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Laptop Computers

For purposes of this review, the term Laptop Computer refers to a number of portable computer. For details of these devices, check out our reviews of Laptops, Gaming Laptops and Netbooks.

T-Mobile’s webConnect data plan is priced just like the other nationwide carriers, $59.99 per month. That would be acceptable if it weren’t for the fact that their broadband coverage area is far smaller than that of its competitors. Please refer to the Network Coverage paragraph, below. Also like the other carriers, T-Mobile imposes the 5GB data cap and charges outrageous fees for exceeding it. As a reference point, 1024KB = 1MB and 1024MB = 1GB. Here are some examples of what 5GB of data really is in real life usage:

• Single page of email 3KB
• Five pages of text in Word format 70KB
• Accessing a web page with a moderate amount of graphics 150KB
• Transferring a 20 page PowerPoint presentation with text and minimal graphics 500KB
• Downloading a 3 minute long song 2 – 4MB

T-Mobile only offers one data card called the webConnect USB Laptop Stick and its cost is $49.99. They apparently have quite a supply chain problem with it because it’s frequently out of stock. There is a $35 fee for activating the service and there is a $200 early termination fee if you cancel your service with more than 180 days left on your contract. It’s reduced to $100 if you have between 91 and 180 days left and further to $50 if you’re within the final 90 contracted days.

Over 5GB Warning

As with the other providers, T-Mobile imposes pecuniary fees for data usage beyond the 5GB limit. In T-Mobile’s case that charge is $0.20/MB. In realistic terms, that’s $204.80/GB. You got it…$59.99 for the first 5GB and $204.80 for the next 1GB. That’s actually less than either AT&T or Verizon Wireless but its quadruple Sprint’s already overpriced fee.

Smartphones

More and more people are using smartphones as their primary device for Mobile Broadband access. T-Mobile offers two data plans for voice customers. Unlimited internet and email with 400 text messages costs $24.99 per month. Unlimited internet and email plus unlimited text messaging runs $34.99. If you’d like to forego voice service and get data only on a smartphone, the monthly charge is $39.99.

Unlike the other big 4 wireless providers, using your smartphone as a tethered modem on T-Mobile is nearly impossible. They don’t provide the software that the others do and though we’ve been able to configure tethering with some difficulty, we’ve found that the process crashes our laptops more than half the time.

Wi-Fi

T-Mobile has over 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspots and their USB Laptop Stick and some smartphones can access their network via Wi-Fi. Home and business wireless networks can also be used. This is good news in that it is a valuable supplement to the company’s limited 3G network footprint.