Unlimited data hotspot plans

[YoBenny]

I'm am comparing different plans for internet and hotspot data before I take off for a half year stay on the road. If you have had success finding something reasonable I would really appreciate the advice!
Thanks
Benny

 

[SMR]

We use visible wireless,  40 a month, look for groups on Facebook,  we are in one and pay 25. We use about 125 gigs a month and have gone as high as 180. Visible is on the Verizon network.

 

[thumped]

Make sure you read all the fine print so you know what your getting into. 
I'm lucky that I kept an 8 year old unlimited plan from at&t.
I have used Visible before where at&t did not have good service.  It worked, but was not the best.

 

[phil-t]

Make sure you read all the fine print so you know what your getting into. 
I'm lucky that I kept an 8 year old unlimited plan from at&t.
I have used Visible before where at&t did not have good service.  It worked, but was not the best.

I use Visible now.  That's right, not the best but it works; and for $25/Mo. in using Party Pay, it's tough to beat.  We were using up our hotspot data on our 2 phones and it was a PIA managing two different hotspots, we would have had to up our Verizon plan by another $40/month and still not had enought hotspot data.  So, we will deal with "not the best" and settle for "it works" pretty darned well.

 

[IBTripping]

I'm another Visible user. Switch from Verizon with jetpack. It works fine for me.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Now that I am moving full time into the RV I am starting to look at options.

This article has Visible as the "best option" and T-Mobile as the best premium service.

I am reading and watching but I don't see any real specifics why Visible is a bad deal?

https://www.reviews.org/mobile/best-unlimited-data-cell-phone-plans/

 

[NY_Dutch]

Now that I am moving full time into the RV I am starting to look at options.

This article has Visible as the "best option" and T-Mobile as the best premium service.

I am reading and watching but I don't see any real specifics why Visible is a bad deal?

https://www.reviews.org/mobile/best-unlimited-data-cell-phone-plans/

The only con they seem to find with Visible is the temporary deprioritization on congested towers. I can't say that we've seen that, but then we're rarely near large enough populations where it might be an issue.

Note that T-Mobile's unlimited plan only includes 3GB of hotspot use. Watching feature length movies on your phone gets old really fast...

 

[Lou Schneider]

Now that I am moving full time into the RV I am starting to look at options.

This article has Visible as the "best option" and T-Mobile as the best premium service.

I am reading and watching but I don't see any real specifics why Visible is a bad deal?

https://www.reviews.org/mobile/best-unlimited-data-cell-phone-plans/

Visible is the best bang for the buck if you're a casual user, if you need Internet for something like a videoconferencing job where you absolutely have to be online during peak hours you should have other alternatives.  Visible's biggest limitation is it's a cellphone only service, with the on phone hotspot limited to one device at a time.  There are ways around this (using a router as the single device, for example) but it's technically violating Visible's Terms of Service.

The other thing the article didn't mention is Visible isn't like other independent MVNO resellers, they're a Verizon subsidiary.  This means they're unlikely to have their contract to use the Verizon network terminated without notice, which has happened to numerous resellers over the years.

I use Visible as my primary phone service, it's a bargain at $40 a month. The unlimited hotspot data is a welcome bonus and it's why I switched to Visible from a similar Straight Talk (Tracfone) plan.  I was in a Party Pay group for a while to get the discount, but people come and go from those all the time and it became too much of a hassle just to save $15 a month.  AT&T is my primary data provider via a grandfathered Mobley on their Connected Car plan.  I use the phone hotspot for my tablet when I'm in the toad away from the RV or if I'm out of AT&T range.  So far using one device at a time hasn't been a serious hinderance.

 

[ziplock]

Watching feature length movies on your phone gets old really fast...

Do people REALLY watch tv on their phones?

I just can't believe people do that. If it is true, then I must ask, "why"?

I'm sure many people will learn something from the tutorial I 'm hoping someone will share.

 

[NY_Dutch]

. Watching feature length movies on your phone gets old really fast...


Do people REALLY watch tv on their phones?

I just can't believe people do that. If it is true, then I must ask, "why"?

I'm sure many people will learn something from the tutorial I 'm hoping someone will share.

I've watched news and weather programs on my phone while waiting for medical appointments. My wife sometimes watches her favorite soap when we're on the road in the motorhome and she doesn't feel like watching the bedroom TV. As to "Why?", I guess the best answer is "Why not?"...

 

[John From Detroit]

Well just before they totaled my RV (Long story told elsewhere) I signed up for FMCA Tech Connect.

This is a Spring Mi-FI device  Speeds ranged all over the map  (The speedomoeter I use goes up to I think 100 Mbps and I've had it "Pin".. but usually 20-50  I was pleased with it but now that I'm "parked' in an apartment the cable is the same price and pins the meter reliably.

