LTE in 19 Cities. Nationwide by 2013.

Contents:
Plans
Speed
Coverage
Devices
Summary

With the largest mobile broadband data allowances, average LTE speeds close to 20 Mbps, an ever expanding list of cities with LTE coverage and a triple band mobile hotspot, Sprint is looking to shake things up since  last year’s review.

With multiple changes on the table, a lot is happening for the “Now Network”. As always, this review will be split into 4 detailed sections:

1. Sprint 4G Plans
2. Sprint 4G Speed
3. Sprint 4G Coverage
4. Sprint 4G Broadband Cards & Mobile Hotspots

Let’s get right to it.

Sprint 3G & 4G Plans

Home To The Largest Data Plan.

Since our last review of Sprint 4G plans,  they’ve expanded and simplified their data plan offerings but killed 4G unlimited mobile broadband. Now you’ll be looking at mobile broadband plans ranging from 1 GB up to 12 GB.

At a glance, you’ll notice that a 5 GB 3G only plan is actually more expensive than a 3G/4G that comes with 6 GB.

What gives?

For starters, it’s a carrot and the stick method to get users onto the newer networks that saves them money. Also, by purchasing a new device you’ll be signing a new contract for 2 more years of guaranteed income.

Given that Sprint LTE speeds have a theoretical maximum of 25 Mbps vs. their 3G’s 3.1 Mbps, that’s an upgrade that’s worth just about anyone’s time.

So what happens if you decide to make the jump to 4G plans?

You’ll be looking at 3 GB, 6 GB and 12 GB for $35, $50, & $80 respectively.  Which 4G plan you end up getting will largely depend on how much data you need.

Besides ending unlimited mobile broadband for all devices except smartphones, Sprint has also hiked their overage fees from $0.05/MB to $0.25/MB. That’s a 500% increase. 

To help put that in context, previously Sprint overages ran $51.20/GB. Now they’re $256/GB.

Umm, ouch?

Worried about overages and not sure which plan to get? Check out “How Much is 5 GB & Is It Enough?” to find the right plan at the right price and avoid making an extra car payment for mobile broadband.

That’s doesn’t exactly jive well with how they like to market their smartphones:

The word of the day brought to you by Sprint is:

Dichotomy.

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Sprint 4G Speed

Advertised Vs. Tested 4G LTE & WiMAX Speeds

This chart shows the upper limits of each range for download speeds.

Since last year, Sprint has launched their LTE network with average speeds of 6-8 Mbps downloading, 2-3 Mbps uploading with download peak speeds up to 25 Mbps. That’s fast enough to rival decent DSL and cable internet connections.

By contrast, WiMAX speeds average 3-6 Mbps downloading, 1 Mbps uploading with bursts up to 10 Mbps.

As Sprint 4G LTE is limited to 15 markets at the time of this writing and WiMAX coverage in 82 markets, there’s a great chance you’ll be bumped down to 3G speeds and if in fringe areas, possibly 1xRTT.

Here’s how they all stack up:

What Kind Of 3G & 4G WiMAX Speeds Will You Actually Get?

In contrast with last year’s review, Sprint 3G and 4G WiMAX speeds were found to be sub-par by both PCWorld in their speed tests across 13 cities and PCMag in their speed tests across 30 cities:

“Sprint’s 3G and 4G services performed worse than any other carrier’s in our study.

Sprint 3G clocked average speeds of 0.59 mbps (590 kbps) for downloads and 0.56 mbps (560 kbps) for uploads–adequate speeds for basic mobile tasks such as browsing the Web (slowly) and checking email, but problematic for streaming video or music.

There isn’t much good news about Sprint’s existing 4G WiMax service either.

We tested Sprint WiMax last year in seven of the cities included in this year’s study. In those seven cities, the service’s average speeds improved from 1.99 mbps for downloads and 0.61 mbps for uploads to 2.66 mbps for downloads and 0.92 mbps for uploads. But Sprint’s 4G service is about as fast as AT&T’s HSPA+ service, and quite a bit slower than T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 21 service. Most people consider both of these forms of HSPA+ to be 3G.”

• PCWorld | April, 2012

We chose our 30 test cities so they were evenly spread across our six regions, and so we could drive to all of them in three weeks. We also chose so as many of them as possible had the maximum number of 4G networks. We tested 12 of MetroPCS’s 14 LTE cities, 20 of AT&T’s 39 LTE markets, 23 of Sprint’s 70 WiMAX markets, and 30 of Verizon’s 258 4G LTE markets.

Sprint National Average 3G speeds: 0.41 mbps downloading, 0.29 mbps uploading

Sprint National Average 4G speeds: 3.50 mbps downloading, 0.91 mbps uploading

• PCMag | May, 2012

Here’s what both sets of data look like side by side:

But What About Sprint 4G LTE Speeds?

Sidenote: bear with me as I’ll have to do some heavier quoting than may be in good taste. It’s quite critical to make one distinction specifically important to mobile broadband users.

To Sprint’s credit, their LTE network was not yet available for testing at the time of the aforementioned PCWorld & PCMag speed tests. However, determined to not miss a chance for free publicity, Sprint made their LTE network available for testing to PCMag in Atlanta prior to their official launch date [emphasis mine]:

We got average download speeds between 9 and 13Mbps, which is similar to the speeds in AT&T’s two faster 5MHz channel cities but slower than you see in its 10MHz channel cities. Sprint’s peak download speeds hit 26.5Mbps down, which is as much bandwidth as anyone really needs. That’s also similar to AT&T’s peak speed in a solid 5Mhz city like Raleigh, where we got a 27.8Mbps peak on AT&T.

Sprint’s download speeds were comparable to speeds on Verizon, which uses 10MHz channels.

Uploads were on the slow side, but here’s where the test method [I’ll touch on this shortly] really becomes an issue. Using our Sensorly test we saw upload speeds averaging 2.19Mbps, once again comparable to AT&T’s 5MHz cities and faster than T-Mobile’s HSPA+ or Sprint’s old WiMAX 4G, but slower than Verizon. The network hit 2.97Mbps for peak uploads.

But I’m pretty sure both Sprint and AT&T are tuning their networks to respond better to multiple simultaneous upload streams, because when Ookla tested four streams at once, we saw 7.4Mbps up on Sprint. AT&T has shown a similar difference in upload speeds when tested with the Ookla software in the past.

• PCMag | June, 2008

Earlier in the article, PCMag mentions this:

The two speed tests we use return very different results; it’s just the way they were designed.

Ookla’s test tends to give faster numbers because it eliminates some slower results and runs multiple transfers simultaneously. Sensorly’s test runs one stream at a time and don’t eliminate any results.

We consider the Sensorly test more realistic because smartphones usually queue large data transfers rather than running them in parallel; Web pages do consist of multiple small transfers in parallel, but time-to-first-byte plays a larger role there than peak speeds.

