Who's Got the Fastest Mobile Broadband? Sprint, Verizon and AT&T Speed Tests

So you open up your browser and hop over to Google. You type in something like:

"Who has the fastest mobile broadband?"

Verizon Cell

3 sites that look very familiar pop up saying stuff like:

Who's Got the Fastest Mobile Broadband? Sprint, Verizon and AT&T Speed Tests

"BroadbandAccess Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO) network from Verizon Wireless has been enhanced with EV-DO Rev. A to deliver even faster data speeds and greater efficiencies. Fast downloads - typical speeds of 600 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps. Fast uploads - typical speeds of 500-800 Kbps."

"With a Sprint Mobile Broadband Card, you get average download speeds of 600-1400 Kbps, peaking at 3.1 Mbps, and 350-500 Kbps average upload speeds, peaking at 1.8 Mbps. Similar to DSL, and about ten times faster than using a dial-up modem"

" AT&T offers the broadband speed and responsiveness of BroadbandConnect...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"

Ugh.

Just give it to me straight Doc. Speak English. How in the world is someone supposed to figure out who's the fastest with this 'can't sue me' lawyer-speak?

All the ranges seem to overlap. Even looking at the maximum speeds, Verizon and Sprint look identical...until, that is, you realize they are only theoretical. A best case scenario that's not too optimistic.

It's just like your speedometer's range that goes from 0 mph to 120 mph. Just because 120 mph is on your dashboard doesn't mean your rusty 16 year old Honda Civic Hatchback with the flashing engine check light is gonna make it.

The companies also know you can't call them on it because 'there are too many variables'. What were the road conditions like? How fast were you going? When last have you had a tune-up? What was the weather like? Do you know how many cell phone towers were in the area? How many satellites were positioned around you at the time? Or my personal favorite 'You were most likely roaming and we have no control over other networks'.

It's like trying to get fresh organic vegetables at McDonald's. It's just not gonna happen.

It just is what it is my friend.

The only way down to the nitty gritty and feast on the raw truth is to get out into the wild. Outside of my own testing, I draw on the experiences of others from ComputerWorld, Gizmodo and jkOnTheRun. I'll give you a quick chronological recap of what happened with each:

ComputerWorld - Which 3G Network Is The Best? - 05/13/08

Location:

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut

Broadband Cards:

(AT&T) Sierra Wireless USBConnect 881, (Sprint) Novatel Wireless Ovation U727 and (Verizon) Sierra Wireless USB AirCard 595U

Result: AT&T had the highest maximum speed (1.6 Mbps), average download speed (755 Kbps) and upload speed (484 Kbps)

Gizmodo - The Definitive Coast-to-Coast 3G Data Test - 12/17/08

Location:

Austin, Boston, Chicago, New York City, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, San Francisco and the Bay Area

Broadband Cards:

AT&T's Sierra USBConnect 881, Sprint's Sierra Wireless Compass 597 and Verizon Wireless's Novatel USB727

Results: Sprint had the highest national average download speed (1.4 Mbps) while AT&T (640 kbps) had the highest average upload speed

jkOnTheRun - 3G SpeedTest: EV-DO vs. HSDPA in Phoenix - 12/27/08

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Broadband Cards: Verizon Wireless USB727, AT&T USB Quicksilver

Results: Verizon had the highest download speed (2.1 Mbps) and upload speed (744 Kbps)

So here we've got 3 different tests all showing someone else as the winner. It's hardly surprising. Mobile broadband speeds do vary from place to place. The only way to get a clear winner is to test in multiple locations, take a couple averages and then see who comes out on top.

Since Gizmodo's test was the most comprehensive, it's fair to say its also the most reliable. Sprint is kicking butt in the mobile broadband game. Even if you only compare the tests Gizmodo performed in New York City alongside the tests ComputerWorld ran in NYC, Sprint still beats AT&T in download and upload speed.

Sprint is clearly the winner overall and provides serious competition in every location. If put together the fact that they're the fastest, largest mobile broadband network, you've got a double whammy.

It's no wonder that Andy Abramson of Working Anywhere recommends Sprint. He spends about 0 per month testing mobile broadband and wireless internet related services. Seems like he might know a thing or two.

To beat a dead horse even further...

I've personally tested it over 1001 miles of highway at 70 miles per hour (New Orleans to Jacksonville and Tampa to Atlanta). I had my connection get dropped once...for 15 minutes total. That's solid.

