Hi all,
I'm preparing to stay in my RV for a couple weeks in the backyard of my home, which is now under contract (hooray). I cancelled my WIFI when I moved out and want to try living with just mobile data. I have looked at Verizon prepaid plans that include hotspot. They advertise that 15 GB is good for 30 hours of streaming video, etc. But then on their data info page they estimate 2GB data used PER hour of streaming. Those number do not add up!!
For those of you who primarily rely on their mobile service for data, and who use it alot (I will be using it for work and personal, including hopefully with my smart TV), what is your personal experience with using mobile plan? How many days can you go before throttled to a lower speed? What carrier and plan do you have?
Thanks
Lisa
Our experience, two users that do NOT stream on a single 20GB plan, is we will be throttled after about 20 days. How much throttling affects us depends on whatever criteria Verizon has in the mix, the number of other users on the tower, the color of my eyes, etc. I would guess you will use up your data in less than 20 days streaming.
There are alternative activities to surfing, and streaming.
I use a Verizon hotspot with PREPAID unlimited. It's $70/mo, $65 if you have autopay. It does not throttle at a set cap, however it is "network managed", which means I have lowest priority on the tower I'm on. It may slow down, but goes back up when the tower is not congested.
I have never had speed issues with streaming youtube, netflix, etc., and have used 120GB before to test my usage with no issues.
I think this plan is still available. Prepaid, not postpaid.
We use Google Fi (https://fi.google.com/about/). No problem with coverage AND the bill is capped not the data. In the past there was a belief that Verizon was the best on the road but that's no longer the case. Google uses three different cell carriers depending on who has the strongest signal.
glen
We use Google Fi (https://fi.google.com/about/). No problem with coverage AND the bill is capped not the data. In the past there was a belief that Verizon was the best on the road but that's no longer the case. Google uses three different cell carriers depending on who has the strongest signal.
glen
We've been thinking of trying Google Fi for the phone service. One thing to be aware of is the data is limited after 15GB to 2G speeds unless you want to start paying $10 per gig. The plus on their data plan is it works at no additional charge in 170 countries. Here is a description from their site.
"If you use more than 15 GB of data in a cycle (less than 1% of individual Fi users as of Jan. 2018), you'll experience slower speeds above 15 GB with Bill Protection.
If you need significant amounts of high speed data, you can opt to pay $10/GB for the data you use past 15 GB in a given cycle."
In reference to LindaB's comment regarding Verizon's plan I was unable to find that online and would love to see a link.
We got an AT&T Mobley when they came out with their $20 per month unlimited plan and it has worked well and has not experienced a slow down to date. Unfortunately, this plan was very popular and is no longer offered as unlimited. The Mobley device is not very efficient so I purchased an AT&T compatible hotspot and put the Mobley sim card it in and have seen much-improved speeds.
Jim
"In reference to LindaB's comment regarding Verizon's plan I was unable to find that online and would love to see a link."
It's on the Verizon Prepaid Plans page. Go to this link (https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/) and scroll down to "Tablet & Jetpack Plans". Click on "Shop now" and proceed as if you are buying the plan. The $70 Unlimited plan ($65 with autopay) will then show up.
- Jack
Jacki, thanks! That is helpful, though confusing. I read through VZs plans, and went to an RV wifi page that described difference between network management and throttling. I did not see any plan with VZ that allowed unlimited high speed usage, even with network management. I read they had such a plan but it was dc'd. The Closest I found is 15GB for $60 or unlimited for $70, but the $70 does not include hotspot.
I'll go back and check again.
4716]
I use a Verizon hotspot with PREPAID unlimited. It's $70/mo, $65 if you have autopay. It does not throttle at a set cap, however it is "network managed", which means I have lowest priority on the tower I'm on. It may slow down, but goes back up when the tower is not congested.
Ah! I did find it. So when it slows down, is it usable at all? I tend to Watch tv late at night, so not too concerned about congestion then, but during day I have to work and that means I need sufficient and reliable bandwidth for email and internet, including receiving, sending and and downloading large documents.
