Wireless Internet Reviews Blog » Mobile Broadband

No more overage charges at T-Mobile — with a catch

Joe — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:23:36 +0000

We’re not too far removed from a time when carriers still advertised unlimited data plans, even though they didn’t really mean it. Verizon came under fire in late 2007 for booting users from its network because they exceeded a 5GB cap about which they were not aware. That led to carriers actually advertising their 5GB caps. Users who exceeded that amount paid an overage charge. T-Mobile has changed that, though. Instead of charging 10 to 20 cents per megabyte for overages, they’ll simply throttle data speeds once users exceed their cap.

This applies to the 5GB monthly webConnect data plan. Users can consume as much data as they like, but once they hit that cap they’ll see their transfer speed drop. There is no word on exactly how slow the plans will go. Unless they’re in the double-digit Kbps range, users will find it a mere annoyance. It certainly will be preferable to the overage charges.

Those using T-Mobile’s 200MB plan will continue to pay overage charges. That makes enough sense. Otherwise they’d have plenty of people who can tolerate lower speeds on their 200MB plan, plodding through the data consumed above the limit. The overage charge, however, has been reduced from 20 cents to 10 cents, a nice bonus for the lower-tier data users.

This new consumption structure is available now.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

No more overage charges at T-Mobile — with a catch

Is iPad trouble a bad sign for the future?

Joe — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:58:41 +0000

AT&T has experienced plenty of problems with its 3G network. In New York many consumers complain of subpar service, which AT&T has blamed on excessive data usage by iPhone users. Yet the company will now allow iPad users to take advantage of its unlimited data plans as well. While the company doesn’t think it will affect the network much — they believe that most will use faster Wi-Fi connections when browsing the internet — others think that the strain could be greater than expected. As analyst Craig Moffett says, the iPad is “extremely bandwidth-intensive.” If people do choose the 3G route, which would allow them to take advantage of the iPads myriad features in more locations, AT&T could be in for another big crunch.

The greater size, and therefore resolution, on the iPad presents the primary problem. Frost & Sullivan consultant James Brehm tells it like it is:

Still, many users could consume large amounts of bandwidth by watching videos on the iPad’s 9.7-inch screen. A two-hour movie would likely send three to five times more data to the iPad than watching a similar video file on an iPhone or iPod would

While many figure to use the iPad as an ebook reader, it can do so much more. As an ultra-portable multimedia panacea, it could cause huge strains for wireless internet networks. While Apple and AT&T are underplaying that effect right now, I hope they have a plan in place should it become a larger issue.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

Is iPad trouble a bad sign for the future?

National Broadband plan appears to not change much

Joe — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:52:01 +0000

The FCC remains confident that its National Broadband plan can succeed in delivering high-speed internet to the masses, but after unveiling their plan they’ve invited the skeptics. Rob Pegoraro of The Washington Post gives his take, and it’s not very optimistic. The plan is slow-moving and relies upon many assumptions. Yet the toughest criticism to answer is the cost of the plan. In order to cobble together spectrum and offer it at a low cost to consumers, the plan needs plenty of funding. Where is this money going to come from? Another issue: the providers. We’ll still be stuck with the same options as today. They might have faster service, which might make people happy, but at what cost? Will consumers bear the burden for this plan? If so, then why not let private entities take care of it? These are all questions that the FCC will answer as they implement their plan. The first phase is due in five years, though, so they’ll have plenty of time to think on it.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

National Broadband plan appears to not change much

How likely is the National Broadband plan?

Joe — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 19:41:39 +0000

Over the past few weeks and months we’ve heard plenty about the Federal Communications Commission, headed by Chairman Julius Genachowski, and their plan to provide free wireless broadband to the entire country, especially the 35 percent who currently lack it. The goal is to get 90 percent of the population covered, using partnerships with entities both private and public. The plan sounds aggressive, and it represents an idealistic vision. But we’ve seen many plans like this die before. Will the National Broadband fall victim to a difficult bureaucratic process?

