Prepaid Wireless Internet - No Contract Required!

Are you looking for prepaid wireless Internet?  Prepaid wireless isn't just about cell phones anymore!  One exciting element that's evolved in the wireless industry over recent years is wireless Internet, often referred to as wireless broadband or mobile broadband.  So what is it?  Think of your high speed Internet access at home that you get either through your television cable provider or your phone service (referred to as DSL).  Now take that high speed Internet experience and make it mobile!


Note that this is very different from what people have traditionally talked about when they discuss wireless Internet or WiFi.  WiFi allows you to take a broadband connection like cable or DSL, and broadcast it wirelessly so that you can connect to it with your laptop or other WiFi enabled mobile device (ex. iPad, Galaxy Tab) without having to plug any cords into your computer.  The wireless Internet that I speak of here is actually cellular, which means that you're not confined to your home or Starbucks HotSpot as is the case with WiFi.  You can access the Internet wherever you would normally have cell phone reception; now that's mobile Internet!  And even better is that you can now have prepaid wireless Internet with no contracts.


Although you'll see some laptops with wireless (i.e. cellular) Internet built-in, the most common approach is to buy a wireless broadband card that slides into a slot on your laptop, a USB modem that plugs into any computer with a USB connection, or a MiFi hotspot.  Depending on your wireless provider, and the type of card or modem you have, you'll experience speeds that can meet most of your needs.  Especially if it's 4G, you can even stream movies.  At one point I actually canceled my high speed cable Internet at home, and exclusively used my wireless broadband card.  If you're the type of person who's always on the move, you're likely to find this service absolutely invaluable!  And if you're not interested in being committed to one carrier with a contract, or just want to try it out, prepaid wireless Internet is now available, and is a competitive and maturing market, which means great pricing for us customers!


One note to consider, however, before you cancel your broadband service with your local cable or DSL provider:  If you're downloading large amounts of data continuously, and for long periods of time, or streaming a lot of video, you'll find that wireless Internet won't perform as fast as you might hope it would (unless, of course, you're using 4G).  Also, most providers will have clauses, even on unlimited plans, that restrict you from file sharing or continuous streaming (ex. Internet video streaming).  It's really best for data bursts (as opposed to continuously high speed downloading).  I use it for the following activities and don't notice any speed issues:

• Internet browsing
• Email
• Watching YouTube videos
• Watching streaming full length TV episodes from sites like ABC.com (though this is more and more requiring a 4G connection if you truly want a consistent high speed connection)
• Downloading music (ex. iTunes)
• Downloading large software updates

So my recommendation is to try it out and use it for a month or two before canceling your existing service to ensure that the performance meets your needs.  Also, you'll want to take note of how much data you're using to see if it makes financial sense to go completely wireless.  Even with prepaid wireless Internet, depending on your usage, you might find that you can save money.  Though a couple of months trial before making any drastic changes is definitely recommended.


Not all networks are created equally, so consider that AT&T (GSM), for example, may not provide speeds that are as good as Verizon or Sprint (CDMA).  At the time of writing this, CDMA technology can offer far greater speeds than can current GSM-based implementations.  That said, 4G LTE is really becoming the standard next generation mobile broadband technology, which is starting to be offered by prepaid broadband carriers.  You can visit the Prepaid Wireless Broadband page for more details about mobile broadband technology and speeds.  You can also read an interesting discussion about the Definition of Broadband.  If there's anything additional that you'd like to learn that you don't find on these pages, please feel free to Contact me and I'll be happy to help.  I also recommend that you compare the reported speeds on the provider's website, and be sure that they have at least a 30 day, or similar, return policy so that you can take it home and test it out in your normal environment.


Initially, the convenience of wireless Internet was not available to prepaid customers, however, that's certainly no longer the case.  There are a LOT of options available to us now!  Virtually every carrier offers some type of prepaid offer.  While some are much better priced than others, the great news is that we now have a lot of options to choose from wireless providers that offer prepaid wireless Internet and broadband modems and service for very reasonable prices.


If you're traveling in the U.S. for only a short period of time, or only have a need for mobile Internet on rare occasions, there's another option for you to consider.  You can look at aircard rental services.  Renting means that you can not only avoid a contract (compared to postpaid), but you can also avoid having to invest in purchasing the equipment (compared to prepaid wireless Internet).  Learn more about Wireless Broadband Rental now!  Also, if you're traveling abroad and looking for the best deal on a local prepaid broadband service, compare mobile broadband plans by visiting International Wireless Broadband.

Be Heard!  Let prepaid wireless providers know what you want; fill out the survey now.