• PCMag [ibid]

While the Sensorly tests may be more realistic for smartphones, MBR readers typically use mobile broadband through broadband cards and mobile hotspots. As such, our habits mimic that of a desktop/laptop user rather than smartphones. Taking that into account, both the Sensorly ‘serial’ 4G download speeds and Ookla’s ‘parallel’ 4G download speed test data will be viable as we do both.

That being said, here’s what PCMag’s data looks like (re-graphed for better visibility).

• On PCMag’s original graph, Sprint LTE speeds were marked at about 19 Mbps as opposed to the 26.5 Mbps as mentiond within the article.  I’ve made the correction in plotting this graph as the upper limit of all other download/upload speeds were plotted as reported.

As duly noted by the PCMag team, comparing Sprint LTE speeds to their 3G and 4G WiMAX speeds isn’t truly fair:

For our Fastest Mobile Networks project, we tested ordinary retail phones on loaded networks, and we didn’t tell the carriers where we were going in advance. For this Sprint test, we used phones tuned by Sprint’s engineering team at pre-approved locations. They knew we were coming.

• PCMag [ibid]

Sprint 3G, 4G WiMAX & 4G LTE Tested Speeds | Side-By-Side Comparison

The graph above isn’t a completely fair comparison as it pools Sprint speed test data from different devices at different locations at different times. Take this comparison with a heaping tablespoon of salt when compounded with the fact that I’ve averaged 3G & 4G WiMAX data from two sources for simplicity and the 4G LTE data was taken on an unloaded network in only one location from just one source.

As impressive as 26.5 Mbps peak downloading on an LTE network (even if unloaded), it won’t mean a thing if you don’t have 4G coverage. That being said, let’s dig into just that.

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Sprint 4G Coverage

LTE 19. WiMAX 82. Nationwide LTE by 2013.

True to their word last year, Sprint launched their 4G LTE network in 15 markets (July, 2012) only to announce an additional 4 cities shortly after.

With plans to upgrade their entire EVDO and WiMAX network to LTE by the end of 2013, they’ll be rolling out LTE cities as soon as they’re ready to go:

By the end of 2013, Sprint expects to have largely completed the build out of its all-new 4G LTE nationwide network – with an enhanced 3G network – covering 250 million people across the United States.

• Sprint

Besides LTE expansion, Sprint now also provides information on network upgrades happening in your neighborhood:

 

 

For MBR readers planning their next mobile broadband purchase, this may come in handy as one tries to answer the proverbial question:

Will I have 4G coverage in my house?

To compare existing and future network upgrades for all carriers and not just Sprint, check out How To Find Out Which Cell Tower Serves Your Neighborhood.

To see existing 4G LTE, WiMAX or 3G EVDO coverage, see Sprint’s data coverage maps. Alternatively, you can drill down to just 4G LTE, 4G WiMAX or 3G coverage.

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Sprint 3G & 4G Devices

5 Mobile Hotspots, 3 Broadband Cards

Since last year, Sprint has a 4G LTE “Tri-Fi” mobile hotspot that connects to LTE, WiMAX and their 3G network alongside some new goodies as well as old faithfuls.

I’ll cover Sprint’s 3G and 4G devices before wrapping up with why you can ignore all but 2 devices. First up, Sprint Mobile Hotspots.

Sprint Mobile Hotspots

The obvious choice here is Sierra Wireless Tri-Fi Mobile Hotspot.

It’s the only 4G mobile hotspot that’ll connect you to 3G, 4G WiMAX and 4G LTE where ever available. While it’s not the smallest or lightest of the bunch, it’s standby time is 8 weeks. Naturally, the more devices you have connected to it will result in a lower battery life.

Sprint Broadband Cards

There aren’t any particularly glaring distinctions between Sprint’s broadband card lineup. No device is 4G LTE capable nor do any come with expandable storage. As standard with Sprint, they all sport GPS Navigation. While the Merlin CC208 hybrid ExpressCard/PC Card has technically 2 form factors, there is no linux support.

This is basically a draw that comes down to your preferred form factor: USB or ExpressCard/PC Card. Given that ExpressCards/PC Cards have mostly gone the way of the dinosaurs, you’ll probably want to opt in the USB direction.

Which Device Should You Get?

If you’re in the market for a mobile hotspot, the Sierra Wireless Tri-Fi Mobile Hotspot is the obvious choice.

Being the only device to connect to Sprint’s 3G, 4G WiMAX and 4G LTE network, this is what you’ll want to get if you’re into future proofing.

If you’re in the market for a broadband card, the device of choice is between the plug-in-connect USB or the 250U by Sierra Wireless. Both have identical features and only differ substantially on design aesthetics.

However, I’d recommend to go for the Tri-Fi over either of these devices since Sprint will be focusing on expanding their 4G LTE network and not their 4G WiMAX network.

The 4G LTE Tri-Fi Mobile Hotspot is available for $40 at the time of this writing.

Summary

So Does Sprint Mobile Broadband Make The Cut?

Whether Sprint makes the cut has just as much to do with broadband cards as it does 3G/4G plans,  speed and coverage. Here’s a brief recap:

Sprint Mobile Broadband Plans

With the largest data allowances available, Sprint’s plans range from 1 GB all the way up to 12 GB. Unfortunately, overage charges can run you $256/GB. That’s higher than any other major carrier.

Sprint 3G & 4G Speed

While Sprint’s 3G and 4G WiMAX speeds have been lagging behind the competition, their recently launched LTE network has average 4G speeds close to 20 Mbps. While the tests were done on an unloaded network, those kinds of speeds put them back in the game.

Sprint 3G / 4G Coverage

Sprint has staggered at 82 WiMAX cities for some 2 years. Fortunately, their LTE coverage is growing rapidly. Already at 19 cities, they’re planning to be nationwide by 2013. Though Verizon will still probably have the largest 4G LTE network at that time, Sprint won’t be far behind.

Sprint Broadband Cards & Personal Hotspots

With 1 LTE mobile hotspot and four 4G WiMAX hotspots alongside 3 broadband cards, Sprint has made the choice here an easy one. The 4G LTE Tri-Fi comes from the trusted guys at Sierra Wireless who’ve been in the mobile broadband game since it’s inception.

Chances are, it’s a pretty solid device.

Got Sprint or thinking about it? Let us know in the comments!

Not Sure About Sprint?
Check out our Postpaid Mobile Broadband Comparison

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I recently got an interesting email from a MBR reader wanting to find out what carrier a cell tower in his neighborhood belonged to:

Question: How do you determine what carrier is resident on a neighborhood tower? They just erected and installed antennas on one just 1.28 miles from here and [I] would like to know who will be the carrier.

[I’m] Using a Verizon 3G wireless modem (with external antenna mounted on steel roof) through a Cradlepoint wireless router mounted in the attic.

