Best Reviewed
Mobile Broadband
- Best mobile broadband Verizon Mobile Broadband *Est. $20
- 4G mobile broadband with no data caps, but limited coverage Clearwire Clear Mobile Broadband *Est. $20
Get info about new reports and updates
- Price
- Includes free Wi-Fi
- Good customer service
- No monthly cap
- Two-year contract
- Smaller 3G network
March 2009. Reviews recommend T-Mobile as a good budget choice for mobile broadband service, since its basic rate is lower than most. While initially offering a very low 1 GB monthly cap, it was eliminated after protests and the company now claims that there is no monthly cap at all. Free Wi-Fi at T-Mobile hotspots -- available at most airports and throughout many cities -- is another plus. Ratings for customer service are very good. One significant minus is that T-Mobile's 3G network is the smallest of all, though it is expected to grow considerably during 2009. Verizon (*est. $40 to $60 per month) also gets good grades for customer service and its 3G service is more widely available.
Thanks largely to a lack of a high-speed 3G broadband network until recently, T-Mobile gets far less coverage in reviews than some other carriers. Mobile-Broadband-Reviews.com rates T-Mobile on five different factors in comparison with four other providers, but lack of information about T-Mobile's 3G network makes some of what's here dated. At DSLReports.com, T-Mobile is compared with even more mobile broadband providers, based on users' reviews and ratings -- with rankings updated weekly. The big surveys at J. D. Power and Associates and Consumer Reports are based on many more users, but focus on voice plans rather than mobile broadband. TopTenReviews.com does focus explicitly on mobile broadband, but bases its rankings only on features, with no evidence of testing or use.
Our Sources
T-Mobile shares the lowest overall rating here with Sprint, based primarily on T-Mobile's non-3G connection speeds. The review fails to note that T-Mobile has finally begun rolling out its own 3G network.
Review: T-Mobile Wireless Broadband Review, Marc Aarons
Based on about 25 reviews from users, T-Mobile ranks second here among 11 mobile broadband providers (outranked only by Xohm WiMAX), with superior ratings for connection reliability, technical support and overall value. Quite a few of the reviews seem to focus on voice calls, but some do explicitly recommend T-Mobile mobile broadband for laptops.
Review: Charts -- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Contributors to BroadbandReports.com
3. J.D. Power and Associates
T-Mobile places a close second to top-ranked Verizon in most areas of the United States, based on a massive survey of over 22,000 wireless-plan customers in six regions. Customers rate wireless providers on five factors, with call quality carrying the most weight. Mobile broadband is not directly addressed.
Review: Wireless Customer Satisfaction Survey 2008, Editors of J.D. Power and Associates, April 24, 2008
4. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe
T-Mobile wireless voice service is compared with that of AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and Alltel (now owned by Verizon), based on a 2008 survey of about 52,000 subscribers in 23 metro areas. The focus is on voice calls rather than mobile broadband, but ratings for call quality still seem relevant.
Review: Best Cell Phone Service, Editors of Consumer Reports, Jan. 2009
T-Mobile earns second ranking at this site, compared with six other mobile broadband providers -- with praise for its Wi-Fi hotspots and pricing. According to this review, coverage remains a weak point. There's no mention at all about high-speed network (3G) availability.
Review: T-Mobile Broadband Services Review, Editors of TopTenReviews.com
Mobile Broadband Runners Up:
7 picks including: Laptop Magazine, MSNBC…
2 picks including: Laptop Magazine, PC World…
