Straight Talk Wireless: New Unlimited Phone Plan for $25, $200 for new phone after a year so pay $300 get $200 back! Verizon network.

rruff · Friday at 8:39 PM

twomountainlions said:
50gb will be spent in 10 days with daily use. Also, clear view of Northern sky might not work in National forest spots.

I checked my use at home and it was 60GB for one month. Starlink charges $1/GB if you go over. I like camping in open areas even in summer, so I don't think trees will be an issue. Plus, I prefer to camp in places where cell coverage doesn't exist.

Videos are the big data hog, so if you can avoid those it helps a lot. I've never had a streaming service, but is there a way to download their movies in town if you are a member?

Currently all I have in the boonies is 5GB of phone (no hotspot) and that rarely has a signal.

twomountainlions · Saturday at 6:12 AM

rruff said:
I checked my use at home and it was 60GB for one month. Starlink charges $1/GB if you go over. I like camping in open areas even in summer, so I don't think trees will be an issue. Plus, I prefer to camp in places where cell coverage doesn't exist.

Videos are the big data hog, so if you can avoid those it helps a lot. I've never had a streaming service, but is there a way to download their movies in town if you are a member?

Currently all I have in the boonies is 5GB of phone (no hotspot) and that rarely has a signal.

I don't mind not having cell coverage for a while...
If watching even basic youtube videos data goes fast.. plus I think there are provider shenaningans in how they count data.
Starlink mini also needs 60 watt to run I believe, so there's extra power drain. And stuff cant be used for a phone number, still need to pay a provider to have the kind of phone thats accepted for banking (most dont accept free voIP numbers) and phone connection away from the rig.
I dont have any cell signal may be only 15-20% of the time now, they had greatly expanded coverage all over the country. If you hardly ever get coverage Starlink might work.

bullfrog ! · Saturday at 7:34 AM

We used Starlink while living in a remote part of Utah working for the National Park Service. It did consume power and was expensive. Finding clear sky and set up was fairly easy. It did take several days to stop the billing when we paused it even though we were not using the service.

rruff · Saturday at 10:52 AM

twomountainlions said:
Starlink mini also needs 60 watt to run I believe, so there's extra power drain.

Less than 30W typically, but yes, it's something. Blocking ads should help on data. And banking can be done through laptop, tablet, etc.

It's really just that I've become accustomed to getting online when I'm home, but don't miss it when I can't get it... but these have been short 2-3 week trips so far. I was a full time vagabond through the 90s and early 2000s and never had cell or internet when camping, so kinda wondering if that would be best. Less "noise". I can still access it when I go to town.

twomountainlions · Saturday at 6:19 PM

rruff said:
Less than 30W typically, but yes, it's something. Blocking ads should help on data. And banking can be done through laptop, tablet, etc.

It's really just that I've become accustomed to getting online when I'm home, but don't miss it when I can't get it... but these have been short 2-3 week trips so far. I was a full time vagabond through the 90s and early 2000s and never had cell or internet when camping, so kinda wondering if that would be best. Less "noise". I can still access it when I go to town.

When I mentioned banking I meant that now banks tie access to a phone number and require one on file, and most of them don't accept stuff like google voice anymore, they want actual cell number. Though you might be able to port your existing cell number already on file with financial institutions to Google voice or similar, then the number would be already considered verified by them and can just continue keeping it on file, they won't know its been ported to voIP

twomountainlions · Saturday at 6:30 PM

They are rolling out Starlink Direct to Cell service, which will be regular already existing cellphones using satellite service in otherwise dead spots. It works by satellites beaming cell signal to earth acting as cell towers. Seems like it will be an add-on with cell providers.
Seems like T mobile will be the first one to deploy it. ATT and verizon filed opposition with FCC in August but I have a feeling this won't fly well for them now.

wayne49 · Saturday at 8:46 PM

twomountainlions said:
Another thing with Verizon is loss of 4g (or voice) coverage where I used to have it before. Seems like some bands were moved to 5g and they just dropped 4g phones off coverage in those areas, while they killed 3g. No voice even, no nothing anymore. Verizon map says 4g service around Baker, NV. No service for me, just like along most of hwy 50 this year. No way to call roadside assistance or offroad recovery. I think I used to have service in the same spots.
Need to get sims for 2 mnvos, I guess, to run off both att and vz networks....

US-50 doesn't have much service due to the numerous mountain ranges. Earned the name "Loneliest Highway" for a reason.

I could only talk to my son when I was atop a peak overlooking Smoky Valley, between Austin and Eureka.

Basin and Range from one side of Nevada to the other. Roller coaster ride.

Baker, NV is midway between the Utah border and the Basin and Range National Park.

wayne49 · Saturday at 8:54 PM

rruff said:
Looks promising. My issue with Visible is that they won't allow me to use my old phone for some reason, although it's a Verizon compatible phone.

And... I'd prefer ATT, but no cheap unlimited plans that I've seen.

The upfront profit comes from the new phone.

