Data Only Plan for Hotspot

[TSS1961]

Skyroam by Solis. Buy their orange hockey puck router then buy data as you go, no contracts. Seems to work good here in Florida. https://www.skyroam.com/

I only boondock on weekends and buy a 5gb bucket of data for game days and news for $30. If I need more I can add 1gb increments for $6.

If you do get one, set it up at home first, test it out, and if you like it then wait until you need it then activate your Godata data buckets.

[Gary Morgan]

Do not confuse unlimited data with hotspot service. Yes, unlimited date will get you unlimited hotspot, but it will be throttled down at some point. Most plans will throttle down after 10 to 20 gigs of hotspot service. You can partially offset hotspot usage by using your phone as much as possible for email, surfing and other internet needs. Save the hotspot gigs for streaming. You can check your usage on your phone. Go to settings, mobile network, app data usage, hotspot.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Gary Morgan

Do not confuse unlimited data with hotspot service. Yes, unlimited date will get you unlimited hotspot, but it will be throttled down at some point. Most plans will throttle down after 10 to 20 gigs of hotspot service. You can partially offset hotspot usage by using your phone as much as possible for email, surfing and other internet needs. Save the hotspot gigs for streaming. You can check your usage on your phone. Go to settings, mobile network, app data usage, hotspot.

Not true in all cases.
Some grandfathered in plans truly have unlimited data with no throttling and the new Visable plans have removed the throttling as long as you remain a member. (they call it speed cap)

[Rozyskie]

T-Mobile is cheap. Just stop by T-mobile office in Bellingham across the from
Costco. We go all over BC and US with no extra charges.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by 5picker

Not true in all cases.
Some grandfathered in plans truly have unlimited data with no throttling and the new Visable plans have removed the throttling as long as you remain a member. (they call it speed cap)

Yep, those two plans (VZ and AT&T) were shut down several years ago. They were true unlimited except the AT&T plan didn’t allow hotspot use (but you can mirror to an AppleTV).

Visible finally removed the 5 mbps speed limit but there have been reports of “network management” after 25 or so gigs. Hard to test for that since the towers I’m using rarely have the congestion that can trigger the speed management. I’ve never seen it on AT&T, even with over 250 gigs used. The Verizon MiFi has been known to intermittently slow after as little as three gigs.

I’m using about eight gig a day on Visible right now so it won’t take long to find out how it works.

[formerFR]

all this conversation alludes to the dreaded "turns out, it's not REALLY an unlimited data SPEED plan, as I thought I was buying"...

Data is not really the total concern for most, it's also just as importantly 'SPEED' of the service, which is really where the rubber meets the road(RV pun!)... no matter how much 'DATA' you may have, it's rather useless for most any situation where you might be expecting the 'SPEED' that you need to stream, watch a movie or show, or download large files, etc., whether on the phone device itself, or whether being hotspotted to a computer or device.

The carriers KNOW what we want, so they understand the true 'cost' to provide that - yet we don't really want to PAY what they would have to charge for a 'truly' Unlimited Date and Unlimited SPEED plan, whether on the phone or whether hotspotted.
Can they offer such a plan? Sure, but would you or most anyone else be willing to pay $500 monthly, or more? Probably not. So they stick with trying to 'sell' a plan that seems to be able to meet many expectations, but ultimately not all. It's a juggling act, and that's why each one has their 'own' design of how their plans work. The fine print is really where the rubber meets the road.

Even ground-based Cable or Fiber internet can be 'limited'. You might not think it, or readily realize it, but I'll bet your contract spells it out, though you may never hit those marks, or realize you are being 'limited', if it does happen.

[Padua2]

Originally Posted by Tom in Ohio

I connect my visible phone hotspot to the Winegard Connect 2 and then everything else, laptops, DiSh tv, etc. via Winegard private internet.
Speed is excellent and just $25.00 Per month with the party plan. Unlimited and No caps.

We just got our RV (2015 Silverback) and need to have internet / data / and streaming capabilities while camping. We are ready to do this hotspot thing for the first time, never done it before. Wife and I currently have Sprint (unlimited data/text phone service), but can switch to any provider of our choice at this time. We would like to be able to stream Netflix / Amazon Prime, etc., as well as have reliable phone service.

Would you mind walking this newbie thru the steps as to exactly what it is I need to purchase equipment wise and plan wise? And how do I install hook it up? Is this inside the RV, or out on the roof?
Or, would you prefer that I send you a PM instead?
Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

[Gracie26]

Don’t buy from Unlimited until you shop around! eBay has many options for the same $35 plan. One is to pay $1.50 to get info on how you can self-activate the plan using the correct SIM card, which you must buy. You can then search eBay for a new, not refurbished, (or refurbished if that works for you) UNLOCKED Hotspot device and find them in the $50 range vs $100 from Unlimited.