Sprint is now merged with T-mobile so coverage is rather good  (NOTE Last Summer when the Sprint hit the pin T-mobile was "No Signal"  Yup I have T-Mobile too. 

T-mobile 55+ plan (i'm over 55) (15 overt 55) is "unlimited" but the FMCA plan is UNLIMITED what's the difference.
Well after so many Gigs my T-moble can "Throttle" and after so many hotspot gigs it Always Throttles.

Sprint did not.

I'd go with FMCA and Tech Connect.. Membership + 50 set up + 50/month ((Rounded of course))

 

[solarman]

if you have an iPad then the $20 postpaid unlimited data plan is worth considering.

You WILL have to ask for it specifically.
You will need the IMEI from the iPad
they will perform a credit check.

after that, 500+ GB a month is no problem..

 

[NY_Dutch]

if you have an iPad then the $20 postpaid unlimited data plan is worth considering.

You WILL have to ask for it specifically.
You will need the IMEI from the iPad
they will perform a credit check.

after that, 500+ GB a month is no problem..

Is that T-Mobile's "Magenta for Tablets" plan?

 

[Ex-Calif]

The only con they seem to find with Visible is the temporary deprioritization on congested towers. I can't say that we've seen that, but then we're rarely near large enough populations where it might be an issue.

Note that T-Mobile's unlimited plan only includes 3GB of hotspot use. Watching feature length movies on your phone gets old really fast...

I am leaning towards Verizon's Visible because we really want unlimited data with no throttling. I can deal with deprioritizing - like you I don't spend much time in congested areas. Saving money is "OK" but not a priority.  I am willing to pay up to $80 a month to get what we need.

I currently have a company phone with Verizon. I don't know if the company has a special deal but I use the hotspot feature all the time, usually with at least 2 devices connected - Laptop + iPad or Laptop + TV. I have never noticed any slow downs as long as I have 2+ bars.

I have also noodled the Magenta Plan and I think Verizon has something like the magenta plan too.  I don't have to make the decision until May so I am in research mode right now..

 

[Lou Schneider]

The only time I'm aware of being deprioritized was one afternoon while staying at the Plaza Station in Las Vegas, in a room adjacent to I-15 during rush hour.  Even then the speed was good enough to stream video.  When traffic died down my speed retuned to normal.

 

[NY_Dutch]

I have seen some slowdowns occasionally during peak hours, but I really can't say they were any worse than the slowdowns I sometimes saw when we had a postpaid Verizon plan with no throttling or deprioritization on busy towers. As you said, they didn't affect streaming...

 

[phil-t]

Most all cell carriers prioritize voice ahead of data.  If a tower is busy with voice traffic and call routing, data will suffer.  I ahve seen this many times, especially in more rural areas where there may be only one cell site accessible.

 

[docj]

I have seen some slowdowns occasionally during peak hours, but I really can't say they were any worse than the slowdowns I sometimes saw when we had a postpaid Verizon plan with no throttling or deprioritization on busy towers. As you said, they didn't affect streaming...

As the realtors always say "location, location, location!"  I gave up on Visible at our home location after ~6 months because the speed was rarely as high as 5Mbps.  I live in an area where my postpaid Verizon phones are often no better than 5Mbps and Visible was always less that that.  I finally decided it wasn't worth it for me.

By way of comparison, I'm now enjoying 5G service from T-Mobile on a 100GB/$50 plan.  I routinely get speeds of 15-20Mbps on my Inseego M2000 router.  No, it's not unlimited, but I pay for 2 accounts so I have 200GB to use each month!

 

[NY_Dutch]

Oh yeah, there's no question

As the realtors always say "location, location, location!"  I gave up on Visible at our home location after ~6 months because the speed was rarely as high as 5Mbps.  I live in an area where my postpaid Verizon phones are often no better than 5Mbps and Visible was always less that that.  I finally decided it wasn't worth it for me.

By way of comparison, I'm now enjoying 5G service from T-Mobile on a 100GB/$50 plan.  I routinely get speeds of 15-20Mbps on my Inseego M2000 router.  No, it's not unlimited, but I pay for 2 accounts so I have 200GB to use each month!

There's no question that location can make a huge difference in cell performance. Last week we were at Rodman Campground, south of Palatka, FL, getting 1-2 Mbps from Visible, but 25-30 Mbps from our AT&T Connected Car plan. This week we're 12 miles further south in the Ocala National Forest at Salt Springs, and Visible is running at 15-20 Mbps and AT&T at 2-3 Mbps. Our new dual Yagi MiMo antenna setup is also helping with either service. It's nice having both carriers onboard since we've yet to land any place where neither one was usable. I'm sure those places exist, but we're not out looking for them...

 

[solarman]

Is that T-Mobile's "Magenta for Tablets" plan?

sorry, I forgot to mention that is with AT&T

I've had said plan for 8 months now without issue.