Welcome to the Product Spotlight -- a continuing series of articles highlighting individual products commonly used by our members.

In The Spotlight: EV-DO: Sprint Mobile Broadband vs. Verizon BroadbandAccess
Previously:
• Verizon FiOS Spotlight
• HughesNet Satellite Spotlight
• Optimum Online Spotlight
• Comcast HSI Spotlight
• Clearwire Wireless Internet Spotlight

See also: US Broadband Price Comparisons

Two of the big names when it comes to EV-DO service, specifically the EV-DO Rev. 0 and Rev. A variants, are Sprint with its Mobile Broadband and Verizon's BroadbandAccess service. In this Product Spotlight we will take a look at the two telco giants' EV-DO plans and service, and compare them head to head.

We won't be delving into the technical aspects of EV-DO, but instead concentrating primarily on comparing the services head to head. First, a little background info on EV-DO is warranted.

Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data Only (abbreviated as EV-DO, EVDO, or EV) is a part of the CDMA2000 family of telecommunications standards for the wireless transmission of data, typically for broadband Internet access. It employs multiplexing techniques such as CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) as well as Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) to maximize the amount of data transmitted.

The technology has been adopted by many mobile phone service providers around the world –- particularly those previously employing CDMA networks, as opposed to GSM networks. The EV-DO feature of CDMA2000 networks provides mobile devices with speeds of up to 2.4 Mbit/s with EV-DO Rev. 0 and up to 3.1 Mbit/s with EV-DO Rev. A. There is a Rev. B variant that is seeing some renewed interest of late, but it is more likely to be used for incremental improvements, rather than as a basis for strategic, next-generation services.


EV-DO Rev.'s 0 & A are an evolution of 1xRTT technology, which has a maximum speed of 144 kbps, but real world speeds are closer to 60 - 80 kbps. Both Verizon and Sprint have been offering 1xRTT for quite some time, and the service is considerably widespread. Therefore, if you are not in an area serviced by EV-DO, chances are you are relegated to the older, slower 1xRTT service.

Unlike other "1x" standards, EV-DO only addresses data -- not voice. It requires a dedicated slice of spectrum, separate from voice networks using standards such as 1xRTT. EV-DO provides data rates over 10 times faster than 1xRTT. Although EV-DO does not include voice capability natively, Rev. A is fast enough to support VoIP technology at service levels equal or better to 1xRTT voice technology.

While 1xRTT service is fairly widespread at this point, EV-DO is still being heavily deployed by both Sprint and Verizon, and it is now possible to get EV-DO service from both telcos in most major cities and surrounding areas as they constantly upgrade service areas from 1xRTT to EV-DO Rev. 0 and Rev. A capability. To see if EV-DO is available in your area, you can check out coverage maps from Sprint serviced areas here, or Verizon serviced areas here.

Both companies warn that coverage maps only give a general idea and are not entirely accurate, although Sprint's coverage locator tool must be mentioned as the better of the two. You can check coverage right down to street level, and even see where future towers are planned. To be sure, though, it's best to talk to a representative at your local Verizon or Sprint vendor. Another good place to check for EV-DO coverage can be found here.

Broadband Access is a very good choice for those than travel and need access from remote locations or don't want to connect thru a WiFi hotspot of unknown security. »Review of Verizon BroadbandAccess by Sniper3142

Verizon's BroadbandAccess plan can be used as an add-on with a qualifying VerizonWireless voice plan at $59.99/month with a 1- or 2-year contract. However, if you use the service without a voice plan, it will cost you a hefty $79.99/month. There are taxes and fees that apply to your usage. According to the calling plan information, they are:

• Activation Fee/line: $35, except $25 for $59.99 BroadbandAccess Plan
• Early Termination Fee: Up to $175 per line.
• Tolls, taxes, surcharges and other fees, such as E911 and gross receipt charges, vary by market and as of July 1, 2007, add between 4% and 34% to your monthly bill in addition to your monthly access fees and airtime charges.
• Monthly Federal Universal Service Charge on interstate & international telecom charges (varies quarterly based on FCC rate) is 11% per line.
• Monthly Regulatory Charge (subject to change) is 4¢ per line.
• Monthly Administrative Charge (subject to change) is 70¢ per line.
• The Federal Universal Service, Regulatory and Administrative Charges are Verizon Wireless charges, not taxes. For more details on these charges, call 1–888–684–1888.

Note that in the Terms of Service (ToS), Verizon says the service does not have a monthly MB allowance or pay-as-you-go billing. However, they do place restrictions on the service:The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) also states they do "periodically" monitor the service:These policies are apparently carried out on a regular basis, as evidenced in this review:Verizon claims average download speeds of 600 Kbps – 1.4 Mbps and average upload speeds of 500 Kbps – 800 Kbps for the service. Most reviews give speeds within this range, unless they run into an area with 1xRTT service (no EV-DO available). It should be mentioned, however, that it is possible for cell towers to become overloaded, particularly during prime time, resulting in higher latency and a drop in speeds -- sometimes significant.

