Broadband2Go
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Mobile data gets even more piecemeal with 24-hour offerings from Virgin Mobile
Sure, you can already buy Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go on a monthly basis, but what about when you want that data on a daily basis? For instance, what if you're Johnny Lee Miller in the hit '90s film Hackers? Exactly. Good thing, then, that Virgin Mobile is now offering a 24-hour daily plan for its Broadband2Go service, charging just $5 per day. Unfortunately, if you're only able to find 3G service, that broadband is limited to just 200MB of data -- those who can find 4G get unlimited data access (and much faster access to boot). Currently, Virgin's Broadband2Go is only offered via a proprietary ($70) USB stick or a proprietary ($120) mifi device, so don't think you're getting off too cheaply. It is, however, available right now.
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 28th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we learned of another possible prepaid destination for the iPhone (hint: it's a subsidiary of Sprint), and Samsung announced a combined sales total of 50 million Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of May 28th, 2012.
Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31
In sync with Sprint's plans to get its sub-brands on 4G using its legacy WiMAX network, both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile have trotted out their initial 4G lineups. The early Virgin mix includes retreads of two Sprint data-only devices -- a Broadband2Go-badged version of the Sierra Wireless Overdrive Pro 3G/4G hotspot and a matching version of the Franklin U600 previously seen at Clear. Virgin's real star, however, is the HTC EVO V 4G: though it's ultimately the EVO 3D with a slightly more 2D name, it's shipping with Android 4.0 from the start and has HTC's Frankenstein-like Sense 3.6 rather than the 4.0 of the One series. The network upgrade and all three new devices swing into action on May 31, and while your $35 minimum monthly plan will stay in effect even with unlimited on-device 4G, you'll need to spend $300 (contract-free) to take home an EVO V 4G, $150 on the Overdrive Pro or $100 on the U600 stick. Boost Mobile is also going the Sprint rebadge route through the HTC EVO Design 4G. As with its bigger brother over at Virgin, the single-core EVO Design 4G is identical in hardware to its Sprint equivalent but slaps Android 4.0 and Sense 3.6 on top to keep the software fresh. The update does mark the first time a Boost phone gets Visual Voicemail, so you can feel slightly less guilty when you miss a call. HTC's phone will oddly cost the same $300 off-contract as the more advanced EVO V 4G, although Boost is likely counting on customers sticking around long enough for an all-inclusive unlimited plan to drop to $40 per month and make it worthwhile. %Gallery-154875%
Virgin Mobile abandons unlimited data in favor of throttled 5GB plan
Well, it was fun while it lasted, but it looks like Virgin Mobile customers in the US will soon have to make do without their truly unlimited $40 data plan. Starting on February 15th, that will be replaced with a new plan that gives you 5GB of unhindered data use, and throttled bandwidth for anything used beyond that limit. For its part, Virgin says that most customers who use the BB2Go plan for "internet surfing and reasonable downloading will likely not be impacted/notice any difference," but we're sure there's plenty of folks out there that will beg to differ. As you may recall, T-Mobile also introduced some bandwidth throttling of its own this past year, but it actually did so in lieu of overage charges, which is a bit easier to accept than throttling slapped on top of a once unlimited plan. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Virgin Mobile USA partners with Walmart for Broadband2Go offer, $20 a month for 1GB
If you took a gander at Virgin Mobile USA's latest Broadband2Go plans you might have noticed a bit of a hole between $10 a month for 100MB and $40 a month for unlimited data. Consider it plugged, with a new $20 monthly 1GB plan that starts today. That's quite a bit nicer than the previous $20 for 300MB plan, but of course there's a catch: it's available only at Walmart, and only to owners of a Novatel MiFi 2200 or Ovation MC720. We hate to say it, but this might just be worth putting aside your hate of all things Walton and making a run over to your local big box -- though a trip to Walmart.com would certainly be easier.
Virgin Mobile USA foretells unlimited prepaid mobile broadband for $40 a month (update)
Whereas AT&T's move to tiered smartphone data pricing signaled "the end of unlimited" to some, Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile USA has just defied that notion with an all-you-can-eat broadband buffet priced at $40 per month. First reported by IntoMobile and confirmed today on the carrier's Facebook page, the plan will replace existing $20, $40 and $60 monthly offerings that currently top out at just 5GB, so only those accustomed to paying $20 a month (for 300MB) won't get a totally sweet deal. As you can see above, the $10 for 100MB over 10 days plan will still stay pat, so you can still choose whether to sip or gulp down Sprint network packets when the plans purportedly go into effect on August 24th. Update: Virgin Mobile's PR department just let us know that there's been a slight delay with that spiffy new unlimited plan, namely that the company's website hasn't been updated to allow you to purchase the new service quite yet. They're telling us the offer should be up within the next 24 to 48 hours, and appear in retail stores in the weeks after that.
Leaked user guides suggest Virgin Mobile Canada about to hit the hardware mother lode
Virgin Mobile's Sprint-owned US outpost has a reputation as a fairly basic, low-end network -- but things are a little different up north where smartphones have been in Virgin Canada's vocabulary for some time. Well, things are about to get really interesting -- perhaps in an effort to fend off WIND's advances -- on news of an all-too-brief user guide leak on Virgin's official support site. As smartphones go, it looks like customers can expect the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, BlackBerry Bold 9700 and Curve 8530, and data fiends will be pleased to see the addition of a MiFi and a branded version of the MC998D stick. Perhaps the most interesting thing here is that Virgin appears to be planning to release both CDMA and HSPA devices going forward (the 8530 versus the 9700, for example) -- a symptom of parent company Bell's recent switch. The guides are now gone, but in all likelihood, we'll be seeing some (or all) of this stuff pop back up again in the near future.
Virgin Mobile USA launches prepaid Broadband2Go 3G service
Virgin Mobile's just announced a prepaid 3G service under the Broadband2Go moniker, which will offer customers a contract-free internet option. The Novatel MC760 USB dongle -- which will be available exclusively at Best Buy -- will run $150, with fixed data rates of $10 for 100MB, $20 for 250MB, $40 for 600MB and $60 for 1GB. The $10 bundles will expire ten days after purchase, while the rest of them will expire after 30 days. Virgin's Broadband2Go will operate on Sprint's network in conjunction with Novatel Wireless. It's a tiny bit pricey if you ask us, but then -- most things with no strings attached are, right? The new service will be available starting late June.[Via Electronista]
Virgin Mobile getting contract-free data card next month
Were it not for Helio, Virgin wouldn't be a carrier that we'd associate with anything other than the most basic handsets -- and data cards certainly don't seem like they'd be on any company exec's mind. Thing is, direct competitor Cricket recently got into this game with a $40 unlimited contract-free data plan, so it's a segment that's getting more difficult to ignore -- even in the most heavily value-weighted side of the business. We've nabbed a screen shot out of Best Buy's inventory system that shows a "Broadband 2GO" device (at least, we think that's what it says) scheduled to hit shelves on June 14 for $149.99 -- not the cheapest modem in the world, but again, there's no contract involved here. Data is data, so if the reception's good and the speeds are decent, why not?[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
