Laptop data plans: comparing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ by speed, price, and value
Now that Verizon's gone official with its LTE pricing for an initial launch in some 38 markets this Sunday, we wanted to take a quick look at how it compares to the other players in the laptop data market -- after all, how much you're paying month to month can be just as big of a determining factor (if not a bigger one) in choosing a carrier than the speeds you're seeing. So how do Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Clear, and Rover stack up? Let's break it down.
Verizon (LTE) | Verizon (EV-DO) | Sprint (WiMAX) | Sprint (EV-DO) | Clear (WiMAX) | Rover (WiMAX) | AT&T | T-Mobile | |
Max speed | 12 / 5 | 1.4 / 0.8 | 10 / 6 | 3.1 / 1.8 | 10 / 6 | 10 / 6 | "More than" 14.4Mbps down1 | 21 / 5.71 |
Speed throttling? | No | No | No | Yes | Yes2 | No | No | Yes |
Launched | 38 | 264 | 68 | Not disclosed3 | 68 | 68 | Not disclosed4 | 2825 |
Mobile | No | Yes | Yes | No6 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Phones | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Largest data plan | 10GB | 10GB | Unlimited | 5GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB | Unlimited |
Available | $50/5GB | $20/1GB | $49.99 unlimited | $59.99/5GB | $45 | N/A | $35/ | $25/ |
Contract required? | Yes7 | No | Yes | Yes8 | No | No | No | No |
Cheapest overage | $10 | $10 | N/A | $50 | N/A | N/A | $50 | N/A |
Minimum price per GB | $8 | $8 | N/A | $12 | N/A | N/A | $12 | N/A |
Maximum price per GB9 | $10 | $20 | N/A | $12 | N/A | N/A | $175 | $124.95 |
1These are theoretical speeds; the carrier doesn't offer "real-world" numbers. |
2Only when using the iSpot, which is limited to 6Mbps down. |
3Though Sprint won't provide a market figure, it says that roughly 266 million people are covered. |
4Though AT&T won't provide a market figure, it says that roughly 250 million people are covered. |
5Includes both HSPA and HSPA+ markets.. |
6Though the 3G-only MiFi can no longer be purchased in the consumer channel, the Overdrive can be used on EV-DO. |
7Verizon has not clarified if no-contract pricing will be available, but currently, none has been announced. |
8Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile offers no-contract data. |
9Does not include overage charges. |
Click here for an image of the chart that's viewable on your mobile device.
So as you can see, there isn't a clear-cut winner by any stretch of the imagination -- it really depends on what you're looking for -- and considering that Verizon is launching with just two USB sticks (that lack Mac compatibility) in 38 markets total, it'll be a while before they become a mass-market option. More importantly, judging from the disparity in pricing from left to right, it'll be a while yet before data plans stabilize; question is, is 10GB enough of a bucket when your network's capable of delivering real-world, low-latency speeds of 10Mbps?
Ross Miller contributed to this report.