You may connect to the service in a variety of ways -- tethering your phone (providing it works with EV-DO service and you have a qualifying plan), using a card for your laptop or a USB modem. It is possible to network your house using a 3G router such as the Linksys WRT54G3G-ST, Kyocera KR-1 or D-Link DIR-450. Or you can use a card in one of your PCs and use a regular wireless router or ICS.

Though you can get a good price on a card or modem if you buy a bundle plan (some even give you a free card), the standalone price of the cards and modems can be hefty, and some reviewers suggest grabbing a card or modem off of eBay to cut the cost a bit. A great place to read up on the various methods of connecting, and the hardware itself, can be found here.

According to some reviews, using a USB modem will give you better speeds:This review provides an excellent example of what you can expect overall from the service -- speeds, cost and latency (USB modem used).

Speeds are sitting around 1.3 to 1.5 Mbps d/l and about 800k upload. Nice so far. Order at store, painless. Install, simple. Use, easy. Using a 5750 OC card, pop it in and off you go. No issues so far. »Review of Verizon BroadbandAccess by CopperMux

By most accounts, set-up is usually very easy both for PC card and USB modem. Of course, there is the occasional exception.

Most reviews also cite the reliability of the service, both as a primary access in case of unavailability of a better option (ie. only dial-up or satellite available) and as a back-up service. However, Verizon's EV-DO is cited most in reviews for people who travel a lot for business purposes (also, to a lesser extent, casual travelers who want easy Internet access on the road).

The biggest downside are the speeds, the "unlimited" limitations and the price -- especially if you go without voice. Another downside is the inherent latency which can prevent proper use of VoIP. It also makes gaming tough in some cases -- though this problem does improve somewhat with EV-DO Rev. A (as opposed to Rev. 0 service). It is recommended that you get the voice/data bundle if possible if you want the service.

Surprisingly, there seems to be very little complaint about tech and customer service in the reviews left here on Broadbandreports.com. Perhaps that is due to ease of use, as it is pretty much plug and go once your service is activated.


Next, we'll explore Sprint's EV-DO plans and service.

I have done a lot of research before making my choice to select Sprint, but in many aspects it was a very good decision. If you are going to use the data in an "Rev. A" coverage area, you will be greatly surprised on how well the network performs. »Review of Sprint Mobile Broadband by secerbegovic

As mentioned above, you may check availability (or future availability) using Sprint's excellent service locator tool. By many accounts, Sprint's network coverage is much better than Verizon's. Installation seems to be relatively painless, with most reporting order-to-live times of one day.

Sprint Mobile Broadband comes in two (official) flavors: a $39.99 plan with a 40MB monthly usage limit and a $59.99 unlimited plan. Both require a two-year contract, no exceptions. With such a commitment, it is advisable to make sure you truly need/want the service.

The good news is that you do have a 30-day trial period, during which time, if you are not satisfied with the service, you may return your equipment without paying the termination fee (up to $200 for each line/number terminated early). You will be billed for access and airtime charges accrued on your account through the deactivation date. There is a fee of up to $36 for new activations, certain service plan changes or upgrades of phones or devices. However, it looks like if you order online the activation fee is waived, and you get free shipping.

There is a semi-secret third option and an unofficial fourth option: the Sprint SERO plan and ordering service through Millenicom.com.

Sprint SERO is the semi-secret Sprint Employee Referral Offer. It is a special store where you can get discounts and special offers on plans, hardware and accessories -- if you know the magic password (wink wink) to get into the store. Relevant to this article, you can find the unlimited EV-DO plan at $49.99 (as opposed to the regular $59.99) plus the discounted prices on PC cards or modems, such as the S720 (arguably the best EVDO Revision A card currently available PCMCIA wise) for $100. A nice deal.

Millenicom.com is a Sprint EV-DO reseller. You can get Sprint EV-DO service for $49.99 a month with no fees, taxes or contracts if you are in an area they service. You can also get a PX-500 for free or Novatel U720 for $49.99, which is also a good deal if you qualify.

As with Verizon, taxes and fees do apply (excepting the Millenicom deal):Again, there are several ways of connecting to Sprint Mobile Broadband -- via phone-as-modem, PC card and wireless modem. You can find lots of good information on the different types of hardware here. Also, as mentioned above with Verizon, it is possible to network your house using a 3G router such as the ones mentioned above (Linksys WRT54G3G-ST, Kyocera KR-1 or D-Link DIR-450), or using the wireless router behind a PC with a card or ICS method.

