Novatel's MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO router comes to Sprint

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]

[Erwos @ May 13th 2009 1:14PM]

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.

[noneedlessnoise @ May 13th 2009 1:15PM]

Another noteworthy failure by Sprint

[MBN @ May 13th 2009 8:33PM]

Troll, can you back that crap up? This is virtually identical to the Verizon offering. What's the problem?

[Daniel Palafox @ May 14th 2009 12:24AM]

Yeah, and at&t's 3G data only plan.

[Amrosorma @ May 13th 2009 1:16PM]

5GBs? Add a zero and I'll be interested.

[CanesTim @ May 13th 2009 3:19PM]

If it were unlimited for that price it would be nice to have but 5gb is just not enough for me.

[Nick @ May 13th 2009 5:14PM]

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.

[jay jay @ May 13th 2009 6:41PM]

@nick
tmobile also does that here in the us.

[sepirioth @ May 13th 2009 1:17PM]

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?!

[cocoviper @ May 13th 2009 1:21PM]

Do the Verizon Plans have the 5GB cap too?

[el Capitan @ May 13th 2009 1:32PM]

250MB or 5GB, depending on plan.

[esoterica @ May 13th 2009 2:46PM]

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.

[cocoviper @ May 13th 2009 2:56PM]

@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.

[JerkyChew @ May 13th 2009 1:26PM]

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.

[neodorian @ May 13th 2009 2:12PM]

Or the built-in ICS app.

[Matt @ May 13th 2009 3:58PM]

and then you can fart

[Michael A. @ May 13th 2009 1:33PM]

Ehhh...

[Phoenix @ May 13th 2009 1:34PM]

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...

[jay jay @ May 13th 2009 1:46PM]

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.

[htowngator @ May 13th 2009 1:55PM]

lol yep, I just use my winmo phone with a hack

[Drybonz @ May 13th 2009 3:17PM]

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.

[MBN @ May 13th 2009 8:31PM]

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.

[kal326 @ May 13th 2009 1:49PM]

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.

[MadLogic @ May 13th 2009 2:45PM]

I want this in Europe. It should be must better.

[glblmomentumkt @ May 13th 2009 2:15PM]

Whew!

[Jash Sayani @ May 13th 2009 2:44PM]

Wow! Something I was waiting for..... Though its a bit expensive...

Engadget can consider to give this away as a recession antidote :)

[p3t3b2 @ May 13th 2009 2:48PM]

"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.

[AJV @ May 13th 2009 4:24PM]

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!

[Simoaus @ May 14th 2009 1:39AM]

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/)

[bkhsms @ May 14th 2009 11:38AM]

Definitely not a cable/dsl killer. Two to three streams from Netflix hits that cap. Next, please.

[BJ @ May 15th 2009 6:25PM]

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