The standards adopted by cellular broadband service providers can be important to know, as the differing technologies make claims on download and upload speeds. “Listed speeds and actual speeds will always vary,” says May. “Everything from distance to tower, geography, and the traffic on the network will affect the speeds you get.”

“4G” technologies like WiMax are currently being deployed by Sprint Nextel. WiMax is defined as an 802.16 E technology, with download speeds around 6-9 Mbps. It does not belong to either the GSM or CDMA family of networks, as it operates on its own spectrum. “WiMax is not quite as robust as the cellular networks in terms of range, but it has pretty impressive theoretical speeds,” says Penrod of CradlePoint. Sprint already claims active users on its new WiMax network, dubbed XOHM*, which debuted in Baltimore in late September. Their XOHM-branded Samsung Express air cards ($59.99) and ZyXEL modems ($79.99) connect users to the XOHM WiMax network. Washington, D.C., and Chicago are the next two metropolitan areas poised to launch XOHM service. Laptop manufacturers like Acer and Lenovo have integrated XOHM WiMax technology for XOHM’s “On-the-Go” service plan.

The Face-Off
We’ve chosen four of the big cellular service providers (and one new WiMax service provider) and compared some of their mobile Internet service plans. Note that prices came from each provider’s website, and this is always subject to change. Equipment costs for each provider varies greater, too, as 2-year contract plans may result in a free PC-card, while month-to-month service can require purchasing of the hardware. Also, download speeds will always vary based on a number of factors. Note that the “up to” speeds are either the service provider’s advertised speeds or the theoretical speeds for that service provider’s fastest network. The XOHM WiMax network certainly claims the fastest speeds (up to 10 Mbps theoretical), but real user experience is probably closer to 2-7 Mbps. XOHM differs in other ways from traditional cellular broadband service in that it does not require a contract, carries no activation or termination fees, and does not have a data limit.

*The XOHM name will be changed to “Clear” in the coming months, following a deal between Clearwire and Sprint.

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Ben Hardy - Contributing Writer

Between watching re-runs of the The Jetsons and convincing his Insteon and Z-Wave controls to get along, Ben Hardy is immersed in the world of home automation, home control, and home networking.