Consider your options on Mobile Broadband
Last week I posted some of my impressions on Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go USB 3G modem and service. Overall, I thought the service met my needs and one of the more attractive features was the pricing and absolute total lack of a contract or any commitment. On Virgin Mobile, you could pick up the USB 3G modem for about $75 or a MiFi (a 3G internet connection and wifi router all in one) for about $140 (WalMart pricing). Broadband was priced at two tiers: $10 for 100 MB used within 10 days, or $40 for unlimited bandwidth over 30 days. This could be done using Virgin Mobile's "Top Up" cards, eliminating even the need to hand over a credit card number.
Recently there seems to be a spat of activity with several carriers reducing the price of their mobile broadband services. Back in the end of September, Glenn Fleischman reported on AT&T's anemic effort in reducing price. AT&T is offering $15 for 100 MB used within a day, $30 for 300 MB used within a week or $50 for 1 GB used within a month. My first thought, was "you gotta be kidding....".
Yesterday, Kevin Tofel over at jkontherun gave a run down on T-Mobile's tweaked pre-paid pricing for mobile pricing. It looks like their mobile broadband USB modem will probably come in around $150 with no contract. Sorry, but that is twice as much as the Virgin Mobile price. To be fair, if you are in an area served by T-Mobile's HSPA+ service, you could benefit from the higher speed. T-mobile's pricing for mobile broadband is $10/100 MB used in a week, $30 for 300 MB used in a month and $50 for 1 GB used in a month. Then today, I noticed a post over at GottaBeMobile talking about Verizon Wireless selling a package of the Apple iPad and a Verizon Wireless MiFi. A 1 6 GB iPad with a MiFi is priced at about $730. Considering the iPad costs $500, that prices the MiFi at $230, $90 more than Virgin Mobile's MiFi. Verizon's website is showing the price for the 16 GB iPad and MiFi to be $630. Considering the iPad costs $500, that puts the price of the Verizon MiFi on par with the one from Virgin Mobile. There is a pesky service agreement you have to sign, but you are paying month to month with no penalty for cancelling. Verizon is offering some pretty decent pricing on 3G broadband for users that won't be burning up the airwaves at $20 for 1 GB of data. but if you are a more intensive user, you'll be paying $50 for 5 GB. 5 GB is a lot, but an iPad is designed to use a lot - video, movies, music, etc.
Even though the mainstream carriers seem to be coming around to more reasonable pricing, it still looks like Virgin Mobile's offering is the undiscovered sleeper in mobile broadband. I have no earthly idea why anyone would go with AT&T's joke of pricing. T-Mobile may offer some benefits if you have the high speed HSPA+ coverage and Verizon does come close. Still, Virgin offers the most cost effective means of dipping your toe into the mobile broadband experience. Note: I don't work for Virgin or anyone else mentioned here. Just a satisfied user that wants to share my limited experiences.