Now before we all start bowing down to the awesome network that is Sprint, ComputerWorld points out some things you should know:

"Using this technology can be a bit like being on a roller coaster. I found that I could be screaming along at 1.1Mbit/sec. only to have speeds slow to a crawl at 20Kbit/sec. a moment later. That's because, as with all cellular service, speed and reliability depend on a variety of conditions, such as how far you are from a cell tower, how many other users are connected in your vicinity and how much data they're moving".

Who's Got the Fastest Mobile Broadband? Sprint, Verizon and AT&T Speed Tests

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Straight Talk Vs Boost Mobile Unlimited Prepaid Plans

Prepaid cell phone plans have become quite popular recently, as people have tried to cut back on expenses in more interesting ways. People who are trying to save money on household expenses inevitably turn to their cell phone bill as an area where they can cut some of the excess spending. As a result, people start to look at prepaid as a viable option because it often leads to savings.

Two plans are at the forefront of the prepaid marketplace: Straight Talk by TracFone and Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited. Both companies have released very affordable Unlimited prepaid plans. Unlimited prepaid plans provide just what the title suggests--limitless talk time and text messages.

Verizon Cell

Here's how these two plans stack cup against each other.

The Straight Talk prepaid plan costs for unlimited talk time, text messaging, and 30 MB of data usage. There are a variety of phones available on the plan ranging in price from to 0. Straight Talk runs on the Verizon network, which gives it good coverage.

Boost Mobile Monthly Unlimited costs for all the talk time and text messages the subscriber may want to use. In addition, it includes unlimited wireless web use, nationwide walkie-talkie features between Boost Mobile users, and free mobile-to-mobile.

Straight Talk runs on the Verizon network, which is a big plus since Verizon has one of the strongest networks in America. There is also ample data usage available. The Straight Talk unlimited plan is five dollars cheaper than the Boost Mobile plan, which may factor into your buying decision as well.

The Boost Mobile Monthly prepaid plan may not boast a network like that of Straight Talk, but it has a sufficient one. Consider also that you get limitless wireless web for web surfing, so if you use your cell phone to access the Internet quite frequently, this could be a good thing for you. The walkie-talkie option is another free option that comes with this cheap Boost Mobile plan.

One good way to delineate which prepaid cell phone plan may be the better option is to find which wireless provider gets better service in your immediate area. This is a very important concern because nothing is more annoying than getting spotty service in your area of residence, where you will presumably use your phone the most.

Between the TracFone Straight Talk plan and the Boost Mobile, it really is difficult to choose a winner. They are very similar in price and in what they offer, although both plans have different strengths as noted earlier. Other ways to reach a decision on which plan to choose would be to check out phone selection and also figure out which elements of each phone plan better suit your particular needs.

Straight Talk Vs Boost Mobile Unlimited Prepaid Plans

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Reverse Cell Phone Directory - Mobile 411 Truth Revealed

Since late 2004, rumors have circulated about a new type of phone directory aptly named 'mobile 411'. These rumors included tails of names, numbers, and addresses being made available to telemarketers and publicly accessible to all. However, like premature fruit from the grape vine, these rumors were a little tart.

The Truth About Mobile 411

Verizon Cell

Contrary to the chain letters which circulated at the time, mobile 411 was not, and is not, a publicly accessible list of names, numbers, addresses, or anything. It will remain illegal* for telemarketers to call your cell phone or any pay per use communication device, and they will not have any more access than currently as the result of mobile 411.

So what is it then? Mobile 411 will be a voluntary directory in which owners of cellular devices may opt-in to participate. Some companies will add this opt-in language to the carrier contracts at time of signing, others will simply allow consumers to add themselves. Verizon has declined participation in the directory. Cell phone owners will be available by calling into mobile 411 and asking for a person by name. According to the current plans for the directory - their number will not be provided at that time, but instead the caller will be directly connected to the person they seek. Therefore, the state of cell phone privacy shall remain largely unchanged.

The Reality of Cell Phone Privacy

But how private is your cell phone, really? These days, it seems like not very. I mean, how many of us have had daily calls from some weird or unknown number? And don't those FCC guidelines specifically say "No person or entity may initiate any telephone call... using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice..."? Then why is it every time we do get an answer from the weird number on our caller I.D. its always from a machine?

