AT&T Vs. Verizon Air Cards

Air cards are compact modems that plug into your computer through a USB port. Most appear slick and black -- some are white -- and may be bought directly from the service provider or at retail outlets and third-party websites. All vendors of air cards offer specials -- such as very inexpensive refurbished models, so a little shopping around can save customers money. When a data plan is purchased, a customer will be charged the applicable fee on top of their regular cellphone bill.

AT they decline in number of features and price, respectively. While the Adrenaline is also 4G ready and runs as well as the Shockwave, it does not have as much memory. Both the Lightning and Velocity models sport microSD slots for lots of memory but only run on 3G and mobile broadband (limited connectivity) networks, respectively. GPS features like Xora GPS Locator and Telenav Track LITE may be used to track your location when using the Velocity. Finally the Turbo will allow the customer access to AT&T;'s mobile broadband network and has a microSd slot for up to 32GB memory. It is easily recognizable as it is the only silver model made by AT&T.;

Verizon also offers wireless broadband service with 3G and 4G data plans and, as with AT&T;, a customer can receive a free data card by signing a two-year contract. Specials also are available for online shoppers. The coverage area provided by Verizon is larger than AT&T;, but their tested download speed for 2010 was only 877 kbps. Verizon offers several 4G modems as well as a diverse selection of 3Gs. Although they have a substantially larger coverage area than AT&T;, the number of different air cards available from Verizon is simply dwarfed by AT&T.; The Verizon Wireless 4G LTE USB Modem 551L runs 10 times faster than 3G cards. Its sleek, black design features a fold-away USB connector and an internal antenna. The Pantech UML 2904G USB modem has all of the features of the Verizon 4G LTE, but packs a few more surprises. It supports Windows XP, Vista and 7 as well as Mac OS 10.4 or higher. Extra external features include an LED service status indicator and an antenna connection. The LG VL 600 4G USB modem has all of the features of the Pantech model, but its USB connector is fixed while the others can be folded away and kept out of sight.

Overage charges on both networks seem relatively small -- $0.05 per megabyte -- but add up quickly. To cancel a data plan on either network will cost a customer $175 on both networks, however, that fee diminishes over time with AT&T.; By accessing the internet at network "hotspots," customers can use mobile broadband service without their wireless accounts being charged.