Sprint provides pocketable broadband for UMPCs

I had the pleasure of meeting with Sprint briefly at CES and borrowing thier Novatel U720 USB EVDO rev. A device. I've been testing it for the last couple weeks since and am quite pleased with the results. Full review follows:

First Impressions
In the box is a CD, a USB extension cable, an instruction book, and the Novatel device. The USB cable has a "y" type adapter to take two USB ports into a single device. These are generally used when a device requires more than the standard power draw of a single USB port. More on that later. UMPCs do not have an optical drive, so I had to download the software from Sprint's web site using an alternate internet connection.


The device itself is larger than a USB pen drive, but still quite pocketable and easily tucked away into a geek bag. The cap seems quite secure, but I'd make sure the device stayed in a tight pocket to avoid having the antenna flip, snag, and break off.

Installation
While it is possible to attach it directly to the side of the UMPC, it did interfere with comfort while using the ultra-mobile in your hands. Computers with top-mounted USB ports would have a better time with this.
I chose to use the Novatel device with the USB extension cable. While the Y-split USB cable provided was not long enough to reach both USB ports on my TabletKiosk eo, I was able to connect and use Sprint's EV-DO with a single USB port. I don't have exact power readings, but assume most standard USB 2 ports provide enough voltage on a single connector.


Sprint PCS Connection Manager Software
The software downloaded without incident and installed easily. It is not pervasive and does not interfere with the computer's built-in WiFi or dial-up connection software. Simply run the software when you want to connect to the Internet. While connected, the device took an average of 14,304k of RAM and 17% CPU. With the limited resources of the UMPC (both CPU and graphics) it seems that CPU intensive applications give too little CPU power to the Sprint application, causing disconnection. While this will be no problem on high-end ultra-mobile PCs or most laptops, it was a recurring problem on my UMPC since it is only powered with a VIA C7M at 1 GHz.

Stability and Performance
This is an EV-DO Rev. A device. The theoretical maximum speed of the network is comparable to DSL, but the actual mobile broadband speeds are much lower. Coverage can be quickly determined on Sprint's Mobile Broadband site. I was only out of coverage once at a little diner halfway between Vegas and Phoenix. After using the device for two weeks while keeping all my on-the-road data access over Sprint's network, I'm quite pleased overall.

I ran these tests using performance.toast.net using the same server. For readers who were watching my live coverage of CES, you will remember how I was bemoaning my lack of bandwidth at my hotel. Here are some comparisons:

Verizon's EV-DO service through my MotoQ while at CES: 96k

Sprint's EV-DO at the same hotel room: 195k

Verizon at my Phoenix apartment: 201k

Sprint, from the same location: 645k

The location, interference, line-of-sight to a tower, and EV-DO rev A coverage make these benchmarks vary wildly. I took these and many more benchmarks in real-world scenarios and my general results are:

• I was always able to establish a connection of at least 125k
• Over Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, I averaged about 450k
• In side-by-side comparison with Verizon, Sprint averaged 50-80k faster.
  

These figures are real-world use and not scientific or comprehensive, but with all the time I spend both "online" and "mobile" I can say that Sprint has consistently offered me superior bandwidth.

The Cost, Plan, and Service
The Novatel U720 $249 list, but Sprint offers a $150 instant discount and $50 rebate online, dropping the price all the way to $49. The Unlimited Data plan is $59.99 with a voice account or $79.99 without. Each broadband device requires a data plan, so your phone and broadband card cannot share the same plan but can reside on the same account. Voice plans start at $29.99 and can go up to $149.99 depending on minutes and features. This pricing is competitive with current mobile broadband providers.

The real kicker in the competition's pants is the restrictive Terms of Service. Verizon has come under heat for a caveat in the ToS that forbids users from what it considers to be excessive bandwidth use. The examples are movie downloads and Peer to Peer networks, but the ToS states that an average user will use around 200-300 megabytes per month whereas "prohibited" use will be closer to 5GB/month. Verizon doesn't check the data to see if it is actually prohibited - they just cut off users who they deem to have use so excessive that they MUST be breaking the Terms of Service. I constantly use Remote Desktop to connect to my machine at home and check on things. Being away for a week with a couple hours of Remote Desktop per day would easily exceed "typical" use and I could face disconnection without warning.

Sprint will win here: They have no such caveat. While they may possibly have some way to protect themselves against bandwidth abusers, I have yet to read a report of Sprint terminating broadband service for this. While I am not actually worried about my Verizon broadband (I don't actually break their Terms of Service except to stream video from home using Orb,) I hate to have such a risk looming over my head.

Conclusion
Until now, I have yet to find a mobile broadband device (other than USB or Bluetooth phone tethering) that will work on devices lacking a PC card slot. Ultra-mobile PCs, MacBooks, and many more super-portables are entering the market without PC card slots. Sprint not only offers consumers a well-made USB solution, but pairs it with good coverage, stable connections, and a Terms of Service that doesn't make someone browsing YouTube feel guilty for "streaming video." The only improvement I would request is some build quality improvement on the antenna and more stable software on low-power CPUs. My experience with this device made me sad that I have to send it back and wait out 20 months on my Verizon contract. I recommend this for any user requiring mobile broadband Internet access, especially those of us without PC card slots.