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The Novatel USB760, branded for Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless today announced the introduction of a prepaid wireless broadband option for customers who don’t want to pay $60 for 5 gigabytes of usage, with a two year contract. Prepaid Mobile Broadband will be available starting November 15th in Verizon Wireless stores, sold as a “starter pack,” for $129.99, which includes a Novatel USB760 modem and a brochure showing different pricing options for the service.
Both Verizon and Virgin Mobile’s prepaid broadband services use the same USB760 modem, but that’s where the comparison ends.
Verizon Wireless expects prepaid customers to pay premium pricing for the convenience of having wireless broadband access without a contract on Verizon’s expansive 3G network. Customers have three options:
- Daily Access: $15/day for 75MB
- Weekly Access: $30/week for 250MB
- Monthly Access: $50/month for 500MB
Unused allowances expire at the end of each term. Verizon includes a “usage chart” with low ball estimates of what customers can do on each respective prepaid plan:
Data Type Daily Weekly Monthly E-mail (1 text page) 25,600 85,300 170,000 Typical Web page 500 1,700 3,400 Low-resolution photos 150 500 1,000
Don’t even think about streaming video at these prices. Virgin Mobile’s prepaid wireless broadband service was expensive until Verizon Wireless came around. Virgin Mobile charges $10 for 100 MB for 10 days, $20 for 250 MB per month, $40 for 600 MB and $60 for 1 GB. Cricket also sells a prepaid wireless broadband plan for $40 a month for up to 5GB of usage, but has dramatically less coverage.
These plans are typically designed for occasional use only. Those with regular on-the-go wireless broadband needs will do better under a contract plan.
Most people don’t know about this, but Verizon and AT&T both allow you to buy their regular MBB plans month-to-month, as long as you buy (or already have) a modem. I’m doing this right now with AT&T with a modem I bought awhile back. Works just as well as any other AT&T service.
Or you can get Millenicom. 5GB Verizon for $60 per month non-contract, “unlimited” (maybe 50GB or so, who knows) Sprint for $70 per month non-contract or “unlimited” T-Mobile for $70 per month non-contract. It appears as though MCom is buying accounts rather than GBs so what “unlimited” means is up to the underlying carrier, but they’re still very good plans. You just have to pay up for the modem, particularly if you get T-Mobile powered service; the cost of the featured modem is $150.
“most people only use their phone once a year”-Verizon
“Unused allowances expire at the end of each term. ”
??? What??? You already payed for it. It shouldn’t expire if I never used that much. Can you say dumb?
Verizon has had a $15/day unlimited daypass option for quite a while (still says unlimited last time I checked NOT 5GB!). My Lenovo x60 has an EVDO modem built in. When I connect through VZ-Navigator, it prompts me to sign up for a regular 2-year contract, or pick the $15/day no contract op%0on.