restarting mobile broadband

[David L]

Hi,

I asked this question on the network manager
mailing list but didn't get answer, so I thought
I'd try here.

I'm a newbie to NetworkManager and have a few
questions.  I have a verizon wireless pcmcia
card.  It is working with NetworkManager, but the
connection drops from time to time and doesn't
restart.  I have the "connect automatically"
configuration option set, and that seems to work
on startup.  But is doesn't reconnect automatically
when the connection dies.  So, here are my
questions:

1) Is there an option that I'm missing to tell it
to reconnect automatically?
2) Is there a command-line method to start
the connection so I can roll my own
reconnection script?
3) Is there a way to reconnect a VPN
connection when the mobile broadband
connection is restarted?
4) Is there a way to keep track of total bytes
transferred through a mobile broadband
connection over multiple sessions?  I'd
like to keep track of how close I'm getting
to the Verizon 5GB monthly limit.

Thanks,

             David