Sprint Adds 3G Modem Option to New Simply Everything Plan
I guess that Sprint’s Simply Everything wasn’t exactly everything after all. It’s now the Simply Everything And More Until We Add Something Else plan. 
OK, it’s really the Simply Everything + Mobile Broadband plan and it’s $149.99 a month. Sprint builds upon the $99 Simply Everything plan by throwing in an EV-DO service for your computer at an extra $50 per month. Simply Everything includes unlimited text, picture and video messaging, GPS navigation, email and web surfing on a handset.
This a slight savings over a 3G modem plan alone, which normally costs $60 a month or so. You don’t really get unlimited 3G usage on either your phone or on the modem, as the TOS of both allow for 5GB per month. Who’s this for, then? Folks that can’t or won’t tether their 3G phone for modem use. Maybe that’s not a bad thing since a 3G phone using EV-DO like those from Sprint and Verizon can’t handle data and voice conversations simultaneously.
Sprint has the details on a special “no wires” themed site. They’re currently throwing in a free Sierra Wireless 598U USB modem as part of the deal.
So what you’re saying is it’s the Sprint Walk Talk and Chew Gum at the Same Time Plan(tm).
The luxury-item price shows how much we are in need of a more universal system, whether it’s provided by governments, by Google, or by an consortium of companies.
Is any of the bailout money going to help provide wide-area wireless internet?
This isn’t new, they have offered this unofficially since SEP came out.
Actually, EVDO handles simultaneous voice and data quite nicely. The data connection drops to a single channel as voice uses the other. I do it all the time.
Perry, can you initiate calls when using EV-DO or can you only receive them? It’s been a while since I had CDMA voice service…
Good question! To be honest, I’ve never paid attention to my data connection while placing a call. I just know that I’m still able to receive email while talking.
Um, no it doesn’t. You can’t do data and voice at the same time on EVDO unless the voice is VOIP and neither Sprint nor Verizon have the backend for that.
What will happen is that the EVDO will go into standby when a call comes in, so that you can get all your calls. (On 1xRTT, all calls received while data was coming in went to voicemail).
Now, Sprint at one point had planned on switching to EVDV, which would have allowed simultaneous data and voice, but they decided not to.
Simultaneous data and voice gains big Wife Acceptance Factor (WAF) points for me, which is why I’ll never go back to CDMA technology until they fix that issue. From my RAZR V3xx to my iPhone, I can tether and surf and talk all at the same time, and my wife never goes straight to voicemail.