Verizon's Uphill Data Push

Still, analysts say despite its limitations, WiFi service is available where people need access. "People are in one of three places during the day -- home, work or on their way to one or the other," says Charter Equity Research analyst Ed Snyder. Between conventional connections and WiFi, most of those places are covered, says Snyder.

But a Verizon Wireless representative said the area covered by an EV-DO network in one city "serves more miles than all the WiFi hotspots nationwide."

Ovum's Entner says EV-DO will probably make a big splash in the market closer to the Christmas holiday season, when the top three shops -- Verizon Wireless, Sprint and Cingular -- go head-to-head with competing fast data offerings.

Charter's Snyder is a bit more pessimistic. He fears that EV-DO may end up DOA at this rate.