Sprint's Wireless Data Network Trumps Verizon's

When it comes to cellular data access for the small business, it's the network ... that may not be working so well.

Of all the techno indignities small businesses must endure, shopping for mobile phone and data service is about the worst.

Yes, buying computers and building Web sites is frustrating, expensive and mind-bogglingly hard to extract value from, but at least you sort of get something for your money. The computers work. The Web site functions. But cell phone and data service?

That remains the ultimate small business bait-and-switch.

Cell operators like Verizon(VZ), Sprint(S), AT&T (T) and T-Mobile(DT) all love to trumpet the power and effectiveness of their networks. But real, fungible estimates about the quality of service are tough to capture.

So when I have an experience that shows me an actual comparative advantage for the small business, it is big news here in Blum world.

And here it is: When it comes to data service -- getting Web access on your mobile computer -- I would be very dubious about claims of superior network performance. It really depends on the product and the service. Results can vary widely.

Over the past several months, I had a chance to compare the exact same wireless data device -- the Novatel(NVTL) Ovation USB 727 -- running on the exact same computer -- a Sony(SNE) Vaio TZ -- essentially over the exact same terrain.

I was in and around New York City and traveling out to San Francisco, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Detroit and Baltimore. And with that rig and travel, I was able to directly compare two competitive wireless data networks: Verizon's BroadbandAccess and Sprint's Mobile Broadband. And in many ways, the Sprint product was superior to the higher-priced Verizon riff.