U.S. Cellular launches its own Samsung mobile hot spot

If you are a fan of Samsung's tiny mobile router, the SCH-LC11 mobile hot spot and for some reason don't want to use Verizon, there's now another choice.

U.S. Cellular today announced the launch of the same device on its own network. The company said that for a limited time, the device is slated to cost $50, after a $50 mail-in rebate, in cities that currently have U.S. Cellular's 4G LTE coverage and those that will by the end of the year.

For now, U.S. Cellular offers 4G LTE service in select cities in Iowa, Maine, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin. In the second half of this year, the coverage will be expanded to other cities in Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. And by the end of 2012, U.S. Cellular promises that 54 percent of U.S. Cellular customers will be able to use its faster 4G LTE speeds.

I reviewed the SCH-LC11 mobile hot spot from Verizon a while ago and found that it's a very fast and compact device; it supports up to five Wi-Fi clients at a time. The device, however, had a few flaws, including a short battery life and the lack of a clear battery gauge, as well as a few other common features. The U.S. Cellular version of the device might not share the same flaws, however.

According to U.S. Cellular's Web site, the SCH-LC11 mobile hot spot will come with three data plans that cost $25, $50, and $90 per month for 2GB, 5GB, and 10GB data caps, respectively. This pricing is similar to Verizon's, with that company's 10GB plan being slightly more expensive.