Sprint opens prepaid broadband reseller channel

While the FCC releases it’s naked power grab carefully in a “Broadband Plan” wrapper that has AT&T and Verizon’s fingerprints all over it, wireless underdog Sprint is filling in a few of the gaps.

On demand, short term and prepaid brought wireless voice service to the under served masses, and on demand broadband can do the same. No fed subgeniuses and K street telco mouthpieces required, thank you.

Sold through Telespree, Mobile Broadband on Demand (TM) provides Sprint Wholesale partners a way to offer their customers an easy to use and economical way to experience mobile broadband. Offered as a standalone product or packaged with back office services, this unique plug and play product with over-the-air activation is so simple that a wide variety of enterprises will be able to add wireless broadband to their portfolio - from traditional MVNO wireless partners to companies that cater to more casual mobile data users such as rental car companies, airport kiosks, hotels, and retail stores.

Now, Sprint Wholesale partners are able to provide on-demand access of prepaid mobile broadband services to their customers by the day, week or month - or should the customer prefer, by megabyte. Consumers can enjoy an “off the shelf” experience; in which they simply purchase the partner-branded data card (no contract required), select the data plan of their choice, and connect. Users can easily track usage from a small data meter icon and can “top off” their balance as needed.  (Fierce Wireless)

While I hesitate to call the same product, offered at wholesale from a single source a way of fostering a competitive market, it’s a step in the right direction. By putting the service in the reseller channel, the service is likely to be offered in diffetent increments that will fit the needs of a wide variety of consumers. Making broadband available instantly, on a pay as you go product nit only makes sense, it’s bound to reach more of the under served than than any FCC authored subsidy scheme ever will.