Lisa, you might want to read this site:
Mobile Internet Resource Center - Mobile Internet Resource Center (https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/)
Lisa, you might want to read this site:Mobile Internet Resource Center - Mobile Internet Resource Center (https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/)
That is the website I was reading last night! That's how I learned about the jet packs and the difference between throttling and network management. I asked on here because I like to read /hear about individual experiences, as I find that a general summary is not always indicative of what one may experience in real life.
Lisa
We use AT&T - two phones and a hotspot. Our use is like yours (must need computer and streaming).
We use 80gb or so on our hotspot. No throttling so far but occasionally (handful a month) of slow moments a month,
However YMMV as it depends on cell tower throughout and that varies (location, time, etc.)
We don’t use much of our data on our phones so that my backup plan (phone as hotspot). But honestly I no longer think about it after1.5 years. They just changed our plan this month so we will see how the new plan works.
One tip - download shows when you can vs live streaming - it seems to use less data.
Jane
One tip - download shows when you can vs live streaming - it seems to use less data.
Thank you for that tip. I was just watching a Youtube video about the VZ jetpack for RV use and she mentioned it took 30 minutes to download a Youtube video. That reminded me that it's usually better to download something vs. streaming. But I also thought 30 minutes seemed like a really long time! (the presenter seemed to think it was fast?!).
I think I may get the VZ jetpack and try it out. Last night the WIFI went out at the house I'm subletting and it was really frustrating. Sad I'm so reliant on it, but I am, so a backup would be great.
I downloaded about 10 Netflix shows onto my tablet using our hotspot - 40-45 min shows, in about 30 minutes (maybe less I was not really watching it). You can test your connection speed with the Speedtest ap. I am guessing that video you were watching might be old. We have a netgear hotspot that is almost 2 years old.
What's the difference between prepaid and whatever is the usual billing method? They grab the money in advance in both cases.
I see the Jetpacks are only $50 now. They were offered for five times that at one point.
Prepaid = no contract. So you can cancel at any time without penalty. The down side is that prepaid is at the bottom of the priority list for highspeed data with Verizon (from what I've read), so that "network management" thing means that though they don't throttle your data speed down after you hit a certain allotment, you are subject to slower speeds during high use times, whereas allegedly the postpaid customers will have greater chance of not getting reduced speeds.
Here is one approach to watching movies when internet-data is in short supply. For context, while I use Apple iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, I imagine devices/software are available for Android....
My strategy for viewing movies while roaming (I travelled a lot before retiring last year), is to download the content to my iPad/iPhone in advance, either from my home internet connection or a suitable commercial WiFi hotspot. Then, while away from reliable WiFi/Internet, I either watch the movie on my iPad or a TV. How do I view on a TV, you might ask? I use Apple’s “AirPlay” feature which sends the content from the iPad/iPhone to an Apple TV via WiFi. Note that while the iPad/iPhone and the Apple TV must be connected to the same WiFi router to use AirPlay, the router does not need to be connected to the internet (convenient for boondocking).
For those that want to explore the gear, while I use an Apple Airport (I’ve had it a while and see no need to buy a new device), I imagine a JetPack or NetGear NightHawk will work. If I were buying gear now, I’d probably buy the JetPack or NightHawk because they serve both as a cellular HotSpot and a router. Also of note, PCMagazine rated wireless hotspots recently:
https://netgear.com/home/products/mobile-broadband/mobilerouters/MR1100.aspx
The Best Mobile Hotspots for 2019 | PCMag.com (https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/294369/the-best-mobile-hotspots) .
We plan to connect the Apple TV and Router as follows in our soon-to-be-delivered 27 MidBath (will the day ever come?!?). Both the Apple TV and router will be plugged into a 4”x2”x10”, 150 Watt “Samlex” power inverter http://www.samlexamerica.com/products/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=590 . Both the Apple TV and Router draw minimal current so 150 Watts is more than sufficient for this application. All of this will be installed in the cabinet adjacent to and using the factory installed 12v power outlet and 12v power switch, to be known hereafter as the AV/Internet cabinet.
