25/08/2010 By Charlie Sorrel ( Source: http://www.wired.com/ )

Virgin MiFi With True Unlimited 3G Data for $40

Virgin Mobile’s truly unlimited MiFi data plan is official. Leaked by Virgin itself through Facebook a few days ago, the new Broadband2Go plan gives you as much internet as you can use for just $40 per month. Best of all, this is done without a contract, meaning you can stop any time your like, or just take a pause for your vacations.

First, the major caveats. Virgin Mobile piggy-backs on Sprint’s network, which means that you can only use this if you have Sprint coverage. Second, because Sprint uses CDMA technology for its network, you can’t just pop in a SIM if ever you take the Virgin MiFi abroad.

Aside from that, though, this looks like an amazing deal. You can share the 3G data connection with up to five devices via Wi-Fi, which means netbooks, notebooks, cellphones and iPads. Hell, you could even use this as your main home connection.

You’ll need to buy the MiFi itself, for $150 (there is also an $80 USB dongle available for laptop users), but you’d be paying that indirectly anyway if you signed up for a contract. The new plan isn’t yet live on the Broadband2Go page (linked below), so I haven’t had a chance to dig into the small print, but barring any weird definitions of “unlimited” by Virgin, this could be as big a turning point in mobile internet as the original, short-lived unlimited iPad plans from AT&T