It’s unknown at this point exactly how Genachowski will present his vision, but it will likely involve using white spaces. The best analogy I can come up with here is HD radio. White spaces would utilize the unused portions between spectrum bands to provide low-cost internet. This is especially important in rural areas, which suffer from last-mile issues that plague most new technological developments.

There will likely be some kind of backlash from private businesses seeking to profit from wireless spectrum. If the FCC’s plan involves a base level of usage, however — perhaps akin to EDGE data, or low-level EVDO, then perhaps private companies will be less concerned. That would allow them to continue offering a premium service. With 4G networks around the corner, the public and private entities could coexist.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

How likely is the National Broadband plan?

AT&T winning the broadband speed game

Joe — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:13:10 +0000

Which of the major mobile provides has the fastest transfer speeds? We’ve seen a number of attempts to nail this down, and it seems that each time we get a different answer. A Gizmodo survey said Sprint. Another said AT&T. So which is it? PC World got into the game, and has found that AT&T is the fastest. This isn’t by any insignificant margin, either. Their average download speed is 60 percent faster than the next closest competitor, Verizon, and the average upload speed is 78 percent faster

Surprisingly, according to PC World AT&T’s speeds tested three times faster in New York than they did in the spring. So perhaps the company really is working to improve its network. Or perhaps enough people got frustrated and switched that it feed up bandwidth. Who knows.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

AT&T winning the broadband speed game

NETGEAR and Ericsson release 3G wireless router

Joe — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:54:04 +0000

We’ve seen a number of 3G routers released over the past year or so, mostly tied to specific carriers. This latest one, from NETGEAR and Ericsson, could be among the best. It combines an internal 3G radio with a traditional wireless router to provide customers with a primary or backup option for their Internet needs. After the jump, we’ll touch on some of the specifics.

Like most 3G routers, this model works best as a backup. There are some areas where you just can’t access a wireless network. In some situations you can tether your mobile device, but that won’t help if multiple people need the network. Wireless 3G routers help in this situation by providing service.

Some people, especially light users, find it useful as an alternative to DSL and cable plans. Depending on how heavily a person uses the internet, he or she can cancel primary service and work off just the 3G mobile connection, meaning one internet bill every month rather than two.

As a primary connection, 3G mobile broadband plans, at least in America, come with heavy restrictions, usually 5GB per month. I go through 5GB in most weeks. Again, this is better for light users. But even then, people might find themselves coming up close to data caps. This NETGEAR router, however, employs a metering system that lets you know how close you are to your limits. That’s a pretty essential feature nowadays.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

NETGEAR and Ericsson release 3G wireless router

Sprint releases hybrid 3G/4G router

Joe — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:00:17 +0000

One of the most difficult aspects of launching a 4G network is the transition. How does a carrier get its customers, already equipped with 3G devices, to sign up for 4G plans? Sprint thinks it has the answer. They’ve been releasing hybrid devices that can capture both 3G and 4G signal. This not only opens up 4G for more customers, but it allows customers in 3G markets to prepare for a 4G upgrade. Their latest, the Overdrive, is more than that. It’s a mobile hotspot, much like the MiFi that Verizon launched earlier this year. The device can send a 3G or 4G signal to up to five devices. It requires a contract, though — a two-year commitment to a service plan of $59, plus $99 for the device after a $50 mail-in rebate. It will be available January 10.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

Sprint releases hybrid 3G/4G router

Is DataJack too good to be true?

Joe — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:00:09 +0000

When shopping for a 3G mobile broadband package, consumers should expect two things: high prices, low caps. It’s not an ideal scenario, but it’s the situation we’re stuck with. That’s why we view the new DataJack mobile broadband plans with a twinge of skepticism. The company will launch the service at CES with an initial price of $39.99 per month, or about $20 less than the big carriers. While that by itself might be conceivable, the further details are not. There is no usage cap, and it doesn’t require a contract. So how is DataJack going to get away with this?

