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Pre-paid MiFi router- the ultimate iPad accessory!
- Thread starter Khurram
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It's pretty good so far, but haven't had much time to play with it too much. Like someone else mentioned, I needed a laptop to set it up and register it, bought the $20/300 MB plan to start. Did a quick speed test on my iPod Touch and got around 1 MB/sec download. Haven't been able to try Face Time yet, I want to try it with me on the mifi and my wife on our wlan and see how it goes. Will post results on that if we get to try tonight; otherwise it will be a bit as I'll be away for work.
I bought a Cradlepoint mobile wifi router for $99 and stuck my 3G USB dongle in it... works flawlessly.
if my wife is on her ipod touch and Im on my ipad. Surfing and she is playing words with friends and maybe some chatting on meebo. How long should 5g last?
To those of you that bought it-
Any chance I could use a Sprint-branded MiFi with the Virgin prepaid cards?
I see that the Sprint Novatel MiFis (the exact same specs as the Virgin model) are selling on eBay for around $100. Could I buy one of those, and then use the Virgin cards? I wouldn't see why not, since it's the same hardware and same network...
Many thanks!!!
Any chance I could use a Sprint-branded MiFi with the Virgin prepaid cards?
I see that the Sprint Novatel MiFis (the exact same specs as the Virgin model) are selling on eBay for around $100. Could I buy one of those, and then use the Virgin cards? I wouldn't see why not, since it's the same hardware and same network...
Many thanks!!!
Does anyone know how to equate 300mb of data to hours of regular webbrowsing? Like how many hours can I get if I am just getting email, or reading macrumors?
I think I am definitely picking this thing up. I just got my bf a 16gb wifi iPad too, so this might be great for the both of us if we want to go sit at a coffee shop and read together or something.
I think I am definitely picking this thing up. I just got my bf a 16gb wifi iPad too, so this might be great for the both of us if we want to go sit at a coffee shop and read together or something.
my virgin mobile MiFi is working great. As mentioned, setup was a bit of a hassle. I had to call vm and they said activations were taking several hours -- I couldn't do it instantly. They were very apologetic -- they must be inundated with activations.
Speed on my iPad is better than I expected. I did a speed test on speakeasy.net that yielded 2.13 Mbps, faster than advertised! Upload speed was .43. Web browsing for about 10 minutes used 3 MB of data. I haven't tried any video yet.
Speed on my iPad is better than I expected. I did a speed test on speakeasy.net that yielded 2.13 Mbps, faster than advertised! Upload speed was .43. Web browsing for about 10 minutes used 3 MB of data. I haven't tried any video yet.
Just picked one up along with a $20 card. I think I might just buy these online later though...to see if I can avoid taxes etc. This was just one of 2 left on the rack. You can find them in the mobile phone section. I was looking in the wrong section for a while but they were there with the prepaid phones etc. Going to crack this thing open to see what we got.
That's too expensive. Even AT&T's hamstringed service is a better deal than that at $25 for 2GB for 30 days, unless you go for the $60 option, which should be unlimited for that kind of jack. I'd rather pay the $130 and have it inside the iPad than lug around an extra device. If you had multiple users, that would be a plus in terms of same time access, but not for the individual user.
It is about the same as it would be on a contract with Sprint or Verizon, the difference is you can start and stop it as you please... and yes, that you can share it, AND, since it rides on Sprint, some people might have better coverage than they'd get with AT&T. Verizon offers month to month but the prices are even more insane.
If this has been announced before the 3G shipped, i probably really would have gone this way. I didn't want to lock to a contract with verizon though and the outright purchase was more than $150, so having it on the device for the $30/unlimited won out.
The Virgin model fits my usage better though, and I would have rather have just known that "this weekend" i need more so buy another card, but next month i won't need that much. If i lose my unlimited at some point, i'll probably go this way.
I hate AT&T
It is about the same as it would be on a contract with Sprint or Verizon, the difference is you can start and stop it as you please... and yes, that you can share it, AND, since it rides on Sprint, some people might have better coverage than they'd get with AT&T. Verizon offers month to month but the prices are even more insane.
If this has been announced before the 3G shipped, i probably really would have gone this way. I didn't want to lock to a contract with verizon though and the outright purchase was more than $150, so having it on the device for the $30/unlimited won out.
The Virgin model fits my usage better though, and I would have rather have just known that "this weekend" i need more so buy another card, but next month i won't need that much. If i lose my unlimited at some point, i'll probably go this way.
I hate AT&T
I hate AT&T as well. I hope this class action lawsuit for the bait and switch iPad deal goes somewhere. However, I don't see how you'd be at an advantage choosing the Virgin plan over what AT&T currently offers. Now if you purchased the data plan, and had no expiration time to use it, that would be a nice advantage, but it still limits you to a time frame. Aside from that, the Virgin plan is still more expensive per data unit, and you have to lug another device around with you.
Well, we have a wifi only iPad, and 3 Touches that could share it at the locations i use mine, and I have my MBP. I also spend 3 hours a week at a place with very marginal AT&T service, the speed difference between there and my house is kind of shocking (my cable internet went out this afternoon).
I agree buying in chunks that didn't expire for say 90 days would be better, but it will really come down to my post divorce financial life too.
Who knows how that will look, and the kids might need internet at their Dad's for school stuff - and he hates computers.I'm just happy there is an option now.
That is definitely the case..this way is definitely not as good as just getting a 3g ipad. You are right about ATT being a bette deal.
However...
You got to think about the utility of this device. Internet anywhere for any wifi device. This is great for people who don't use that much data, or who don't plan to. I always find myself wishing I had internet for just a few days, and that is it.
The ability to use your various devices is a huge plus for these wifi hotspots. I can use this for my ipad, my ipod, my macbook, heck..my boyfriend's computer, his ipad...when there is an emergency on the go, when I need to check mail really quick, or when I need look up something. Because I can use it for any device, I am not tied to anything. I don't just have internet on my phone anymore.
The device is small. The size of a credit card, with just a bit of thickness...if you can't "lug" this thing around...you shouldn't be "lugging" around your ipad. Thats my opinion..
Also found out virgin mobile takes payments from paypal. That is perfect for me...a person who always has a balance from buying and selling things! I think a lot of people here would appreciate that, because what comes out of your paypal account seems like it is not being paid at all!
If all you needed internet for was the iPad, then yes it is expensive compared to the base of the plans for the iPad 3G. But if you need to have access for your computer or other devices it is a good deal for pay as you go. I did quite a bit of research before deciding on the Virgin Mobile plans. In the US there are not this many options with a single mobile vendor. So far the service has been very good. It is the Sprint network so anywhere that service is good it should work very well.
I am not sure about that because they seem very linked together. You have to set up the mifi, and then the account to be connected to the mifi for payment. On my account page it has the name and picture of the device as well as the manual for it.. seems very straight forward, so I am not sure. I cannot see how it can work unless sprint has a similar page that allows top up cards to be entered.
1-877-877-8443
That is the number for broadband. I doubt it would work but you could call and ask. They use the serial number of the device to set up service so who knows. As you say it is chipped for the Sprint network so technically it should work. But not sure what is changed/different between the two.
Also for those interested if you already have an account you can swap out devices. Had to call them to get the serial number of the mifi swapped out. Took less than 10 minutes on the phone today.
Just picked one up along with a $20 card. I think I might just buy these online later though...to see if I can avoid taxes etc. This was just one of 2 left on the rack. You can find them in the mobile phone section. I was looking in the wrong section for a while but they were there with the prepaid phones etc. Going to crack this thing open to see what we got.
Hey Mate,
What's the battery life like?
Thanks,