Router and rapid response network

A router includes a plurality of wireless network carrier cards, each of the network carrier cards adapted for use with one of a like plurality of different carrier networks, means for determining which of the plurality of network carrier cards provides a suitable connection to a carrier network and means for selecting one or more suitable connections to one or more carrier networks and for connecting the EVDO router to the carrier network through a particular one of the plurality of network carrier cards and a load balancing processor for load balancing between a plurality of different backbone networks and wherein the load balancing processor directs traffic among multiple networks to provide a desired throughput. In one embodiment, the router is provided as an evolution-data optimized (EVDO) wireless router.