you'll have to do that off-site. I wonder how TiVo modem (or any modem, for that matter) would behave on VOIP phone line such as Vonage, etc.?

They don't... At least here in Cablevision land...

I have heard, haven't tried, that the tivos will work fine with VOIP services if you go into the setting and greatly increase the time it will wait for a dial tone to be present before dialing.
I don't remember what this parameter is called, but VOIP takes longer to get a dial tone than a standard land line.

Some people have also reported succes with VOIP services if they sign up for "fax line" service. This is usually an extra charge.

If you want to go this route, a quick and easy way to make the mods to the TiVo, is to use a kit from the link below.

[Link: ptvupgrade.com]

Here are a few links from Tivo which might be helpful.

[Link: customersupport.tivo.com]?

[Link: customersupport.tivo.com]?

I have disconnected my phone line from my Directivo 4 months ago and haven't noticed any change in my service. My wish lists, my season passes, every thing is just the same as it was before. The only difference that it has made to me is that after turning it on and going into any menu or program list it tells me exactly how long it has been since it has last connected to a phone line. A minor annoyance in my opinion. But M Bruno is right about having to set the Activate the Tivo with a phone light though, so you will have to activate the unit at your shop and then bring it to the site.

Same here. Is there any benefit (to me) to having the phone-line connected anyway?

If it's like other DTV units, it won't need to call in until the card is full of PPV. Around $75, I think.

Yes we are speaking of a DirecTV DVR with Tivo. Thanks everyone for the ideas. You've saved me a lot of time! I appreciate it!