Verizon debuts MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO router

by Paul Miller posted May 6th 2009 at 6:40PM

It was hardly a secret 'round these parts, but Verizon Wireless is finally ready to confess to that MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot we've heard so much about. Like the Novatel unit it's based on, the device harbors 802.11b/g and EV-DO Rev. A radios, and can share a 3G Verizon connection with up to five different WiFi devices simultaneously. Battery life is pegged at four hours of active use, and 40 hours of standby on a single charge. Data plans include a $40 monthly subscription for 250MB and 10 cents per MB overages, or $60 for 5GB and half the overages price. If you want to forgo the subscription and pay full-price for the MiFi, you can pick up a 24 hour "DayPass" for $15 -- any way you slice it, you'll be paying good money for the privilege of using the thing. The MiFi 2200 itself hits stores May 17th, and will run you $100 after a $50 rebate.

Filed under: Peripherals, Others, EV-DO, CDMA

Tags: 3g hotspot, 3g router, 3gHotspot, 3gRouter, breaking news, BreakingNews, ev-do, ev-do router, Ev-doRouter, hotspot, mifi, mifi 2200, Mifi2200, mobile 3g router, mobile hotspot, Mobile3gRouter, MobileHotspot, novatel, verizon, verizon wireless, VerizonWireless

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

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carcomptoy @ May 6th 2009 7:41PM

What's full price?

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Enigma @ May 6th 2009 7:51PM

Is this new pricing going to apply to air cards too? and thus Tethering 5cents/10cents /MB instead of 25 cents or is it 50?

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VZWinsider @ May 6th 2009 8:17PM

As far as i know they may be different pricing.. I reported it to this site and BGR, but apparently they dont give a crap about vzw
enough to report it.. I sure hope phonearena likes the roadmap I'm going to send them.

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SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ May 6th 2009 9:25PM

do these prices sound good to people? i mean $60 a month for 5GB of data? if i pay that much a month, i want to be able to do more than look at a couple emails and watch a couple YouTube videos. i mean i consider myself a "power user" so i may do more on the internet than the average person (music, streaming on Hulu, testing various new programs) but any way i slice it $40 for 250MB and $60 for 5GB seems like a HUGE rip off. i pay about $40 a month now for a 5GB data plan on my smartphone which i tether on my laptop for free using a 3rd party program and even that seems a tad on the pricey side to me considering my home broadband internet is unlimited for about $35 a month. maybe i'm just a cheap ass but does anyone else think this seems like a big rip off or am i in the minority?

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chris @ May 7th 2009 2:06AM

Verizon a.k.a ripoffzon

Highly Ranked

Enigma @ May 7th 2009 12:22PM

Let's see you drag your DSL/Cable internet connection and have coverage in even 10% of the blue EVDO coverage on verizon's maps. Until then... Why don't people get the point that, the advantage to EVDO / tethering that you can TAKE IT TO A LOT MORE PLACES than DSL will ever take you, or WiFi for that matter.

Try driving and maintain a WiFi connection at 65mph. Lasts literally what 2 seconds, almost long enough to auth...... drop

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SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread - XBL: SoCoolCurt) @ May 7th 2009 2:28PM

@ Enigma

did you read my post at all? i'm just saying that mobile internet costs so much more than regular internet for so much less stuff. i tether through my laptop using my smartphone.

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MadtownTim @ May 6th 2009 10:16PM

Other than the overage, it's the same pricing as the air cards. They are not meant for power users though you can watch quite a bit of streamed video for 5gb a month. But if you're downloading music, stick with your cable/DSL connection.

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M Schenkel @ May 11th 2009 1:49PM

The reason wireless broadband is much more expensive is because the bandwidth isn't there. If it is was, then you would see a ton of people switching from fixed wire cable modem to these wireless solutions. Hence the price has to be higher to balance demand with supply.

I work with a company called RovAir (http://www.rovair.com). We rent wireless aircards and other wireless products. I agree, the prices are inline with the corresponding data plans on phones and the aircard plans. Perhaps Verizon is more expensive than other carriers, but their coverage, especially in more remote areas, is by far more extensive.

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skyboxer @ May 14th 2009 3:14AM

I use verizon wireless service for my home internet connection because otherwise I would be using dialup. This sounds like a neat idae as I would be able to just use Wifi in my laptop instead of dragging the USB card around. Also I should be able to use my TMO blackberry in Wifi mode. If I end up with this thing I'll even try to make a UMA call before never doing it again due to overage concerns. I hate spending that much on internet but don't really have a choice right now.

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