We had Lazy Daze run a second coaxial cable from outside the coach (next to the standard TV input), into the AV/Internet cabinet. We plan to use this cable to connect either a portable satellite TV antenna or an external cellular antenna.
Hope it all works as planned... Let me know if there are ideas how to improve or flaws in my planning (would be par for the course were it the case).
Warren
How do I view on a TV, you might ask? I use Apple’s “AirPlay” feature which sends the content from the iPad/iPhone to an Apple TV via WiFi.
Yeah, that's actually one thing I was considering with using data on my phone. I have an Android phone and Samsung smart TV, and I can cast my phone screen to the TV.
LIsa
I use a Verizon hotspot with PREPAID unlimited. It's $70/mo, $65 if you have autopay. It does not throttle at a set cap, however it is "network managed", which means I have lowest priority on the tower I'm on. It may slow down, but goes back up when the tower is not congested.
I have never had speed issues with streaming youtube, netflix, etc., and have used 120GB before to test my usage with no issues.
I think this plan is still available. Prepaid, not postpaid.
Hi Linda,
I went to a Verizon store today, and just as they warned on here: Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Data Hotspot Jetpack Plan (pUDP) - Mobile Internet... (https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/guides/verizon-pudp-prepaid-unlimited-jetpack-data-plan/) , the sales person initially had no knowledge of the plan, and then went on to state that it MUST have a 15GB cap because, well, the other plans do, so it must.
I finally found the link to the plan and showed it to him, but he insisted it had to be capped. I am going to purchase the jetpack online and then get the SIM and try it out. I was too annoyed to buy the device at the store, plus they charge a $50 restocking fee no matter what the reason for return. No thanks.
Hoping for the best.
Lisa G.
Lisa G,
If you are looking at which jetpack to buy, I'd recommend the Verizon MiFi 8800L. It's state of the art, covering all the current frequencies and allows for an external MIMO (2x2) antenna connection. That being said, there are problems with the 8800L randomly disconnecting and requiring a rebooting to correct. The good news is that a firmware patch is going through beta testing now and should be pushed out soon. Chris & Cherie of rvmobileinternet have been testing for the last couple of weeks and have reported some good results. If you have trouble finding the 8800L on the Verizon Shopping page, try changing the Pricing pulldown to either 2-Year Contract or Retail.
Also... I just bought a Netgear 6000450 MIMO Antenna to go with my 8800L. They were backordered for a long time but Amazon is now selling them for $27.47 with free shipping. The antenna is working well for me. It's pretty small and comes with suction cup fasteners that attached to a window. The coax wire is about 3.5 ft long so you can just move it around the coach where it works best.
I hope this helps.
- Jack
I think it helps to go to an actual Verizon company store. It's been my experience that the folks at the contracted stores are somewhat lacking in knowledge.
I think it helps to go to an actual Verizon company store. It's been my experience that the folks at the contracted stores are somewhat lacking in knowledge.
I went to an actual Verizon store. That's where the sales guy had no knowledge of the plan, and when I told him of it, he looked it up and insisted it was the same as the phone plan and that there had to be a 15GB cap. He refused to look further because he "knew" that it was the only thing that made sense, and he said no documentation exists for the plan (though he didn't check).
Was not impressed.
Jack - I was going to get the 8800 but read so many terrible reviews about the dropped connection that I decided to get the older model (starts with a 7) off Amazon. I got a used model through Prime figuring that I could return it if it doesn't work/work well, and not be out a restocking fee. Supposed to arrive today. I hope to be set up and trying it out this weekend. Will post results.
Lisa
Lisa,
it just occurred to me that once you get settled, you will be moochdocking at home. :) :o :)
Pat the dogs.