After some digging, I came across two helpful resources:

• Antenna Search
• Cell Reception

Antenna Search

AntennaSearch provides you with detailed information (i.e. location, ownership, contact info, etc.) on both towers and antennas. Additionally, we are the only online service that detects newly filed (or pending) tower applications. Because of these features our reports are typically used to:

• Scan a given area to assess carrier level cell reception.
• Expand your reception search beyond towers by looking into specific antennas and determining which carriers are located on specific towers.
• Pinpoint future towers planned for specific areas.
• and much more…

– Antenna Search

While there mapping tool can take up to 30 seconds to load the cell tower results for large areas, you’ll have a wealth of detailed data on your hands.

Their distinctions between towers (registered and non-registered), antennas, as well as future towers is really handy if you’re looking for detailed info. It’s a great tool for double-checking coverage in your area before buying mobile broadband or your next cell phone.

Cell Reception

Cell Reception, while not as meticulous in legend data, has taken AT&T, Sprint, Verizon & T-Mobile cell towers registered with the FCC and plotted them on an interactive Google Map. While every tower that exists isn’t listed, user ratings of towers in any given area also help you to figure out just how good reception in that area is.

Carriers won’t tell you if you’ll get good coverage. And signing up and canceling is a hassle. But you don’t have to live with bad reception!

We have searchable databases of over 151,000 cell towers, and over 61,000 reception comments submitted voluntarily by real users like you who live around your neighborhood.

Search for the best carrier in your area. And then use our tower search to see exactly where the nearest tower is to you — even pinpoint it to the exact rooftop with satellite imagery!

– Cell Reception

While Cell Reception doesn’t show the level of detailed distinctions Antenna Search does, they do allow you to filter results by carrier which is handy if you’re interested in just one of the big players.

Know Some More Useful Resources For Finding Cell Towers?
Let Us Know In The Comments Below:

WiMAX Coverage Lagging, LTE on The Way

Contents:
Plans
Speed
Coverage
Devices
Verdict

With plans to launch LTE in 31 cities by 2013, will Clear 4G be the sole source of unlimited mobile broadband or will they cave like Sprint?

In this review of current and future Clear 4G plans, speed, coverage and devices, you’ll learn whether this ship has sailed or if now’s the time to hop on board for a discount cruise.

Clear 4G Plans

Two Plans: Unlimited Data & No Contract.

Over the years Clear 4G plans have gradually moved from complicated to not as complicated to their current incarnation:

Simplicity at long last.

With both plans packing unlimited mobile broadband, there’s no worry of overage charges. The only question you need to answer is this:

• Fast and more pricey or slow and cheaper?

What This Means For You:

Clear is only place you’ll not only find postpaid unlimited mobile broadband, but find it at the same or cheaper price than the rest of major carriers.

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Clear 4G Speed

WiMAX Today. 100 Mbps LTE-Advanced Tomorrow.

•  *The Clear 4G regular plan has an average speed of 3-6 Mbps. Pictured above is the upper limit of that tier.

Clear 4G speed mirrors Sprint 4G WiMAX (as they utilize the same backbone) but falls short of everyone else. That includes:

• AT&T 4G LTE & HSPA+
• Sprint 4G LTE
• T-Mobile 4G HSPA+
• Verizon 4G LTE

However, at $35 and $50 for unlimited mobile broadband, it’s hard to complain. After all, no other provider can claim truly unlimited 4G plans when it comes to USB modems, dedicated mobile hotspots and laptops. Rather, they each have a caveat:

Overage Charges For Internet Devices

• AT&T: $10/GB overage charge
• Sprint: $51.20/GB overage charge
• T-Mobile: Speed cap that slows down your data after hitting your monthly allotment
• Verizon: $10/GB overage charge

LTE To The Rescue?

As we covered previously, Clear has had very impressive 4G LTE speed tests dating back to 2010:

The first Clearwire LTE trial results are in: 90Mbps [downloading], 30Mbps [uploading].

Though these trial numbers never end up holding up in real-world use, it’s notable that the company achieved these speeds while driving around, not sitting in a lab wearing white coats with the base station a few yards away.

Needless to say, though, they’re taking the LTE option pretty seriously if they’re dumping serious cash into testing it out and publishing the results.

– Engadget Mobile

However, it’s been 2 years since these tests made an impressive splash and Clear is sorely lagging behind in the LTE deployment department. Thankfully, that may be about to change in 2013 with the potential to leap past Verizon and AT&T’s current 4G LTE speeds:

This is the year we begin overlaying LTE Advanced-ready technology on our 4G WiMAX network.

The technical trials are complete and we’re looking at an initial implementation of our LTE network…during the first half of 2013.

LTE Advanced is a 4G technical standard that calls for peak download mobile speeds of at least 100 Mbps, which far exceeds today’s commercial networks.

Our LTE network will be “LTE Advanced-ready” meaning that it will use an ultra-high-capacity spectrum configuration that is superior to the typical configuration of the slower, more capacity-constrained commercial LTE network designs in the United States today.

– Clearwire

What This Means For You:

It’s not the fastest 4G network out there nor the most available. What it is however, is unlimited. Your best bet is to treat it like an all you can eat buffet. The price is cheap and the quality meh but hey, it’s all you can eat right?

On that note, whether they’ll provide unlimited 4G LTE or not remains to be seen. While that would seriously put them in the game, it’s still too early to tell how they’ll price it.

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Clear 4G Coverage

Still only 82 WiMAX Markets. LTE in 31 Cities In 2013.

Clear 4G coverage growth has stalled since last year. With only 82 WiMAX markets, it begets the question:

What’s up with that man?

Money. That’s what.

A year ago, Sprint reduced its voting stake to distance itself from the financially fragile Clearwire. The move meant that Clearwire couldn’t be considered a unit and potentially affect Sprint’s debt if there was a default or other major event. While Clear received a much needed cash infusion and this year’s funding issues, the path forward isn’t set in stone…both companies stressed that the shift doesn’t alter other components of their relationship.

…

Late last year, Clearwire signed a new network partnership with Sprint to help fund its operations beyond 2012, along with selling additional $300 million in equity. In May, the company said it would raise up to $300 million in another stock sale over the coming months to help fund operations.

Numerous investors have walked away from Clearwire. In March, Google Inc. (GOOG) sold its entire 29.4 million share stake in Clearwire for a $433.5 million loss, ending a nearly four-year $500 million investment. Intel Corp. wrote down the entire value of its 7.3% voting stake in Clearwire earlier this year.

– MarketWatch

So while Sprint has stepped in once more to save the day, Clear has still taken some serious damage in the loss of Google and Intel, both of whom were original heavy financial backers. Nonetheless, Clear might just turn out to be the little engine that could:

We’re looking at an initial implementation of our LTE network that aims to target densely populated, urban areas of our existing 4G markets where current usage demands are high. New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle will be among the 31 cities where we will launch our TDD-LTE network during the first half of 2013.

