formeat
join:2002-03-23
Phoenix, AZ
1 edit | Any experience with Cricket Wireless Broadband?
Can anyone provide feedback on Cricket's $40.00/month Wireless Broadband service? They began advertising this heavily in the Las Vegas NV area last weekend. It uses a small USB plug-in modem.
I'm curious about the real cost of start-up ("requires new activation AND up to a $25 activation fee"), the true monthly cost ("taxes and fees extra"), and some of their disclaimers:
* Throughput may be limited if use exceeds 5GB per month.
* Internet browsing does not include, "Machine-to-machine connections, "Peer to peer (P2P) connections."
They state that there's no contract term, no security deposit, and no "carrier's" early termination fee.
I'd just want it for home use, and to save a few bucks over the $52/mo I currently shell out for cable broadband.
Thanks! |
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Max Signal
Premium
join:2008-03-07
Buffalo, NY | I heard there is a 2.5 gig monthly limit and they are using EVDO Rev. 0 devices , that is all I know
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www.MaximumSignal.Net |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
 ·Comcast
 ·Qwest.net
 ·magicjack.com
 ·BeeCreek Communica..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| reply to formeat
Max Signal, nope and nope...
Here's a thread that might help ya,
»howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1378641
Anyway, there is a 5GB per month limit, looks to be a soft cap though, on their service. EvDO Rev. A is overlaid on most of their network at is EvDO...which isn't all of it still...
Speeds look to be about 1 Mbit down, 300 kbit up. You may be able to get 1200/500 though, with one person reporting 1400/900 right across from a tower.
The cost of startup is the cost of the modem plus the activation fee, though you might be able to waive the latter. So $150 or so after taxes and the mail-in rebate on the modem.
Taxes and fees should be minimal since we're talking about a data connection and not a voice one...just a few bucks per month on top of your $40. Though they could be more if CricKet wants to gouge...though if I remember correctly your state has very little in the vein of cellular taxes so you should pay pretty close to that $40.
And yes, they have no contracts, deposits or ETFs and you can take your modem anywhere CricKet has coverage and still have internet, though again in some places it will be quite slow (a few times faster than dialup) due to their not rolling out EvDO everywhere.
The bottom line is, before you commit to getting the card, make double-sure you have a good CricKet signal where you'll be using the modem. Vegas is a new market so this may or may not be the case. Then use a usage tracking program to make sure you aren't using more than 5GB of data per month.
Then check your cable company and see if they have a lower-priced tier that is around 1 Mbit down and 384k up (what you'll get from CricKet more than likely...though speeds may lessen on CricKet over time due to tower loading) and if so you probably want to go with that.
If they don't, check for DSL with the same qualifications...you *should* be able to get 1.5 Mbit DSL (faster than CricKet would be) for a lower price than what you'd pay for the mobile service.
In short, if you already have a high speed connection you'd be saving maybe $10 a month...though you'd only be doing so after amortizing the cost of the modem, which would take well over a year. You'd have a slower connection, with higher latency (though it shouldn't be prohibitively high so as to make gaming\VoIP impossible) that what your cableco is providing you, and you'd want to keep under the 5 GB a month limit, which I personally can't do.
The big draw of CricKet's mobile high speed internet is...well...mobility, though. So if you are willing to make those tradeoffs to get a service that you can use anywhere CricKet has service (which isn't exactly anywhere...they're focused on large cities and *maybe* the corridors between them) then the service will be good for you. But I wouldn't dump cable for CricKet Mobile Broadband just 'cuz it's cheaper. In that case, you should dump cable for DSL...or ask for a lower cable speed tier. |
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formeat
join:2002-03-23
Phoenix, AZ
| Thanks! I really appreciate your detailed reply. It perfectly illustrates how valuable this site is, and the depth of knowledge it's users have.
It'd be great to find a cheaper Internet connection than my current $52/month, especially being I'm not hosting sites or using major bandwidth. And I don't really need wireless or mobility, either. But my connection has always been stable, and with speeds about 50% better than advertised. Obviously, no connection at any price is cost effective if it's unstable.
I've thought of switching to DSL, but now that I'm using MagicJack, I don't need someone elses phone service. And that in itself drives the cost right back up to what I'm currently paying.
