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At the beginning of this year I tested out the Sprint Novatel U720 Mobile Broadband Modem. Verizon recently launched their version of this device and here's what I had to say.

The USB720 is no different from the U720 that Sprint offers, it has the same design and mostly the same internals give or take a few. Since it has the same design, one problem I had with both models was that it blocked up the second USB port on our MacBook notebook. You may not have the same problem on other notebooks, but it would have been great if the device was slimmer. The included Y-adapter that I mentioned in the Sprint review does help though.

I received speeds around 800kbps down and 200kbps up using the Verizon EVDO network which was similar to the 700kbps down and 350kbps up I got using the Sprint network. Wireless reception was great and I had a constant full signal of service.

Since the Sprint Novatel U720 was released though, Apple released a Mac OS X update that has built-in support for both the U720 and the USB720 modems. No need to download drivers for both XP/Vista and Mac OS X.

As was the Sprint Novatel U720, the USB720 from Verizon is a viable option for those who cannot get cable or DSL high-speed Internet in their area. It is $60+ for an unlimited data plan, though Verizon apparently terminates your contract if you exceed 5GB transfer within one month - so heavy Internet users beware. For the device only, it will cost you $99 with a 2 year contract.

Pros

• Excellent broadband speeds.
• Good reception.

Cons

• May block USB ports due to it's size.

Final Verdict
4.5 out of 5 stars.

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