– Clearwire [ibid]

If they pull this off, it’ll be a much needed update to a flailing network.

What This Means For You:

If you’re not already in a Clear 4G coverage area, don’t expect WiMAX coverage to be coming your way…ever. Your best bet will be to keep a close eye on Clear 4G LTE expansion plans.

To see if Clear 4G coverage is available in your city, see their interactive 4G coverage map here. If you are, then you’ll stand to benefit from taking a look at this year’s device lineup.

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Clear 4G Devices

1 Mobile Hotspot, 2 USB Modems & 2 “Hubs”.

Which of the three types of Clear 4G devices you get depends largely on where and how you plan to use the net:

Clear Spot Voyager

Like most mobile hotspots, the Clear Spot Voyager is pretty straightforward. Turn it on, and connect your device(s) to it.

With the ability to connect up to 8 devices, it could technically handle all your WiFi-enabled devices in your house so long as you’re not working with a mini-mansion.

While it doesn’t have any nifty features such as micro-SD card sharing or a LCD displaying device and network info, it gets the job done.

At the time of this writing, they’re 50% off for $50 before going back to $100. Note that if you pick one up today, you’ll be paying for the month in advance (either the $35 or $50) as well.

Clear Sticks

Clear Sticks come in two varieties: the Clear 4G Mobile USB and the Clear Stick Atlas. Both devices are run of the mill plug and play USB modems that regularly cost $50 but are on sale for $25 each.

Clear 4G Mobile USB

The older of the two, the Clear 4G Mobile USB sports support for:

• Windows®, XP (SP2 and Higher)
• Vista®, (32 & 64 bit)
• Windows®, 7 (32 & 64 bit)
• Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard & Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (32 Bit Support only)

Besides a glowing Clear logo upon connection to your USB port, don’t look for any microSD slots or external antenna ports.

Yup. It’s pretty vanilla.

To Clear’s credit, it ships with a USB extension port that allows you to swivel and angle the device to your liking.

Handy for cramped spaces, getting just the right signal by a window or simply the convenience factor of having your device point the way you’d like it to.

Before plugging in the device, you’ll want to install the necessary software using the provided USB flash drive (separate from the device itself).

Clear Atlas Stick

The newer of the two, the Clear Atlas Stick supports all the aforementioned operating systems plus:

• Linux
• Android and Chrome versions that support Remote Network Driver Interface Service Specification (RNDIS) or Communication Device Class (CDC) devices

Penguins and little green robots rejoiced everywhere.

Additionally, the Atlas has an LED that shows signal strength and connection status plus an external antenna port that’ll be handy for users with poor indoor reception.

As a current WiMAX user, I can attest to dramatically higher 4G speeds with just an increase of an extra bar.

It really makes a difference.

Outside of that, it is noteworthy that the Atlas stick doesn’t require a flash drive as the Clear 4G Mobile does for installation. It’s truly a plug and play device with all necessary software/drivers residing on the device itself.

Unfortunately, no microSD expansion slot here.

Clear Hubs | Internet at Your Home or Office

Not going anywhere for awhile? Grab a Clear Hub.

All plays on Snickers catchphrases aside, Clear Hubs are essentially just like your regular cable or DSL modem except they grab the internet over the air (OTA) rather than through a wired connection.

Like a mobile hotspot, it then broadcasts 4G WiMAX to your house or office.

The major difference between mobile hotspots and Clear hubs are that the latter:

• Receive power from an AC adapter (no batteries)
• Can also connect to devices via a traditional ethernet cord in addition to WiFi

Given their stationary design, wider broadcast range and ethernet cord, it’ll be more suited to running all your home or office needs such as WiFi printers, WiFi-enabled TVs as well as gaming systems such as a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 for minimal lag (though it’ll need to be wired).

In short, it’ll power devices that won’t move too much as well. Of course, you can still connect your smartphone and laptop to it but you get the idea.

If a Clear Hub is up your alley, you’ll have a choice between the Clear Modem with WiFi and the Clear Hub Express:

Clear Modem with WiFi

The Clear Modem w/WiFi is pretty basic as far as modems are concerned.

It comes secure out of the box and requires no professional installation (as per a cable modem for instance).

It notably has an LED to indicate signal strength which should aid in finding the best spot to get 4G signal within your house.

Clear was kind enough to send a device our way last year and from experience, that spot will most always be by a window with as little obstruction from trees and concrete as possible.

Notably, it uses 802.11b, g or n protocols.

If you’re big on streaming movies in 720p or 1080p from say a network hard drive, know that the 802.11n definitely makes a difference in maintaining the smoothness of video playback.

At the time of this writing, the Clear Modem w/WiFi is available for 50% at $50.

Clear Hub Express

The Clear Hub Express is identical to the Clear Modem w/WiFi except it has an external antenna port for getting better signal.

From my experiences with both Clear 4G Home Modems and Sprint 4G WiMAX mobile hotspots, I can attest to dramatically higher speeds after getting an extra bar or two of signal.

For those not in the best of Clear 4G coverage areas, this may give the extra boost needed to enjoy the service as intended.

Like the Clear Modem w/WiFi the Clear Hub Express is available for 50% off ($50) at the time of writing.

Given that this is the superior of the two devices, there’s no reason not to pick this up in favor of the Clear Modem w/WiFi.

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Verdict

Not Top Notch But Still Solid.

Clear’s obvious strength lies in their 4G plans and pricing.

While all the major players already have or are gearing up to get faster 4G networks before Clear launches LTE, no major carrier  offers truly unlimited mobile broadband for laptops, mobile hotspots, USB modems and the like.

Unfortunately, their Achilles heel at the moment is a glaring lack of expansive 4G coverage. Their 4G speed, while okay, is quickly falling behind the fastest 4G mobile broadband services available right now.

With LTE to launch next year, Clear may just make a come back. For now, they’re a viable alternative to major cellphone providers for those who’d like to save a couple bucks if they’re available in your area. If you do, their device selection isn’t all that bad either.

Sidenote: While Sprint and Clear’s 4G WiMAX networks are currently tied to each other, there’s no indication that their 4G LTE networks will piggyback off each other as they continue to build their LTE networks independent of each other.

Are You a Clear User? What’s Your Take?

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Plans
Speed
Coverage
Devices

AT&T 4G has evolved from a mostly HSPA+ network to 4G LTE coverage in 41 47 markets with plans to cover 95% of the U.S. population by the end of 2013.

While they lag behind Verizon’s 301 city 4G LTE footprint, things look promising with their most recent crowning by PCWorld as the nation’s fastest 4G network (for downloading).

With a plethora of postpaid, prepaid and international plans, AT&T’s 4G offerings are becoming well rounded.

Unlike Verizon or Sprint however, their device selection remains thin with only two 4G devices: The Elevate 4G mobile hotspot and the Momentum 4G USB Modem.

