See the 2011 DataJack Review For The Most Recent Info
2010 Prepaid Mobile Broadband Review
DataJack promises used to promise unlimited mobile broadband without a contract for only $40 a month. Now they offer 5 Gigabytes of data for $50 a month. A higher price for capped usage = fail.
On the other hand, the USB broadband card costs $99 and has a microSD slot that can hold up to 8 GB cards. With support for XP, Vista, Windows 7 & Mac (Leopard & Snow) the device itself doesn’t sound too bad. Also, as per prepaid mobile broadband expectations, there are no activation fees, credit checks, deposits, or early termination fees.
Is DataJack Real & Here To Stay?
To answer the 1st question in a word, yes. From the looks of it, they are a real company (but also a very new one).
If they experience explosive growth, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the service disappear since most prepaid mobile broadband providers do not own their own network. Instead, they operate as MVNO’s (Mobile Virtual Network Operators).
That’s just a fancy term to say they rent space/bandwidth on someone else’s network and resell it (presumably for profit). However, it’s a bit mind-boggling as to how they’re actually doing this.
DataJack states that it provides service in 250 cities.
The only networks that can currently do that are Verizon, Sprint, AT&T & T-Mobile. That list narrows upon closer examination of their FAQ where it’s revealed that you’ll be on an EDGE network when leaving 3G coverage areas. Since the only EDGE networks are T-Mobile & AT&T, it’s not a stretch to presume they’re piggybacking on one of those networks.
For now, several users of the service haven’t had major issues since October 2009.
So far so good.
If you’ve taken a dip in DataJack mobile broadband, let us know. Other readers are itching to know what’s the real deal here.
How Fast Is It & Where Can You Get 3G Coverage?
DataJack advertises “average download speeds of 700 Kbps to 1.4 Mbps…2.4 times faster than many DSL connections”. When in 3G coverage areas, some users found this to be true. On the other hand, if you’re not in a 3G area your speeds could drop to EDGE speeds
Naturally, the next question turns into “Where Can I Get 3G Coverage?”
To answer that question, you’ll need to check out DataJack’s 3G Coverage Tool on their website. Since they don’t use an interactive map like most other providers, it’s difficult to use it as a hint to find their underlying network carrier.
Should You Get It?
The information available is sketchy.
When potential customers have questions about your service, presumably you’ve got straight-forward answers if your legit.
Reports of several users being unable to reach them raises eyebrows. Raising the price and offering less is also not an excellent business move from a customer-centric point of view..
While DataJack’s return policy states you can return it within 14 days of purchase for a full refund or exchanges at anytime for defective products, not being able to reach the company could turn many away from the deal. Especially since their credit cards would be automatically billed each month.
If they turn out to be the real deal then I’d say go for it. For now, this is a service that may best be watched from the sidelines until more customers ‘check it out’.
In the meantime, you may wanna check out other providers in the Prepaid Mobile Broadband Comparison.
BRIAN says:
WHEE IS THE CLOSEST STORE TO 22012
DataJack Review says:
Actually to be honest with you, I have not had anything less than high class service from DataJack. I have tried the other “big name providers” and all they want is to get you in a contract and screw you over. Datajack doesnt have unlimited prepaid broadband anymore but neither does anyone else, and on top of that. They don’t require any credt checks, how can you beat that?
Joe Hawkins says:
Brian,go here:http://www.datajack.com/storelocator to find the closet store near to your zip code. You can also buy the device your looking for on the internet, or by phone.