Unfortunately the answer is because privacy goes both ways. The same industry practices that keep our cell phones private from public use also shields clever telemarketers and other mischievous callers. Once they use one of the many methods available to access your information, they immediately employ their army of automated drones to the task of annoying us on a regular schedule. The anonymity provided to them by privacy regulations then make it nearly impossible to stop them from calling us illegally!

So Can We Stop Unwanted Calls?

Believe it or not, you can actually gain access to the same tools professionals use when finding out who a phone stalker or other suspected individual is. Special reverse cell phone directories have been created just for this purpose which let us type in any phone number and provide names, addresses, satellite maps, and background info for 98% of them. Armed with this information, we can easily notify telephone companies or regulating authorities about the caller and have them stopped quickly.

These directories are updated on a regular basis using computer technology to keep the information you need accurate. The databases can be searched in seconds, unlike scouring the Internet in frustration for hours or days attempting to find out about a number. We can finally use technology as the fire by which to fight fire!

*FCC Code of Regulations Title 47, Chapter 1, Part 64, Subpart L, Section 64.1200(a)(1)(iii)

Reverse Cell Phone Directory - Mobile 411 Truth Revealed

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3G Internet Providers - Verizon Mobile Broadband Options

If you're like me, you don't want to be without a high speed Internet connection when you leave home. Many cellular phone companies, such as Verizon, provide a 3G Internet option that works anywhere you have a cell signal.

Verizon offers several ways to connect your laptop, netbook or other Internet capable device to the Internet. I will briefly describe the most common methods of providing 3G Internet.

Verizon Cell

Verizon's MiFi Portable 3G Internet Hotspot:

I have personally used the Verizon MiFi to provide high speed 3G Internet access to my laptop and my wife's netbook while I traveled. The MiFi is a portable wireless 3G Internet router and can provide broadband Internet service to up to 5 wireless Internet capable devices. It is very small, about the size of a half a deck of cards, and has a rechargeable battery. Wireless setup was easy and the MiFi performed flawlessly. The cost for the data plan in 2010 was about for 5 Gigabytes of data per month.

Verizon 3G Internet Smart Phones:

You can use any of Verizon's 3G smartphones to provide Internet access to your laptop or possibly other wireless Internet devices, depending on the capabilities of your 3G smartphone. Several of the latest smartphones have 3G mobile hotspot capabilities. Three popular choices are:

• Motorola Droid X
• Samsung Fascinate
• Palm Pre Plus

I presently use the Palm Pre Plus because Verizon offered a free 3G mobile hotspot package deal for as long as I keep the phone. The other mobile hotspot capable phones vary in what Verizon charges for the hotspot feature.

Most mobile broadband plans have a monthly data limit of 5 gigabytes or less and have heavy overage charges. I have never come close to going over my bandwidth limit. However, if you do a lot of heavy downloading, you should monitor your Internet usage closely.

Even if your smartphone doesn't have mobile hotspot capabilities, it can still be tethered via a USB cable to your laptop or netbook to provide 3G Internet access. If you're in the market for a new smartphone or have had your existing phone plan for a couple of years or more, you may be able to get one of the newest 3G Internet provider smart phones for next to nothing. Verizon and most other cellular Internet providers offer huge discounts and rebates when you sign a new contract.

3G Internet Providers - Verizon Mobile Broadband Options

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Where can I buy the cheapest mobile phone?

One of the most popular Google searches, is "Where can I get a phone line" The answer is that there are many online shops where you can buy a cell phone. Here is a list of the best places to shop, to get the best deal possible.

The most popular choice is to go directly to your website carriers, so if you notice, the prices are much cheaper than your local retail store. Going to your website vectors is the most popular choice, but can not be the 'at best, because you are not able to compare different services. For example, if the search for a new Blackberry on Verizon's site you can find a good deal, but AT & T are running a special for Blackberry free and you would never know.

Verizon Cell

Another popular choice is to control a business that more than one carrier, so you may be able to compare plans and phones to get the best deal sold. Best Buy is a good start, because they sell 3 differentWireless services, which will handle the possibility of comparison shopping. The only drawback is that big electronics stores like Best Buy is not only specialized in mobile phones, in order to be able to compare the services, but do not have the best prices. A common strategy is to find the selection at Best Buy, the phone you want to visit, then find the single-support Web site to compare prices.

Where can I buy the cheapest mobile phone?

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