Sprint Drops 4G Wimax Broadband $10 Per Month

Sprint Cuts $10 Off of Laptop Plan for Wimax Broadband

Sprint dropped the monthly laptop contract price of its’ 4G broadband to $59.99, matching a similiar price cut Sprint made in August (2009) to its’ 3G/4G broadband package. The drop in Sprint’s wireless laptop contracts is due to a more aggressive stance in rolling out wimax broadband in partnership with Clear as they defend their first to market position against Verizon’s rollout of LTE in 2010. Clear is targeting 80 markets for 2010, and Sprint intends to lead each with the Sprint 4G brand through more affordable 4g pricing and bundles.

Consumers score a win here as current prices for mobile broadband plans are still too high for consumer adoption to take off, however bundles that include mobile broadband with attractive pricing are likely to spur uptake.

T-Mobile Discounts Mobile Broadband

T-Mobile Promoting Discounted Mobile Broadband Plans Thru January 13, 2010

T-Mobile is cutting the price of its’ mobile broadband plans in an effort to stem customer losses to rivals AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel. The mobile broadband promotion features plans that are $10 cheaper at each tier:

• Monthly $50 with a 5GB data limit.
• Monthly $30 with a 200MB data limit.

The tiers have identical monthly data limits to T-Mobile’s rivals, but features a free Huawei laptop dongle called the webConnect Jet, that has 8GB of storage. Access to T-Mobile’s nationwide wifi network is also included without additional charges. This promotion requires purchasing a new two year mobile broadband plan with T-Mobile.

Verizon Prepaid Mobile Broadband Laptop Plans

Verizon Now Offering Prepaid Mobile Broadband Plans for Laptops

Verizon Wireless customers now have the option of prepaid mobile broadband plans for laptop usage on an as needed basis. The featured prepaid laptop plans offer daily, weekly, and monthly options with data caps:

• Prepaid Daily $15 with 75MB data limit.
• Prepaid Weekly $30 with 250MB data limit.
• Prepaid Monthly $50 with 500MB data limit.

The optional prepaid broadband plans offer a lot of flexibility to use mobile broadband on an as needed basis making it possible for you to easily complement your home and office broadband while on the go. Each plan requires customers purchase the Verizon USB760 modem for $129.99. The USB760 is a laptop dongle which supports Windows Vista, XP, and 2000, as well as Mac OSX Tiger (10.4) and Leopard (10.5). The USB760 also supports Linux and features 8GB of removable memory.

Overall this is a very good step for customers of Verizon Wireless as the flexibility of the plans will enable more usage of mobile broadband on laptops. However, customers must be careful of the data caps as costly penalties will be applied to overages, and it won’t take much usage of any of the prepaid mobile broadband plans if customers actively download photo, video, and music files while on the go.

AT&T Introduces Prepaid Laptop Data Plans

AT&T introduced prepaid laptop data plans described as pay-as-you-need it data services which enable customers to personalize laptop data plans to fit their mobile needs by day, week, or month. Called the AT&T DataConnect Pass, the plans work on AT&T certified laptops and netbooks using an unactivated SIM card. Customers prepay laptop data sessions by inserting the SIM card and accessing the Internet via wifi or an ethernet connection. The customer will then be prompted to prepay and begin their data session.

Press Release:

AT&T DataConnect Pass(SM) Makes Mobile Data More Flexible, Convenient on Nation’s Fastest 3G Network

Pay-As-You-Need It Data Sessions Deliver Customized Data Experience On-The-Go

ATLANTA, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ – It’s the nation’s fastest 3G network – and now – it’s accessible to millions of mobile broadband customers on their own terms and their own time. For the first time, AT&T* today announced DataConnect Pass(SM)( )- pay-as-you-need it data service with access to the nation’s fastest 3G network – available by the day, by the week or by the month, using a laptop or netbook compatible with AT&T’s wireless network.

Self-provisioned and accessible from any Internet connection, DataConnect Pass(SM) offers multiple packages of mobile data perfect for travelers, vacationers or others on-the-go and in need of customized data access. By visiting www.att.com/buyasession, customers can purchase packages in advance for one day or one week or one month. Options include:

• DataConnect Day Pass (75 MB) – $15
• DataConnect Week Pass (250 MB) – $30
• DataConnect Month Pass (500 MB) – $50

“This is about choice and flexibility — giving our customers more ways to match their own data needs, on their own time and with their own budget,” said Mark Collins, senior vice president-Voice and Data Products, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “We want our network to be open, accessible and useful in a way that accommodates unique customer needs. DataConnect Pass(SM)( )is another way consumers can customize the AT&T experience.”

Access On-The-Go.

Available with compatible AT&T-certified netbooks or laptop devices, the DataConnect Pass(SM) is established using a previously un-activated SIM card, available at any AT&T retail location, credit or debit card and completed customer profile at www.att.com/buyasession. The site is accessible through any Internet connection; data service is available throughout AT&T’s wireless network footprint. Customers simply insert their SIM card into the compatible laptop or netbook, connect to the Internet through an ethernet or Wi-Fi connection, launch www.att.com/buyasession, and follow the prompts.