For starters, I imagine they’d have to use another company’s 3G network. Since they’re advertising GSM 3G and EDGE, it sounds like T-Mobile or AT&T. Since it’s 5.76Mbps to 7.2Mbps in speed, it sounds like T-Mobile — though I could be wrong. In any case, you can probably see the issue here. If T-Mobile is capping usage for its own customers, why would it allow a company renting its spectrum to allow unlimited usage to its customers?

We’ll see what comes of DataJack, but I’m not optimistic. As they say, when something looks too good to be true, chances are it is.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

Is DataJack too good to be true?

Good news for you: mobile broadband pricing could decline

Joe — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:14:45 +0000

Every price decrease has to start somewhere. For mobile broadband, it might have started with T-Mobile. The last major U.S. carrier to offer mobile broadband services, T-Mobile stuck with the industry-wide cap of 5GB, but undercut its competitors by $10 per month, offering theirs at $50. They’re officially the cheapest of the Big Four now, and when one company lowers its price, the rest usually follow. So why haven’t we seen AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint knocking down their $60 monthly plans? Because T-Mobile, in terms of 3G, isn’t yet on the same level.

T-Mobile only started deploying a 3G network last year, which is long after the other three. That puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Plus, they don’t cover the entire nation, so frequent travelers, who are the typical user of mobile broadband services, might not find T-Mobile’s offering as useful.

Another disadvantage for T-Mobile is that the other carriers hook customers with a two-year contract. So even if T-Mobile’s service, at $50, was attractive to some customers, they might not be able to do anything until their contract expires. This leaves the other three carriers in the driver’s seat.

Soon, though, T-Mobile will upgrade its 3G networks to 7Mbps, a project AT&T won’t complete until 2011. They then plan up upgrade that to 21Mbps sometime next year. That’s going to make their service even more attractive to consumers. If still offered at $50, it could make a huge dent. People will still have to wait out their contracts, but with prorated early termination fees, perhaps they’ll cancel a few months early.

A hat tip to FierceWireless for the idea.

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

Good news for you: mobile broadband pricing could decline

What exactly does 3G coverage mean?

Joe — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:16:31 +0000

One of the biggest stories in the cellular world over the past few weeks is the spat between Verizon Wireless and AT&T. It started when Verizon ran ads mocking AT&T’s 3G coverage, noting that they cover much, much more of the country with 3G than AT&T. The two sides argued, with AT&T eventually filing suit against Verizon. In question is the definition of 3G coverage. Technically, by the accepted definition of 3G, Verizon did not lie in their ads. The truth, however, is not as clear cut.

While Verizon might be technically correct with their 3G claims, AT&T actually provides faster overall 3G speeds than Verizon. It’s true that AT&T doesn’t have as much coverage with 3G than Verizon, but it does cover most major markets in the U.S. Where it doesn’t have 3G coverage, AT&T offers EDGE, which is considered 2.5G. Apple Insider explains the situation.

Part of the problem is that the advertised 3G speeds are based on ideal conditions. Those rarely exist. There are always factors that obstruct coverage, and network capacity always plays a part. Apple Insider looks at the typical speed of Verizon’s 3G vs. Verizon’s EVDO 3G, and finds that typical speeds aren’t that much higher on Verizon.

Of course, ideal coverage is much faster with Verizon, but if people are getting “typical” speeds most of the time the difference is not as pronounced. The most interesting part of the graph is how much faster AT&T’s 3G coverage is.

Does Verizon make a valid point? In a way. They’re not technically lying. What they’re really doing is calling into question the definition of 3G. Since many people who watch these commercials don’t know what it means, the ads end up misleading some. AT&T provides fast coverage in major markets, and in most other areas it provides speeds comparable to typical Verizon 3G speeds. So how should they rule on this one?

This post originated at: WirelessInternetReviews.com - The premiere resource for information on mobile broadband providers like Cricket Wireless.

What exactly does 3G coverage mean?