RV/mobile Internet options ( specifically for people who "work" from the road):

[KristinaKarina]

Hi There,

  in a previous thread, I asked if anyone ( the girls) video chatted from the road. The answer came back that to video chat was too data-intensive.  :huh: This caused me to wonder about how to "hook up" and to be able to work from the road, which is one of my goals since I want to sell items with graphics on them and have residual income. I searched for a possible solution to this end, and found these guys on YouTube. Their review of many types of internet access is helpful, and of course they are trying to sell their book/techno-geek services. They have been doing it for 6 years at this point, so they have some tried and tested suggestions. 
I realize that various replies and threads have mentioned these solutions in a roundabout way, but I think this video pulls all the possible solutions together so you can make an informed decision about what suits you; maybe even suggest an upgrade!

[font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]RV Mobile Internet Options by Technomadia -[/font]
[font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]This 20-minute video and our overview article (www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview - kept up to date) is a quick overview of the options. From cellular, public WiFi, satellite and signal enhancing. This is our current overview video, we'll have an updated version out in early 2016. [/font]

[font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif][video=youtube]http:/youtu.be/resaYsTxUoE?list=PLgtEZDX9EG7qYpr53Npml9zppYU2RlEwd[/video][/font]

 

[TMG51]

Now you'll get people telling you they won't watch the video due to bandwidth.

I work from the road. There was a thread a bit ago about a truly unlimited mobile hotspot, with speed capped at 5mbps. That's fast enough for most anything and I like the speed being limited rather than the data. That's a good solution for anyone within the coverage map. I plan to get one myself.
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Unlimited-5mbps-hotspot-on-Sprint-50-month-plus-150-for-the-device

Aside from that, it's always possible to get on public wifi somewhere - I know several chain stores that always have strong signal even in the parking lot and I use them when I don't want to use my data.

But some people just aren't into that, and can't/won't do anything data intensive like streaming.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Technomadia did a great seminar at last RTR.
Very nice couple.

 

[karenishere]

I have a plan with republic wireless where i get unlimited cell service for calls and texts, and wifi only for anything else. It's $12.43 per month. they also offer a plan with data that's pay-for-what-you-use that seemed reasonable, and they let you use the phone as a hotspot, but I don't really know if it's cost effective since I have no idea how much data I'd use. I think it's $15 or $16 (total package cost per month including the phone service) to have the data option. I could see trying to limit myself to wifi, and using the data package as a backup, since it's basically free til you use it.

ETA: I agree that limiting speed rather than bytes sounds like a potentially cheaper option.

 

[KristinaKarina]

Sorry about the poor posting/html grammar,
here is the link ( I hope!):

 

[KristinaKarina]

Specifically, this is for people who use their computers for work ($) from the road, not just casual convo.

 

[East]

My setup is an Unlimited AT&T iPad Plan (LTE, unthrottled, discontinued) that lives on a sim which is placed in a Unite Pro hotspot providing wireless to up to 15 devices and charges off of a tiny 5W USB. It's very nice, but buying grandfathered plans costs quite a bit. The Karma deal with Sprint is definitely the most viable solution on the market right now for unlimited access and the 5Mbps speed cap seems reasonable enough. I would probably pick one up but Sprint still needs to do some network build out. I think my next grandfathered purchase will be a discontinued unlimited Verizon plan down the line at some point. Ideally having access to both AT&T & Verizon would help keep my options open for working on the road and staying in touch.

 

[Dust-In-the-Wind]

"buying grandfathered plans" ... can you explain a bit more about those? Where would you find something like that to buy? And how do you make sure you're not painting yourself into a corner, maybe agreeing to conditions hidden in the fine print on someone else's contract?

 

[jimindenver]

Karma is in the process of changing their unlimited hotspot plan and are currently severely throttling speeds below what was advertised. Just a heads up.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

"buying grandfathered plans"  ...  can you explain a bit more about those?  Where would you find something like that to buy? And how do you make sure you're not painting yourself into a corner, maybe agreeing to conditions hidden in the fine print on someone else's contract?

With the AT&T iPad plan he's talking about, it's a prepaid plan with no contract. I have one and all I had to do was change the credit card details in the account and the email/password, then stick the sim card in the hotspot. The verizon plans he's talking about are harder to transfer, and could have a 2 year contract on them, but the ETF is less than what the plans tend to sell for. Both the Verizon phone plans and AT&T iPad plans can be bought on Ebay. I prefer the AT&T iPad plan because it's cheaper (exactly $29.99 for 30 days, no taxes or fees) and isn't tied to voice service.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

Also, as far as video conferencing goes, the AT&T plan is fast enough (at least when on LTE). I haven't found anything I can't do through the hotspot that I could with normal home internet. It often beats cheaper packages from most wired ISPs in speed and sometimes even latency. I get these speeds from my work parking lot, but the tower is in view from where I was parked when I ran this test.

 

[East]

Yeah Perhaps I am getting a bit greedy with wanting Verizon unlimited as well, the plans are much more expensive to maintain and seem to be much more complicated unfortunately. They still have the best coverage for more remote areas out west. I wish Omnilynx would have panned out.

As for the explanation Lost in the world is spot on. I picked mine up on eBay a few years back now.

Karma is in the process of changing their unlimited hotspot plan and are currently severely throttling speeds below what was advertised. Just a heads up.

Just curious, do you have the source? I definitely don't doubt the claim, just wondering. I've recommended this plan in the past for city dwelling, definitely won't continue to suggest them if they're pulling that.

 

[jimindenver]

This was the email sent out by Karma after dropping the speeds down to 1.5.

Neverstop Update


We launched Neverstop two months ago and the usage has blown our minds.

