Trying to decide what phone/internet combo to get

[citytravelfotos]

Right now I currently have an Iphone 3GS and AT&amp;T's service with unlimited 3g internet (was grandfathered in) + 200 text messages for $82 (incl. fees)<br><br>I'm seeking to either lower my bill significantly or at the very least add in tethering.<br><br>I need tethering because I'd like to use my laptop and/or my tablets. &nbsp;Tethering though is expensive and generally not available in unlimited internet packages.<br><br>I also need unlimited internet for things like google earth and google maps.<br><br>I've been mulling a few options:<br><br>Option 1: &nbsp;Tmobile mifi + skype: &nbsp;$50 for 5 gb mobile wifi, skype is around $10 for unlimited phone calls + having your own phone number, texting can be done for free using apps. &nbsp;Total, about $59 for mobile wifi (same as tethering), unlimited minutes via skype (however, a skype call to a phone would use about 60 mb/hour), unlimited text via apps (though not linked to your phone), big downsides are needing to have a cellphone just for emergency calls, may have to carry about 3 devices with me (mobile wifi, mini tablet, cheap cellphone), a bit complicated for me not to mention inconvenient (unless I carry a messenger bag with me). &nbsp;I already bought the mifi device last year but haven't used it.<br><br>Option 2: Tmobile prepaid $30 for unlimited internet (4g for first 5 gb), text, +100 minutes, add $10 for skype (as above), use with a smartphone like LG Optimus L9 ($200), adds up to $200 plus $40 a month. &nbsp;no tethering though, and must use mobile wifi device separately to get wifi there ($30 to $50 extra.)<br><br>Option 3: &nbsp;Straight Talk, $45 for unlimited talk, text, and internet. &nbsp;No mobile wifi. &nbsp;May have to use my older Iphone 3gs. &nbsp;May have to buy mobile wifi separately.<br><br>So basically I'm looking for a not so expensive solution, where I could possibly get tethering or mobile wifi included for less than $100. &nbsp;Any advice or ideas? &nbsp;Thanks.

 

[caseyc]

<p>Here's some ideas for ya:<br><br>MetroPCS, TMobile, Sprint, still offer "un-limited" "4G" internet data plans, I'm pretty sure. Verizon and AT&amp;T do not offer unlimited 4G data. Every so often MetroPCS will offer a promotion. My friend last year got her Android phone for $55.00 (including tax) monthly plan from MetroPCS for all you can eat internet, talk, text. They don't offer that $55 unlimited plan anymore, it's now something like $10 or $15 more. The downside is that MetroPCS has sucky reception outside of major cities. Customer service from MetroPCS has to be the worst I've ever seen from anywhere, bar none. MetroPCS will merge will TMobile soon, so maybe things will change again. The same friend previously had TMobile, which I consider to be better than MetroPCS, and somewhere on par with Sprint. <br><br>If you are trying to obtain unlimited data and/or not having to pay the additional monthly fee for the wifi hotspot feature, you may want to consider 3rd party apps such as PdaNet+ for Android phones. I know people online that say they are getting "free" mobile wifi tethering by "rooting" their phone. If you don't know what rooting is, you would need to learn about this from others who are experts in the field. Essentially, rooting your phone means to install a custom ROM that overrides your phone's built-in ROM so that you can have additional functionalities that did not come with the phone. There are advantages and disadvantages of rooting your phone. One possible disadvantage of rooting your phone is that you might "brick" it, which means the phone is "broken" beyond repair. <br><br>If you want to learn more about rooting your new phone, especially in conjunction with the possibilty of adding "un-authorized" mobile wifi hotspot feature for tethering, then go check out this website: <a href="http://forums.androidcentral.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://forums.androidcentral.com/</a> Registration is free, and you can learn all kinds of stuff for Android phones. <br><br>That leads to the next thing I want to mention. If you are hoping to do "un-authorized" wifi tethering, then you DON'T want to get an iPhone, because the Apple IOS system is pretty much a completely locked down system. An Android phone is way more customizable which will more easily allow for custom ROM installations. Plus with the Google Play Store, you can pretty much get all kinds of apps that allow you to "lie, cheat, and steal" whereas you cannot do this with an iPhone nor an iPad because of its closed-end system. I have an app on my Verizon Samsung Note 2 (Android) smartphone that allows for "unauthorized" wifi tethering via an app, another app that allows for downloading music for free, and another app that allows for downloading movies and TV shows for free. Try to do the same thing with an iPhone or iPad...good luck! <br><br>By the way, if you're not used to 4G speed, especially 4G speed from Verizon's 4G LTE, it's waaaaaaaay good! 4G LTE by Verizon gives fast internet speed, plus allows the use of simultaneous talk and data, which means you can talk on your phone while suring the web at the same time. Makes 3G look like.....never mind.<br><br>Good luck to ya!<br><br>Casey<br><br><br><br></p>

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

If you are in the coverage area, how about http://millenicom.com/ <br><br>Their unlimited plan has a soft cap at 50 gigs or something but it more than any other place i think. Their 'mifi' plan is 20 gigs. &nbsp; Once you have internet, you can get any wifi andriod phone (like a straight talk), combine it with google voice and an android app and get free calls. (I successfully tried this with talkatone and my net10 phone). &nbsp; <br><br>I gotta tell you, 5gb is nothing unless you just check email or something.

 

[citytravelfotos]

^ What network is it on?

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Its verizon, at least for their mifi plan (20GB).&nbsp; I don't use them, im on the east coast/WV and not in coverage area <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" class="bbc_img">&nbsp; I read about them here and the blog technomadia.<br><br>http://www.technomadia.com/2013/03/millenicom-were-all-in-this-together/<br><br><br>Im thinking the unlimited plan (50GB in reality) might be through sprint though.

 

[Guest]

My husband and I each have AT&T iPhone's with 4G coverage and are grandfathered into a program where we have 2GB each in data usage. We added a Unite Mifi device with a 5GB data package for use with the PC, iPad and Kindles. Total for both iPhones and the Mifi is about $160 per month and another $10 per GB if you go over the initial 5GB, which we never have. Has worked great so far.

 

[offroad]

using two items.&nbsp;<br><br>1). VIRGIN MOBILE $35 per month 300 minites phone. unlimited data, unlimited text. installed FRING for cheap wifi calls to any phone, when i am on wifi, which is $10 at .01 per minute, lasts a long time.&nbsp;<br><br>2) ipad with data for $20 per month from verizon. gives me enough, or i can use wifi.&nbsp;<br><br>watching movies means i need wifi. or go to library and borrow a DVD. &nbsp;

 

[wagoneer]

AT&amp;T with factory unlocked iphone 3gs GO phone account $100 per year. Lots of hot spots to catch up.

 

[ontheroadagain]

this should be a sticky if there isn't one. this horse gets a beating every couple weeks

 

[Simran]

I used to keep a Sprint USB card charged to unlimited capacity all the time for my laptop. I'm now in an area of the country they don't serve so dropped the USB. Verizon doesn't have an unlimited plan so no dice for me.

GUS

 

[offroad]

not sure why people need unlimited. unless you are watching videos on netflix constantly. which you should be on wifi to do.<br><br>when i dont do video having only a 2gb cap seems to be enough for a month&nbsp;

 

[Johnnomads]

<strong>I personally don't need 3 or 4G, GPRS and EDGE work fine for me, so My AT&amp;T hobbled Nokia C3 semi-smart phone is eligible for my carrier's $50 unlimited talk, message, and data plan.<br>Hugs</strong>