What smartphone, service, hotspot, booster do you use?

[daboognish88]

I'm pretty terrible with this tech stuff and there is just so much information out there that it can be overwhelming. What do you consider to be the best deals in terms of smartphone, service provider, hotspot, booster, etc? I'm a graphic designer and need internet access out in the boonies. I'm looking for something that doesn't break the bank but still provides decent service.. if such a thing exists.

[free_radical]

daboognish88 wrote:
I'm pretty terrible with this tech stuff and there is just so much information out there that it can be overwhelming. What do you consider to be the best deals in terms of smartphone, service provider, hotspot, booster, etc? I'm a graphic designer and need internet access out in the boonies. I'm looking for something that doesn't break the bank but still provides decent service.. if such a thing exists.

I got good deal on Blackberry 10 for 120$ on Amazon while back,
Using my very old contract with Virgin 20$ month for 200 minutes..

At home I use Virgin unlimited internet for 60$ month,it runs on Bell network,but Bell charges 85$ for same thing,greedy racsals.

Use Samsung Galaxy tablet cost me 300$
Had Apple Ipad but it slowed like molases and no amount of UPdates would fix it,planned obsolesence by Apple co.
fool me once never again

when traveling use McDs,Starbucks,Tim Hortons, library,etc..

When visiting Japan I rent Ninja wi fi hotspot

[Dutch_12078]

bukzin wrote:

Heisenberg wrote:
Red Pocket This could be a great deal for a phone that will hotspot. $20 per month and 5GB @ 4G LTE with unlimited data, text, and talk. I am anxious to find out if it only falls back on speed with crowded towers. 3G is not bad when nothing else is available.

Can anyone comment on how well Red Pocket worked out?

Also, who's towers do they use?

You choose the carrier at sign up. Data throttles down to 2G speeds after the first 5GB at LTE. You might find Verizon's "Visible" service a better deal for unlimited data. Visible does limit your speed to 5Mbps though. But at $40/mo for everything, that's still fast enough for streaming...

[bukzin]

jbbrick wrote:
I have and love Google Fi, if its available in your area check out their website. The only drawback for some is you have to use one of their phones, no Iphones but the service is great all over the country and you can tether your tablet or pc and just pay for the data used. Plus free roaming in over 100 countries. I used to have Verizon @ $65/month and now my bill is about 30 or less.

Google Fi (aka Project Fi) has made changes and now works with most modern phones.

Their Pixel line of phones are the best but they have opened it up to most of the others.

[bukzin]

Heisenberg wrote:
Red Pocket This could be a great deal for a phone that will hotspot. $20 per month and 5GB @ 4G LTE with unlimited data, text, and talk. I am anxious to find out if it only falls back on speed with crowded towers. 3G is not bad when nothing else is available.

Can anyone comment on how well Red Pocket worked out?

Also, who's towers do they use?

[Heisenberg]

Red Pocket This could be a great deal for a phone that will hotspot. $20 per month and 5GB @ 4G LTE with unlimited data, text, and talk. I am anxious to find out if it only falls back on speed with crowded towers. 3G is not bad when nothing else is available.

[Rolin]

We have Moto G unlocked phones currently with T-Mobile. We have traveled Coast to Coast and through a number of Eastern and Western Canadian Providences (we had full voice/text/data service in Canada with no additional cost). There were some places where cell service was not available (Yellowstone was spotty) and Alaska was a challenge as we had to roam on other cell providers and our data was limited while roaming.

We use a Wilson Amp for those weak signal locations with an external antenna. Planning for a more powerful wilson amplifier option in the future. We did not go deep into the wilderness but were pleased with the general cell coverage as we traveled. Guess it depends on how remote you want to go.

Found we could not count on RV park wifi systems. Many advertise wifi but it is often spotty, intermittent, or limited bandwidth. Had better luck with Starbucks, Wendys, McDonalds or Tim Hortons.

Good luck on your quest for reliable Internet access. You might have to limit your wilderness adventures if you want a cost effective reliable internet solution.

[Bill_Satellite]

daboognish88 wrote:
I'm pretty terrible with this tech stuff and there is just so much information out there that it can be overwhelming. What do you consider to be the best deals in terms of smartphone, service provider, hotspot, booster, etc? I'm a graphic designer and need internet access out in the boonies. I'm looking for something that doesn't break the bank but still provides decent service.. if such a thing exists.

So.....If your desire is internet in the "Boonies" you are likely going to have to rule out cellular unless your definition of boonies is way from a city but close to the Interstates. Maybe the boonies are just suburbs of big cities. If so, you might be OK. If you want to work from your RV while places like Yellowstone or on BLM land far from anywhere your choices are going to drop from many to just one. Satellite Internet and you are likely going to HATE that option!

[TechWriter]

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

People whose income depends on reliable internet, yet who want to travel almost anywhere in this country, even Mexico or Canada - use satellite based RV internet.