Joel
Also... I just bought a Netgear 6000450 MIMO Antenna to go with my 8800L. They were backordered for a long time but Amazon is now selling them for $27.47 with free shipping. The antenna is working well for me. It's pretty small and comes with suction cup fasteners that attached to a window. The coax wire is about 3.5 ft long so you can just move it around the coach where it works best.
I hope this helps.
- Jack
I've got the same MIMO antenna and used it last year at a location in AZ where the signal was a bit weak and went from 2mbps to 22mbps. Other than that I have seldom had to use it, but, as you say it is relatively small, light and easy to move around.
Jim
Wow. SO I bought a used 7730L Jetpack (the model preceding the 8800) on Amazon for $80. Paid for the plan at Verizon today. And sure enough, this sucker is working. I'm using my laptop AND streaming Netflix on my smart TV using the jetpack with no issue. I'm kind of amazed. I'm in a very dense urban area so I'm sure there is a lot of use of the network, even at 11pm.
Granted, the streaming is not HD, so it looks less crisp, etc., but there is no lag, which is awesome. And I went to a different Verizon store today and the woman there knew about the plan and confirmed that it's unlimited. She said they didn't believe it either until customers started coming in and telling them their experience with the unlimited data. Get it now and get grandfathered into the unlimited plan before Verizon cancels it!
I'm just amazed. I had no idea this possible for $70 ($65 after autopay discount). Wow. Just wow.
Lisa G.
We have a Verizon unlimited plan with two phones and a tablet. Although the plan says it's unlimited, there's a "soft" limit of 22GB *per device* after which the speed is managed depending on how busy the tower is. Although my phone often bumps up against the 22GB limit, and sometimes goes over, I've never noticed my speeds slowing.
The plan we have also includes 15GB *per device* of hotspot usage. I often get to 15GB on my phone. When that happens, I just use either the other phone or the tablet as a hotspot.
We do NOT stream except an occasional short You Tube video. If we want to watch TV, we have Dish with a Trav'ler on the roof of the RV.
We have a Verizon unlimited plan with two phones and a tablet. Although the plan says it's unlimited, there's a "soft" limit of 22GB *per device* after which the speed is managed depending on how busy the tower is. Although my phone often bumps up against the 22GB limit, and sometimes goes over, I've never noticed my speeds slowing.
The plan we have also includes 15GB *per device* of hotspot usage. I often get to 15GB on my phone. When that happens, I just use either the other phone or the tablet as a hotspot.
We do NOT stream except an occasional short You Tube video. If we want to watch TV, we have Dish with a Trav'ler on the roof of the RV.
Hi Linda,
It sounds like you have an older and/or postpaid plan. The jetpack $70 unlimited prepaid has no caps on usage and, depending on type of jetpack, can be used with up to 15 devices. The plan is discussed in detail here: Verizon Prepaid Unlimited Data Hotspot Jetpack Plan (pUDP) - Mobile Internet... (https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/guides/verizon-pudp-prepaid-unlimited-jetpack-data-plan/)
And so far I've found the information stated in the article to be spot on, including the Verizon store reps having no clue about the plan (though one did and confirmed it is, in fact, unlimited) and giving out incorrect information.
I was streaming to my smart TV last night while using my laptop to surf the web and constantly update my email, and I had my phone on the mifi as well (which also updates email). I was very surprised to see no change in the streaming of Netflix. Granted, loading of pages on my laptop was not as instantaneous as on a home wifi network, but I also only had two bars on the jetpack. Plus, the Comcast connection I had at my house use to sometimes freeze up on my smart tv if I started surfing content heavy pages on my laptop. None of that on the Mifi. So while streaming is limited to 720p, it's more than sufficient for my needs.
