Straighttalk 45 bucks ul everything.

pseudoswede: I will be primarily in LA and SD. But...! The iPhone 4 is not HSPA+ compatible. Only 4S and 5 is. That means I'll still be stuck with EDGE speeds, right?

Problem: They do only allow data usage for very limited services, and according to their website they don't have a dealer in CA.

Any iPhone will get better than EDGE speeds on T-Mobile's 1900MHz band--basically equivalent to what AT&T is offering.

http://9to5mac.com/2012/06/07/t-mobi...wdc-next-week/

Take a look at red pocket mobile i think its $50 for a month service with data.

Horrible as it is - 5GB of data is probably best done on Wi-Fi. Even on post-paid, 5GB is a pricey option, and some operators that offer "unlimited" only actully do 2GB on 3G, then throttle to EDGE speeds to the 5GB limit.

That said - a good option could be a Verizon prepaid MiFi on their LTE network. The device is $129, and data is 3GB/$60 10GB/$90.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/p...type=ppjetpack

There are some rental shops that will rent a hotspot, but I doubt their total pricing would be as low as the prepaid MiFi.

Verizon LTE is actually very, very good.

I use Virgin PAYG Mifi data connections for our family's collection of iPhone and BB in US.

Since the OP needs a LOT of data and doesn't want EDGE speeds, Virgin Mobile won't be a good fit - quite slow in most areas.

Come to Canada sometime.... the US is telecom nirvana by comparison.

I use Tmobile with 2 dollars per day for unlimited 2G data, free US call, texts and incoming.

2g works fine for sending receiving emails and for FB etc.

By far the cheapest option. If there is anything data hungry I need to do I just wait until I'm hooked up to free wifi somewhere.

Here's all the MVNOs in the US. Find one on AT&T that has the price/features you're looking for. Little bit of homework on your part, but you might find something that works well for you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_US_MVNO

We are using T-Mo PAYG sims in the iphone and BB. You are only charged per day when the phone is connected to the network on that day. The PAYG data on major carrier does not directly support some iPhones and BB registrations. That was why we choose Mifi solution.

We have been with Virgin for a while due to the original USB stick and then the Mifi offer. There are faster solutions but this is more than sufficient for my business needs. Using Mifi works across all phone platforms. The Mifi is also unlocked for other countries as well.

I know, I had to deal with Robb(g)ers and it was H(B)ell!

I'd have to agree. Assuming a Huawei unit, they're very simple to set up. I'm testing out dual channel HSPA+ unit on the Three network right now and liking it a lot (not as fast as LTE but a lot faster than my wired broadband).

Interesting insights. Whats the update for now?

Mobile data in USA
 

Mods, please allow a brief percolation here :)

So... It's 2013 and I feel like it should be a breeze to get mobile data everywhere. Some progress has been made roaming to the EU but the USA is still prohibitively expensive.

For my forthcoming trips I'd buy another SIM and dual sim adapter but my phone (Samsung s3) is locked to 3.

Does anyone have any bright ideas for a cost-effective solution for getting data the US?