Clearwire Clear Mobile Broadband

Clearwire's Clear WiMAX uses 4G technology to provide wireless Internet connection speeds that beat other types of mobile broadband at a reasonable cost. Clearwire Clear Mobile Broadband is currently only available in 29 cities, but the company plans to provide 4G networks in 80 major metro areas by the end of 2010. Despite being competitively priced with other types of mobile broadband, WiMAX delivers faster download rates (3 to 5 Mbps). Reviewers say Clearwire Clear Mobile Broadband is incredibly fast -- rivaling wired broadband connections -- but the signal can vary considerably from neighborhood to neighborhood and even room to room in the same house. Some testers get excellent speed in one location, only to find that the speed drops dramatically when they move to a different room. Clearwire offers unlimited mobile broadband (*Est. $40 per month), but you can also select a 3G/4G combination plan (*Est. $55 per month) that will switch your service from 4G to 3G whenever you move outside the 4G coverage area. If Clear WiMAX is not yet available in your area, AT&T DataConnect (*Est. $20 to $60 per month) offers the fastest 3G speeds, while Verizon mobile broadband (*Est. $40 to $60 per month) is notable for the widest coverage. However, both providers cap monthly usage.

There are a number of reviews of Clearwire Clear Mobile Broadband that test the service in one particular city. DigitalTrends.com has the best review, with clearly detailed testing criteria and lengthy analysis. Liliputing.com, a mobile technology website, offers a one-city review, but its analysis is shorter. We also found shorter reviews from blogs and newspapers within Clear's 4G coverage area.