In this review, I cover:

• AT&T 4G Plans | Postpaid, Prepaid & International
• AT&T 4G Speed | Real Vs. Advertised
• AT&T 4G Coverage | Ma’ Bell Vs. Big Red LTE
• AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G | Which Should You Get?

For comprehensive details on any of the above, see the individual sections below:

AT&T 4G Plans

Compare postpaid, prepaid & international AT&T 4G plans to find the cheapest for your 4G tablet, mobile hotspot, USB modem or ultrabook.

AT&T 4G Speed

AT&T 4G speed is advertised as “download speeds of 5 – 12 Mbps & upload speeds of 2 – 5 Mbps.” But what do real world speed tests reveal?

AT&T 4G Coverage

While HSPA+ AT&T 4G coverage is widely available, its 41 47 market LTE footprint is playing catchup to Verizon’s current 301 cities.

AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G

AT&T 4G mobile hotspots & USB modems lineup has shrunk to just the Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G & USBConnect Momentum 4G. Which should you get?

Are you an AT&T 4G user?

If there’s anything you could go back and tell yourself before signing up, what would it be?

Let us know in the comments below.

Which Should You Get?

Contents:
Elevate 4G
Momentum
Which One?

Since last year, AT&T has trimmed their mobile hotspot & USB modem lineup from 4 devices to just two.

Enter the AT&T Mobile Hotspot Elevate 4G & USBConnect Momentum 4G.

With both devices being of the LTE/HSPA+ hybrid variety and offering 4G speeds ranging from  5 – 12 Mbps where AT&T 4G coverage is available, it boils down to two things:

• Which of the 5 Types of Broadband Users You Are
• Differences Between The Devices

Here I’ll cover the latter.

The Elevate 4G

Overview

The Elevate 4G courtesy of Sierra Wireless is AT&T’s first 4G LTE mobile hotspot.

With this guy, you’ll be able to connect up to 5 devices for 4 hours of battery life. However, you might be able to stretch it to 5 hours by using a shorter WiFi range, turning off the LCD and booting a few WiFi users.

Like any mobile hotspot, we can expect a few things:

• Battery life lessening in proportion to the number of devices actively sipping from the 4G water fountain.
• Expandable microSD storage up to 32 GB shared between connected devices.
• Built-in GPS.
• No software to install. Just connect via WiFi, plug in the password and happy interneting.
• 802.11b, g, or n WiFi connectivity.
• Connecting to any of the 5 AT&T speed tier

Outside of standard issue tech specs above, there are few things that help set the Elevate 4G apart:

The Display

While you’ve got standard fare info such as battery life, GPS, network status and such on the LCD, you’ve also got (*drumroll)

Data Used.

The really cool thing here is the Elevate 4G’s ability to track and display how much data you’ve used for the month.

While previous devices have attempted this, they would track your session (i.e. when you turn it on till when next you turn it off) and not the entire month.

This way, the device will help you avoid AT&T’s $10/GB overage charges for postpaid mobile hotspots or to let you know if you need to top up your prepaid or international data plan.

The Charger

The Elevate 4G ships with a USB travel charger that breaks down into the wall charger component and the micro-USB charging cable.

That’ll come in handy for the road warriors out there whose cars are equipped with USB outlets (thus eliminating the need for an additional car charger).

Great for staying connected whether you’re trucking, RV’ing or cruising across states with the family.

It’s also handy for the Frank Abernales out there at crowded airport terminal charging stations.

You’ll be able to plug in your laptop then charge your hotspot and phone through your laptop if you’re lucky enough to snag that one available outlet. Try not to elbow anyone on your Richard Simmons speed walking over there when you spot it free though.

Alas, but I digress.

Design & Aesthetics

At 3.8 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches (LxWxD) and weighing 3.6 ounces, it’ll fit in the palm of your hand but you won’t be doing bicep curls with it.

The coated rubber ends on the Elevate 4G help not just to give it traction/stability in shaky environments (think car dashboard and the like) but protect it in the event of the dreaded mobile device geronimo to the floor.

Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the rubber ends are slightly raised above the level of the LCD.

This will provide additional protection if the poor thing were to bungee jump from your desk to ground via the micro-USB cord & (snap!) hit the floor face-down.

Likelihood of it happening?

Probably up there with the rapture and Mayan calendar but nice to have the design element there all the same.
Those guys at Sierra Wireless never stop working.

External Antenna Ports

Upon inspecting the bottom of the Elevate 4G, you’ll notice dual antenna ports for better reception.

That’s excellent news for the road warriors and neglected folk living in the dreaded ‘fringe areas’ notorious for sad reception.

To take advantage of this, you’ll need to snag a MIMO Antenna with 2 TS-9 Connectors from Sierra Wireless.

Thankfully, it only runs about $34.

Curiously neat, like a fine scotch at the speakeasy on a Thursday’s eve, you’ll look James Bond-ish with this thing smartly attached to your laptop.

Outside of that, there isn’t anything else worth mentioning.

On with the show!

Back To Top

The Momentum 4G

Overview

The USBConnect Momentum 4G is AT&T’s first 4G LTE device.

At 2.6 by 1.02 by 0.5 inches, it’s about the same size as the once available USBConnect Shockwave 4G and takes up less than half the palm of your hand (unless you’ve got tiny kid hands).

Depending on your laptop, it can block access to adjacent ports.

No problem if you’ve got an isolated USB port but if you’re cramped for space, this can be quite annoying. Like any USB modem, there are some things you can count on:

• No issues with battery life. USB supplied power keeps it up and running.
• Built-in GPS.
• Expandable microSD storage up to 32 GB.
• Connect to any of the 5 AT&T speed tiers.

Here’s what the Momentum 4G has going for it:

Design | Form Factor

It’s tilting and swiveling USB port allow it to twist in just about any direction.

This is a smart move since you may be using this guy with a laptop, tablet, or convertible tablet.

Depending on whether you’ve got your tablet in portrait or landscape tilted in your arm, you may need or want the USB modem tilting away towards the sky for better reception.

You may also want it pointing away from hard surfaces that could damage it and your USB port in cramped spaces.

While it might not be likely you’re in a tiny cabin of a research vessel collecting data off the Gulf of Mexico (true story), you could have your sordid tale claustrophic space scenario that would put your device at risk.

Installation: Less Than a Minute

See for yourself (complete with melodramatic music):

External Antenna Ports

Like the Elevate 4G, the Momentum 4G has dual antenna ports for better reception.

As it’s also made by Sierra Wireless, the $34 MIMO Antenna with 2 TS-9 Connectors that works with the Elevate 4G will work with the Momentum 4G as well.

Back To Top 

So Which One Should You Get?

It Depends On Where & How You Use The Device

If you need to connect more than one device at a time and like having a built-in monitor of used data, then get the Elevate 4G Mobile Hotspot.

