EmailBest Reviewed
Mobile Broadband
- Best low-cost mobile broadband plans AT&T DataConnect *Est. $20
- Best coverage for frequent travelers Sprint Mobile Broadband *Est. $60
- Fastest wireless broadband, but limited coverage Clearwire *Est. $30
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Best coverage for frequent travelers
- Best download speeds on average
- Good reliability
- GPS navigation available
- Very good coverage
- 5 GB per month cap
- Two-year contract
- Poor ratings for customer service
March 2009. Recent tests in eight cities rank Sprint as the best bet among cell phone broadband providers, though it doesn't outperform AT&T and Verizon everywhere, or even in all neighborhoods within the same city. Reviews note that Sprint mobile broadband is feature-rich, offering GPS capability, and connection reliability is generally good. We've seen reports that Sprint's broadband modems use a lot of battery charge, shortening laptop time per charge by as much as an hour. Sprint also earns consistently poor ratings for customer service. If technical support is a priority, reviews recommend Verizon Mobile Broadband (*est. $40 to $60 per month), but this service costs more, especially if you don't subscribe to Verizon cell-phone service.
We found three objective tests of Sprint mobile broadband. At Gizmodo, it's compared with AT&T and Verizon in eight different cities. Computerworld does the same, but only in New York. Laptop magazine compares Sprint with Xohm WiMAX in Baltimore. Reviews at Mobile-Broadband-Reviews.com cover more factors and compare Sprint with more competitors, but with less objective tests. Rankings and ratings at DSLReports.com are based on reviews from over 200 users, with the most recent reviews carrying extra weight. Customer surveys by J. D. Power and Consumer Reports focus on voice plans rather than mobile broadband. We rank the comparison reviews at TopTenReviews.com lowest, because they rely on features rather than testing or usage, and contain some errors.
Our Sources
1. Gizmodo.com
Based on objective speed tests in eight big cities, Sprint outperforms AT&T and Verizon on average. Results vary by city, however, and even by neighborhood within each city.
Review: The Definitive Coast-to-Coast 3G Data Test, Wilson Rothman, Dec.17, 2008
Based on tests of mobile broadband in a variety of situations within a 50-mile radius of downtown Manhattan, Sprint proves easy to use but slowest (averaging 494 kbps), compared with AT&T and Verizon -- and the company's modem shortens laptop battery life by a full hour.
Review: Review: Which 3G Network is the Best?, Brian Nadel, May 13, 2008
Not surprisingly, in Baltimore where Xohm WiMAX is available, Sprint can't compete for download speed. The review also notes some "stuttering" when watching video on Sprint.
Review: XOHM WiMAX in Baltimore: Speed Tests with XOHM ExpressCard, Todd Haselton, Sept. 30, 2008
Sprint shares the lowest overall ranking here with T-Mobile. GPS capability is a plus, but customer service still seems to lag behind that of other providers.
Review: Sprint Mobile Broadband Review, Marc Aarons
Sprint mobile broadband earns a Sprint earns a Silver award here, meaning that between 70 and 80 percent of their recent ratings are positive -- currently and within the last five months. In fact, out of 240 reviews, by far the majority are positive. A comparison chart at this site ranks Sprint fifth, below T-Mobile but above Verizon and AT&T.
Review: Reviews of Sprint Mobile Broadband, Contributors to BroadbandReports.com
Sprint ranks toward the bottom in this big survey of over 22,000 wireless-plan customers in six regions of the United States. However, the focus is on voice calls, not mobile broadband.
Review: Wireless Customer Satisfaction Survey 2008, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, April 24, 2008
7. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
This survey compares Sprint with other major carriers. Each is ranked based on ratings for four factors, all having to do with call quality. Broadband performance is not directly addressed.
Review: Best Cell Phone Service, Editors of Consumer Reports, Jan. 2009
Sprint ranks third in this comparison review of seven mobile broadband providers, but the rankings are based on features rather than on any objective testing or even usage. The review says Sprint offers several broadband plans, but this information seems to be outdated.
Review: 2009 Mobile Broadband Service Product Comparisons, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
Mobile Broadband Runners Up:
4 picks including: Computerworld.com…
4 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
