The marketing team at Sprint might not like this development so much. Back in January a Gizmodo report claimed that Sprint had the best mobile broadband service. This was based on tests in eight major U.S. markets. Sprint has since used this study in their TV commercials, noting that they have the fastest broadband in the country. However, Gizmodo rival Engadget has conducted a test of their own. It’s nothing if not thorough. They “tested six separate locations a half dozen times, throwing out the outliers.” This brought them to an average, which is what the study shows. Not only that, but they compared other aspects of each service, such as modem cost, plan pricing, restrictions, and any other issue which may factor into your mobile broadband experience.
Here’s how the speeds break down:
Since the four major carriers all offer 5GB for $60, it would appear that AT&T is the clear choice here. However, there is always coverage to consider. In this category Verizon is the winner. Unfortunately, they have the lowest speed of the pack, but not by much.
As the Engadget crew notes, while this study gives an average of a carrier’s service across the country, service will certainly vary by location. If you want fast speeds, but notice that AT&T doesn’t get good reception by you, don’t expect their laptop card to miraculously provide higher speeds. It’s all about the coverage, and no network truly covers the entire country.
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