If you don’t like the hassle of having a battery run out, have multiple ports to spare and have no need to connect multiple devices, then get the  Momentum 4G.

Outside of these reasons, there’s no heavily compelling reason to get one over the other.

Me?

I’d go with the Elevate 4G.

It just looks cooler.

Which one would you or have you gotten? Let us know in the comments below.

This article is part of the 2012 AT&T 4G Review. Check each section out for a comprehensive look at AT&T 4G mobile broadband.

• AT&T 4G Overview | HSPA+ Meets LTE
• AT&T 4G Plans | Postpaid, Prepaid & International
• AT&T 4G Speed | Real Vs. Advertised
• AT&T 4G Coverage | Ma’ Bell Vs. Big Red LTE
• AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G | Which Should You Get?

(Updated July 10, 2012)
AT&T 4G Coverage At A Glance:

• AT&T 4G coverage includes both HSPA+ and LTE technologies.
• AT&T 4G LTE is now live in 41 47 markets covering 71 80 million people.
• AT&T HSPA+ is deployed to “virtually 100%” of the network.
• 86 percent of AT&T’s mobile data traffic now runs over enhanced backhaul that supports both HSPA+ and 4G LTE data traffic.
• AT&T expects its LTE deployment to be largely complete by year-end 2013.

Source: AT&T Press Room

AT&T Vs. Verizon LTE Coverage

AT&T 41 47. Verizon 304. Ouch.

AT&T has plans to expand it’s LTE network to cover 95% of all Americans. With the majority of the expansion to be completed by the end of 2013, they’re playing catch up to Verizon who already has 4G LTE coverage in 304 cities and covers two-thirds of the population.

As with their “there’s a map for that” commercials mocking AT&T’s poor iPhone coverage, Verizon pulls no punches with making this known with a comparison checker built into their 4G LTE coverage tool:

Fun Fact: Hawaiians are on the red team while Puerto Ricans are on the blue team.

Checking AT&T 4G Coverage

LTE & HSPA+

When checking AT&T 4G Coverage with the AT&T Coverage Viewer, note that the level of detail changes depending on how far you’ve zoomed in on the map.

At first glance, it may appear as though they repeated last year’s misstep of obfuscating 4G coverage. However, you’ll be able to see the differentiation between 2G, 3G, 4G (HSPA+ & LTE) coverage once you zoom in a level closer than national.

To see detailed 4G LTE coverage, you’ll need to zoom in to at least 120 miles or closer.

Click To Check AT&T Coverage

AT&T 4G LTE Cities

41 47 Markets & Growing.

While checking AT&T 4G coverage on a street level basis is excellent your own city, it’ll get really troublesome if you’re a frequent traveler with multiple cities on your itinerary. To simplify things for you, here’s a current listing of all markets.

As this list continues to grow, this page will be periodically updated with current info on AT&T’s 4G LTE expansion. If you’ve got AT&T 4G LTE coverage in your city, sound off in the comments and let us know if you feel a difference.

This article is part of the 2012 AT&T 4G Review. Check each section out for a comprehensive look at AT&T 4G mobile broadband.

• AT&T 4G Overview | HSPA+ Meets LTE
• AT&T 4G Plans | Postpaid, Prepaid & International
• AT&T 4G Speed | Real Vs. Advertised
• AT&T 4G Coverage | Ma’ Bell Vs. Big Red LTE
• AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G | Which Should You Get?

Real Vs. Advertised Speeds

Since last year, the underlying technology of AT&T 4G speed has been in a major transition. Previously, the primary players were HSPA (3G) and HSPA+ (4G). Now that’s changed to include LTE (4G) as well.

Here’s how they stack up next to each other:

Based on AT&T’s advertised speeds:

• GPRS (2G): “General Packet Radio Service) is the first level of data service on GSM.”
• EDGE (2.5G): “EDGE provides typical download speeds of 70-135 kbps.”
• HSPA (3G): “the latest 3G devices provide typical download throughput of 700 kbps to 1.7 Mbps for downloads and 500 kbps to 1.2 Mbps for upload”
• HSPA+ (4G): “Technology that enables 4G speeds up to 4x faster than AT&T’s already fast mobile broadband network.”
• LTE (4G): “Long Term Evolution. Speeds up to 10x faster than 3G.” AT&T says 4G customers can expect download speeds of between 5 Mbps and 12 Mbps, and upload speeds of between 2 Mbps and 5 Mbps.

While this is a decently general guide to go by, as we saw previously, real world speed tests can differ significantly from advertised speeds. As it turns out, the same holds true in the 2012 PCWorld 13 city speed test of 3G and 4G speeds:

In the eight cities where we performed testing in both 2011 and 2012, AT&T increased the average download speed of its HSPA+ service (which it now markets as 4G) substantially, from 1.63 mbps in 2011 to 2.62 mbps in 2012.

In the 11 cities in our test group where the [LTE] service is available, the network delivered an average download speed of 9.12 mbps.

• PCWorld.com

Here’s what those HSPA+ & LTE download speeds numbers look like alongside each other:

AT&T does not differentiate between HSPA+ and LTE when advertising “4G download speeds of between 5 Mbps and 12 Mbps, and upload speeds of between 2 Mbps and 5 Mbps.” In charting this data, it is assumed that 4G LTE speeds are represented by the upper end of the spectrum while HSPA+ speeds are reflected by the lower.

Sources:

• AT&T [ibid]
• PCWorld [ibid]

While AT&T 4G speed falls short of its maximum advertised speed, it not only falls well within the advertised range but dusts the competition:

“AT&T’s new LTE network turned in the fastest download speeds of any 4G service.

Its 3G service was very competitive, too–and those two results help make a strong case for AT&T dual-mode 3G/4G phones.”

Source: PCWorld.com [ibid]

What’s AT&T 4G Speed Like In My City?

If you’re in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, or Washington, D.C., then you’re in luck.

This PCWorld slideshow will show you city-by-city specific 4G speed test results for AT&T.

Check it out and let us know in the comments how your city stacked up against other places you’ve been to.

This article is part of the 2012 AT&T 4G Review. Check each section out for a comprehensive look at AT&T 4G mobile broadband.

• AT&T 4G Overview | HSPA+ Meets LTE
• AT&T 4G Plans | Postpaid, Prepaid & International
• AT&T 4G Speed | Real Vs. Advertised
• AT&T 4G Coverage | Ma’ Bell Vs. Big Red LTE
• AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G | Which Should You Get?

 

Postpaid, Prepaid and International Data Plans

To decide between the plethora of AT&T 4G data plans, you’ll need to slice it 2 ways:

1. By postpaid, prepaid & international data plans
2. By device types

The first category is pretty straightforward. The second? Not so much. For the purposes of this site and comparative simplicity, we’ll skip phones until a bit later and focus on:

• Internet Devices (i.e. Computers, Mobile Hotspots & USB Modems)
• Tablets

Computers, Mobile Hotspots & USB Modems | Snapshot

Data Source: AT&T

Key Insight:

• Postpaid data costs $10/GB, prepaid costs $50/GB, while international data will run you an exorbitant ~$150/GB (when comparing the highest tier of each category).