I’m not sure, but I think you have to set up auto pay with ATT to get the $35 price. I expect most travelers prefer that option.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Gracie26

Don’t buy from Unlimited until you shop around! eBay has many options for the same $35 plan. One is to pay $1.50 to get info on how you can self-activate the plan using the correct SIM card, which you must buy. You can then search eBay for a new, not refurbished, (or refurbished if that works for you) UNLOCKED Hotspot device and find them in the $50 range vs $100 from Unlimited.

I’m not sure, but I think you have to set up auto pay with ATT to get the $35 price. I expect most travelers prefer that option.

When someone here is able to set up autopay for an AT&T hotspot let us know how it works out.

Also, the $99 Velocity hotspot was discontinued way back ( and wasn’t a top line unit when they were being made).

[Gracie26]

Originally Posted by Tom in Ohio

I connect my visible phone hotspot to the Winegard Connect 2 and then everything else, laptops, DiSh tv, etc. via Winegard private internet.
Speed is excellent and just $25.00 Per month with the party plan. Unlimited and No caps.

If you leave the rig with your phone, does everyone left inside lose internet connection? Or are you on your own so it doesn’t matter?

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by Gracie26

If you leave the rig with your phone, does everyone left inside lose internet connection? Or are you on your own so it doesn’t matter?

Yes. That’s why I put the SIM card in an unused iPhone 10 if I have to. Really easy to swap it with the -11. But, it’s rare that I leave the RV with anyone left behind.

[sailski]

The RV Mobile Internet website https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ has a lot of information on this subject. It is written by a couple that have been living on the road and writing about this subject for the past 12 years, if I remember correctly. Although mainly geared at Americans they also cover Canada and Mexico. I believe they curently recomend Visible, a Verizon company, as the best choice. They can provide more information about your options than anyone I know.

[Tom in Ohio]

Originally Posted by Gracie26

If you leave the rig with your phone, does everyone left inside lose internet connection? Or are you on your own so it doesn’t matter?

We use the phone primarily connected even at home as our Motorhome is stored in a pole building near the house. We have other phones available if needed plus the backup for WiFi in the country is always very handy.

[DavidWJ]

H2O wireless. Month to month unlimited phone, text and data plan for $60. That really means 30 Gigabytes at 4G speeds and 2G speed thereafter. They use the AT&T network, but don't throttle your speeds.


Verizon and ATT plans have heavy throttling where I live in the Western Sierras.

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by DavidWJ

H2O wireless. Month to month unlimited phone, text and data plan for $60. That really means 30 Gigabytes at 4G speeds and 2G speed thereafter. They use the AT&T network, but don't throttle your speeds.


Verizon and ATT plans have heavy throttling where I live in the Western Sierras.

If H2O throttles back to 2G speeds that means less than five days if doing any streaming. I’ve never encountered speed reductions on AT&T but Verizon will slam the brakes on if someone sneezes. Jury still out about Visible and hope to know more after a couple months of use.

The real game changer is going to be Starlink. Nobody knows what it’s going to cost but if reasonable it’s going to eliminate a lot of the current providers.

[boogiejack75]

How did you activate your sim card? I am having a hard time activating my service. Did Unlimited Internet Prociders do it on their end???

[-lenny-]

Originally Posted by boogiejack75

How did you activate your sim card? I am having a hard time activating my service. Did Unlimited Internet Prociders do it on their end???

It’s in the instructions. Just have to send them a clear pic of your SIM card #. They will let you know when to proceed with the activation, and ask you to follow up with them once complete. We have had ours for about 3 weeks now, and have used 75gb.

[hdjimmi]

What lenny said. I also had to call. I messaged him on his facebook page and he called me. Very good guy

[hdjimmi]

Originally Posted by Gracie26

Don’t buy from Unlimited until you shop around! eBay has many options for the same $35 plan. One is to pay $1.50 to get info on how you can self-activate the plan using the correct SIM card, which you must buy. You can then search eBay for a new, not refurbished, (or refurbished if that works for you) UNLOCKED Hotspot device and find them in the $50 range vs $100 from Unlimited.



I’m not sure, but I think you have to set up auto pay with ATT to get the $35 price. I expect most travelers prefer that option.

I used unlimited. 95 for hot spot. 34 a month auto pay. Unlimited (gorgeo) very good to work with.

[boogiejack75]

Originally Posted by -lenny-

It’s in the instructions. Just have to send them a clear pic of your SIM card #. They will let you know when to proceed with the activation, and ask you to follow up with them once complete. We have had ours for about 3 weeks now, and have used 75gb.

Thanks lenny. I finally got it up and running...after they finally sent me the instructions (that I asked for four or five times)