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Pre-paid cellular data with longest shelf life?

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
The subject says it all pretty much.

I'm looking for a pre-paid data provider with the best shelf life, that is, something I don't have to kick in more $$ every month even if I haven't used all the data.

This is for a telemetry system, usage is going to be only a few 100mb/month. never going to be streaming anything, the biggest demand will be downloading simple maps, and uploading telemetry data (lots of boring numbers.) Speed isn't important, but coverage is. Sprint and T-Mo have poor coverage in the area this is operating in.

Straight talk is the only prepay I'm familiar with, and it's expensive at $50 every 3 months, which is the 5gb data refill.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed
28 REPLIES 28

Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Explorer
With the Freedompop SIMS you have to edit the APN to fp.com.attz and then to make calls you have to download their messaging app. All calls are voice over IP on the data network.

Don't forget to downgrade BOTH SIMS to the "free" plan and discontinue the premium service.

At home I get 1 bar of service strength and my download was 4.45. I tried it from a better area in town with 3 bars of strength and get a download of 19.37.
Gene and DW Ginny
[purple] 2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363[/purple]

Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control


Proud member of the Sunline Club

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
I received my two SIM cards today and tried them in the various old phones I had laying about. They didn't work in my oldest smart phones, a pair of Motorola XT912 "Razr", which is odd, since I've used it on AT&T before with a GoPhone SIM.

Anyway, one card into a LG G2, the other card into an AT&T G-Pad 7 (also LG). The G2 is an unlocked Verizon phone, but with a "world phone" feature so it has some GSM support, on speed test I got 3mbps download and 1mbps upload. On the tablet, I got 10mbps download and 3mbps upload (AT&T 4G LTE service)

Time will tell on how useful the service is, but for the price, I'm willing to give it a shot.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

JimBollman
Explorer
Explorer
I have used H2O for years they are an ATT reseller. 3G service cost $10/quarter and the data is deducted from that at 5 cents/MB. Any money left at the end of the quarter rolls over if you put in another $10. You can get a years service for $100 and then start the $10/quarter if you use enough data that you want to build up a buffer. Phone calls are 5 cents a minute also if you use it as phone service. All the money you put in is available for the services you just have to put at least $10/quarter keep from losing your roll over account.

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
travisc wrote:
Did you look at internet-go.com? I posted it and there hasn't been any comments it's also on Walmart.com


Thank's for the link Travis. I didn't give internet on the go much consideration because the service appears locked to their specific hotspot devices. I have enough old cellular devices to equip a sports team, so I was shopping for a plan that let me bring my own device.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
pconroy328 wrote:
GordonThree wrote:
Signed up for two 4g LTE SIM cards from Freedompop, total cost $2.00 ... looks like once you put $5 credit on the SIM, and jump through a few hoops to opt-out of the free trials, you get a small amount of data per month.

Data increases by adding other freedompop customers as "friends" ... anyone want to swap e-mails, PM me?


Looks like 200MB.

But please keep us posted - I have an low bandwidth application that would probably be fine with 200MB.

What happens after 200MB, is data cutoff until next month? Can you hotspot with the phone and free plan or do you need to buy one of their MiFi devices?

Thanks!!


From the reviews I've read: if you disable auto refill by paying $5 one time, that credit will cover your overage until it runs out. After that, data is disabled until the next month cycle begins.

I have a few unlocked phones I'm going to try using the hotspot feature... I will report back.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

travisc
Explorer
Explorer
Did you look at internet-go.com? I posted it and there hasn't been any comments it's also on Walmart.com
Winnebago Access 24V

pconroy328
Explorer
Explorer
GordonThree wrote:
Signed up for two 4g LTE SIM cards from Freedompop, total cost $2.00 ... looks like once you put $5 credit on the SIM, and jump through a few hoops to opt-out of the free trials, you get a small amount of data per month.

Data increases by adding other freedompop customers as "friends" ... anyone want to swap e-mails, PM me?


