Which verizon plan?

[stevea]

I plan to boondock in AZ, NM, Colorado and BLM areas in the Rockies primarily. I have Airmobile (AT&T MVNO) prepaid today with unlimited talk/text and 2 gb data for $27/ month but I also have Comcast and am consuming 50-100gb monthly via my cable internet. I use an unlocked android phone. 

When I go 100% mobile next month I am sure my internet use overall will drop. I don’t plan to stream TV or watch as many YouTube videos. 

I do want to be able to read blogs, do research, update my blog, get weather reports, use my phone gps and plan my routes. Plus talk/text. I can do a lot on the phone, but prefer some things on my macbook (like writing and reading). 

I’m thinking I’ll need Verizon for the best overall coverage. I might keep my current airvoice service for a fee months of overlap just in case. 

Although I would prefer prepaid without a contract, it looks like the Verizon unlimited plan would work best. I have no idea if the tethering is sufficient. I suppose I would postpone all software updates and downloads for when I’m in towns with access to free hotspots. 

The verizon plan is $75 with autopay plus fees plus a new phone. Does anyone else do something similar? Should I get an Android or iPhone? I won’t be doing any jailbreaking, but I do use apps for Google voice, mapping etc that work on both platforms. 

Or would I be better keeping my ATT mvno and just adding a Verizon Jetpack for $65/month?

With google voice, I can get phone service via cellular and cia the internet so this would give me phone service as long as ATT or VZ had coverage.

I would have no issues manually tethering via a usb cable if it’s legal too.

Lastly, Weboost is recommended here a lot. It is $500. Is it really worth it or can I just drive a few miles and/or pick locations in BLM where I would have at least a few bars for emergency phine service?  I can live without 24/7 internet - I hope.

 

[WanderingRose]

I am a devoted Verizon customer, feel it’s coverage is the overall best nationwide and carry 8GB of data when I am traveling. I don’t stream anything.

Anything unused will carry over for one month, and a contract will generally give you the best rate.

They also give 18 1/2% discount for certain status, so check into that.

I have a WeBoost just for my IPhone, it was about $70-$80 a year ago, and well worth it as it does what it is supposed to and can turn very weak signal into a couple of bars of LTE.

Not streaming, not working while traveling, etc., I didn’t find a need for the more expensive systems that will boost anything in your vehicle.

I just like to be connected, to be able to be reached by my friends and family, to be found if an emergency, to know what is going on out there, generally, etc.

The phone is enough, and I like my WeBoost.

 

[RoushRanger]

I am going through this same decision right now. I currently have Cricket Wireless for cell service with unlimited data for $50/month which uses AT&T towers, but plan to begin the van life wondering the west in the next month or so.

I have just purchased a MOFI-4500 to try as a substitute for the much more expensive Weboost. The website claims to be fully certified to work with all major networks (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mo, Sprint, etc).

I have also purchased a sim card starter from USMobile.com that you can choose between T-mobile and Verizon service. USMobile has data plans starting at $30 with the top of the line unlimited plan at $55. I plan to try the $55 unlimited plan with the MOFI router to serve my data needs. 

I will try to remember to update this thread after activating the SIM and seeing how the service is.

 

[B and C]

Here is my setup. I have a AT&T Mobley on the connected car plan that is $20 month unlimited but can be throttled. This is a hotspot and there are threads here about it.

My Android phone (won't have a fruit phone, too locked down) is with Verizon. All other companies that use Verizon towers are MVNO's. They will not roam onto non Verizon towers. Out west there is a lot of roaming. I went the extra step of getting a hotspot with Verizon locked to 3G speeds (not the old ones talked about that don't work anymore. This is fast enough to stream.

I have a Weboost cradle that I will put the hotspots in when needed. I have two antennas for it, a trucker antenna permanently mounted and a directional one that I put on top of a painters pole.

This combination works most places but I still occasional get in a valley or somewhere in the deep boonies where nothing works.

 

[maki2]

check to make sure that the phone you currently own will still be viable when Verizon switches to its new configuration at the end of this year.

My old phone was not going to be viable after that date and it was having battery issues anyway so I went ahead and recently got a new phone instead of wasting money on a battery for a phone that was going to soon be obsolete.

But also be aware that many of the low cost affordable phones tend not to have the best antenna technology inside of them. That is quite a pain not just for getting a signal and having dropped calls but also because the battery life is shorter from searching for a signal. So that is something that needs to be balanced out in your accounting decision of not what is the cheapest phone to buy but the one that will actually give the best value for the purchase price over the years rather than just a smaller initial hit to your wallet. Weboost is fine, external antennas are fine but you also need a good internal antenna and it is worth some extra $$ to invest in that. Read the reviews on phones and pay attention to signal strength.

