Natiiv

Clearly Mobile

Tagged boingo , chicago , clear , wifi , wimax

Using Boingo and Clear WiMax for mobile working.

A few weeks ago, I asked on Twitter if anyone was using Clear WiMax. The ads for the new service in Chicago are plastered on the CTA, on nearly every show on Hulu and in my mailbox every day. I wanted to know if the mobile internet solution was as good as the cartoon ads promised.

I twittered and nobody really knew. A few people heard a few things from some of their friends. Nothing good enough to make me sign up or call for more information.

The next day, I sat down at a big table in a cafe and logged onto the internet with my Boingo account. I've been using Boingo for a year or so to make sure I have wifi in airports, hotels and Starbucks. It is great knowing I'll always have an option to get online.

A few minutes later, a man sat down next to me and pulled out his heavily branded laptop. Heavily branded with the Clear logo. Wahoo! I immediately showered him with questions about the service, the cost and if it would work in my neighborhood. Within 30 minutes, I had a Clear mobile card for my laptop and was signed up.

I then tested the speeds in all the places I regularly mobile work in Chicago where I rely on the cafe's wifi. Everywhere I regularly go, Clear trumps the wifi offered. So I canceled my AT&T SBC account and brought David Bleitner back to set up home internet for me as well. Now I'm locked in at $65/month for mobile and home internet for the life of my account. Bonus - Austin is also a Clear city which will make SXSW much more enjoyable.

Update: I have home and mobile services, plus I rented the mobile card and home router. If I'd bought the hardware outright it would lower the monthly cost. If I didn't want to have wifi at home to offer guests, I would just have the mobile service. end update

There have been a few locations where Clear wasn't better than the cafe's wifi, but not in places I regularly go. I also know of some people that have found that the reception isn't good enough in their neighborhood to make the switch.

Between Clear and Boingo - I can travel the city (and internationally) knowing that I'll be able to get online. If you want to try Clear in Chicago - get in touch with David david.bleitner @ clearwire.com and tell him that I sent you. I also convinced him to start using his Twitter account and he's become the go-to Clear guy for Chicago Twitterati.

[Neither Clear nor Boingo is a client of Natiiv, just the two services that make my life better. I do get a referral credit from Clear, but I'd be talking about it even if I didn't. It is THAT good.]