We couldn’t be more excited about your appetite to be online while on the go. But we were surprised to learn*how many of you are also using it heavily at home. We've seen lots of you binge watch Netflix in HD all day, back up your hard drives over the internet, and even connect your Xboxes through ingenious means. It’s a glimpse of how the internet should be, and we love it… but it's putting a strain on the service and it’s not what the product is meant for today.​

So, to make sure that Neverstop continues to work seamlessly for as many people as possible, we have to make some changes to the service. We began running tests to optimize the service, including lowering speeds. Our engineers are working hard to find the right balance of always accessible worry-free internet, at a fair price, so you'll likely see speeds change over the next few days while we try to fine-tune that balance.

We will continue to get you online so you can do what’s most important to you when on-the-go: things like email, streaming, and browsing. But, we need to reduce the extreme usage cases. If you find that Neverstop doesn’t fit your needs, use our mobile apps to switch to*Refuel, or headhere*for a refund.

As we figure this out, we want to take into account what is most important to you as a Neverstop customer. To get your input, weput together a surveyso you can help us improve Neverstop.

Ultimately our goal is that you never have to worry about getting online whether you’re at the office, home or the spaces in between. That’s Neverstop’s future. Today, we will make Neverstop the right solution for your on-the-go needs.

Thanks,
Steven van Wel

This is the thread over at howardforums.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...Neverstop-users-suddenly-throttled-to-1-5Mbps

 

[TMG51]

This was the email sent out by Karma after dropping the speeds down to 1.5.

Neverstop Update


We launched Neverstop two months ago and the usage has blown our minds.

We couldn’t be more excited about your appetite to be online while on the go. But we were surprised to learn*how many of you are also using it heavily at home. We've seen lots of you binge watch Netflix in HD all day, back up your hard drives over the internet, and even connect your Xboxes through ingenious means. It’s a glimpse of how the internet should be, and we love it… but it's putting a strain on the service and it’s not what the product is meant for today.

So, to make sure that Neverstop continues to work seamlessly for as many people as possible, we have to make some changes to the service. We began running tests to optimize the service, including lowering speeds. Our engineers are working hard to find the right balance of always accessible worry-free internet, at a fair price, so you'll likely see speeds change over the next few days while we try to fine-tune that balance.

We will continue to get you online so you can do what’s most important to you when on-the-go: things like email, streaming, and browsing. But, we need to reduce the extreme usage cases. If you find that Neverstop doesn’t fit your needs, use our mobile apps to switch to*Refuel, or headhere*for a refund.

As we figure this out, we want to take into account what is most important to you as a Neverstop customer. To get your input, weput together a surveyso you can help us improve Neverstop.

Ultimately our goal is that you never have to worry about getting online whether you’re at the office, home or the spaces in between. That’s Neverstop’s future. Today, we will make Neverstop the right solution for your on-the-go needs.

Thanks,
Steven van Wel

This is the thread over at howardforums.

http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...Neverstop-users-suddenly-throttled-to-1-5Mbps

Damn. Every time someone comes out with a good mobile internet deal it turns out to be just a tease.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Damn. Every time someone comes out with a good mobile internet deal it turns out to be just a tease.

My suspicion is that it's IMPOSSIBLE to provide unlimited high speed mobil internet cheaply.

You've heard the joke about how you can have it fast, you can have it cheap, you can have it good.  Pick any two. 

Regards
John

 

[jimindenver]

If they keep the speeds above 3 mbps the service would work for me but I don't have a lot of heavy usage. Both my Freedompop and ringplus run in that range and things load fine.

There have been a number of Sprint based MVNO's that have gone through this like the school program. Either they get too many subscribers or too many abusers. Sprint steps in and clips their wings.

Unlimitedville has unlimited, unthrottled plans for $42.99 a month but now they only accept customers from two types of business.

Freedompop and ringplus have been is a battle to see who can give away the most each month for nothing. Ringplus has had to open their plans at different times across the country so that so many don't sign up at once. Ever so often they have met a quota and you have to wait to get signed up.

Howardforums is a great place to get info on the different services and devices alike.

 

[karenishere]

Just weighing in with eyebrows up, does anyone else wonder if all this bandwidth is really that expensive for the providers? T-Mobile is now offering unlimited streaming of movies "for free". I know their regular service is no big bargain, but it's hard to imagine they could eat the cost of free streaming if it was really that high.

 

[TMG51]

My suspicion is that it's IMPOSSIBLE to provide unlimited high speed mobil internet cheaply.

You've heard the joke about how you can have it fast, you can have it cheap, you can have it good.  Pick any two. 

Regards
John

I'm in the consulting business. We use that phrase with regularity.

I have a Verizon contract for my high speed data (limited). I would like an unlimited plan for the frivolous things, and it wouldn't need to be high speed. But there is quite a lot of difference between 5mbps and 1.5, when 5 was advertised. Of course people are going to use that when that's what's advertised.

 

[Canine]

jimindenver, If they keep the speeds above 3 mbps the service would work for me...

3mbps would be the minimum for me too- minimal to modest lag times. You do need to have a good signal or the speed is a bummer.

If someone offered a true unlimited 3mpps, would that be slow enough to keep heavy users away from that service but still allow folks like us to watch videos at a standard resolution with minimal buffering? We wouldn't be able to stream HD quality movies, Skype, or play Call of Duty online, but that would be OK with me for sure.

KristinaKarina, that was a good, albiet long, video. They provided a web page version for us:

http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview/

 

[BobBski]

Fortunately I'm grandfathered unlimited with Verizon BUT...my phone is now several years old (Droid Bionic). They no longer grandfather you if you sign a new contract. The way I can keep unlimited is to buy a new phone, at full price, and have it activated as as a replacement phone. This way I don't have to sign a new contract and the grandfather continues. My Bionic is still working great after 6 plus years, on my second battery though.