Unlike Verizon, there appears to be no real restrictions on usage. It also appears gaming and Skype-type software is possible, and can be used without too much trouble. Several reviews refer to these conditions:

Verizon has advertised "unlimited data" for their EVDO, yet terminated many customers for going over some imaginary "abuse" bandwidth limit. On top of this they charged those customers they terminated the "early termination fee." I've watched HOURS and HOURS of my Tivo via Slingbox and EVDO with Sprint and have yet to ever get any such letter - nor have I heard of anyone else being terminated from Sprint for such things. »Review of Sprint Mobile Broadband by SprintNextel

Speeds are, for the most part, reported to be as promised, and most reviewers report being very satisfied with the speeds they receive. Again, your speeds will likely vary during the day depending on the number of people using your tower and whether you're getting Rev. A or Rev.0 (or 1xRTT) signal.

While the service itself seems to be very good, the only real knock on Sprint Mobile Broadband, according to reviews, is in the customer service area, specifically billing and account set-up.

The glitches in the sales and billing departments are evidenced in this review:This review echoes the sentiment of problems with billing, despite the satisfactory performance of the service itself:The problems with tech support seem to have the same hit or miss average as many other ISPs.

Another item that makes Sprint's service a bit more enticing is the prospect of faster speeds. Sprint and Clearwire Wireless announced a partnership a little while ago to spend about $5 billion building out a WiMax service dubbed "Xohm." Sprint demonstrated the service for a select company in Chicago last month. The demonstration offered attendees 2425Kbps/1474Kbps speeds with a 99ms ping while journalists and execs were in motion (the presentation was a river cruise) and 3229Kbps/1500Kbps up with a 70ms ping while docked.

Unlike 3G wireless services, which are targeted at mobile users needing a quick broadband fix, Sprint plans to take on the DSL/cable duopoly with Xohm. Sprint execs have stated that the price tag will be somewhere around $50/month. Sprint says the company won't force customers of their Xohm WiMax service to sign contracts in order to subsidize the cost of hardware.

In other words, you will be paying full price for your WiMax cards, but you won't be locked into long-term deals. That means the company won't have early termination fees, either. Xohm was originally scheduled to launch in Chicago, Washington, DC and Baltimore by the end of 2007, but availability has now been pushed back to March or April 2008. A nationwide rollout will follow, with the service available in major US markets by the end of 2008.

However, although the launch is officially still on the record as a go, the venture has been rocked by the recent departure of Sprint CEO Gary Forsee. The departure has set off a growing controversy not only for the company, with some analysts now calling the WiMax venture "an unnecessary and dangerous diversion for the company" with speculation that investors will call on the new CEO to put the brakes on the project, but for the case of deploying WiMax in general.

If Sprint and Clearwire can get Xohm off the ground, it would provide an excellent competitor to available services, and an absolute boon to those with few high speed Internet alternatives. This is something to keep a close eye on as the story develops.


Before we get to the summary and results of this service comparison, it is worth going over some recommended EV-DO tips and tweaks that may help you receive the best performance from your respective service.

First up is a very simple tip: placement. As with other wireless services, you may have to fiddle with the placement of your modem/card/router to get the best possible signal if you are using EV-DO to connect at your residence. This is where having a 3G router comes in very handy, as you can set the router in the area where you get the strongest signal (like a window facing the tower, etc.).

There are also various tweaks you can make to your router and software to help boost your speeds. This post in our Sprint Mobile Broadband Forum gives several great tips on tweaks you can perform to your setup. Another long but worthwhile read on various tweaks can be found here at the EVDOForums.com website.

Also worth noting is that there are many choices in hardware (antennas, etc.) that can boost reception and give you more satisfactory performance from your service, although these can get to be pretty expensive. There is a good piece found here that discusses the pros and cons of using outdoor antennas to increase signal, which kind of antenna is best for a given situation and whether or not a signal amplifier is needed. This quote from the piece sums up the use of antennas nicely:
Another good place to read some tips on EV-DO equipment can be found here.

You can check out some home-brew wireless antenna setups (with pics) right here on BBR in this thread from our Sprint Mobile Broadband Forum. There are some pretty creative DIY antenna ideas you can employ that might save you from having to shell out some hefty bucks for a commercial antenna. A post in the thread points to this site, which tells you how to make your own DIY "cantenna" on the cheap. You can also use an old satellite dish to help improve reception.


The bottom line for Verizon BroadbandAccess is that, according to reviews, the service itself is really not that bad (only 5 negative reviews out of 36 total and a 69% satisfaction rating). However, the high price of non-bundled service (and the limitations placed upon it) pretty much relegate it primarily to business class consumers in the field who have Verizon voice service and want high speed access for basic surfing and e-mail while traveling.

As a backup service, it's worth it only if you have a qualifying $59.99 plan (and still a hefty price to pay for a backup service). It's also a desperate option for those who have no other high speed Internet choice. Users should note that because of the limitations, it's really not much better than satellite service.

