Migrating from AT&T DSL to Sprint 3G/4G Overdrive

[Dr4Film]

I have had a dedicated AT&T DSL line for a number of years for all Internet service. I've been really pleased with their middle speed service called Faster. They offer Fast, Faster, & Fastest. I have no land line and I use my Sprint mobile as my primary phone line.

I am now going to be moving on and becoming more mobile in my travels so I have set my termination date as May 1st for the DSL.

I spent an hour talking to a local Sprint representative about my mobile phone plans, traveling into Canada and Mexico and having access to the Internet. After going through all of the "plans" and technology improvements by Sprint, I have decided to invest into the newest and greatest 3G/4G air-card router called "Overdrive". It will allow up to four peripheal's to connect to the Internet at the same time. Since I have two laptops, one wireless TiVo access, and a Samsung wireless access for my TV and Blu-Ray HT System, that about fills up the router. The Internet plan will cost me $60 per month for 5 gigs of 3G or if in a 4G area I will have unlimited use of high speed Internet. Sprint is rolling out the 4G network as fast as they can so I would imagine that later this year they will have better coverage than now. For the time being while they roll the 4G out, if I get close to using up the 5 gigs of data, I can always purchase more at a reduced rate. Also, I will take advantage of free WiFi whenever it is available and useful to reduce the possibility of going over my 5 gig per month limit.

I researched what my possibilities were for many months in anticipation of this life changing event, retirement & RV travel, and feel that Sprint was able to offer the best technology at a reasonable cost.

What have others decided to use for their Internet service provider?

Also, it's not currently high on my priority list as I don't have time to watch a lot of TV, but I probably should think about how to manage the TV entertainment aspect too while traveling around the country. For now, I will use the antenna or if available, the park cable hookup.

Does anyone have a really good suggestion with regards to TV? The coach has no TV anything on top other than the antenna. Although I was told that it had been satellite prepped. My wife is from Thailand and she actually watches her Thai TV on her laptop coming through an Internet web-site. She loves the soap operas, comedy shows and of course all of the current news from Thailand.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

[Route 66]

TV is limited to an over the air antenna, satellite dish, or park cable.

Satellite TV, DirecTV or Dish, is the most dependable of the 3.

Watching any TV/video via your air card will use up your 5 gig in no time.

[Bill Adams]

How did that conversation with your Sprint rep. go when you talked about Mexico and Canada. These are definitely not covered under your $60/month plan and you will have some surprise charges if you don't ensure you know exactly what your charges will be outside the US.
Also, while you can expect pretty good 3G service, don't expect much 4G coverage. The specific cities where service is available used to be listed on the Sprint site but I can find it now. You can go and enter some zip codes on the map to see if you are going to have much 4G where you plan to travel. Move outside of the cities where it does exist and it will not exist. It has taken 5+ years to get from 1x to 3G in most areas and I suspect it will take at least this long to get 4G into the 3G areas now. Many areas (more so out West) will continue to have little or no coverage due to cost, terrain or population.