The Clearwire Store

BUYER BEWARE! The worst of the terrible internet providers! During peak hours with a full 5 bar signal, you’re lucky if you get 0.7 mbs. In other words, USELESS! Then when you go to return the device, they refuse to accept it at the point of purchase (in direct violation of Mass. consumer protection laws), instead they insist you pack it up and send it via Fed Ex. Then twice a day for the rest of your life you’ll get a robo-​call from them offering «a one time offer to reconnect» and those calls will not stop no matter what you say or do! Any 4G service any cellular provider is vastly superior and much less trouble. These people are worst kind smiling con artist scumbags.

In spite of not having a contract, they make it incredibly difficult to cancel the service. The device and the network worked well. I liked it. But there’s no way to cancel the service or stop credit card payments online, you have to call customer service. And then you have to wait on hold not once, but twice. You first have to wait to talk to a customer service representative, and then they have to transfer you to some kind of account manager person. The whole process took over 30 minutes — so annoying.

We have been using this for 4 months, and it has been a torture.
1. The portable modem is not all that portable. You could carry it in a back pack, but definitely not in a pocket.
2. Usually it is very very very slow. Expect zero connection 2 or 3 times a week.
3. Even though they advertise unlimited internet, the connection tends to slow down deterministically after few gigabytes of data consumption.
Conclusion: Clearwire = trash. There should be a better way to get online.

In theory I could be typing this review while sitting in traffic — but I’m not!
I have a brilliant idea, let’s sit around all day and wait for someone to come install cable + a modem. Hey… or we could watch paint dry. Well fortunately in Boston you don’t have to do that. Walk into Clear wireless and walk out 20 minutes later with your own personal wifi that will work even when you’re not at home (eg. in class, at a café, at a restaurant).
I have used my little 4G device on the road quite a bit to stop and look up information — smart phones can only do so much. Plus Mom loves when I chat with her on skype, and thinks it’s fun when I give her a virtual tour. I’m surprised that the calls don’t drop.
Service in Boston/​NY/​SF: is fast enough… but unfortunately when you leave the city it’s rare to get a good signal if you even have a signal at all. (Check their website to make sure they have coverage in your town before purchasing). I tend to stream music from a phone, ipad, or kindle fire, while I’m working on my laptop and the speed is just fine.
Wait, you download a lot of data? Not a problem — their plan is TRULY unlimited, Some months I don’t transfer much data, but this last month I used over 30,000 MB of data and still had the same bill. Not bad.
Quick Summary of Greatness:
1. NO Contract
2. Under $ 50/​month for unlimited
3. Good service in Boston
4. Good service in NYC
5. Good service in San Fran
6. Easy to return if it doesn’t work where you want to use it.
7. $ 50-​$ 120 devices ($ 2 insurance that will actually replace it)
8. 3G + 4G devices available
(may work outside of the city better with 3G, haven’t tested it out though)
9. IMMEDIATE gratification
(yea you won’t have to wait for an appointment with the cable company)
Negatives:
1. Doesn’t always work outside of the city
2. Not sure if they still have 3G devices — they would probably work better when you’re outside of the city.
Date Rating: N/​A
Pick up Scale: N/​A
Strong Suggestion: if you’re a road warrior + need Internet this could be a good option.

So easy to set up! No one needs to come to the house to set it up for you. Great customer service, AND it is the cheapest service I could find! Forget Verizon or Comcast! I switched from Verizon, where I was getting the worst customer service I have ever experienced, and I am so much happier with Clear!

Great service