I'd give it 3.5 bars out of 5 for traveling or in-the-field business users who have voice bundled, and 2 bars out of 5 for those who, unfortunately, must use Verizon EV-DO as their primary means of access (again mainly due to the limitations placed on you by Verizon). I give it 1 bar out of 5 if, for some ungodly reason, you use the service without a qualifying voice plan -- $79.99 is just a ridiculous price to pay for the speeds, availability, reliability and limitations Verizon imposes -- Rev. A or not.


The bottom line is that Sprint Mobile Broadband has an awful lot of advantages when compared to Verizon BroadbandAccess. Reviews for the service are very good - only 7 negatives out of 106, with a 76% satisfaction rating, garnering a BBR Silver Star Award. Prices, while still on the expensive side for the speeds, are definitely more favorable than Verizon. You can get a data plan for the same prices you can get a voice/data bundle -- making the service an attractive alternative as a primary means of access for those with little high speed Internet service choice. It also can be up to $30 a month cheaper than data-only service from Verizon.

The second big advantage for Sprint Mobile Broadband is the truly unlimited nature of the service. You can game, stream and Skype all you like (if your signal is good enough) and Sprint apparently won't go after you. That said, bandwidth hogging might be a problem in some areas and lower your speed/affect latency during prime time. Another advantage for Sprint is that it is more tweakable than Verizon's service (though that is being worked on). Sprint seems to have more reliable service and also better coverage due to roaming agreements with other providers like Alltel.

Last but not least is the intriguing possibility (and potential) of Sprint's Xohm WiMax service. If Sprint rides out the waves caused by the departure of CEO Gary Forsee and gets Xohm off the ground, they will have a true wireless broadband alternative geared towards consumers, not just business users. As it is, Sprint Mobile Broadband gets 4 out of 5 bars for business users and for consumers who have to use the service as a primary means of access if there is no other choice besides dial-up/satellite or who want portable, unlimited service with close to true broadband speeds.


If you've been paying any kind of attention to this comparison of the EV-DO big shots, then you will have already come to the conclusion that it's not even close. Just in case you missed it, here's a short list of the main points:

• Price:
Verizon: $59.99 with a voice plan, but $79.99 without one. One- or two-year contract required.
Sprint: $59.99 with no need for a voice plan; $49.99 with Sprint SERO or through Millenicom.com. Two-year contract required if ordered through Sprint proper; no contract through Millenicom.com.

• Limitations (or lack there-of):
Verizon claims unlimited usage, but in reality slaps you with a 5GB per month cap, plus prohibits use of the service for anything but basic surfing and e-mail, and will terminate your service if you violate their unlimited limitation caps. On the other hand, Sprint truly has no usage limitations, as attested to by many reviews.

• Coverage:
By most accounts, Sprint's EV-DO coverage is much better than Verizon's.

• Speeds:
This one is actually pretty close. However, Sprint's speeds are by most accounts more reliable with better latency. Gaming and streaming is very possible on Sprint's network, while if you do manage to game or stream on Verizon, they might boot you for doing so.

• Tweakability:
When you get a card from Verizon, there's not really a whole lot you can do to it. Most of the tweaks will have to be done on your computer (TCP receive window, TCP send window, MTU, etc). This, of course, will boost performance. However, you can't customize your Home Address (term used in the cellphone industry that refers to where your call/data pass through) like you can with Sprint, and you cannot lock your card to 1xRTT only or EV-DO only as you can with Sprint.

• Potential:
Although troubled at the moment, the possibility of Xohm, Sprint's WiMax service, would raise the speed bar at the right price (estimated to be around $50 a month), plus no contract -- making it a true alternative for primary residential access. Verizon has no such plans to improve the service -- just expand what they have already while keeping the limitations and higher price.

It must be taken into account that EV-DO mobile broadband, for now, is best used for business/business travel or for those who are on the road frequently. Both Verizon users and Sprint users agree that EV-DO should be used as a primary residential service only if no better option, such as cable or DSL is available, unless, as mentioned before, you want portable broadband with close-to-true broadband speeds. Sprint, with its cheaper and unlimited service, is the obvious choice for this function.

Despite the glitches in billing, Sprint Mobile Broadband wins this head-to-head EV-DO service comparison hands down and running away.


Our Resources
· Wireless ISP Users Forum
. Sprint Mobile Broadband Forum
. Verizon BroadbandAccess User Reviews
· Sprint Mobile Broadband User Reviews
. EV-DO Tweaks and Tuning Thread
. Provider Ratings Chart

Other Resources
· VerizonWireless Home Page
. Sprint Home Page
. PhoneScoop.com Glossary
. EVDOForums.com
. EVDOInfo.com
. EVDOMaps.com

* Special thanks to BBR member Fox McCloud