Comments on: 3 Reasons Why My Computer Really Doesn’t Need Dedicated 3G

By: Stephen Hill

Stephen Hill — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:10:29 +0000

To the posters suggesting Kevin use a prepaid plan, it is tough to do so as there are pretty limited prepaid data options in the US. Virgin Mobile has an option and Verizon has a $15 per day plan. That’s about all there is.

By: Stephen Feger

Stephen Feger — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:39:53 +0000

Now *that’s* an incredible deal.

By: Jahan Khan Rashid

Jahan Khan Rashid — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:40:57 +0000

another thing people are doing is ditching their landline/landline internet in favour of mobile broadband as it wokrs out so much cheaper her in the UK.

By: SÓC

SÓC — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:58:09 +0000

Just to echo what the other non-US posters are saying, 3G with a 15GB limit is available for around €14 (c. $18) a month in Ireland.

You US guys seem to be getting charged a lot!

By: Buzzmodo

Buzzmodo — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:40:56 +0000

As I am single, I turned off TV and the net at home a year ago. Netflix and reading suffice as there is not much on TV other than live sports, but that’s what sportsbars are for.. :) Hence the MiFi is a brilliant solution. Now I can work anywhere at anytime.

As for tethering, it is not whether, but when ATT will make that either impossible or expensive, and from what I can read, the hassle involved is just too great.

When I am at an event/meeting, I just turn on the MiFi, have it in my pocket, it works great.

That plus open WiFi, and the recent willingness of T-Mobile to cut my unlimited minutes account from $99 to $50 have made my communications/net access to almost the very best it has ever been. Now access is truly personal, and everything works.

By: Kal

Kal — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:22:01 +0000

I’m going through the same thought-process as you, Kevin, except I’m trying to decide whether to start a plan. I can tether through USB on my HTC Touch Pro (Verizon), but it’s a hassle, especially in a meeting, and it means I can’t talk on the phone and work simultaneously.

On the other hand, it’s probably sufficient for at least 80% of my needs. So, I’ve tried to look at it MBA-style: Unless I’m spending more than $48/month (80% of Verizon’s $60/mo fee for Mi-Fi) on one-time access or I assess my inconvenience or business gain/loss to be worth that much, it’s not worth it.

(But, I still really want a Mi-Fi…At $30/mo for 5GB or $60/mo for true unlimited, I’d jump.)

By: Mitchell Oke

Mitchell Oke — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:19:39 +0000

You guys seem to pay a lot more than some of the plans available over here. For AU$15/mth I get a free modem and 1GB of data over a fast HSDPA network. At US$60 I couldn’t justify it that’s for sure.

By: Rodfather

Rodfather — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:09:34 +0000

I’ve done tethering and it’s a hassle. fuddling around with cables or turning on/off bluetooth settings to get right.

If I’m going to have a data service, it’ll be with the one with the best coverage in my area, which is Verizon.
I’m loving the MiFi. I get so much use out of it and I’m sure I will continue to within the 2 years contract.
In one area I work, there’s no cell connection unless you’re by the window. So I’ll leave the MiFi there and connect the phones through it.
It’s great with an Eye-Fi card.
Most of my use is with the old iPhone since AT&T is so spotty in my area.
Almost all my devices take advantage of it.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:54:19 +0000

I’m actually heading in exactly the opposite direction to you.

I used to tether my phone via bluetooth but got fed up with the hassles that involved (dropped connections, poor battery life, connection speed stifled by bluetooth speeds, etc.).

I’ve now got a USB modem which is OK but it’s a hassle to have to carry it around, plug it in, etc. (Not that much of a hassle but it’s something extra to have to think about :))

If my laptop would accept a SIM card I would happily switch to that and I’m looking forward to the day that WWAN modules are standard. I’ve got an HP 2730p which comes with a Gobi thing in the US but HP don’t bother to offer a similar solution for the rest of the world :(

Fortunately, it only costs me about £7 per month for my USB modem so I don’t face the prohibitive data costs US users have to deal with. That would probably make me reconsider my options but for now my limitations seem to be hardware based rather than cost based over here in the UK.

By: Jahan Khan Rashid

Jahan Khan Rashid — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:23:14 +0000

Here in the uk mobile broadband is cheap enough, ie in my vaio p i have a 3 sim which only costs £5/month (1gb fair use but they allow 2gb) which to me is enough to save me draining my mobile phones battery, if im going to do heavy downloading ill wait until im at home or at a free hotspot (ie park outside a mcdonalds! Yes i dont mind their coffees!!)

So whats the cheapest mobile broadband in the US?

By: t lewis

t lewis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:24:36 +0000

Using pdaNet app on WinMO phone (Omnia)…USB tethering. I’m dropping my Verizon broadband card.
t

By: Scotty

Scotty — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:51:32 +0000

I like the 3G built into my Vaio P because it’s always there, it’s never left behind by accident. I never have to tuck it in before putting the Vaio P in my pocket etc… you flip the lid closed and go.

But if I could bluetooth tether to my iPhone 3GS for an extra $30 a month: done deal. That Gobi card could collect dust for all I’d care. :-)

But I’m also finding that since I got my 3GS I’m doing less on the Vaio P, hmmm…..

By: jsp4057

jsp4057 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:37:56 +0000

I just purchased the virgin mobile broadband and love it. Im a huge tethering beliver as i so it on a daily basis with my alltel treo pro but just having the extra connection for when i need to be on the internet and phone at the same time is a great bonus

By: luckyauto

luckyauto — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:28:15 +0000

in asia,3g data plan , most of the telco and celco with the prepaid , daily or montly plan , as use as you pay.
like u pay a fixed amount for daily or monthly or weekly unlimited use.
need not to commit any contract

andy ,sg

By: HG

HG — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:14:44 +0000

@Griffy I use the carriers tethering plan. I did see the TetherBerry, but I use a lot of data but not over 5GB. The reason I still use the carriers tethering is because TetherBerry still doesn’t have it working with BT. Maybe once they have TetherBerry working with BT then I might give it a try and save me 29.99 for Tethering.

By: James Diaz

James Diaz — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:51:35 +0000

do what i do with my att account. Im in the same situation that you are. I have uverse at home so I get free wifi at every starbucks, barnes and noble and other places. When I travel for work it normally an long trip at least twice a quarter. I change my aircard rate from $60 to $10 by simply moving the account to my family plan. I change every other month or so and get prorated charges. This helps my bill be low when I do not use the air card. Been doing it for almost 1 year now and am very satisfied.