Deal: No Contract Broadband2Go

Virgin Mobile

We’ve seen many mobile broadband solutions enter the market recently, but Virgin Mobile’s solution is unique since you don’t have to sign a contract, pay any activation fees or go through a credit check. On top of that, it gives you unlimited data for $40 (prepaid) a month!

“Many unlimited broadband offerings require a contract or are on networks with limited range, so they don’t meet the need for flexibility or true mobility,” said Neil Lindsay, chief marketing officer, Virgin Mobile USA. “The introduction of Virgin Mobile’s prepaid unlimited broadband for $40 a month will provide the access you need on a nationwide network without a contract.”

Virgin Mobile recognized early on the value of expanding the mobile broadband market to include nationwide prepaid service with the introduction of the Broadband2Go portfolio last year, and then launched the MiFi device in June. The new $40-a-month plan replaces the previous $20, $40 and $60 plans.

This very affordable plan is a huge deal considering the cheapest mobile broadband plans from other companies typically start at $60 per month, require a two-year contract and sometimes come with a 5GB monthly data limit. With the exception of Virgin Mobile’s plan, unlimited data plans are seemingly fading away.

Operating on the Sprint Nationwide Network and developed in conjunction with Novatel Wireless, Virgin Mobile offers two different mobile broadband devices as part of the Broadband2Go portfolio – the Ovation MC760 and MiFi 2200. The Ovation is a USB device that connects to your laptop, and the MiFi is a wireless hotspot that can connect up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices.

In addition to the wonderful $40 plan, if you only need a little data, you can pay $10 for 10 days/100MB (perfect if you’re going on a trip and just need to check e-mail). The nice thing about either plan is that you can literally leave your device in the drawer all year and just pay for it the two months out of the year you need it. Also note the Broadband2Go plans are both 3G only.

miCoach

The Ovation MC760 will cost you $80 and the MiFi is $150. Find these at your nearest RadioShack, Best Buy, Boost Mobile or Sprint Store. Additionally, the devices are available online at Walmart.com, Target.com, BestBuy.com or VirginMobileUSA.com.

Click Chick’s Mobile App of the Week: miCoach

With five more pounds to shed to reach my pre-pregnancy weight and the Honolulu Marathon right around the corner, I’ve recently started doing longer training runs. To assist me with tracking my progress, I just began using Adidas’ miCoach app for the iPhone. This app basically turns your iPhone into a personal trainer and uses real-time voice coaching to pace you through training runs.

As you first launch miCoach, you are prompted to create an Adidas miCoach account. It asks for some information such as your weight and height. You can then tell it what type of workout you’ll be doing, then choose a playlist to listen to on your iTunes.

While running, you’ll hear a voice coach give you updates on your distance, pace and the total time you’ve run so far.

When I’m not running with my training group, this is a great tool to stop me from being lazy and

keep my feet going. miCoach is an iPhone-only app, and you can find it for free from the iTunes App Store.