PAYG Broadband

Is there a plan available that will let me buy some quantity of MB that will not expire? As the pre-paid cell phones that allow you to buy minutes and reload at will?


I would like to purchase say $50 worth of broadband and purchase more as I need it. It seems that the current plans want me to use the service during a day, week or month or lose it. Some weeks I may not leave town and use my hard wire connection, but some weeks I am gone all week. Any ideas? I understand that these kinds of plans are available in Europe.

Comments for PAYG Broadband

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Mar 09, 2010
 Pay As You Go Broadband
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

This is a great question, and a real need that I can see based on the number of people reaching out to me. Unfortunately, it's not currently available.


I'm definitely a fan of having a classic pay as you go broadband offering that gives you a certain number of MBs that last, for example, for 90 days. The more MBs you buy at one time, the longer they would last.


From talking to some prepaid wireless broadband providers, the feedback I'm getting is that it's not cost effective for them to sell on a PAYG basis given the cost structure of their business. Note that this pertains more to the MVNOs.


Also, from what I can see, prepaid carriers are really pushing their business to what they would refer to as higher value customers. These are people who are using service regularly, and are willing to pay for monthly service (really postpaid-esque customers). We can see this from the push on prepaid monthly unlimited plans that demonstrated in 2009 that prepaid can grow faster than postpaid (and profitably).


If prepaid broadband had launched four or five years ago, I could see a pay-as-you-go broadband offering having been launched, however, in today's climate, they're starting upstream (so to speak) and will likely work their way down over time.


I can see a completely untapped market for people with usage like yours, and I foresee that it's only a matter of time, but if it happens in 2010 I'd be very surprised.


In the meantime, I would recommend that your best bet is to get a 7-day or 10-day pass for those weeks you're on the road a lot. Compare plans at Prepaid Wireless Broadband Plans.

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