Lisa
Lisa, I’ll bet you can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from many on this forum that something finally went right for you. Stream on! — Jon
Lisa, Linda has the current plan for phones (not for a specific hotspot device). We have two phones, similiar plans to hers with the phone able to provide 15gb hotspot for other devices. And a separate hotspot (netgear) that has it's own service. FYI, ATT no longer provides a hotspot device unlimited plan, they are capped and charge overages if you exceed it (no throttling, no stopping of service, they just provide it and charge it - high prices). They "notify" you , but in the past that has meant a message on the hotspot itself (no email or text to the phones), which of course we don't look at that device regularly so that notification is meaningless.
Hi Linda,
It sounds like you have an older and/or postpaid plan.
Nope. While Verizon has some newer plans, my unlimited is fairly new...within the past 2-4 years. I'm eligible for a new phone in a month or two, so will look at Verizon's current plans to see if any of them are better than what I have now, but with 2 phones and a tablet, I don't need another device.
As of this morning, Verizion's $70 ($65 with autopay) Unlimited Prepaid Jetpack Plan has been taken off their website. The word is that Verizion Telesales (800-309-3341) is still taking orders but that may change soon. If your thinking about getting this plan, you should act now and get grandfathered in. The Verizion internal plan number is 28366.
- Jack
...Verizon's $70 ($65 with autopay) Unlimited Prepaid Jetpack Plan has been taken off their website...
Verizon's $70 ($65 with autopay) unlimited prepaid mobile hotspot plan is - as of April 30, 2:30 pm MST - not anymore on the prepaid plans overview page of Verizon's website (Prepaid Cell Phones & No Contract Plans | Verizon Wireless (https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/)) but it is still available when you click on that page onto the "Shop now" button in the "Tablet & Jetpack Plans" section and follow through to the point where you actually choose a plan. Whether the plan will soon also disappear from here I don't know.
I am since two weeks on this plan. To be clear, this plan is not without limitations. People on this plan are de-prioritized against "normal" Verizon customers. Verizon is (or was) not extremely forthcoming with this information but it is (or was) available when clicking onto the "See details" link on the overview page. See attached screen shot.
However, in spite of this limitation I am almost at a point where I will cancel my cable Internet service and use only Verizon. I am using only Verizon, also in my house, since about 14 days with usually 5 or 6 devices. The speed is wildly fluctuating and can go down in the afternoon a lot. Yet I have had no real problem throughout these two weeks - including downloading large files (several GB's) and streaming from HBO, Netflix, and YouTube. Especially the streaming worked surprisingly well at all times (it seems that Verizon's statement about 720p streaming quality is correct).
Attached is also a screen shot that shows the results of ongoing speed tests for the last 9 days. Yes, the minimum here is noted as 0.37 Mbps. But in reality I had rarely less than 3 Mbps and in general no problems with all my very extensive Internet habits. In the 14 days I used this plan I used almost 100 GB of data.
I live in Sedona, in 1.6 miles distance from the tower, and we are having a very busy high season right now. This means that during daytime many "additional" people are using Verizon, and that is when my speeds go down. I do a lot of remote computer support, and so far I had no problems to log onto other people's computer and work on them remotely using this Internet connection.
This plan might not be good for everybody. But I guess it's good for many and it's having a reasonable price. By the way: Verizon was offering a "14 Days Money Back Guarantee" when I bought this plan. So, there is no real risk to try it.
Am I missing something here. I just read 30 posts and have no idea what everyone is talking about ??? This is the first time in 45 years of boating and RVing that I feel so dumb :'( I can calculate with a slide rule, navigate with a Sextant...and I do know what GB's are, the rest, right over my head. Guess I missed something in the 23 years since I retired ( I did have a bag phone then) My wife does have an IPhone , it talks to her which she hates. Our kids insisted that they haul out the 80LB tube TV at Christmas and gave us this skinny flat thing with 8 clicky's to operate....which we cant, especially after martini time.
Tell me we dont need to know all that stuff to own a LD :o
Tell me we dont need to know all that stuff to own a LD.
You don't. It's only important for those who want or need to use the Internet in their RV a lot (a big lot!).
