Verizon Wireless today announced it will offer customers a prepaid wireless broadband option for their laptops. It compliments Verizon’s prepaid phone plans
The new services will be bundled with the Verizon Wireless USB760. They will operate on laptops running Windows, Mac, and Linux. The modem will be sold at Verizon Wireless Communications stores and at Best Buy locations beginning November 16 for $169.
- The daily plan costs $15 and allows users to access 75 megabytes of data.
- The weekly plan costs $30 and allows for 250 MB of data.
- The monthly plan costs $50 for 500 MB of data usage.
Overage fees can be a killer, however. Verizon’s wireless data services cost $60 a month and allows users to transmit up to 5 gigabytes worth of data. Verizon also offers a $40 a month with a cap of 250MB of data per month. The $60 and $40 mobile broadband plans charge $.05/MB and $.10/MB (respectively), when you go over their caps.
After rebates, Verizon’s new Droid costs $200 with a two-year contract. Service plans require Verizon’s Nationwide voice plan, which begins at $40 a month for 450 voice minutes, and the Email and Web for Smartphone plan, which is $30 a month ($70/mo total). That gets you 5GB of data transfer. Verizon charges 5 cents for each additional megabyte over that limit. Tethering is possible but costs another $30/month with another 5 GB cap.
Verizon’s pre-paid data plans don’t extend past 30 days.
Virgin, which uses Sprint’s network, offers better deals. Virgin’s $10 offer gives users 100MB of access over 10 days. Its $20 offer is good for 30 days and allows 250MB of access. For $60, Virgin customers get 1GB that they can use over a month.
T Mobile recently announced new, unlimited “Even More Plus” prepaid plans. For $49 users get unlimited talk, $59.99 for unlimited talk and text and $79.99 for unlimited talk, text and web. PlatinumTel has a nationwide pay-as-you-go wireless service provider with a $50 Unlimited Plan.
Prepaid Reviews lists other unlimited prepaid wireless plans including:
- Walmart’s Straight Talk – $45 unlimited talk, text, nationwide roaming (with exceptions) and web service (choice of three phones). Available in Walmart stores.
- Metro PCS – $45 Unlimited talk, text messaging, and limited access to mobile web (Advanced web browsing and e-mail not available). Available in select markets.
- Boost Mobile – $50 Nationwide Unlimited talk, text messaging, access to mobile web, and walkie talkie (only on select phones). Available nationwide.
- Cricket Wireless – $50 Unlimited talk, text messaging, and web access with 30 minutes roaming (cost depends on region). Available in 7,500 cities.
- Verizon Wireless – Unlimited talk for prepaid for $3.99 a day which is roughly $119 a month. Available nationwide.
- AT&T – $69.99 Unlimited talk only. Available nationwide.
- Sprint’s Any Mobile, Anytime start at $69.99
Cellular broadband won’t replace DSL anytime soon. That’s because data caps make it too expensive. First 5 gigs are $60, but the next 5 gigs are $250. Clear’s WiMAX service actually is unlimited.
JBB Research says mobile web revenue will reach $23.6 billion by 2013, up from $5.5 billion in 2008.
Related Dailywireless stories include; T-Mobile’s New Plans, Walmart: $30 for 1000 Minutes, Sprint Buying Virgin Mobile USA, Virgin Mobile: Prepaid Data Plans, Boost Mobile: $50/mo; iDEN + CDMA, Boost Mobile: $50/mo for Unlimited Talk, Data & Walkie-Talkie, ATT Family Tracking — & More Tracking Apps, Cellular Data Plans, Expensive Cell Plans: Goin’ Down, Cellular’s Q1: Not So Hot, US Cellular Carriers: 2008 Results, Prepaid Phones and T-Mobile Joins $50/month Club.
