Clearwire Rover 4G Mobile Broadband Service
Clearwire has officially launched its new pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband plan aimed at phone users looking for high speed mobile internet access without a contract.
Unlimited data plans with Clearwire’s Rover service cost $50 per month, $20 per week or $5 a day. Rover is available in all 49 Clearwire 4G phone markets.
Users can connect to 4G by using the Rover Puck hotspot or the Rover Stick USB modem.
Sprint Stores Open Early for Samsung Epic 4G Launch
Sprint phone stores across the US opened early today to help launch the much anticipated Samsung Epic 4G.
The new Epic 4G is the latest Samsung 4G phone in its Galaxy S series. It comes with a 1 GHz processor, 4 inch Super AMOLED display and a slide out QWERTY keyboard.
Phone users can pick up the Samsung Epic 4G from Sprint for $249.99 on a two-year contract.
Samsung Epic 4G User Guide Online
If you’d like to drive yourself even more insane with anticipation for the Sprint Samsung Epic 4G phone you’ll be glad to know the user guide is already online.
The PDF of the Samsung Epic 4G User Guide is unlikely to tell you anything you don’t know about smartphones – unless you’re not yet sure how to make a phone call :)
That said, the release of the online guide moves us a little bit further forward to the actual release of the Epic 4G (sighs, drums fingers on tabletop…)
Verizon 4G Coming to Alaska
Looks like the Verizon 4G network will be even bigger than the Verizon 3G network.
An application has been sent to the FCC to buy a block of 4G network spectrum from a company called Triad. If the deal goes ahead – and at the moment there’s no reason to think it won’t – Verizon will have its own 4G cellphone towers in Alaska, rather than having to rely on a roaming service as it does now for 3G services.
That means all of Verizon’s services will be available in Alaska.
Samsung Craft – On MetroPCS Next Month
Another Samsung 4G phone is set to hit US stores next month.
The Samsung Craft has been confirmed as coming to MetroPCS in September. You can expect to pay $300 for Samsung’s latest 4G phone without a contract and although not a smartphone the phone comes with full MTML browser, Bluetooth 2.1 and a powerful Qualcomm CPU.
MetroPCS is due to start rolling out its 4G network soon in Dallas / Fort Worth and Las Vegas before coming to other markets during 2011.
Boston Gets 4 x 4G Networks
Mobile phone users in Boston are getting ready to become the most 4G city in the US so far.
Starting next month, Boston will be see 4G phone coverage from four networks – two using WiMAX technology (Clearwire & Sprint) and two using LTE technology (MetroPCS & Verizon). Sprint and Clearwire share the same WiMAX network. Sprint CEO Dan Hasse confirmed last month the Boston launch would be “sometime in September”. Sprint is already selling the HTC EVO 4G phone and is launching the second of its 4G phones, the Samsung Epic 4G any day now.
Clearwire is set to offer data plans for modems starting form $30 a month. Verizon will also offer data services rather than phones, while MetroPCS is set to launch with another Samsung 4G phone, named the Craft.
Sprint – New 4G Data Plans
Sprint has started trialling two new 4G only mobile broadband plans for customers in some of its sixty-nine 4G phone markets.
Sprint’s 4G Mobile Broadband Connect data plan costs $50 per month which is $10 less than its regular combined 3G / 4G monthly data plan. The plan can be used with the Sprint U1901 USB modem in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Greensboro, N.C., Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City and Seattle.
There’s also a 4G Desktop Modem Connection Plan – meant as a replacement for fixed line broadband connections – for $45 per month. Users can also share their 4G connection throughout their home or office by using the CPEi25150 desktop modem as a broadband router.
Verizon 4G Data Plans (True Costs?)
Coming hot on the heels of Verizon CFO John Killian’s statement that cellphone “customers will pay for quality and premium service and premium speed”, a leading analyst in the mobile industry has said he thinks Verizon will price its 4G data plans at an extra $10-$15 per month.
Berge Ayvazian of Heavy Reading said, “I expect Verizon to charge a $10 to $15 premium for 4G LTE service over straight EVDO”.
Verizon is due to launch it upcoming 4G phone network in the first half of next year with cities such as
Philadelphia and San Francisco likely to be among the first markets to be switched on.