I, for example, do all my TV and movie watching by streaming it from the Internet (with an Amazon Fire TV Stick). I have no TV service subscription at my house; I do not plan to even have a TV set in my RV (removing the old tube TV was one of my first actions after buying the rig). I use sometimes 30 GB of data in one day. I want to have unlimited Internet access also in my RV. I need that for my work and want it for my pleasure.
Am I missing something here. I just read 30 posts and have no idea what everyone is talking about ??? This is the first time in 45 years of boating and RVing that I feel so dumb :'( I can calculate with a slide rule, navigate with a Sextant...and I do know what GB's are, the rest, right over my head. Guess I missed something in the 23 years since I retired ( I did have a bag phone then) My wife does have an IPhone , it talks to her which she hates. Our kids insisted that they haul out the 80LB tube TV at Christmas and gave us this skinny flat thing with 8 clicky's to operate....which we cant, especially after martini time.
Tell me we dont need to know all that stuff to own a LD :o
Hutch, as Stewart Brand said, "Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." ;)
Chris
- Jack
[/quote]
Hutch, as Stewart Brand said, "Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." ;)
Chris
Haha. That made me laugh.
Trust me (which you should never do when a person says that) most of what IT companies do is invent ways to keep us dumb so we don't see behind the curtain. The old time telcos are the worst. Today my favorite is Verizon definition of Unlimited. For most of my 72 years on this rock we call earth I believed unlimited was without end. Verizon has trademarked the word 'Unlimited' and redefined it to mine its only unlimited till they say its limited. In my book if a company lies about something this small what else are they lying about. Personally I will not give my hard earned money to a company that cheats me with misdirection no matter how good they are in other areas.
glen
Trust me (which you should never do when a person says that) most of what IT companies do is invent ways to keep us dumb so we don't see behind the curtain. The old time telcos are the worst. Today my favorite is Verizon definition of Unlimited. For most of my 72 years on this rock we call earth I believed unlimited was without end. Verizon has trademarked the word 'Unlimited' and redefined it to mine its only unlimited till they say its limited. In my book if a company lies about something this small what else are they lying about. Personally I will not give my hard earned money to a company that cheats me with misdirection no matter how good they are in other areas.
glen
"Personally I will not give my hard earned money to a company that cheats me with misdirection no matter how good they are in other areas." If you've held firm to that pledge, you must be a wealthy man, Glen. :) Chris
"Personally I will not give my hard earned money to a company that cheats me with misdirection no matter how good they are in other areas."
A fine-sounding sentiment... and one that rules out using a telephone or an internet connection. All the telcos lie, cheat, and try to trick you--all the time, in large and small ways. For example, just recently AT&T was sued for advertising "5G-e" service, when all they really had was 4G. And yes, "unlimited"--no matter which company is boasting about it--always comes with strings of one kind or another attached.
If you want to use a phone, or use the internet, you have to pick and choose which of the weasel-worded plans is least bad, and weigh that against which company you can connect to in the places where you are likely to travel. Since Verizon has the most extensive network--and in particular, the best coverage in the boonies, outside of the (highly profitable) urban areas where companies like Sprint and T-Mobile concentrate their efforts--it's the least bad choice for most RVers.
Bottom line: if you don't want to deal with a company that cheats and uses misdirection, turn off your phone, take your computer offline, and keep your hard-earned money in a sock under the bed. :-) Otherwise, make the best of it, as most of us do.
FWIW--there was once a discussion on the old Yahoo site about the Walmart Straight Talk Home Phone. I learned this was technically on the Verizon network, with a router. I could plug it into a wall jack & all the dinosaur phones in my house worked beautifully...for just $15/month & it allowed me to dump Ma Bell. I could take it in the LD & use a 12v adaptor--the phone could ring in Arizona & still think it was in Missouri--the only dead spot I ever found was about 60 miles due north, where cellphone users I knew had also mentioned problems. Internet ($35/month) with the local rural phone cooperative was stuck at the stix house, but I could stop at libraries/McD's/etc.when traveling, so life was fine.