Yes, the recent satellite Internet options available to RVers are definitely worth considering.

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:

It isn't cheap. It is going to cost $6 to $7 thousand for the initial equipment and setup, and between $80 and $250 per month for the service. If you want 2 mps download, and 1 mps upload - that is the high end costs. Most of us would not be satisfied with that level of service in our home. Especially for graphic intensive usage.

Satellite Internet does not have to be that expensive.

PawPaw n Gram's $6500 satellite Internet system (RVDataSat) is a "push button" system -- it's an automatic dish. Very convenient, but you're paying dearly for that convenience. And $6500 is the cheap end -- here are the expensive satellite Internet systems.

However, there is a much less expensive satellite Internet option HughesNET Gen 5 for about $1700, but it's not automatic -- you'll have to set up a portable dish which can be a PITA.

This is the option I'm going with for my "Plan B" Internet coverage (Plan A is a Verizon data plan).

While the $6500 system is automatic and offers unlimited data, it's slow as hell (1 Mbps for $80/mon, 2 Mbps for $410/mon).

On the other hand, while the $1700 system requires you to manually set up and aim a big dish, it offers very fast Internet access -- up to 40 Mbps. However, you won't have unlimited data, but you have several data options:

The Business Internet Mobile 35: 10 GB Anytime / 25 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $89.99/mon
The Business Internet Mobile 50: 25 GB Anytime / 25 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $119.99/mon
The Business Internet Mobile 75: 50 GB Anytime / 25 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $169.99/mon
The Business Internet Mobile 100: 75 GB Anytime / 25 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $219.99/mon
The Business Internet Mobile 150: 100 GB Anytime / 50 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $289.99/mon
The Business Internet Mobile 200: 150 GB Anytime / 50 GB 8 am-6 pm . . . $389.99/mon

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

ependydad wrote:
That all may have been correct at one time or another. But cellular service has been available most places I've wanted to go.

Yes, we can't go off deep into the wide wilderness, but we've gotten plenty away from cities. We've roamed quite a lot in the CONUS. Mexico and Canada are out for now given my job requirements, but it isn't due to concerns over cellular internet.

The places we’ve had no coverage with either AT&T and/or Verizon this year include Medina Lake, Texas, 30 miles west of San Antonio, East Fork COE CG on Lake Lavon just northeast of Dallas (no Verizon, very good ATT), Lake Tawakoni - east side south of Greenville, TX, Lake Eufaula Belle Star CG 20 miles south of I-40 in OK on US -69, Rocky Point CG on Lake Fort Gibson just north of Wagoner, OK, Lake Stockton, MO - 35-40 miles north of I-44. Everyone of these locations shows at least 3G coverage on the Verizon and/ or ATT coverage maps. But there isn’t coverage.

Now I will admit that we camp much of the year in COE campgrounds on lakes, state parks, and Thousand Trails campgrounds so those might be too remote for many people.

The absolute worst general coverage I’ve had with Verizon was New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and western Maine and Massachusetts in the summer of 2015.

The worst ATT coverage is in my home state of Arkansas but we are very seldom near cities over 10,000 pop or interstates. Verizon is better because they bought Alltel which had a good network in Arkansas.

[jbbrick]

I have and love Google Fi, if its available in your area check out their website. The only drawback for some is you have to use one of their phones, no Iphones but the service is great all over the country and you can tether your tablet or pc and just pay for the data used. Plus free roaming in over 100 countries. I used to have Verizon @ $65/month and now my bill is about 30 or less.

[Heisenberg]

If you do not need streaming one of thesethese will be the ticket. Sometimes I have been able to stream! Even if it goes bust after a few months it is still a bargain. It is also Verizon coverage. It covers email and surfing very well.

[TomG2]

I have been doing a little research myself on the OP's question. He said, I'm looking for a data plan for a hot spot to operate the tablet and laptop that I can activate when I travel, 4-6 times a year for 2-4 weeks at a time."

I am finding most of the good deals are on phone plans that can be used as mobile hotspots instead of dedicated hotspots. Typically, phone plans can be upgraded to some version of unlimited data for an extra $50 or so per month. I will activate an old smartphone as a second line on Verizon Prepaid to do what you want for $55/month unlimited (with throttling)

[kerrlakeRoo]

Garmp, It's going to depend on a few things. First, who do you have your cell service with? You may have data available using the phones and plan you already have. Many Phones have the ability to become a mobile wifi hotspot, you need to check to see if yours has this ability. Or if you are already paying for cell service from att or verizon a small add on fee will usually allow you to buy more data on a given month.
or
You can buy a mobile hotspot from a second tier vender to use if you wish. Straight talk and others that sell pay as you go services may be an option, pay for a month and let it expire until you need it again, and then get another month. Re- activating can be a hassle with some.

[jplante4]

Mover from General RVing