Mobile Internet in the USA - Best Options?

[zorro]

My wife will be going to the US for 2 months at the end of June - where she will be staying has no internet connection in the house

As a result, we are looking to sort out a temporary connection for a couple of months, via a laptop

She will be based mainly in Long Island and a week in Michigan

Any recommendations for something similar to this;

Mobile Broadband (http://www.thedvdforums.com/affiliatelink.php?localaffiliateid=78&url=http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/)

She did the same last year, but tried to sort this out when she was over and had real problems getting anything arranged and never managed it :dork:

So I am trying to sort it out in advance this year!

Anyone any suggestions/providers/costs, etc

Thanks

[doesnotcompute]

Not exactly what you are looking for but she can get 2 hours a day for free at starbucks.

All she needs to do is buy a Starbucks gift card (min $10 I think) then register the card on the Starbucks website. This creates an account that she can use to log in to their wifi at any store.

The $10 can obviously be used on drinks or whatever from Starbucks.

[NicolaUK]

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband or try Cricket :)

[zorro]

Thanks for that :thumbs:

Would something like this be any good;

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_prepaidmb

$50 for a month :eek: (do I still need to buy a dongle or would the built in modem work - on a MACbook), but 3 of them would use it for Facebook, e-mails, etc

[NicolaUK]

You'd still need the dongle and it's a 2 yr contract - I think Virgin are the only contract free offering.

[zorro]

NicolaUK

Thanks for that link

I presume I buy the dongle ($99), then buy a plan?

Price1 Expires Megabytes Use It For2
$10 10 Days 100 MB 5 hrs Web Browsing Or 25 minutes
Video Or 10,000 Emails
$20 30 Days 250 MB 12 hrs Web Browsing Or 1 hour Video
Or 25,000 Emails
$40 30 Days 600 MB 30 hrs Web Browsing Or 2 1/2 hours
Video Or 60,000 Emails
$60 30 Days 1 GB 50 hrs Web Browsing Or 4 hours Video
Or 100,000 Emails

That looks good as well

Do you know if there are any outlets/shops where my wife can go in a buy this when she gets over - not too sure she would be comfortable trying to set it up herself

[NicolaUK]

Virgin Megastores would have sold them but they shut them down over there :lol:

I'd have a look online at Wal*Mart, Target etc.

[splobber]

moving to mobile phone forum

[Grandmaster]

Is the virgin mobile offer available without having to buy the dongle - ie, just the SIM? My laptop already has a built-in 3G modem.

[NicolaUK]

I guess you could buy their cheapest PAYG + add web?

[kahung]

http://www.telava.com/businessservices/BroadbandBullet.aspx

$50 per month 5GB.
The $100 deposit for the modem can be refunded if you send back the modem.

Looking at the US prices, our typical 'tenner a month' deals and low cost modems here in the UK seem such good value in comparison...

[doesnotcompute]

http://www.telava.com/businessservices/BroadbandBullet.aspx

$50 per month 5GB.
The $100 deposit for the modem can be refunded if you send back the modem.

Looking at the US prices, our typical 'tenner a month' deals and low cost modems here in the UK seem such good value in comparison...

This is the case with so many things. Americans still pay (or consume minutes) for incoming mobile phone calls too.