A couple of years ago there was discussion on this site about the ATT Rural Home Phone & Internet for $60/month. My local rural phone cooperative had dropped the internet service I had, & offered an upgrade at a significant price increase, so I just went to the library periodically. I decided to give the ATT Rural Home Phone & Internet a shot--it comes with 250 GB of data, which I was told is a lot. When I went to the local ATT store they had no info about it, but followed up on the info I showed them from this site & got me set up--apparently I've been the only person in Livingston County to inquire about this. While I've read discussions about ATT deficiencies, I've had no problems with coverage & signal with either phone or internet.
Like the Walmart Straight Talk Home Phone, this has a router that I plug into a wall jack & all the dinosaur phones in the house are happy. The WiFi has had a couple of defugilties in the nearly two years I've had it, but I've learned how to reboot the router. The only problem is that it seems to have a proprietary jack for the power cord & I've not found a 12v adaptor that fits (since ATT doesn't expect this to be mobile, they don't have/sell a 12v adaptor), but I can plug into the power strip from the inverter that powers the TV & have enough line to reach the flip-up table between the barrel chairs, which is also where the laptop lives, so I've come a bit further into the 21st century & life is good. :D
The next step into the 21st century will be learning how to access TV via the internet...my D-I-L uses a Firestick--it looks easy enough, but like Hutch, I feel out of my element with streaming (I do know a slide rule & sextant are mathematical & navigational devices, though I've never been directly exposed to either ??? ). Chris--love the Stewart Brand quote...though I may be more of the crumbling detritus along the margins, than the actual road. :-[
Another fun thing--the 5 y/o & 10 y/o granddaughters think it's a hoot to punch the buttons on the phone, & put the receiver to their ears to make a call when they're in the LD. :D
Lynne
"Personally I will not give my hard earned money to a company that cheats me with misdirection no matter how good they are in other areas."
<smile> - To me there is a difference between what I call marketing and lying. When a company just lies I have no faith whatever. When a company "markets" I can discount but it still be a good product. IMHO the referees (legal system) has allowed Verizon to lie. No matter how you cut it "unlimited" is still defined as without limit. I refuse to change the definition of a word in my head so a company can take my hard earn money. In my world you can't change the definition of a word to suit money making and paint yourself as an honest company.
I'm one of those persons that read all the words in a contract. I do my best to understand what and why before I put my $$$ down. Yes I get taken advantage of. Yes there are a lot of smarter folks then me. But I do try to deal with honest folks. I'll pay a bit more for honest service. By honest I mean all the conditions and rules on the table for the buyer and seller.
BTW coverage is a tricky issue. It's not only the cell company it's also the cell phone that determines what and where you can get a signal. Verizon may have better coverage BUT not good 3g or 4g signal in the area. T-Mobile has the best 600MZ coverage but you may not have a 600MZ receiver in your phone. My point is, as with most issues, most folks are sold stuff not buy stuff.
glen
An update on the jetpack. I drove up the coast to Oregon yesterday (sadly NOT in my LD, which is still in the shop), and was trying to rely on my jetpack for phone coverage as TMobile is terrible on the way up. On several occasions the jetpack started beeping and had a message stating it was roaming. I am not entirely sure how or if roaming affects the signal, but in those areas I had no coverage on my Tmobile phone at all. I looked at a Verizon coverage map and noticed that I just happened to have been driving through one of their coverage deserts. Best Phone Carrier, Best Wireless, Why Verizon | Verizon Wireless (https://www.verizonwireless.com/featured/better-matters/)
Once I got to my dad's place, located in a coastal wooded area on a hill in SW Oregon, I thought I'd rely on his wired "fast speed" internet. But it is terrible and takes forever to load a page. So I tried the jetpack and it 's much, much better service than his DSL. So I'd say this unlimited jetpack plan is certainly a good deal for those that need good internet service. I do hope this plan was not DC'd.
Lisa G.