Prepaid Wireless High Speed Internet in the US

High speed Internet can be loosely defined as an Internet connection speed greater than that of a traditional 56k (56,000 bits of data per second) dial-up connection. Providers offer a range of speeds, but an Internet connection generally qualifies as high speed if it can transfer at least 1Mbps (one million bits of data per second). Broadband is a term used interchangeably with "high speed Internet" and refers to the capacity of a high speed connection to transfer numerous streams of data simultaneously.

The term "wireless Internet" makes most people think of the Wi-Fi connectivity hot spots available at restaurants, airports, and other public places. These Wi-Fi hot spots host a radio signal that is generated by a localized cable or DSL modem within a confined radius, similar to a cordless receiver to a phone. Wireless high speed Internet, by contrast, provides similar wireless Internet access in virtually any location. Wireless high speed Internet is carried by cellular signals and may be accessed wherever such service is available, in the same manner as a cellular phone.

Wireless high speed Internet is available using a special antenna that connects to a notebook computer via a USB port or card slot. These peripheral antennae are available from wireless Internet providers for a fee additional to the cost of prepaid service. When someone prepays for wireless high speed Internet, she purchases an amount of data (ex. 100 megabytes). As she surfs the Internet, checks email, etc., the provider subtracts the amount of data from the prepaid amount until it reaches zero.

Prepaid wireless Internet service is available in the U.S. from virtually any cellular communications provider. As with service for cellular phones, the quality of wireless Internet service can vary from provider to provider and from region to region. It is advisable to research different providers, the costs they charge for prepaid access packages, and the type of wireless network they maintain (ex. providers that offer GSM tend to have wider service areas). Some U.S.-based provider information is listed in the "Resources" section below.