Traceroute to Google:

traceroute to google.com (74.125.159.104), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
1  64.sub-66-174-185.myvzw.com (66.174.185.64)  82.040 ms  71.681 ms  140.969 ms
2  127.sub-66-174-184.myvzw.com (66.174.184.127)  85.990 ms  88.710 ms  93.889 ms
3  146.sub-66-174-44.myvzw.com (66.174.44.146)  94.923 ms  99.735 ms  92.011 ms
4  235.sub-66-174-45.myvzw.com (66.174.45.235)  120.975 ms  88.777 ms  86.127 ms
5  194.sub-66-174-45.myvzw.com (66.174.45.194)  86.937 ms  99.731 ms  92.958 ms
6  98.sub-66-174-44.myvzw.com (66.174.44.98)  89.816 ms  92.702 ms  91.968 ms
7  6.sub-69-83-96.myvzw.com (69.83.96.6)  88.964 ms  90.749 ms  101.982 ms
8  3.sub-69-83-96.myvzw.com (69.83.96.3)  91.973 ms  89.745 ms  92.877 ms
9  253.sub-69-83-97.myvzw.com (69.83.97.253)  86.946 ms  87.701 ms  86.078 ms
10  gigabitethernet3-0-0.gw1.dfw7.alter.net (65.208.8.17)  93.040 ms  86.646 ms  86.916 ms
11  0.ge-2-1-0.xl3.dfw7.alter.net (152.63.103.6)  99.833 ms  102.809 ms  89.928 ms
12  0.ge-6-0-0.br2.dfw13.alter.net (152.63.96.181)  89.939 ms
0.ge-4-0-0.br2.dfw13.alter.net (152.63.96.45)  91.661 ms
0.ge-6-0-0.br2.dfw13.alter.net (152.63.96.181)  89.622 ms
13  te-5-1-0.edge2.dallas3.level3.net (4.68.111.121)  99.987 ms  116.649 ms
te-5-2-0.edge2.dallas3.level3.net (4.68.111.173)  90.885 ms
14  ae-83-80.ebr3.dallas1.level3.net (4.69.145.180)  92.662 ms
ae-73-70.ebr3.dallas1.level3.net (4.69.145.116)  92.622 ms
ae-63-60.ebr3.dallas1.level3.net (4.69.145.52)  97.740 ms
15  ae-7.ebr3.atlanta2.level3.net (4.69.134.22)  115.793 ms  137.608 ms  130.824 ms
16  ae-11-51.car1.atlanta1.level3.net (4.68.103.2)  120.070 ms  117.856 ms  116.900 ms
17  google-inc.car1.atlanta1.level3.net (4.78.209.194)  133.861 ms  118.900 ms  117.002 ms
18  209.85.254.241 (209.85.254.241)  122.982 ms  116.700 ms  119.880 ms
19  209.85.254.2 (209.85.254.2)  113.964 ms  120.700 ms
209.85.254.6 (209.85.254.6)  137.883 ms
20  yi-in-f104.1e100.net (74.125.159.104)  109.804 ms  129.913 ms  131.328 ms

Traceroute to SoftLayer (specifically, the server that hosts this website):

traceroute to echo.mddhosting.com (74.86.48.34), 64 hops max, 52 byte packets
1  64.sub-66-174-185.myvzw.com (66.174.185.64)  73.485 ms  72.917 ms  73.973 ms
2  127.sub-66-174-184.myvzw.com (66.174.184.127)  91.918 ms  94.745 ms  184.212 ms
3  146.sub-66-174-44.myvzw.com (66.174.44.146)  100.537 ms  99.876 ms  95.165 ms
4  235.sub-66-174-45.myvzw.com (66.174.45.235)  94.993 ms  100.098 ms  98.174 ms
5  194.sub-66-174-45.myvzw.com (66.174.45.194)  98.010 ms  99.438 ms  93.713 ms
6  98.sub-66-174-44.myvzw.com (66.174.44.98)  94.994 ms  89.077 ms  85.875 ms
7  6.sub-69-83-96.myvzw.com (69.83.96.6)  100.961 ms  105.189 ms  88.124 ms
8  3.sub-69-83-96.myvzw.com (69.83.96.3)  87.943 ms  96.379 ms  97.863 ms
9  253.sub-69-83-97.myvzw.com (69.83.97.253)  98.888 ms  68.155 ms  87.944 ms
10  gigabitethernet3-0-0.gw1.dfw7.alter.net (65.208.8.17)  86.948 ms  69.442 ms  96.147 ms
11  0.ge-2-1-0.xl3.dfw7.alter.net (152.63.103.6)  112.539 ms  89.027 ms  85.911 ms
12  0.so-6-0-0.gw3.dfw13.alter.net (152.63.100.73)  85.015 ms  91.726 ms  86.006 ms
13  internapgige1-gw.customer.alter.net (65.208.15.230)  113.416 ms  96.205 ms  98.848 ms
14  border3.tge3-1-bbnet1.ext1.dal.pnap.net (216.52.191.22)  125.890 ms  95.198 ms  74.901 ms
15  te2-1.cer03.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (216.52.189.30)  93.058 ms  94.118 ms  95.968 ms
16  po3.dar02.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.211)  99.913 ms  100.785 ms  107.881 ms
17  po2.fcr02.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.182)  111.010 ms  92.603 ms  121.966 ms
18  echo.supportedns.com (74.86.48.34)  97.877 ms  96.688 ms  153.805 ms

So pings are a bit lower, on average, than either AT&T or Sprint. They’re also rather predictable, unlike those of CricKet. Then again, I have full EvDO signal sitting at the dining room table with the USB727′s antenna extended. For what it’s worth, this traceroute is pretty close, after the MyVZW hops, to what I see on the family’s brand-spanking-new DSL connection, though that can be expected since both services are from the same company.

Here’s a speedtest…

Well gosh, at least at my location Verizon is nearly as fast as AT&T on the downstream, respectable on the upstream and a good bit more enjoyable to use than AT&T. Heck, the EvDO connection soundly beats the new Verizon DSL, though the DSL connection doesn’t cost $60 per month, nor does it have a ridiculously low data transfer cap.

That said, I’m not the only one on the tower…

Still respectable, just not quite as nice.

Now for a ping test…

Right in line with what I’ve seen on Sprint EvDO, except with a little less latency.

The bottom line: Verizon knows how to run a solid mobile broadband network. So does Sprint. Whether one serves you better than the other depends on who has the big pipes to the towers in your area, and who has the towers in your area period.

Well, and there’s the question of whether you want a 10GB cap for $60 or unlimited service for $70, both via Millenicom of course…unless you really, really want to sign a contract in exchange for a free EvDO modem.

Which provider would I choose at this point, if I had to pick up mobile broadband again? Tough decision; I own an AT&T aircard and don’t want to sign a contract, so the other options have an added expensve for me. With that in mind, I might end up going with AT&T for a month or two, but Sprint if I needed a home replacement connection. If I didn’t need to use the connection as my only internet and didn’t have an AT&T card already, I’d likely choose Verizon, with Sprint as a very close second.

At this point though, for someone new to mobile broadband, there’s one company I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go with, at least for my area: AT&T.