I'll keep looking for a cheaper alternative, but it just doesn't seem like there are any out there. |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
·Comcast
·Qwest.net
·magicjack.com
·BeeCreek Communica..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Yeah, I have ideas about a nationwide unlicensed WiMax carrier but it'll be ahile before that gets to Vegas 
Again, if you like VoIP you *could* use it over CricKet MBB but the quality wouldn't be as great. |
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Cyclone971
@coxomaha.net | reply to formeat
Look at KeyOn Communications, a local WISP.
$25 a month for 1.5/128k. No bandwidth limit, and a fairly good city coverage.
www.keyon.com - 866-276-3300 |
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Bob09
@choiceone.net | reply to formeat
From what I've seen in Syracuse, it's a well built network. Problem is their service area is tiny. They could be one of the leaders with the right management. There was talk of them getting in bed with Sprint but I think that died. |
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dak2002
join:2005-09-21
Bakersfield, CA
| reply to iansltx
Well I live in salt lake city, ut and this is my first day. Speeds are not good but they work just fine. 300kb/s and 100 kb/s up. Still need to do more testing. Also the slot 2 type card is being recall and i was one of them who used it and never worked. The usb card works fine but 60 more dollars is not fun. It works good for me i stream radio to my car stero. Anyways i'll update if i feel like it. |
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MarcusVegas
@level3.net
| reply to formeat
I just got the cricket broadband usb modem today for my laptop. It is not as fast as the cable modem that I have for my desktop but it is faster than some of the other cards like the one that I used to use by tmobile. It uses the EV-DO network. So depending on where you are it may not be as fast as the 3G-networks. I love the soft cap of 5gb. This means that I do not have to keep track of my data usage. I went into the store over on Raibow in Las Vegas and out the door the total including activation and card insurance was 148 dollars. You also get a 50 mail-in rebate. The monthly bill it about 48 dollars including taxes. But the best thing i love is that i get relative broadband service with no contract. |
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quantoson
@direcpc.com
| reply to formeat
read this before buying. cricket is nothing more than what is available already thru other carriers.
»blogs.lvcitylife.com/cityblog/20···ing-area
I know a person that actually bought the laptop connection, and she states that if she is more than 6 miles from the center of Las Vegas, there is no broadband connection. The ad is totally bogus. |
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hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH
·Time Warner Cable
·buckeye cable
| reply to formeat
Cricket is a MAJOR MVNO with Sprint. Most of their network is just resold Sprint which is how fast they turn their networks on and the EVDO-A. Why build a network when Sprint will lease you theirs. Also doesn't the 5Gigs a month cap sound like Sprint? Also Cricket does have nationwide coverage now if you have that on your plan but limited to 200 minutes per month (on the Sprint network again)
Once in a while depending on your area you can actually pick up Cricket's 611 from a Sprint phone-well at least here you can. |
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FOR YOUR INFO
@utah.edu
| reply to formeat
Get the card online or by calling cricket's toll free number directly and you can get the pcmcia card for free or the usb for $59 (both after mail in rebate).
»www.mycricket.com/broadband?se=m···ycricket |
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mcoan
join:2002-07-29
Taos, NM
| reply to formeat
So, I just returned from the Cricket kiosk at my local shopping mall. They had a notebook set up with a PC card. I went to www.speedtest.net and got a recommendation of using a server in Kansas City (I'm in Santa Fe; Denver and el Paso are closer, but whatever). I got 400K. I asked where the anntenas are because maybe I'll be closer. Didn't know. Walked away...there went the only "unlimited" option available.
Meanwhile, over at Verizon's store, I got 768K dl. Was fourth in line; store was packed. Went next to Sprint, where they had two people helping about 20 customers and didn't have a computer set up with wireless broadband. Walked out.
Verizon or Wildblue? |
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iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Golden, CO
·Comcast
·Qwest.net
·magicjack.com
·BeeCreek Communica..
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
| Millenicom.
