Data + "dumb phone" for Verizon users

[ganchan]

I'm a longtime Verizon customer, but I'll need to change my plan when I hit the road. I don't need or want to upgrade to a smartphone from my trusty old LG Cosmos "dumb phone," but I do plan on getting a Jetpack mobile hot spot with say, the 4G data plan for $50. I know this plan included unlimited talk and text, but would it also require me to upgrade to a smartphone in the process?

These old basic phones just seem to do a much better job of voice clarity, especially when using the speakerphone function, and I sometimes have to record interviews for my work..... Plus the thing is already paid for. 

Forgive my ignorance in technical matters. I assure you that it extends to other matters as well.

 

[frater secessus]

According to my reading on the Vz website I think the Jetpack will be a separate thing. Are you going to be using that data with a tablet or laptop or something?

 

[ganchan]

According to my reading on the Vz website I think the Jetpack will be a separate thing.  Are you going to be using that data with a tablet or laptop or something?

Yes, I'll be doing my data-related stuff via laptop.

 

[rickr]

Have you considered cost of jet pack vs cost of smart phone with ability to personal hotspot ( tether) to your laptop?

 

[Almost There]

Last winter I bought an HTC smartphone for around a $130.00 that has the Mobile hotspot on it. The jetpack sells for around $200.00 IIRC.

I can use it for up to 5 devices at any one time...way more than I'll ever need and one less device to carry around and/or break down on me.

Oh and Verizon has better plans for 4G for $50.00...I'm paying $70 for unlimited talk/text north american wide and 10G of data on a monthly prepaid plan that has rollover features.

 

[wayne49]

When using a smartphone as a hot spot keep in mind that the hot spot app consumes smartphone's resources.

If you are doing not much else with the smartphone, it won't matter, but if you use your smartphone as a hot spot and to play music to a bluetooth device something has to give.

 

[ganchan]

When using a smartphone as a hot spot keep in mind that the hot spot app consumes smartphone's resources.

If you are doing not much else with the smartphone, it won't matter, but if you use your smartphone as a hot spot and to play music to a bluetooth device something has to give.

How would these basic types of devices compare in terms of internal battery life and/or energy draw on an attached laptop?

 

[Goshawk]

You can get a 3G only speed Verizon hotspot from a few online dealers. Unlimited data for $5 a month is the claim. I have one myself.

Slow data is slow. You can do internet browsing. And play music. No video though is possible (unless right next to a tower). The unit will cost $100 to buy.

Or you can get a STRAIGHTTALK Verizon cellphone with 10Gigs data for $55 a month. Neat thing with this is if you run out half way you can renew early for $55 and another 10Gigs data. Can't tether that.


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[ganchan]

I may end up upgrading to a smartphone with one of these slow minimal plans, using it mostly for calls and sensitive transactions that require a private hotspot (such as banking), and then relying largely on public Wi-Fi (with some extra encryption measures) for daily web browsing, research, software updates etc.

 

[Goshawk]

Someone mentioned a $110 a month XL account with Verizon but will need to see if that's true in any context. Verizon likes to hit you with cellular account fee and network fee and other things to add onto anything advertised.


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[Goshawk]

Someone mentioned a $110 a month XL account with Verizon but will need to see if that's true in any context. Verizon likes to hit you with cellular account fee and network fee and other things to add onto anything advertised.


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Sure enough there is a $20 per line access fee. So real cost is $130.

But Verizon is now starting their unlimited data plan today, which will have some tricks built in to throttle data. Needs more reasearch


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[ganchan]

Sure enough there is a $20 per line access fee. So real cost is $130.

But Verizon is now starting their unlimited data plan today, which will have some tricks built in to throttle data. Needs more reasearch


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I'm starting to look at the Verizon prepaid options with a smartphone. I'd rather not pay fill $ upfront for the phone, but on the other hand I don't want a credit inquiry (which occurs when they're approving you for a phone payment plan) to cause a dip in my credit score. I guess if I wanted Verizon's unlimited option, I could buy the phone and then attach it to that plan (?).

As for security when banking and so forth, I have a feeling that using a bank-specific smartphone app over cellular is more secure than any kind of banking online, even with a VPN service. Yes?

 

[Goshawk]

I'm starting to look at the Verizon prepaid options with a smartphone. I'd rather not pay fill $ upfront for the phone, but on the other hand I don't want a credit inquiry (which occurs when they're approving you for a phone payment plan) to cause a dip in my credit score. I guess if I wanted Verizon's unlimited option, I could buy the phone and then attach it to that plan (?).

