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Your Own Hot Spot, and Cheap
- lzw 16y agoThis is much better than trying to put a 3G modem in everything you carry. Save the money, buy a portable hotspot and buy wifi devices. now if only contractless, reasonable priced data plans were more common... and the mifis were unlocked....
- joshu 16y agoThey probably are unlocked, but don't have the radios for all networks...
- misterbwong 16y agoThis is the first plan that had me thinking that I'd actually buy one. I've definitely found myself in spots where I'd have liked internet access but I don't need (tethered) internet access so badly that I would commit to a 2 year contract. It seems this is the best of both worlds.
- Stwerner 16y agoIs there any reason why this + the new iPod touch + Skype/google voice wouldn't be equivalent to an iPhone that is $60 cheaper per month?
- kogir 16y agoIf you like to receive incoming calls, yes. You can get 1-2 days standby on an iPhone. Good luck getting anywhere close with that combination.
- alexqgb 16y agoIn theory, no. In reality, the iPhone is a vastly better deal (unlike this, it actually works). Having just bought one of these cards to run this setup exactly, I'm currently repacking it and returning it post haste. Service is utterly useless, and that's putting it politely. Obscenely slow and reliably unreliable connectivity explain why Virgin can offer 'unlimited' data for such a low price.
- maxawaytoolong 16y agoI have the virgin MiFi and in NYC it is SLOW.
- symkat 16y agoDoes anyone have one of this in LA (Westwood/Santa Monica/Venice area). How are the speeds and connection stability?
- jbyers 16y agoWe tried to buy one today. Sold out on the Virgin website. Aside from that, I'm thrilled to see Virgin nuke the wireless data market. Pogue is right on -- other providers are charging outrageous prices for this service.
- smallegan 16y agoHad one and returned it. Slow and dropped connection often even on major highways.
- technomancy 16y agoThere's a lot of fud in here. I get unlimited data on my Nexus with free terthering for $40 a month on T-Mobile; the mifi doesn't offer anything new. Great to see more no-contract options of course, but the tone of the article is really unwarranted.
- aphexairlines 16y agoHow long does your N1 battery last while on hotspot mode?
- technomancy 16y agoI generally only use the USB tether, which lasts forever. =)
- Magneus 16y agoWhat plan is that, by the way? I'm on the lowest Even More Plus with 500 minutes, unlimited text, unlimited data, and it runs me $60.
- technomancy 16y agoI'm on the unlimited data-only plan.
- deleted 16y ago[deleted]
- arethuza 16y agoI got a MiFi from 3 here in the UK to use with my iPad a couple of weeks back - it's awesome (can use it with kids laptops, iPods and my iPad).
- nhebb 16y agoWhat does 3G speed equate to for download / upload speeds?
- jroes 16y agoNot sure I'm sold. 3G on my iPad, iPhone in Charlotte is pretty awfully slow. I would be scrambling for my wallet if it was 4G/3G.
- joshu 16y agoIt appears to be sprint, which is a different network?
- cpr 16y agoI've got one of the Verizon Mifi's but grandfathered into their unlimited data plan (had several previous generations of Verizon USB devices) for $65/month. I'm very happy with it. For example, I can take the train from Pittsburgh to NYC with full connectivity all the way, which is pretty amazing. Works well on the East coast and on the West. (Avoids paying ridiculous hotel wifi charges; the more expensive the hotel, the higher the charge.) And I use it when I'm in my remote office (near-beach house) in CT as my main line. Can't really do VOIP, but otherwise it's fine (1+ Mb/s).
- alexqgb 16y agoI just bought one and am appalled by how bad it truly is. Connections are obscenely slow, and that's when you can actually get them. Skype is useless, maps are impossible, and it runs very hot. The only thing truly unlimited here is the disappointment.