Options
So I've been looking over my "mobile broadband" options, as quite honestly it's about the only option I have at the moment. Virgin Mobile is powered by Sprint's network, and I'm on a "legacy" plan no longer available that gives me 5GB full-speed/month and then unlimited throttled-back (apparently to about 256K).
I tend to consume about 6-8GB on an average month, though some of it gets rolled over onto the sat service we still have. Still, it has me looking at options to keep myself at full power.
First is re-up my VM earlier in the month, when I run out of speed. As that'd only happen as often as I'd need it, that would put me around $60/month with no remains of a clearly defined billing date. That's the only "pay as you go" or "prepaid" option. The rest of these are contract "post-paid" systems.
Second I looked into was Sprint directly, which offers unlimited usage on their 4G systems. However, those systems aren't on Whidbey Island (yet... we're a suprisingly high-demand area). So instead I'd be at $60/month with .05/MB overage fee for their 3G region. To be blunt, that would cost me anywhere between $90 and $190/month for an "average" month. o.o; Ouch.
AT&T is the exact same pricing, with roughly the same coverage, and quite frankly I hate the company with a loathing that defies expression so they're out.
T-Mobile, regrettably, doesn't offer 3G on Whidbey so they're out.
Finally, for the big companies, we come to Verizon Wireless with two plans that would be servicable to me. First is $50 for 5GB with $10/GB overage resulting in $60-$80/month for coverage - a little more expensive than VM. The second is $80 for 10GB with $10/GB overage - the same price as VM if I were to be pulling nearly ten gig a month (I can do it, honestly, I've metered 16.6GB one month)
So, cheapest option for me to stay at full power is just to shell out $40 as I need to, but there is the slight temptation of Verizon's... um... f'ing huge 3G coverage area. There may come a time, especially if they broaden their 4G horizons with a 4G MiFi device, that they'll get my business. Especially with their statement that they plan to get their entire 3G footprint converted to 4G in the next two years and one of my more common day-travel areas already having 4G coverage. I suppose a deal like what Sprint's got on the 4G end would sweeten the deal considerably though.
I tend to consume about 6-8GB on an average month, though some of it gets rolled over onto the sat service we still have. Still, it has me looking at options to keep myself at full power.
First is re-up my VM earlier in the month, when I run out of speed. As that'd only happen as often as I'd need it, that would put me around $60/month with no remains of a clearly defined billing date. That's the only "pay as you go" or "prepaid" option. The rest of these are contract "post-paid" systems.
Second I looked into was Sprint directly, which offers unlimited usage on their 4G systems. However, those systems aren't on Whidbey Island (yet... we're a suprisingly high-demand area). So instead I'd be at $60/month with .05/MB overage fee for their 3G region. To be blunt, that would cost me anywhere between $90 and $190/month for an "average" month. o.o; Ouch.
AT&T is the exact same pricing, with roughly the same coverage, and quite frankly I hate the company with a loathing that defies expression so they're out.
T-Mobile, regrettably, doesn't offer 3G on Whidbey so they're out.
Finally, for the big companies, we come to Verizon Wireless with two plans that would be servicable to me. First is $50 for 5GB with $10/GB overage resulting in $60-$80/month for coverage - a little more expensive than VM. The second is $80 for 10GB with $10/GB overage - the same price as VM if I were to be pulling nearly ten gig a month (I can do it, honestly, I've metered 16.6GB one month)
So, cheapest option for me to stay at full power is just to shell out $40 as I need to, but there is the slight temptation of Verizon's... um... f'ing huge 3G coverage area. There may come a time, especially if they broaden their 4G horizons with a 4G MiFi device, that they'll get my business. Especially with their statement that they plan to get their entire 3G footprint converted to 4G in the next two years and one of my more common day-travel areas already having 4G coverage. I suppose a deal like what Sprint's got on the 4G end would sweeten the deal considerably though.