 

[Firtree]

One of each is most useful. Perhaps a low cost ATT plan with 2-5GB of data like you have and a Verizon Jetpack with 15GB to unlimited GB data. On everyday stuff of email and surfing most people use less than 2GB I’ve read.

I wouldn’t spend lot of/any money today until you see how things work, where you go and how your current stuff works. Person can spend money till Sunday on phones and plans.

You can buy new or refurbished phones. You may not be an Apple person but they sell older refurbished phones with Apple warranty, still pricy but you own and don’t have to do a contract. If you own your own phone Post Paid service for Verizon with the roaming does not have a contract. If you know someone with Amazon Prime they often have select phones at a discounted
for Prime members. I got a nice new Motorola after Christmas for $200.+ tax It was unlocked and useable on any service.

I’d look at the video by Denver Jim and search for the thread here talking about a booster system for $200. The cradle maybe hard to find and the new one is $400+ Blah!

Texting works with little signal so remember for emergency and everyday use.

 

[Fivealive]

I have the pre-paid unlimited verizon plan, no complaints. I use PDAnet android app instead of the built in tether application to avoid the tether limitations and get unlimited data on my laptop. Works great, verizon thinks the phone app is using the data not my laptop. I am not aware of a way to bypass the tether limitations on iphones short of jailbreaking them, so I would recommend going with an android.

 

[highdesertranger]

Fivealive is that even legal? or is this just stick it to the man? highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

No, it's a violation of terms of service. I thought about doing this, then thought better.

 

[wmyers4u]

I'm not setting sail until next year but as it is now my initial plan is to use some variant of Verizon. Currently I have a Samsung S7 with Straighttalk and with installed PDAnet(paid version) and FoxFi I can use my phone as a wireless hotspot.

Ultimately I will likely end up with a Verizon Jetpack and use my phone as wifi only(no plan) and Google Voice for calls and text.

This could all change tomorrow but this is how I'm currently leaning. The roaming issue is a concern that will likely push me towards a real Verizon plan.

 

[C-Cat]

Verizon now has an unlimited prepaid hotspot (mifi device) plan with no contract... it's $65 a month with autopay:

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ve...ntroducing-unlimited-data-plans-for-jetpacks/

Not necessarily the cheapest option to get internet on the road, but it's unlimited, so no worries even if you get the urge to binge watch Netflix every now and then...

That website is btw. probably the single best resource for all nomad internet questions!

 

[Firtree]

Agree about rvmobile..... good written info and good videos.

Verizon also has a 15GB hotspot plan for 45 plus tax on autopay if you need lots of data but not huge.

I didn’t get charged for any setup, did it online, they sent a SIM for free. First month was 50 plus tax then you go on autopay even if you sign up at the start.
You have options

 

[RogerD]

I have Netbuddy (ATT) sim card for hotepot. It's $60 per month for unlimited.

I also have Straight Talk (Verizon) with an LG Stylo 3 phone. It tethers with no problems and can work as a hotspot. It's $55+tax for unlimited plan.

 

[stevea]

I decided to keep my airvoice wireless (ATT mvno) and current android phone for now. I looked at a number of Verizon plans and iphones. As much as I’d like the simplicity and state of the art tech with the new iPhone, I don't really need one. My old Moto G does everything I need.

I’ll need to suffer quite a bit before I commit to going from $27/month to $100-150/month for cell service.

That said, I did order the prepaid Verizon hotspot. It was $49 for the Jetpack and is $70/month for the somewhat arbitrary “taxes and fees”. There’s no contract or committment so I can cancel or change it anytime. At least I didn’t have to buy a $500-$1200 phone!

Because I use google voice, I can make phone calls and send texts over wifi when I have no airvoice/ATT service. So as long as I have ATT or Verizon service, I will have basic connectivity.

If my data usage is lower, I will step down to a lower prepaid verizon hotspot plan or may move to a phone/hotspot combo down the road.

I really need to see how much data I consume (or desire) once I'm on the road.

 

[Goshawk]

I like the mentioned unlimited Verizon account at $65. As long as there is no throttling. So is it true and proven that Verizon will let you go at full data priority witybthis plan at all times?

Have an ATT MOBLEY that is throttling at maybe 22gb for the month to lowest priority. It’s useless after 8am to midnight with data speed. But can get a second Mobley for another 22gb maybe. Two would cost $50 a month.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stevea]

According to the Ts and Cs, it's subject to "network management" during times of congestion but it doesn't have a cliff like the Verizon postpaid plans or your mobley. I haven't but it to the test fully yet but I imagine when the cell towers are jammed, we all will have slower speeds.