Best wireless provider for AirCards?

[ATLien247]

So, who's the best provider for AirCards?

Who has the:

- Fastest network?
- Best coverage?
- Cheapest unlimited data plan?
- Best AirCard?

I've been told Verizon by a few people, but nobody can really quantify or qualify their opinion. Any of you guys/gals care to comment?

 

[Drekce]

I have and love Verizon. It is fast enough and works basically everywhere (I travel for work).

 

[Spooner]

the only bad thing about the verizon cards is that they stick out to far and feel a little flimsy in my USB port

coverage/speed is pretty top notch though

 

[Vonkhan]

My company uses Sprint ... I find it to be slow, but reliable. But then, I have nothing else to compare it to

 

[Fritzo]

Any of the CDMA services (Verizon, Sprint). GSM services (ATT, TMobile) have poor penetrating power and don't work well in buildings.

 

[lokiju]

Basically Sprint uses Verizon's network and theirs and they cost less than Verizon when it comes to aircards.

AT&T's 3G is technically faster but the coverage isn't even comparable to Sprint/Verizon aircards.

So basically if you want an aircard that works almost anywhere in the USA then really your only choice is Sprint/Verizon.

I did a huge research project for where I work on this very topic about 2 years ago and as a result it is why we have 1,400+ Sprint aircards in circulation ATM.

 

[Cal166]

I have Verizon and find it to be very fast, at a good connection, it is faster than my home DSL. The coverage is top notch.

 

[ViviTheMage]

We have a few hundred Verizon Air Cards, they are OK if you have a solid connection.

Check which company has the best coverage in the area you'll mostly be with the card.

 

[Gooberlx2]

So, who's the best provider for AirCards?

Who has the:

- Fastest network?
- Best coverage?
- Cheapest unlimited data plan?
- Best AirCard?

I've been told Verizon by a few people, but nobody can really quantify or qualify their opinion. Any of you guys/gals care to comment?

Well, I can say that Verizon is the only provider that gets any signal to the basement where my lab is. My supervisor has and uses the Verizon mobile broadband with her laptop and it seems to work pretty well.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Alltel. AFAIK, they were the only ones with a truly unlimited plan - everyone else caps it at 5GB or so IIRC. Granted, you can't get an Alltel data plan anymore, so your next best bet is Verizon. Of course, I can't speak to your specific area, but in my area it was no contest who was able to provide the best signal at my house. Since I can't get DSL or cable, that is all I use for internet access at home with an EVDO router and multiple machines hooked up to it - so no cap was a biggie for me. Just glad I can grandfather my Alltel data plan on my Verizon account...

 

[kalster]

why not just get a mifi and use your existing wifi in your laptop

 

[sswingle]

why not just get a mifi and use your existing wifi in your laptop

Still need to decide if he wants sprint or verizon though, which is what he was asking, not what kind of aircard to get.

 

[Arkaign]

Sprint just went 4g here in DFW, I've used one of those adapters and it was genuinely quick.