As for security when banking and so forth, I have a feeling that using a bank-specific smartphone app over cellular is more secure than any kind of banking online, even with a VPN service. Yes?

Agree on some data security. As long as your phone software is latest version and you are using a fat connection. Should be secure.


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[frater secessus]

As for security when banking and so forth, I have a feeling that using a bank-specific smartphone app over cellular is more secure than any kind of banking online, even with a VPN service. Yes?

No. 

https/SSL is known encryption and site traffic is not sniffable or easily crackable, even by coordinated efforts.  Doesn't matter if you are on open wifi for those purposes, it's locked down. 

Mobile data connections can be degraded to trivially-crackable 2g encryption and the app will generally not tell you what encryption (if any) it uses.  Of course you could use https sites over the phone and it wouldn't matter if the "serve and protect" overlords Stingray'ed your connection without a warrant.

VPNs have their own problems;  they tend to fail-open, defaulting to open traffic if the tunnel drops.  I prefer SSH tunnels that fail closed.

 

[ganchan]

No. 

https/SSL is known encryption and site traffic is not sniffable or easily crackable, even by coordinated efforts.  Doesn't matter if you are on open wifi for those purposes, it's locked down. 

Mobile data connections can be degraded to trivially-crackable 2g encryption and the app will generally not tell you what encryption (if any) it uses.  Of course you could use https sites over the phone and it wouldn't matter if the "serve and protect" overlords Stingray'ed your connection without a warrant.

VPNs have their own problems;  they tend to fail-open, defaulting to open traffic if the tunnel drops.  I prefer SSH tunnels that fail closed.

I'm starting to think I should do my remote banking by just calling the 800 number and making my requests over the phone. 

 

[Goshawk]

No. 

https/SSL is known encryption and site traffic is not sniffable or easily crackable, even by coordinated efforts.  Doesn't matter if you are on open wifi for those purposes, it's locked down. 

Mobile data connections can be degraded to trivially-crackable 2g encryption and the app will generally not tell you what encryption (if any) it uses.  Of course you could use https sites over the phone and it wouldn't matter if the "serve and protect" overlords Stingray'ed your connection without a warrant.

VPNs have their own problems;  they tend to fail-open, defaulting to open traffic if the tunnel drops.  I prefer SSH tunnels that fail closed.

SSH fail closed. That's good. IOS uses SSH.


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[blars]

https is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, easy on wifi where you can't tell if you are on a "rogue" access point or not. You will notice when the cell phone degrades to 2g, speeds go down to a crawl. (and many phones display what the connection is)

 

[frater secessus]

https is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, easy on wifi where you can't tell if you are on a "rogue" access point or not.  You will notice when the cell phone degrades to 2g, speeds go down to a crawl.  (and many phones display what the connection is)

A malicious access point is insufficient to run a successful MITM attack.

Either the attacker provides an invalid cert, at which point the HTTPS connection would display as broken  <-- most common in the wild as it's easy and cheap
or
The attacker provides a spoofed-but-valid cert for the connection.  In that case the user would have to be using a customized client that trusts spoofed CA certs <-- most common in commercial/corporate networks as it is complex and very $$$

In general, I think good password hygiene and general awareness are more important than any specific manner of accessing the net.   I can't tell you the number of people who I've seen write their passwd on a sticky note then say "I use the same password for everything, ha ha.".  /boggling

 

[Goshawk]

A malicious access point is insufficient to run a successful MITM attack.

Either the attacker provides an invalid cert, at which point the HTTPS connection would display as broken  <-- most common in the wild as it's easy and cheap
or
The attacker provides a spoofed-but-valid cert for the connection.  In that case the user would have to be using a customized client that trusts spoofed CA certs <-- most common in commercial/corporate networks as it is complex and very $$$

In general, I think good password hygiene and general awareness are more important than any specific manner of accessing the net.   I can't tell you the number of people who I've seen write their passwd on a sticky note then say "I use the same password for everything, ha ha.".  /boggling

So

1). Use a password keeper tool on your smart phone. And make sure you use different passwords for all important accounts.

2). Change the passwords every six months at least.

3). Use two factor authentication on all bank accounts and other fiscal path online applications.

Think that can be done.


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