Looks like 200MB.

But please keep us posted - I have an low bandwidth application that would probably be fine with 200MB.

What happens after 200MB, is data cutoff until next month? Can you hotspot with the phone and free plan or do you need to buy one of their MiFi devices?

Thanks!!

Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Explorer
PM sent :B
Gene and DW Ginny
[purple] 2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363[/purple]

Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control


Proud member of the Sunline Club

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
Signed up for two 4g LTE SIM cards from Freedompop, total cost $2.00 ... looks like once you put $5 credit on the SIM, and jump through a few hoops to opt-out of the free trials, you get a small amount of data per month.

Data increases by adding other freedompop customers as "friends" ... anyone want to swap e-mails, PM me?
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Explorer
GordonThree wrote:
... The pages I found discussing data seemed to imply the data add-ons came with a 30 day shelf life, ....
StraightTalk has hotspots where the data has a 30 day limit and doesn't rollover.
Gene and DW Ginny
[purple] 2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363[/purple]

Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control


Proud member of the Sunline Club

GordonThree
Explorer
Explorer
I forgot about freedompop, I'll have to look into them. Their free 100-200mb a month would be plenty.

I'll also check the trac website again. The pages I found discussing data seemed to imply the data add-ons came with a 30 day shelf life, independent of the voice minutes on the account.
2013 KZ Sportsmen Classic 200, 20 ft TT
2020 RAM 1500, 5.7 4x4, 8 speed

Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Explorer
Bumpyroad wrote:
... expand on that please. you mean I can spend $2.00 and reactivate my old phones for use for free?
bumpy
In short, Yes IF it is an unlocked phone that works on the AT&T GSM network. From what I read it MAY work on a locked AT&T phone that has been used on the AT&T network in the past but both my black friday phones were unlocked by AT&T for free before I turned them on the first time.

Some more info that may help the OP and others. FreedomPop is mostly on the Sprint network but my earlier link to Slick Deals is new from FreedomPop and offers a GSM LTE SIM on the AT&T network. They also offer a Global SIM that works in Europe. The special deal has a "free" bonus 1 GB data for the first month. CAUTION: you need to downgrade your account to the free offering before the end of the month or you get hit with a $29 charge the next month for each SIM.

One downside: FreedomPop voice calls are VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) on the data network. Before you can make a voice call you have to download and install an app that will route your phone calls onto the data network. Many people feel the voice quality is not that good in many areas.
Gene and DW Ginny
[purple] 2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363[/purple]

Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control


Proud member of the Sunline Club

Bumpyroad
Explorer
Explorer
Gene&Ginny wrote:

With Tracfone, as long as you have service days the data continues to roll over, it does not expire.

Another option is to look at FreedomPop, 200Mb per month FREE. Look at SlickDeals. I just got this deal with 1 GSM-LTE SIM for $1.99 and the second for $0.01. (Runs on AT&T) I put the SIMS in a couple of $10 Black Friday specials to have as a backup.

FreedomPop currently has some deals for hotspots.


expand on that please. you mean I can spend $2.00 and reactivate my old phones for use for free?
bumpy

Gene_Ginny
Explorer
Explorer
Gdetrailer wrote:
.... Smart phones if you buy say 400 minutes of talk you get 1200 minutes of talk, 1200 texts, 1200 minutes of data. ...
I think you intended to say 1200 Mb of data not minutes.

With Tracfone, as long as you have service days the data continues to roll over, it does not expire.

Another option is to look at FreedomPop, 200Mb per month FREE. Look at SlickDeals. I just got this deal with 1 GSM-LTE SIM for $1.99 and the second for $0.01. (Runs on AT&T) I put the SIMS in a couple of $10 Black Friday specials to have as a backup.

FreedomPop currently has some deals for hotspots.
Gene and DW Ginny
[purple] 2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363[/purple]

Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control


Proud member of the Sunline Club