Not surprisingly most of the best values use the Sprint, T-Mobile and Cricket networks which also have the smallest coverage footprints. Be sure to check out the coverage maps to be verify that you will have coverage where you need it.
Speed varies depending on the on the network technology. Typical real world download speeds are:
LTE: 8-40 Mbit/sec
WiMAX: 3-10 Mbit/sec
HSPA+: 3-10 Mbit/sec
EVDO: 0.6-1.6 Mbit/sec
Many of the plans listed below use Sprint WiMAX. Sprint has said that its WiMAX network will be shutdown "by the end of 2015". Plan accordingly.
Here's a table summarizing the current offerings by the major US mobile broadband providers.
| Operator | USB Modem Cost | Mobile Hotspot Cost | Network | Coverage | Price | Use own Device |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T GoPhone Mobile Broadband | N/A | $99.99 (HSPA+, LTE 4G) | AT&T (GSM, HSPA+, LTE) | Nationwide (map) | $15/7 days 250 MB, overage $10/100 MB; $25/mo 1.5GB, overage $10/ 500MB; $50/mo 5GB, overage $10/1GB | Yes |
AT&T Mobile Broadband | N/A | $169.99 (HSPA+, LTE 4G) | AT&T (GSM/HSPA) | Nationwide (map) | $15/1 day/100 MB; $30/7 days/300 MB; $50/mo. 1 GB | Yes |
| Data Jack | N/A | $79.99 + $9.85 shipping (EVDO 3G/ WiMAX 4G) | Sprint (CDMA, EVDO, WiMAX) | Nationwide (same as Virgin Mobile map) | $4.99/mo. 100 MB 7; $9.99/mo. 250 MB; $29.99/mo. 2 GB; $49.99/mo. 5 GB | No |
Virgin Mobile Broadband 2 Go | $24.99 (EVDO 3G, WiMAX 4G) | $59.99 (EVDO 3G, WiMAX 4G) $99.99 (3G, LTE 4G) | Sprint (CDMA, EVDO, WiMAX. LTE) | Nationwide (map) | $5/24 hrs 250 MB; $25/mo. 1.5 GB; $55/mo 6 GB | No |
| NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband | $49.99 + $19.95 shipping (WiMAX 4G) | $99.99 + $19.95 shipping (WiMAX 4G) | Sprint (WiMAX) | 80 Cities (map) | "free" 200 MB/mo. 4; $9.95 500 MB/mo.; $19.95 2 GB/mo.; $34.95 4 GB/mo.; $49.95 8 GB/mo. | No |
| ChitChat Mobile Broadband | N/A | $49.99 (EVDO 3G/ WiMAX 4G) | Sprint (CDMA, EVDO, WiMAX) | Nationwide (same as Virgin Mobile map) | "unlimited" $29.99/14 days; $49.99/30 days 9 | No |
| NetZero 3G Mobile Broadband | N/A | $99.99 + $19.95 shipping (EVDO 3G) | Sprint (EVDO) | Nationwide (map) | "free" 200 MB/mo. 4 $9.95 500 MB/mo.; $19.95 1 GB/mo.; $34.95 2 GB/mo.; $49.95 4 GB/mo. | No |
| FreedomPop 4G only | $39.00 + $6.99 shipping (WiMAX 4G) | $39.99 + $6.99 shipping (WiMAX 4G) | Sprint (WiMAX) | 80 Cities (map) | free 500 MB/mo.; $17.99/mo 2 GB; $28.99/mo 4 GB; $34.99/mo 5 GB; $59.99/mo 10 GB | No |
| FreedomPop 3G/4G | $49.99 + $6.99 shipping (WiMAX 4G) | $39.99 + $6.99 shipping (WiMAX 4G) $149.99 + $6.99 shipping (LTE) | Sprint (EVDO, LTE WiMAX) | Nationwide (same as Virgin Mobile map) | $3.99/mo 500 MB; $19.99/mo 2 GB; $28.99/mo 3 GB; $34.99/mo 4 GB | No |
Internet On The Go (Walmart) | NA | $79.88 (EVDO 3G) | Sprint (CDMA, EVDO) | Nationwide (same as Virgin Mobile map) | Use Whenever (never expires): $10 500 MB; $25 1.5 GB; $45 3 GB | No |
| H2O Bolt 4G | $100 | $100 | Sprint (WiMAX) | 80 Cities (map) | $50 -Unlimited | No |
T-Mobile Pay In Advance Mobile Internet Passes | $48.00 (HSPA+ 4G) | $82.00 (HSPA+ 4G) | T-Mobile (GSM, HSPA, LTE) | Nationwide (map) | $10/1 day 500 MB; $15/7 days 1GB; $10/mo. 1 GB; $20/mo 3 GB; $30/mo 5 GB 5 | Yes |
Red Pocket Mobile Internet | N/A | N/A | T-Mobile (GSM, HSPA) | Nationwide (map) | $10/30 days 1 GB; $30/30 days 3 GB; $50/30 days 5 GB 6 | Yes |
| Simple Mobile Wireless Broadband | N/A | N/A | T-Mobile (GSM, HSPA, LTE) | Nationwide (map) | $20/30 days 1.5 GB; $40/30 days 4 GB; $60/30 days 6 GB 6 | Yes |
Selectel | N/A | N/A | Verizon (CDMA, EVDO) | Nationwide (map - select Data) | $50/mo. 5 GB | Yes (Verizon 3G devices) |
| Verizon Prepaid Mobile Broadband | N/A | $99.99 (EVDO 3G, LTE 4G) | Verizon (CDMA, EVDO, LTE) | Nationwide (map - select Prepaid) | $15/week 250 MB; $60/mo. 3 GB; $90/mo. 10 GB 2 | No |
| Millenicom | N/A | $99.99 + $15 Shipping & $49.99 activation fee | Verizon (CDMA, EVDO, LTE) | Nationwide (map - select Prepaid) | $69.998/mo 20 GB | No |
| Straight Talk(Walmart) | NA | $79.88 (EVDO 3G) | Verizon(CDMA, EVDO) | Nationwide (map - select Prepaid) | $15/30 days 1 GB; $25/30 days 2 GB; $40/60 days 4 GB; $50/60 days 5 GB; $75/60 days 7GB | No |
2 Verizon prices shown are for 4G LTE devices only. 3G device users get 100 MB for $15/day, 300 MB for $30/week; 1 GB for $50/month or 5 GB for $80/month.
4 Only free for the first year.
5 Additional T-Mobile monthly plans: $50 7 GB, $60 9 GB, $70 11 GB, $80 13 GB
6 Red Pocket $30 and $50 plans include unlimited throttled data after hi-speed allotment is used.
7 DataJack $4.99 "Pay As You Go" plan is auto pay only and charges 2.9¢/MB overage,
8 Millenicom price increasing to $89.99 effective 5/1/2014
9 ChitChat "unlimited" reportedly cut off at 10GB/month.
Updated 6-Aug-2014: Selectel plan price reduced, i-Wireless mobile broadband removed as it's no longer
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