If you want a USB modem that will provide mobile broadband access in the US, you’ll usually have to sign up for a 2 year contract and commit to paying $60 per month for up to 5GB of data transfers. Or, you can sign up for a new DataJack modem which costs about $100 up front and $40 per month thereafter for unlimited data. Oh yeah, and there’s no contract, so you could use the service for a month or two, cancel it, and then sign up again half a year later.
On paper, DataJack has me second guessing my recent decision to pick up a CLEAR WiMAX modem. That’s especially true since while my mobile WiMAX modem works great, the home modem isn’t as fast as the DSL service I was hoping to replace, so I’m thinking of canceling the home service which means I’d end up paying as much as $45/month for WiMAX service that only works in a handful of cities when I could be paying $40/month for 3G service that is available nationwide.
But this time I think I’ll try not to be the early adopter and wait to see how well the service works for others before signing up.
via Chip Chick
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24 Comments on "DataJack launches USB modem with $40/month unlimited 3G data plans"
Before anybody gets too excited, do yourself a favor and click the “About Us” on the bottom of the page, then Google on the parent company.
Did that, nothing weird noted. Am I missing something?
No? Then you’re the perfect candidate to sign up! 🙂
Holy cow… someone was invoking PT Barnum a couple of blog posts back. Make that a double scoop, pleeze.
Succinctly, yes. Quite a bit. Even if you don’t know anything about OTC-traded companies, at least check on Quamtel, then WQN.
From the ToS and coverage map it looks like they’re a Verizon reseller. I’ll have to confirm that though.
Could you please cite your sources? I’ve done searches on WQN, Attomic Guppy Inc, and Quamtel and come up with nothing that would justify the level of derision you have for this company.
They were a card reseller, specializing in international calls. They’re silver rated with the BBB, which isn’t great, but… They’re not listed as crammers or slammers. And their VoIP offering, from what I can tell, isn’t beloved but isn’t hated either. It looks like they’re buying service off of Verizon and reselling it, at a reduced rate, like a number of companies have already done in the cell side of the industry. What do you know that I can’t find? Please share.
How about the VoIP brands? Did you find anything about those, like Voip Inc closing down with debts in millions, then WQN somehow emerging? Your Verizon guess would be unlikely against that context.
Any word if this is really unlimited, or more of the telco 5 gb that somehow passes for “unlimited.”
Why don’t you call the toll-free number and ask?
While you’re at it, ask them where the bandwidth comes from?
🙂
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If you look at their coverage map, it matches T-Mobile’ss exactly.
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This is a GSM service…not Verizon, people. They refer to EDGE in the FAQs and, if you look at the map, the only actual 3G coverage is Yellow… not much at all, just like AT&T. Also, since it says “The Data Jack rides the Fastest Growing AWS 3G Broadband Network” That means it is on AT&Ts network. AWS = AT&T. Datajack is promising a lot when they say you can do VOIP, and video confrencing and anything else. Yes, you CAN do it..but how good will it sound? Big difference.
The USB data modem appears to be the Option Icon 452:
http://www.option.com/en/products/products/usb-modems/icon452/
The 452 is available from a few USA resellers for more than $150,
so the Datajack.com offer of $99 for the hardware looks attractive.
It also appears that you can try the service for 14 days with minimal
risk:
“If you are not happy with your DataJack for any reason, you can return it within 14 days of purchase. To receive a full refund for the equipment (minus a $15.00 restocking fee), the DataJack must be in the original package and must not be damaged.”
Thats a native TMobile coverage map.