First-time visitors will create a username and password, provide their SIM card and device serial number, complete the billing information and select their desired data plan. Once a session is purchased, data usage begins. As a helpful reminder, customers will also receive a text and email message once either 30 minutes or 20 percent of allotted data usage remains in their session. At that point, customers have the option to purchase more time or allow the session to expire.

For additional information, customers can visit www.att.com/buyasession. DataConnect Pass(SM)( )is designed for AT&T network use only, providing service within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

AT&T DataConnect Pass – can only be used on AT&T’s wireless network and cannot be used on another carrier’s network, either domestic or international. Requires laptop or netbook with aircard/connect card capable of working on AT&T’s wireless network; internet access to sign-up; and a new SIM card. AT&T DataConnect Pass supports data usage only, and does not support SMS, MMS, or voice calls. Actual speed and coverage may vary. Time begins expiring immediately upon purchase, whether or not you are using the service. Once your time expires or the allotted megabytes are used, whichever occurs first, your data access will cease. AT&T may send alerts via SMS or email to notify you of usage and/or time remaining. These are courtesy alerts. There is no guarantee you will receive such alerts.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation’s fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation’s leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s lists of the World’s Most Admired Companies and America’s Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Wireless Laptop Plans Lone Bright Spot for 2009 PC Market

Strategy Analytics reported today that the lone bright spot in the PC market during 2009 has been the rapid sales growth of mini laptops offered with mobile broadband dataplans by the cellular carriers. The overall market declined 6% under recessionary pressures, but saw the emergence of the wireless carriers as a new sales channel for laptops as the carriers subsidized laptops bundled with new laptop service plans.

Similiarly, DisplaySearch reported quarterly growth of 40% for mini laptops (sometimes called mini-notes or netbooks), which outsold regular laptops (called notebook pc on chart) by nearly 2 to 1.

It seems clear that the US market for laptop plan bundles which combine wireless broadband service with laptops and mini laptops is set to explode as the pc market begins its recovery.

Consumers Want Laptop Wireless Plans At Half The Current Prices

Results of a study released today by ABI Research indicated nearly 50% of americans are interested in a mobile broadband laptop plan, but at half the monthly rate that the cellular providers are currently charging. Most data plans currently cost about $60 per month, yet ABI Research indicated that 47% of americans were only interested laptop service plans at $30 or less per month. The results also indicated that consumers don’t want to pay for high speed Internet access at home, and pay additionally for a laptop wireless services while on the go. It seems clear that there are opportunities for the laptop service providers to offer data plans bundled with broadband voice and high speed data services at home.

Comcast Wireless Now Live Throughout United States

Comcast is now offering its’ Comcast High-Speed 2go wireless plan nationally, kicking off with service deployment in Atlanta. Comcast is offering two different wireless data service plans, the High-Speed 2go Metro and the High-Speed 2go Nationwide:

Comcast High-Speed 2go Metro uses a 4g (WiMAX) data card which only operates within the WiMAX footprint offered by Clearwire Wireless. The datacard must be purchased from Comcast with data plan activation.

Comcast High-Speed 2go Nationwide also uses Clearwire’s WiMAX network, but also switches to Sprint’s 3G mobile broadband network when using Comcast wireless services outside of the Clear footprint.

Both plans have bundled pricing for new and existing customers who sign up for Comcast video, Internet, or voice services.

Sprint Mobile Broadband Laptop Plan

Sprint is currently offering a $59.99 per month mobile broadband laptop plan which features 5 MB of monthly data on Sprint’s 3G mobile broadband network, or up to 300 MB per month while data roaming. Overage charges cost $.05 per MB. Sprint’s 3G laptop plan is the same for laptops using a usb dongle, wireless air card, or integrated wireless broadband.

Sprint Laptop Plan Summary

Monthly Data Cap          Overage Charge          Plan Speed

$59.99 per month          $.05 per MB                Slightly Less Than DSL

AT&T DataConnect Includes Free WiFi

AT&T has begun its’ national rollout of its’ DataConnect laptop plan which offers users 5GB monthly data usage for a new 2 year contract at $60 per month. A laptop plan from AT&T offers additional benefits for travelers as the plan offers international roaming on compatible GSM networks worldwide, as well as free WiFi usage at  more than 22,000 hotspots throughout the United States. There are penalty charges for data overages of $.01 per KB for the United States, and $.02 per KB for international data roaming.

AT&T DataConnect Plan Summary

Monthly Data Cap                             Overage Charges                               Plan Speed

$60 per month               $.01 per KB (US) / $.02 per KB (intl)          Slightly Less than DSL

Broadband2Go Prepaid Offered by Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile is offering laptop plans starting at $10 without contract, credit checks, or activation fees. Each laptop plan requires the Ovation MC760 usb modem by Novatel Wireless which is available exclusively at Best Buy. The preloaded software includes a quickstart guide and a usage meter. The usb modem also doubles as a flash drive although a microSD card is sold separately. Your laptop must run Windows XP or Windows Vista in order to use.

The Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go laptop plan summary:

Price          Expires          Megabytes

$10             10 Days         100 MB

$20            30 Days         250 MB

$40            30 Days         600 MB

$60            30 Days         1   GB