It’s hard not to notice the glaring red middle finger being thrown your way by AT&T’s international data plan. It’s expensive…yet cheaper than previous years where you’d effectively pay $80 for 100 MB.

4G Tablet Plans | Snapshot

Data Source: AT&T

Key Insights:

• Postpaid and prepaid 4G tablet data costs are identical at every level.
• International data costs the same regardless of device.

With postpaid and prepaid 4G tablet data costs being identical at every level, why would you ever get postpaid?

Device discounts.

As most noticeable with smartphones, signing up for a 2 year contract shaves hundreds of dollars off device prices that rival mid-range laptops. You can expect the same with 4G tablets, though not as drastic a difference due to the rise of cheaper tablets flooding the market.

Postpaid 4G Data Plans | Details

Source: AT&T

Key Insights:

• Unlimited data plans live on but only for standard phones.
• 5 GB costs $50 for every device with the exception of *standard phones.
• Overage fees mirror the size and cost of each plan.

*While its understood that standard phones are basically any phone that’s not a smartphone, AT&T does not give a clear definition for this. Out of the 54 filters available on their website, none allow an explicit distinction.

Prepaid 4G Data Plans | Details

Data Source: AT&T

Key Insights:

• Prepaid 4G data plans for tablets are significantly cheaper than other devices.
• At the highest tier, prepaid data for tablets cost $10/GB vs. $50/GB for other internet devices.

International Data Plans | Details

Key Insights:

• Like before, international data costs the same regardless of device.

So What Type of Plan Should You Get?

It Depends on Your Device & Usage

For tablets:

• Postpaid or Prepaid | Heavy, Moderate or Occasional Use
• International | Light Usage

For computers, mobile hotspots and USB modems:

• Postpaid | Heavy or Moderate Month-To-Month Use
• Prepaid | Lighter Month-To-Month Or Occasional Use
• International | Light Usage

This article is part of the 2012 AT&T 4G Review. Check out each section for a comprehensive look at AT&T 4G mobile broadband.

• AT&T 4G Overview | HSPA+ Meets LTE
• AT&T 4G Plans | Postpaid, Prepaid & International
• AT&T 4G Speed | Real Vs. Advertised
• AT&T 4G Coverage | Ma’ Bell Vs. Big Red LTE
• AT&T Elevate 4G Vs. Momentum 4G | Which Should You Get?

Not Sure How Much Data You Use?
Check out How Much Is 5 GB & Is It Enough

What About 2 GB, 3 GB, 6 GB, 10 GB & Even 12 GB?

When AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile & Verizon say you can use 5 GB (gigabytes) or however much data, it’s like telling someone they can have 75,236 calories for the month.

Huh?

What the heck is that?

If it were daytime minutes then it’s something you’d get right away. Not something that’s super hard to figure out since it’s based on time. That’s something you deal with everyday. On the other hand, who thinks in kb, MB, and GB?

You’ve got a life and time is short. In this article I’ll explain 3 things:

1. The 5 Types Of Mobile Broadband Users (& How To Figure Out Which One You Are)
2. How To Figure Out If That Data Plan Will Be Enough
3. How To Check The Data You’ve Used (& Never Pay Overages To AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile).

By figuring that stuff out, you’ll be able to enjoy the freedom of mobile broadband, work from anywhere and anytime. No more piggybacking on unreliable free WiFi, imposing on friends every time you visit, or being stuck without the net.

On the other hand, if you don’t know how much data you use and how to keep track, then you run the risk of paying being like that kid a couple years back that AT&T billed for $19,370.

Ugh.

To help you get to the info that matters to you most, I’ve included some jumplinks below to get to the good stuff:

• The 5 Types Of Broadband Users | Which One Are You?
• Just The Right Gigabytes | Data Calculators Galore
• How To Check Data Usage | AT&T, Sprint, Verizon & T-Mobile

Depending on whether you’re with AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, or T-Mobile, you may be looking a 2 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 6 GB, 10 GB or even 12 GB plan. I’ll cover how to figure out if each of those plans are enough as well.

The 5 Types Of Broadband Users

Which One Are You?

According to a study by Net-pop, there are five segments of broadband users with unique characteristics.

Understanding which one (or two) you are will give you the laser-like focus you need to cut through cut through the sea of selections available. Not figuring it out can easily leave you studying the unnecessary details of plans for hours.

The 5 types are:

1. The Content King
2. The Social Clicker
3. The Online Insider
4. The Fast Tracker
5. The Everyday Pro

Content Kings

“The content king looks to the Web for entertainment.

Seventy-six percent of the group plays games online, and 75 percent of Web site visits are for personal reasons.

Content kings spend an average 2.5 hours online each weekday”.

If you fall into this category, it’s highly likely that mobile broadband speed is not just something ‘nice’. It’s damn near a requirement.

Without it, your entertainment experience suffers greatly. You’d get booted from games while videos would stop and start every 2 seconds for buffering. Hardly entertaining. You’ll need a reliable network, good latency and great speed.

On top of that, you may need a decent amount of data depending on the kind of content you consume. Hulu, YouTube, Pandora, Spotify and the like can be major bandwidth blackholes.

Reading websites? Not so much.

Social Clickers

“Social clickers, who skew both young and old, use the Internet as a means of communication.

The younger group uses social networking sites, IM, and other messaging tools to socialize, while the older group hinges its Internet use and communications more on e-mail.

Within the group, 78 percent contribute to Internet content or information on a monthly basis. More than half of social clickers’ time (57 percent) is spent on communications. The remainder is spent on news and information (10 percent) and shopping (8 percent)”.

If you can identify with this group, then there’s a good chance you won’t be needing data plans toward the higher end of the spectrum (5 GB plans and up).

Email, IM and social networking don’t use a terrible amount of bandwidth with the exception of HD Video, Skype, Google Hangouts and other video-based communication or consumption.

Online Insiders

“The online insider consumes content across the broader Web.

According to the report this person sees the Internet as ‘a rich personal and cultural phenomenon’. Behavior among online insiders is like that of early adopters.

Eighty-six percent contribute to Internet content or information each month, including posting to blogs, community sites, and chat rooms. The group spends upwards of $130 each month on e-commerce”.

This one’s a toss up of sorts.

If you’re an insider, your experience is custom tailored. The advantage here is that you most likely already have a fix on whether or not your online insider activities would require a bunch data. Depending on your activity, you could be a power user, average user or lightweight user.

Figuring it out shouldn’t be too difficult.

If your online activities include a lot of video or audio, then you’ll most likely fall into the power user category. If it includes light video, audio and mostly text/graphics, then it’s likely that you’re average.

