New Forum!

Check out the link bar, because this website now has a forum! I'm running it inside the Go4Prepaid forums (Go4Prepaid is the sister site to this one...it has been around longer and such) and hopefully it'll provide folks who come here a way to interact, ask questions and get answers about unlimited wireless service. So go on over there and sign up, or if you already have an account with the Go4Prepaid forums, roll on over and post. Hope you like it! Again, the link is to your right.

CricKet Coming To Vegas 5\13

Finally, direct, big-guy to big-guy competition comes to the unlimited space. MetroPCS recently opened up service in Las Vegas. Now CricKet is doing the same. Bot are using the AWS (1700 MHz) spectrum. Let's see what fireworks happen...I predict low phone prices for one.

CricKet Wireless Data, Now Buy-able online!

First it was AWS phones. Now it's mobile broadband. CricKet, in their EvDO markets (most of them, see here for details), is now offering cellular broadband prominently on their website. For $40 per month, or $35 if you have a phone plan with CricKet, plus a mere $59 for the Kyocera Passport modem (which will not work in AWS areas, by the way, and will not work with newer laptops or desktops as it's a PC card...just warning ya...probably best to wait until the UTStarCom USB modem comes around), you can surf at high speeds wherever CricKet EvDO service reaches. Just make sure to keep your usage "reasonable"...after 5 GB in one month who know what they'll do to ya, namely slow you down or cut you off.

Still, it's cool to see an unlimited provider striking out like this where nobody has really gone before: cellular broadband with no contract and at a price comparable to cable or DSL, albeit trading speed for mobility.

Millenicom!!!

Sorry to make this post short, but I have a resolution tonight: go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Anyway, if you want mobile broadband looks like you actually have a nationwide, non-contract, possibly unlimited (though if you get Verizon you get the 5GB per month limit, grr) option for $59.99 a month, plus $65 (incuding shipping) for the modem: Millenicom (www.millenicom.com). Head on over to www.dslreports.com and hunt up the Millenicom forum for more info. People seem to like them and while the service ain't as cheap as CricKet's $35-$40 option (plus taxes I'd suppose, though I hear tell they're not nearl as high as taxes on regular cellular service) you actually get nationwide broadband without having to touch a contract. You could even sign up your own EvDO card, so if someone wants to donate their old aircard to you you're set. Or, more likely, if you buy a Sprint-equipped laptop and don't mind not getting a service credit you can get mobile broadband like it was WiFi: built in. I may actually do this...

CricKet's Data Plan, AWS Phones & Activation Fee

Two quick things...

1) Did you know that CricKet charges a $15 activation fee to start service on one of their cell phones? I'm not sur if\when it gets waived, but you don't see MetroPCS or Pocket Communications doing that. Then again, CricKet's phone prices are a little lower than the other two carriers' prices, at least online, offsetting the fee.

2) CricKet is now selling its tri-band (AWS capable) phones in other markets than Oklahoma City. They must've sold out of UTStarCom 7126's, as the phones available are the Samsung Spex and the Samsung MyShot. They're quite inexpensive ($70 for the Spex, $130 for the MyShot) all things considered, though the best thing they have is Bluetooth (and a 1.3 megapixel camera on the MyShot) so they're not giving pure gold away...still, it's nice to have "network-wide" phones available...um...network-wide...

3) CricKet seems to be phasing out the Kyocera Passport modem they were using for wireless data in favor of the UTStarCom U100 USB modem, which is tri-band (read: compatible with Oklahoma City) and can be used on any computer, not just older laptops. It's also $99 instead of $59, but that's still not a bad price for a EvDO Rev. A USB modem. Data speeds seem to e in the 1-1.2 megabit range for download speed and the 250-400 kilobit range for uploads. The service is definitely Rev. A (marked by the decent upload speed) however it could be quite a bit better, particularly on downloads. Also, keep in mind that your $35 or $40 per month buys you 5GB of data at full speed, after which you're gonna be throttled. Don't know how bad the throttling will be but just putting that out there. So basically your high speed data access works out to about $8 per gigabyte (plus taxes so probably more like $9) or $7 (or $8 with taxes and fees) if you already have CricKet voice service. Not bad for web browsing, e-mail and such, but don't do anything more than download music (bought, not P2P...P2P uses more bandwidth) and maybe watch the occasional web video, lest you go over your allotment, which works out to a little over 166 MB per day.

