Verizon Vs. Sprint AirCard
Choosing the right AirCard is important for enjoying optimal mobile broadband. Price, coverage, customer service, the amount of broadband you need and Wi-Fi access are all factors to consider when choosing a card and plan that will suit your needs.
Other People Are Reading
-
Price
-
Price is an obvious concern when you're choosing an AirCard. Deals for hardware will vary depending on specials. Verizon and Sprint both charge for their monthly service and charge activation fees. If you decide to break contract before it ends, early termination fees apply for both services. Most contracts are for a two-year service agreement. Verizon charges for early termination but also allows prorated fee, which means that the ETF would be lowered according to how long you've been in your contract. Sprint's termination does not offer a decreasing ETF.
-
Bundled Services
-
If you already have mobile phone service though Verizon or Sprint, you may save money through bundling your AirCard and mobile phone bill. Call or visit a representative to find out if this is a good option for you.
Coverage
-
Good coverage is crucial when you're considering an AirCard. Opinions vary on who has the best coverage and the fastest speeds, but generally Verizon has the most extensive coverage. Before you buy you should check Sprint and Verizon's sites to see how thorough network coverage is in your area. If you're going to be traveling, know that neither company offers Wi-Fi hotspot access.
Speed
-
A good broadband connection requires speed, whether you're uploading or downloading data. Unlike AT&T and T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon both run on EV-DO Rev. A technology. Average download speeds for Sprint are 600-1400 kbps. Verizon speeds are comparable. Upload speeds for Verizon average 500-800 kbps and Sprint average upload speeds are 350-500 kbps. The maximum download speeds for both networks are 3.1 Mbps and maximum upload speeds are 1.8 Mbps.
Customer Service
-
If problems occur with your AirCard or your service, you need good customer care. J.D. Power and Associates gave Verizon a five-out-of-five rating in wireless customer care, and Verizon tied Alltel and T-Mobile for first place in a customer care performance study. Factors such as hold time and first-contact problem resolution were used to score each company. Sprint, on the other hand, received a two-out-of-five for its customer care rating.
-
References
- Photo Credit "IMG_7686" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: acme (Leon Brocard) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "Coins." is Copyrighted by Flickr user: Shot_by_Cam (Cameron Cassan) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
