Cellular Wireless Data Cards & Plans

[AlGriefer]

I was checking current prices, thinking about changing my carrier, and thought I'd share my research.  Please understand that these prices are for a new user located in Las Vegas and are considerably different from what folks may currently be paying.  The phone prices are long-term contract prices after rebates have been subtracted and the plans are all unlimited internet use.

Cingular

Sierra Wireless 875        49.95
Option GT Max 3.6         49.95
Unlimited Data (w/Voice Plan)        59.99
Unlimited Data (w/o Voice Plan)       79.99

Sprint

Sprint Mobile Broadband Card PX-500 by Pantech Wireless Free
Sprint Mobile Broadband USB Modem by Novatel Wireless (Ovation U720) 49.99
Sprint Mobile Broadband Card by Sierra Wireless-AirCard? 595 99.99
Sprint Mobile Broadband Card by Novatel Wireless-Merlin? S720 99.99
Unlimited Data   59.99

T-mobile

Sony Ericcson GC89 EDGE   149.99
Unlimited Data    49.99

Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless 5740      49.99
Verizon Wireless V620    149.99
Verizon Wireless V640    179.99
Verizon Aircard 595         99.99
Kyocera KPC650           179.99
Unlimited Data          79.99

Rogers Communications - Canada

Any GPRS/EDGE Card should work with Rogers SIM

No Unlimited Data - 200 MB + CDN$5.00/MB Additional          CDN$100.00



Al

 

[Ned]

Have you compared the coverage areas for the various levels of data access?

 

[jwright]

You should change the cingular rate to $59.99 with out the wifi option, don't know why many people would want to pay extra to use 802.11 in the limited coverage areas.

 

[AlGriefer]

You should change the cingular rate to $59.99 with out the wifi option, don't know why many people would want to pay extra to use 802.11 in the limited coverage areas.

Unfortunately, that was the only plan available on the web site!  The plan without WiFi may be business-only or no longer available. 

Many of these companies have increased their rates and/or changed their plans recently.  My T-Mobile plan is $20 less than the currently offered one.

Al

 

[Tom]

Al,

I think you and I are grandfathered under the old plan. I suspect things will change again when t-mobile brings out their faster offering(s). They recently beat the other carriers out in the bid for new bandwidth.

 

[AlGriefer]

Have you compared the coverage areas for the various levels of data access?

I've looked at the coverage maps, but they unfortunately don't mean too much.  Many of the areas that show coverage actually have very poor access a block from the freeway and the throughput varies all over the place.  

And just to make it more confusing, the different companies are changing some of their roaming agreements.  T-Mobile, for instance, is now providing GPRS roaming on 850 MHz through some companies in isolated areas.

Al

 

[AlGriefer]

Al,

I think you and I are grandfathered under the old plan. I suspect things will change again when t-mobile brings out their faster offering(s). They recently beat the other carriers out in the bid for new bandwidth.

We can hope we'll stay grandfathered.  They raised their price when they introduced EDGE, but my bill stayed the same, even when I renewed the plan.  Perhaps they can't raise rates while you continue your contract?

Al

 

[jwright]

The $59.00 was on the current buisness website, called and verified.

 

[AlGriefer]

OK, I've updated the cingular plans.  They have different prices depending on whether or not you have a voice plan.

Al

 

[AlGriefer]

Does anyone have data on Canadian plans, especially Rogers/Ameritech?

Al

 

[Tom]

Al,

T-mobile roams to "AT&T on Rogers towers" but, as we found out, the roaming charges are excessive.

 

[Bruce Patterson]

Tom,

You have to pay for roaming?  What a shame.  I've never paid more than the monthly fee which is $59 per month since my wife has a cell phone on the same account.  Get about 1.5 mbps in the cities 135kbps outside.

Bruce

 

[Tom]

You have to pay for roaming?

Bruce, we were talking about Canada. I've never paid a dime for roaming anywhere within the U.S.

 

[Bruce Patterson]

Oh, Canada?  I've never tried that.  Sorry for the confusion.

Bruce

 

[Tom]

No problem Bruce. I forgot about the roaming charges when we were up there and it cost me something like $2,000 for a month or so. Ouch!

 

[AlGriefer]

Tom,

I'm thinking that Rogers might have a plan we can buy to provide unlimited data while we're traveling there, hopefully this summer.  The Mexican cellular carrier has something like that.

Al

 

[Tom]

Al, whatever they offer has to be better than $2K/month 

 

[Jeff]

Tom:

The cost of those lessons keeps going up as we get more toys! :

 

[Tom]

LOL Jeff, you're right there.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Verizon has a Canadian coverage option, so maybe Cingular does too. Check with them to see.