Lastly, if it’s just text/graphics, chances are it’ll be light.

Fast Trackers

“Fast trackers typically use the Internet to seek out news and information.

Content categories include news, sports, and weather. Fast trackers remain loyal to sources with frequent updates and real-time information.

The group reads news online (77 percent). It also typically looks up maps, directions, and public transportation information (66 percent). Reigner said fast trackers use the Internet to research products but typically buy in stores”.

Fast trackers, like online insiders, could also be power, average or light users.

Again, it depends on how you like to get your information. Mostly video? Then you’re a power user. Light video, audio and some text/graphics? Average. Mostly text/graphics? Light.

Last but not the least we’ve got the everyday pro.

Everyday Pros

“The everyday pro is characterized by personal productivity and efficiency and looks to the Internet to fulfill those needs.

The group adopts complex tools to simplify life. About 84 percent use online banking, and 68 percent purchase from online retailers.

This group is older in age, and they are very much focused on the Internet as a productivity tool. They like to save money and time, and the Internet is a tool for total efficiency.”

If you’re an everyday pro, you’re most likely an average or light user.

The very nature of productivity requires that you cut all the extra fat. Massive amounts of online media/entertainment = extra fat. If you’re online to ‘get ‘er done’ and get out, then you aren’t sticking around long enough to be a power user anyway.

Even if you do consume video and other ‘bandwidth intensive media’, the length of time simply isn’t long enough (with the exception of running large background downloads).

So What Kind Of User Are You?

Chances are you found resonance with multiple categories depending on whether you’d use mobile broadband at work or for recreation.

Perfect.

Keep those scenarios in mind for the next section where you play with the numbers to figure out just exactly how much data you’ll need.

^Back To Top

Just The Right Gigabytes

Estimating Usage With Data Calculators Galore

While each of the 4 major carriers have data calculators do basically the same thing, there are slight differences that make each useful in it’s own way.

To get started with any of the calculators, click the respective carrier. Depending on the provider, you’ll need to select whether you’ll be using a smartphone, tablet, laptop or mobile hotspot.

AT&T Data Calculator	Verizon Data Calculator
AT&T’s Data Calculator has some handy features. Depending on which device you select, the calculator will update the “Estimated Monthly Usage” section based on the corresponding data plans available for that device. By clicking on any of the preset amounts, you’ll see examples of what you can do with your selected plan. Alternatively, you can use the sliders to estimate your own usage.	Verizon arguably has the most comprehensive data calculator with selectors for just about every kind of data task you can think up. Particularly useful are separate sliders for HD video vs. standard definition. Given the plethora of choices, you’re more likely to get a more accurate accounting of your online activities.
Sprint Data Calculator	T-Mobile Data Calculator
Out of all carriers, Sprint has the most diverse mobile broadband plan options available. Unfortunately, their data calculator isn’t as detailed as AT&T or Verizon.	T-Mobile’s data calculator is the least helpful. While well-meaning, the oversimplification of options won’t give you as accurate an estimate as AT&T, Sprint or Verizon.

^Back To Top

How To Check Data Usage

With AT&T, Sprint, Verizon or T-Mobile

While estimating your data usage in advance is excellent, you’ll also want to be able to check your data usage before the end of your billing cycle to avoid overage charges.

The last thing you need is throttled or billed at these rates:

• AT&T | $10/GB
• Sprint | $51.20/GB
• Verizon | $10/GB
• T-Mobile | No Overages (Speed Throttled)

How To Check AT&T Data Usage

Check data usage online

Go to the My Wireless Usage page for details on your current usage.

• Individual plans – Data usage details can be found by selecting the Usage Details link at the top right of the page.
• FamilyTalk plans – Data usage details can be found by selecting the Usage Details link in the middle of the page.

Check data usage from your wireless phone

1. Dial *DATA# (*3282#) from your wireless device.
2. Press the Send key.
3. A text message detailing your data usage will be sent to your device.

– AT&T Support

How To Check Sprint Data Usage

From your computer

• Login To Your Sprint Account.
• Click My Phone & Plan.
• Click Current Usage.

 

From your Sprint PCS Vision^SM Phone

View your usage via the Web:

• Access Wireless Web from the main menu.
• Select My Account.
• Select My Current Usage.

From any Sprint PCS Phone

Call for an automated summary of your usage:

• Dial *4.
• Follow the voice prompts.

– Sprint

How To Check Verizon Data Usage

What are all of the ways to check my data usage?

You can dial #DATA + SEND from your handset (airtime free) or login to My Verizon to check your data usage.

– Verizon Support

 

 

 

How To Check T-Mobile Data Usage

Check Data Usage via My T-Mobile

1. Log in to My T-Mobile with your username and password (the customer already has a laptop stick).
2. Perform one of the following options to check usage:
   • From the home page:
     1. In the top-center of the My T-Mobile home page (after you login), your current usage displays in the My Current Usage box. You can click See all usage in the box for additional details.
     2. In the middle of the My T-Mobile home page, each device on your account appears. You can click Check Usage next to the device you want to view usage for.
   • From the top nav bar:
     1. From the Manage menu, click Billing & Payments to see unbilled usage (for the laptop stick).
     2. From the middle of the Bill Summary page, click the See activity link.
     3. Verify that the Minutes Used page appears with unbilled usage details and a summary.

– T-Mobile Support

^Back To Top

Found This Helpful? Like, Tweet, +1, Share It With A Friend And Let Me Know In The Comments Below

But Now They Can & You Will Be Charged

After deciding to end unlimited data plans for mobile hotspots, Sprint’s $0.05/MB ($51.20/GB) overage charges should have kicked in for users that exceeded their 5 GB cap. However, Sprint spokeswoman Kristin Wallace now confirms that users ‘got off the hook’ due to an inability on their part to track usage. Unfortunately for power users, that’s about to change:

“Customers with the mobile hotspot and phone-as-a-modem add-on plan have always had a 5 GB limit. The issue was Sprint did not have the capability to enforce that, meaning we weren’t tracking it,” said Sprint spokeswoman Kristin Wallace.

Now that Sprint has implemented usage-tracking technology, “we do know when customers get to that limit,” she added.

Though Wallace said customers on the add-on plan should have known of the 5 GB cap they signed up for, she acknowledged that those who regularly used more than 5 GB in a month were probably aware that they were going over the 5 GB cap without being charged any overage fees. “Now we’re going to be charging if you go over,” said Wallace.

The issue arose after Sprint sent out emails to alert users of its mobile hotspot and phone-as-a-modem add-on service that they are now being capped at 5 GB per month followed by $0.05 per-megabyte overage charges. The cap applies to EV-DO, WiMAX and Sprint’s upcoming LTE services, said Wallace.

– Fierce Broadband Wireless

Overage charges will apply to 3G, 4G WiMAX and 4G LTE data. Untethered smartphone data plans remain unlimited.