CricKet vs. The Big Guys, Revol Intros the Lingo

CricKet is, at the moment, making a point of how you can get "more unlimited" for half the price of other carriers. Now on their front page, they have a top-to-bottom comparison of all the major carriers' plans, and theirs. Verizon and AT&T are at the bottom, charging $100 per month for unlimited voice calling. Next up is T-Mobile with unlimited messaging thrown in. Aoev T-Mobile it gets interesting. Sprint is displayed...their $89 plan, that is. I guess the folks at CricKet are hoping that you don't look and see that not only is Sprint not quite 2x as expensive as CricKet's top-class lineup (which includes stuff that most people never use as out-of-the-ordinary extras, namely 411 and international texting)...Sprint's $100 plan beats CricKet's $50 plan, esoecially in the area of coverage. Sprint gets Push To Talk, mobile phone TV, high-speed web browsing and (I think) Sirius radio where CricKet gets mobile web (usually at 1xRTT speeds, meh), free 411 (how about Google SMS or 1-800-GOOG-411 or 1-80-FREE-411?) and international text.

What should CricKet really be doing? Well, first off making sure that nobody knows they aren't a national carrier, heh. T-Mobile's relatively lousy coverage pales in comparison to CricKet's footprint, or lack thereof (though it's getting better...I think they've caught up to Sprint...in 1995!). Then compare their plans to something with limited minutes and no features on one of he "big boys". Note to CricKet: don't compare with Sprint. Rumor has it they're giving away free kitchen sinks.

In other news, Revol now has the Kyocera M100 "Lingo". You know, the successor to the Strobe, the weirdest-looking phone ever? Anyway, it's ridiculously priced, at $229. Plus you have to pay for your first month of service, which isn't a requirement for other unlimited carriers. My suggestion? Get a non-local number, get the Samsung text-friendly phone on MetroPCS, and roam on Revol. Geez freaking Louise, this company needs competition. Or maybe a swift kick in the pants.

If you're browsing around Revol's site and see something called RevolPTT by the way, ignore it. The feature, which can be used on all Motorola phones but the v710, as well as the Kyocera K312 (sound familiar? MetroPCS is the correct answer) and KX444, looks to be the same lameness that MetroPCS will shortly perpetrate on its customers as "push to talk". How about this: all phones come with Push To Talk. Step one: select number. Step two: PUSH the Talk button. Call it Voice SMS or something, but the only real push to talk solution worth its salt is the stuff Sprint is selling (iDEN and QChat). Kodiak (AT&T and Alltel) sorta count though I think the service basically sets up a phone call between the sender and recipient. Verizon and Sprint ReadyLink? Almost as bad as MetroPCS and Revol. Thus ends the weekly push-to-talk rant.

By the way, if you find this site worthwhile please check out some other sites that Google is serving up to your right. Doing so gives me a sense of self-worth, if not net-worth, in regard to this site. Thanks!

CricKet To Come To South Texas May 5th

With the introduction of CricKet (AWS) service to Oklahoma City, CricKet has now put a date on expansion into South Texas on normal (PCS) spectrum. Yep, that's Cinco de Mayo. The plan is to take over Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen and Corpus Christi markets. If you thought that the first three markets sound familiar, you are absolutely right: that's where Pocket is right now. Looks like CricKet is trying to compete, tower-for-tower, plan-for-plan, with Pocket. Betcha it gets nasty sooner or later.

By the way, would anyone be interested in a forum for unlimited cell phone companies? Seems like there isn't really one right now. Comment on this post...