It’s a sad truth that there’s a rather large chunk of the United States that has internet connectivity that barely qualifies as "broadband". Personally, I believe anything under a solid 768k on the downstream is slow – and there are still places that can’t even eke out 512k. Bear in mind I’m talking about desktop computer connectivity here and not smartphones.
For many, Verizon may be the cure to slow internet with its 4GLTE service. This service, while obviously capped, may be the answer some (or a lot) of you out there are looking for so you can dump your crappy DSL provider.
How would one go about connecting things like PCs, notebooks, tablets and so on? With the Verizon MiFi 4510L, which can connect up to 5 devices.
How fast are we talking about when it comes to speed? Between 5 to 12Mbps on the downstream. Believe me, that’s plenty enough for most people.
Drawbacks?
Oh, there’s a few.
This is Verizon we’re talking about
Historically speaking, Verizon telecom and Verizon Wireless (VZW) while under the same umbrella of "Verizon" are two separate companies. VZW typically does have better customer service compared to the telecom division. Hopefully the 4GLTE service will not fall under telecom and stick to the VZW side.
It will not save you money
Your crappy DSL provider, should you be using one, will cost less compared to VZW’s 4GLTE. You’re not going to save any money by using VZW, but you will have much faster connectivity all around. In other words, you’re paying for speed and not for value.
It’s capped
5GB a month can be burned through very easily for some people. Heck, some people could probably burn through that in less than 24 hours. If you’re the download-hog type, 4GLTE is absolutely not for you. However if you are the "check email and surf the web" type, you’ll really like it.
Available everywhere?
No. Fortunately VZW gives you a map of where it is available.
Link to see where it’s available: http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage
Note that VZW is adding in areas fairly quickly. If you don’t see your region on the map as live, clicking the "Coming Soon" tab as it most likely will be.
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Another thing I’ve heard…. 4G phones REALLY burn through their batteries fast. Too fast.
You can pick up the LG VL600 USB modem for $99.99 after purchasing online with a two year contract. The one year contract price is $169.99 and the month-to-month price of the USB modem is $249.99. The 5GB monthly data plan will cost you $50 and the 10GB monthly data plan is $80. Each additional GB of data will cost you $10 with either of these two plans. You will also see a $35 activation fee when you sign up for a contract.
Verizon sold all their telecom to Frontier, at least in this area. But yes, their customer service was horrible, and Frontier has so far maintained that legacy.