Find a computer with a PCMCIA card slot in it. Then order a Pantech PX500 on eBay for ~$20. Activate on Millenicom, put the card in the computer and see how it goes. If it works, keep the card or upgrade to a USB modem. If not, you can probably sell your outfit to someone else. |
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pappychuilo
join:2008-09-14
Mcallen, TX
| reply to formeat
I have cricket and the service sucks!!!! NEVER use cricket!!! they have the worst tech support and they lie about everything, they said I would get high speed, but my download is 120 and upload 38 so there is my point. If you want scammed and frustrated then go ahead and get cricket. |
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Dan knugg
@level3.net
| reply to formeat
I have had the usb card for about a week I live in Tulsa Ok and get about 300-400 down and 100 up. With my sprint phone I get 1mb to 1.2 down 100 up and no limit. The other gay thing about cricket is they block all ports your connects go through a NAT. So no FTP no Good online games NO torrents or any peer 2 peer. They really limit you and sprint blocks no ports and its fast enough to play alot of online games and for downloads. Also better coverage. If you have a sprint phone you get PAM for $40 a month and its at least 2x the service. with a connection cards its $50 a month but its alot faster. In some areas sprint has rev.a which gets 5mb down 1 up! |
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MadMike
@qwest.net
| reply to formeat
Living in Phoenix, when I moved my new home did not have DSl or cable available.
I got the cricket USB modem about 2 weeks ago. Pretty painless at the store, about 140 bucks out the door (modem, service and activation) which includes 1 month of service and I get a 50 buck mail in rebate.
Probably wont see the rebate as it requires 45 days continuous service from the activation date and taking into account the last 2 weeks have been the worst of my online years.
First on the positive, since it is a short topic. Cheap, no contracts...great for quick email checking or instant messengers...but heaven help you if you want to downlaod attachments, as a 1.5 meg file took almost 2 hours and then failed to complete. You can get used to that though, as it is a crap shoot if it will downlaod and if it will be usable once it does.
The surfing speeds are mediocre...but straight attachment download speeds are horrible, getting to a real body or voice on the cricket support lines is like trying to talk one on pne to the president. WHen I say slow, often times the modem simply sits idling (no data transfer) and they have a nifty utility that shows you real time the transfer speeds. My first call to tech support using the number that came with the equipment netted me the knowledge that is the wrong tech number, so they gave me another one that rang to some recorded message. Calling teh original number back I got placed on hold and finally had my call transferred to some finance guy who was equally urprised at my tech question as I was he answerd, He could not transfer me so yet agin I call back and FINALLY got a gal that semed knowledgable.
My signal strength at my office is 100% and after checking several things and reinstalling the modem and software she bailed and said an engineer would have to contact me. She asked for a good time to have them call, I answered right now and she said 24-48 hours...well it was the 48 before tehy called and were no help....they were going to send a signal van out to my address and test the tower and that was the last I heard from them over a week ago.
Did I mention the first lady I actually got from tech support had me shutdown my anti virus and firewall to test and of course I got nailed and my IE7 is now hosed along with XP doing some lovely things.
So I think the card basically is crap, the service of cricket is non existant and mine goes back tomorrow so I am sure getting a full refund of all my money will be a battle right up to the point I call my credit card company and dispute the charge if necessary. |
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formeat
join:2002-03-23
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to formeat
Thanks to everyone who has responded so far.
From what I’m reading, Cricket is not an alternative to my current service. The only thing they’re good for is reading e-mail (without attachments), and I can do that at the local library for free. They are a perfect example of a company that starts with a business model, and then minimizes the product before handing it over to marketing for introduction. They got as close as possible to selling something that is outright defective.
But the way Cricket suddenly appeared here shows the HUGE market seeking a lower cost alternative to Cox (cable) and Embarq (DSL) in Las Vegas. One day they didn’t exist, and the next day every third commercial on TV was for their, “$40.00 per month Internet service.” And how threatened was Cox by this competition? They actually raised their price! No company in a TRUE free market has that kind of confidence or audacity.
It proves that if someone were to offer basic Internet service with an acceptable download speed and WITHOUT implementing every possible way to make the service USELESS, they’d have customers lining up.
Huge instant customer base available! Big profits! Any takers? Anyone? Hello? |
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jullom
@comcast.net | reply to formeat
Can someone tell me if using a Cricket broadband USB modem would change my IP address?
