3G Cellular Data Options for Business Travelers
Widgets & RSS FeedsRecently, I found myself needing broadband connectivity in places where I could not find a wired or WiFi connection for my laptop. I have become used to having ubiquitous data on my phone. I do not have the option to tether my computer to my phone to the computer and even if I did I would want a higher speed option. In this article I review the Millenicom/Sprint EVDO wireless service and Franklin Wireless CDU-680 adaptor, both of which I have been very happy with.
I began looking at 3G cellular data options for my laptop. There are two major categories that match the mobile phone carrier’s technology GSM (AT&T/T-mobile) and CDMA (Verizon/Sprint). EDGE is the mostly widely available current GSM data offering, although it generally does not provide 3G speeds in real world use. Coverage is rapidly expanding for UMTS and HSDPA/HSUPA. EVDO is the most widespread CDMA offering and EVDO Rev A coverage is improving at a fast pace.
When I looked across a wide variety of user submitted speed tests, I appeared that for the areas I was most likely to travel in, that CDMA-based data offered better speeds on average than GSM-based services. From the coverage maps, I could see that I was much more likely to find an EVDO Rev A connection than an HSDPA connection. All of the networks are adding significant 3G capacity over the next year and coverage varies widely by location, so it is best to compare coverage maps and user submitted speed tests for the areas you are most likely to use the service.
All major US carries require at least a one-year contract and two years is default and generally required for a discount on the wireless adapter. Verizon’s EVDO contract is currently more restrictive as it technically disallows streaming media, VoIP, P2P connectivity, and has caps on bandwidth usage of around 5 GB per month. Verizon has recently announced a number of unlimited data plans so it’s worth double-checking before you order.
After a great deal of comparisons among plans, I decided on Millenicom, a Sprint reseller. The plan is extremely attractive in terms of price, contract, and ease of setup. Millenicom’s service is $50 a month with no contract, no activation fees, no additional fees or taxes, and no early termination fees. You pay a one time $50 for a Franklin Wireless CDU-680 EVDO Rev A USB adapter.
Millenicom deserves praise for offering service without a contract without an array of confusing additional fees and it’s straightforward terms of service. I reviewed Boingo Global flat-rate WiFi service from Boingo Wireless last month which also offered it’s services without a contract or additional fees.
Since there is no contract with Millenicom, you don’t own the device so you need to mail the adaptor back if you cancel your service. However, the carriers currently charge $250 for the device with a two-year contract so the $50 is irrelevant. Unlike Verizon, Sprint has no bandwidth caps. However, Millenicom’s contract does state that you are not allowed to use the service as a dedicated connection and that you must restart your connection at least once every 24 hours.
The CDU-680 is a nifty design since it incorporates 64MB of flash drive that has the drivers for Windows, Mac, and Linux loaded on it. The device is pre-provisioned which makes the setup straightforward and quick, really all I did was plug in the device, install the driver, reboot and connect, it was painless and only took a few minutes most of that time was waiting for my machine to reboot. The setup looked easier than either the default Verizon or Sprint process. The device has GPS built in, but you can’t use it at the same time as the modem.
My real world and test speed measurements have varied widely from 1800k down and 700k up on the upper end with an EVDO Rev A connection to 200k down and 100k up. Most speeds were around 1000k down and 300k up, which performed well enough for browsing the web, transferring files, VoIP calls, and streaming media that I often forgot I was using a cellular data service.
Millenicom’s service may not be for everyone, they seem to target users who do not need hand holding and clearly do not spend its money on fancy web 2.0 interfaces for their ordering pages or support site. However, they answered my email questions to support and billing promptly. I have been using the service for several months without any problems and would highly recommend it.
Additional references:
DSL Reports is typically a useful source of information and has its own speed tests. DSL Reports reviewed the CDU-680.
EVDOInfo and EVDOInfoForums are a good sources of information although the material is biased towards products from 3G Store EVDO Info’s parent company. EVDO Info also reviewed the CDU-680.
ARC Wireless sells an external antenna, the ARC Wireless Freedom Antenna - ARC-FR0803R01, that will work with the CDU-680.