ATT comes out of Ma Bell.

It's fun to watch 2001:A Space Odyessey, and see all of the then Premium brand names that no longer exist.

twomountainlions · Saturday at 9:32 PM

wayne49 said:
US-50 doesn't have much service due to the numerous mountain ranges. Earned the name "Loneliest Highway" for a reason.

I could only talk to my son when I was atop a peak overlooking Smoky Valley, between Austin and Eureka.

Basin and Range from one side of Nevada to the other. Roller coaster ride.

Baker, NV is midway between the Utah border and the Basin and Range National Park.

I traveled 50 over many years and very familiar with it.
Its a busy road now, with plenty of trucks and nothing preventing setting up good service, I got service in much more desolate areas.
Verizon used to have much better service there before 5g rollout. I no longer have service in spots I had it in.
Also, Baker has 4g verizon service according to official map but I get none there.
And theres plenty of att service in the 50 area according to att maps.
It doesnt matter, next 1-2 years there will be starlink to celulluar everywhere.

dhuff · 2024-11-17T08:31:08-0500

twomountainlions said:
Yes, all mnvos do that. But it doesnt mean that every single vz tower is made available to mnvo carrier. Thats what my question is about, if there are any differences in coverage.

I'm a Visible customer, and have been for several years. Visible is not only an MVNO for Verizon, they are wholly owned by them. Regular Visible service is indeed subject to Quality of Service (QoS) throttling on towers which are really crowded vs. some, more expensive Verizon plans. Their Visible+ service costs a bit extra, but removes those QoS rules, adds 5G connectivity where avail., etc... We pay for that for our daughter who is away at college.

And also, yes - their support is Internet chat based (basically typing msgs to each other in a window on the phone or via a web browser on a PC/Mac). Never had a problem with that. But they will arrange a voice call if needed, it's just not the initial option. The few times I've used their support, the folks were friendly and competent.

twomountainlions · 2024-11-17T09:13:17-0500

I see, it makes sense that less expensive plans get more throttling. I decided to go with Red Pocket and I'm prepared for throttling on verizon network sim, but I really faced it only in towns when coming in for resupply, the places I actually camp in, there was none/too far out of town.

rruff · 2024-11-17T09:44:15-0500

dhuff said:
I'm a Visible customer, and have been for several years.

I tried to switch to them, but they don't allow old phones for some reason. Seems like a scam to make money off phone sales.

dhuff · 2024-11-17T11:15:45-0500

rruff said:
I tried to switch to them, but they don't allow old phones for some reason. Seems like a scam to make money off phone sales.

Dunno what sort of phone you have, but we brought over our existing iPhones w/o any issue. And mine isn't the latest model by a long shot, a 2nd gen. iPhone SE I bought as a refurb from Apple. Any phones do have to be Verizon-compatible (i.e. supports CDMA). Visible also has some pretty inexpensive Android phones on offer, incl. a Motorola Moto G for $90.

rruff · 2024-11-17T12:03:48-0500

S8+... about 8 years old now? Bought it used in 2020. I've only had Verizon on it, but it's unlocked. None of the other carriers have a problem with it, but Visible says no for some reason.

If it isn't an arbitrary "no old phones" rule, then I really wonder what the reason could be.

Happy Camper · 2024-11-17T23:06:29-0500

twomountainlions said:
I actually have very detailed offline maps on my Gaia gps app loaded for every location I go to, normally, but in town I want to see directions plotted on google map, my large rig does not like traffic jams and road work, their directions are optimized for current conditions and closures and would rather wait for extra 5 mins to load them.

Google maps has offline maps. You need to enable it, then determine which area you want to download. The area you can download is limited to some extent. But you can download multiple map areas. That'll give you your offline. navigation.

rruff · 2024-11-17T23:20:54-0500

Happy Camper said:
Google maps has offline maps.

I think it happened automatically when I kept accessing the maps in a certain area... but I don't really know how to use my phone.

twomountainlions · 2024-11-17T23:48:06-0500

Happy Camper said:
Google maps has offline maps. You need to enable it, then determine which area you want to download. The area you can download is limited to some extent. But you can download multiple map areas. That'll give you your offline. navigation.

I am well aware of their offline maps but this never worked for me. Offline maps can't read current traffic conditions, too much touble to download, etc, I wrote code for Toyota onboard computers mapping I know how to do offline navigation, this is not what discussion is about. When I'm paying for unlimited cell service I should not be throttled to the level of dialup speed or no internet, this is my point.

twomountainlions · 2024-11-17T23:56:54-0500

dhuff said:
Dunno what sort of phone you have, but we brought over our existing iPhones w/o any issue. And mine isn't the latest model by a long shot, a 2nd gen. iPhone SE I bought as a refurb from Apple. Any phones do have to be Verizon-compatible (i.e. supports CDMA). Visible also has some pretty inexpensive Android phones on offer, incl. a Motorola Moto G for $90.

One can get Samsung for the same price, Motorola phones are very bad, never again

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