This Article is From Jun 29, 2010

Virgin jumps into mobile hot spot game

Virgin jumps into mobile hot spot game
New York: Finding free Wi-Fi for your laptop to send a quick e-mail message or to find something online has become increasingly difficult -- and sometimes impossible.

That's slowly starting to change as several stores and restaurants, including Starbucks and McDonald's, begin offering free Wi-Fi for customers. But there is also a new trend: people are starting to carry their own hot spots with them. These small devices can let several laptops or phones connect to the Internet simultaneously over Wi-Fi.

Now Virgin Mobile USA is entering the personal hot spot fray, offering a sleek little wireless hub called the MiFi 2200 that goes on sale in the United States on Monday.

But Virgin will have some competition. Sprint currently offers a larger hub called the Overdrive that offers both 3G and 4G wireless data. Verizon also offers a 3G device similar to Virgin's that is also made by Novatel Wireless.

So how does Virgin separate itself from the competition? Price.

Verizon's MiFi costs $270 without a data contract, or $50 with a two-year contract. Virgin instead offers its MiFi for $150, and it can be used with Virgin's "Broadband2Go Top-Up cards," which let customers pay for data connections by the megabyte, no contract required. The rates start as low as $10 and cap out at $60 for access to five gigabytes of data a month.

The Virgin plan might entice customers who plan to use their portable hot spot sparingly.

Virgin will sell the MiFi 2200 at Best Buy and RadioShack stores, and online at BestBuy.com, Walmart.com and VirginMobileUSA.com.

.