What one CDMA carrier can do, another can do better, right? Eh, not quite, but they
can stare each other down holding the exact same weapon, just daring each other to make the next move. Just a week after Verizon Wireless
launched the MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO router, Sprint has decided to offer up the exact same product for use on its network. The battery-powered box, engineered by Novatel Wireless, enables users to connect up to five WiFi-enabled devices to Sprint's EV-DO Rev. A network, and it'll be marketed in stores as the Sprint Mobile Hotspot. According to the carrier, its unit will be the first in the US to support MiFi's GPS capabilities, allowing users to take advantage of select location and mapping applications. It should be noted, however, that Sprint's service plans differ quite significantly from those offered up by VZW. The up front cost is the same at $99 after a $50 mail-in rebate (on a two-year agreement), though the only two options for getting it connected are as follows:
- $59.99 per month mobile broadband only plan (excluding taxes and surcharges)
- $149.99 per month Simply Everything Plan + Mobile Broadband (phone plus device connectivity -- excluding taxes and surcharges)
- Both plans include up to 5 GB per month and 5 cents per megabyte overage for the MiFi 2200. [Ugh, disgusting.]
- Available in early June.
[Via
phoneArena]
posted May 13th 2009 1:09PM
If there was a one-day plan like Verizon, I'd buy one without a second thought. I can think of a fair few situations where my wife and I could use this on short trips.
Another noteworthy failure by Sprint
Troll, can you back that crap up? This is virtually identical to the Verizon offering. What's the problem?
Yeah, and at&t's 3G data only plan.
5GBs? Add a zero and I'll be interested.
If it were unlimited for that price it would be nice to have but 5gb is just not enough for me.
Here in Holland we have this really simple but genius solution to those stupid data caps. After a certain ammount of data, say 10GB, the download and upload speeds simply get lowered a bit, from 3600kbps/1400kbps to 768kbps/384kbps. Sure, it's a little slower, but it's mostly fast enough for comfortable internet surfing. This way you'll never pay a nickle more than the plan's monthly fee. In essence you'll always have unlimited data.
@nick
tmobile also does that here in the us.
I was already dialing a clients # to tell him to get this. that was untill i got to the 5gb limit part. WTF is 5 GB?!
Do the Verizon Plans have the 5GB cap too?
250MB or 5GB, depending on plan.
All the big carriers have the 5GB cap on non-phone wireless broadband. AFAIK Cricket is the only carrier to not have the cap, and they're only $40/mo to boot, but limited service areas.
@esoterica
Yea I know all the major carriers have a 5GB cap. It was my way of addressing engadget's "Ugh disgusting" note on Sprint's 5GB cap but not mentioning it at all when they looked at the Verizon version.
With that said, 5GB caps are ridiculous all the way around- but if we're going to call it disgusting on Sprint I think it's only fair to mention it for other carriers as well.
Or, if you're running a WinMo phone, download WMWifiRouter for 40 bucks and make your phone a wifi router with no additional monthly fee.
Or the built-in ICS app.
and then you can fart
Ehhh...
Seriously? "That's disgusting"?
http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2009/05/13/verizon-mifi-2200-review/comments/18810026/
Exact same pricing just without the lower option...
5gb for $60.00 (probably 75 after taxes and surcharges) or free tethering using a g1 (10gb soft data cap) or iphone or any wm phone? umm decisions decisions so hard to decide.
lol yep, I just use my winmo phone with a hack
If they would push tethering on their phones, actually try to get their EVDO speeds up to 5gb in all areas (it's about 1.5 around here) and stop peddling this mobile broadband gadget schtick, they would probably sell more data plans and everyone would win.
Maybe not, but it seems a more honest approach.
Ummm, Drybonz, the 5 GB refers to total monthly data usage, not the data speed.
Speeds around 1.5 MBPS are really good for real-world EVDO.
Wonder if the same manufacturer is going to get into the GSM game as well? Interesting as AT&T has those new terms of service that it has already used to castrate the iPhone slingbox app. Given the mostly oligopoly like model of cell providers somebody with GSM service will having a similar product in the near future. The question is will AT&T data network hold and will they price the plans the same.
I however, will keep tethering my Tilt which seems to work just fine on the $30 PDA plan with no cap for as long as AT&T permits.
I want this in Europe. It should be must better.
Whew!
Wow! Something I was waiting for..... Though its a bit expensive...
Engadget can consider to give this away as a recession antidote :)
"its unit will be the first in the US to support MiFi's GPS capabilities, allowing users to take advantage of select location and mapping applications."
Uh... That is much better than Verizon, also, Sprint has many-many customers with grandfathered data (only) plans with no 5GB cap. I am one of them.
Dude. I work for sprint and this will sell so well for small businesses. Man I wish we would have had this 3 months ago. I will be replacing this with my old Sierra 597!
Our cable/DSL plans aren't the best in Oz compared to the states, but on the wireless side 5GB for $59.99 plus taxes, you have got to be kidding right?, we get 6GB for $39.00 AUD (including taxes), thats $29.38 US dollars including taxes, then slowed should you exceed your cap without additional charges. This includes a USB key which you can add to your 3G WiFi router easily enough. (source http://www.three.com.au/)
Definitely not a cable/dsl killer. Two to three streams from Netflix hits that cap. Next, please.
Love the Sprint MiFi! Guy Kawasaki tweeted this about it last night:
The Sprint MIFi gadget is lifechanging. Now my iPhone is fast! And I can Skype from anywhere.
http://twitter.com/GuyKawasaki/status/1801947042