Thanks. |
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lollollol
@level3.net
| ------------------------------------------------------
* Jullom asked (Can someone tell me if using a Cricket broadband USB modem would change my IP address?)
nawww ALL isp's use the same ip range..LOL
In other words.. YES, of course, a different isp means a different ip address. duhhrrr... lol....
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* Dan knugg - says no ftp no online gaming....
That means no running your own ftp SERVER or a game SERVER.
My FTP software connected just fine to my online web host.
My online shooting game connected just fine...
My encrypted p2p connected just fine.....
Even TOR connected fine...
*But yes, no one will be able to download from you from p2p. who cares..
and you will be unable to run a game Server..thats hosting the game on your pc, not playing online on someone elses server.
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WHAT FOLKS HERE FAILED TO MENTION:
* It can sometimes be the exact opposite of dial-up...
Instead of waiting on a page "too" load up...
Your waiting on it to send the page back to you..
But once it finally does, it loads up fast for me.
In other words, their page response times can be down right horrible.
Yeah, I'm always happy reloading page after page. Gives me more to do. cool...
So it can be like: You click a link.. it just sits there. still sitting there.. oops.. Page timed out.. Hit reload, page loads right up. That can get very very annoying.
Good old Packet Loss.
but of course, really late, everything works pretty great.
So everyone, please Disconnect from cricket at night. 
Like right now.. in the A.M. it's working real good..
I think I'll play an online game now...
an Online game on different servers:
180-245 ping - playable for me.. same as dial-up.
240-480 - during the unusable hours... not very playable.
Although my Dial-up would skyrocket into the thousands with 17 or more players.
so on a good cricket "night". I can play with more players than on my dialup.
* Download Speeds: Are NEVER STEADY..never.
It goes up and down more than a hooker on friday night.lol
Downloading...45kb--goes up to 79kb then back down to 65kb..and so on and so forth.
I downloaded 95MB in 22 minutes..sure beats my dialup.
Downloaded 430mb in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
That would have took 4 days or more on my dialup. lol
* Bandwidth Limit: 5 Gigabytes.
That seems pretty skimpy to me...what you think?
Are there people turning a crank sweating when I download something? NO.. it's all automatic no one does nothing.
Does it make their light bill go up or what?
I'd say 25gigs would be reasonable. heck even 10gigs.
5 just seems to darn skimpy making you watch what you download so your speed don't get cut down.
Websites say I'm from California or Texas, when in fact I'm not. That's probably why webpage requests are slow.. when I click a link it's probably sending the request 5 states over, and then sending the page back to me. So my question is, is page response times superfast in california...lol
* If you run an isp, I would hope to think you would have a main system IN that perticular State.
and not be piggy backing off of your already overloaded networks five states over. o m g.
* But the good news is, I can send and receive text messages without even being connected online.
Yeah, You can txt your buddy and say: Sorry , but I can't play right now, cause it's Lag a lot Hour... LOL...
or txt: If it would send me back the page I could view it...
* Cricket has been here about 20 days.
The first 7 days it was really usable at any hour. very acceptable.. After day seven, uh oh..
time to reload that page cause the network didn't send the page request back.
* UNable to change DNS servers to a better one that's not a thousand miles away. Tried: Wouldn't go to anything then,
So Stuck with their crappy responding dns server. Their dns server is a 486! The 33mhz one.. not the 66mhz one...LOL.
* UNable to set to the right MTU.. cause at least 1 packet fails upon every PING command
no matter what setting you choose or what site your pinging.or what time it is...
thats not very good if you ask me....
and just to note: My signal usually stays at: 96% - 100%
and my pc and browser settings are optimised of course.
*Got NAT?
Websites see: 8.x.x.x. while your adapter reads: 10.x.x.x
and That will be why a Server probably won't work.
* Like using RapidShare?
You'll sometimes get the never before seen...
"Your IP is already downloading a file"
When in fact.. you won't be...
but of course there's ways around that problem...hee hee.
* by all means, if you can get dsl or cable.. run that wire!
* Need mobile for your laptop, get any other service.
Ok, well that about sums it up from my experience with cricket so far.
Oh Wait, I better copy this text in case this page doesn't attempt to load up with the first click .
aww wait.. its in the a.m. everything works good now. |
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