Cell phones & Data plans

[THOBIC]

I am hoping to get some advice, please. We are currently on Verizon, but they give me problems. My wife wants to switch to Consumer Celluar, I would like to switch to T-Mobile. We would need at least 6 GB of data. I would like to know what other are using, & their thoughts on it.

Thank you for any help.

[Dutch Star Don]

We use an ATT Mobley device (hot spot) in the RV. It can be removed and carried in you pocket and used in your car or home. When we first got it a couple of years ago, it was $22.00 a month, no other taxes or fees. It plugs into a USB port in the coach. We can do all of our internet business and stream movies. Since it was first offered, it has gone up in price, but I hear it's on sale again. Do a search for ATT Mobley on here, it will come up with a ton of info.

[Agesilaus]

OK if you are going to be traveling a lot out west then Verizon has the best coverage. You do not have to use an actual Verizon phone but one that works on their network. We use Visible which has and uses the Verizon net and has unlimited data for $40/month. In over 40 spots we stopped at this summer we only did not have a signal in one or two. Visible has a hot spot too. And we boondock. ATT is second best but I do not believe you can get a mobley for that price/month. My wife was on ATT and she had no signal a number of times.

[Mknmike]

Great info so far here. I have been proud of how cheaply I’ve been able to get phone plans for my kids. “No contract” seems ideal for me with kids, and have been able to get Sprint-based “Tello” plans that basically range from $11 to $39 per month. Their $39 unlimited plan isn’t really unlimited because the 4G drops to 2G (what’s that dial-up speed?) at 25 GB of data used. I assume my service is going to be terrible, but with 1 GB of data and unlimited talk and text for $11/month, what could you expect?

Verizon seems to be the gold standard in the US. We have a VZW contract and some inanely high monthly payment with Verizon. God forbid she busts or loses her phone.

[ArtJoyce]

About 3 years ago I switch to T-moble. It was the least expensive plan, and the promised great service. It was the over 55 plan. The phone service worked great in cities and alone interstate highways.

Very poor service one you get out of cities or away from interstate highways. It seem just about every place we camped I had no service. T-moble bought sprint which had a larger foot print, but they are separate network.

[RRR]

Originally Posted by THOBIC

I am hoping to get some advice, please. We are currently on Verizon, but they give me problems. My wife wants to switch to Consumer Celluar, I would like to switch to T-Mobile. We would need at least 6 GB of data. I would like to know what other are using, & their thoughts on it.

Thank you for any help.

We have been with Consumer for about two years and are happy with them for phone. You may be aware that they use AT&T towers. If you only need 6 gigs of data they have a plan that starts at 10 gig, then if you reach that they bump you up to 15 gig for $10 then if you hit that it boost to 20 gigs for another $10. Then I think it goes to unlimited for another $10.

We have three lines, 10 gigs, unlimited texting, and occasionally our grandson kicks us up to the next data level.

I'm not sure about their hotspoting. I think it is an add on for a small
amount.

Our only complaint is sometimes text messages are S-L-O-W coming through.

[txcpl]

We have T-Mobile 55+ plan which works well in cities and along the roads. Costs $90/month taxes and fees included. We also purchased oner the internet an annual plan with 16 gig data for $300 annually. We use the ATT for a hotspot often. this works for us.

[DRM901]

We have T-mobile 55+ plan as well. $90 for 2 lines, with Hotspot usage included, unlimited talk, text, & data in US & Canada. And free Netflix!

We've made trips from TX to CO, TX to MI, HI, and St. John USVI. In MI, we had much better coverage than Verizon users; same to slightly better coverage than AT&T users. On many trips we are streaming music & navigation, using Yelp & GasBuddy on the drives. Watch Netflix or stream more music at night. Yes, we lost connectivity in the canyons - like everyone else. Otherwise, equal service to our old AT&T plan, but cheaper, no data limits, & Canada coverage included. And the free Netflix.

[Just George]

We use Consumer Cellular for our phones. Consumer Cellular can provide services from r AT&T or T-Mobil. In our case My wife's phone uses the AT&T network & my phone uses the T-Mobil Network. You have to specifically request the network you want or they will assign you to the network they think is best for your address. As mentioned above Consumer Cellular has a selection of data plans and 6G of data would not be a problem. In our case both phones are hotspot enabled. I don't believe there was any additional charge to enable them for hotspot use.

I also have a phone & account with Visible that I use solely for data in our coach. Tons of info on Visible & data set up in this thread. https://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/40-m...ed-442091.html

[slabman]

[QUOTE=DRM901;5542835]We have T-mobile 55+ plan as well. $90 for 2 lines, with Hotspot usage included, unlimited talk, text, & data in US & Canada. And free Netflix!

I'm interested in T-Mobile, but their adds confuse me. Of course, when is "unlimited" really unlimited? I'm interested in streaming when on the road...I'm told I can have all I want at 3G....is that correct? How does streaming work at 3G? Then there's "Binge watching". What's THAT all about?

I need a plan that will deliver 100GB of data or more to go along with my AT&T plan. I can hotspot or tether to either the TV's or to a router...doesn't matter as long as I have the data. AT&T doesn't count USB tethering as hotspot data...does T-M? What do they do when you exceed any data caps?

This kind of info doesn't seem to be available from the chats they provide online. Those guys are entry level employees, trained to sell or maybe lead you in any direction they think of....sooooo annoying.

So....who can enlighten me on T-M so I can feel comfortable signing up?

[ernieh]

Originally Posted by txcpl

We have T-Mobile 55+ plan which works well in cities and along the roads. Costs $90/month taxes and fees included. We also purchased oner the internet an annual plan with 16 gig data for $300 annually. We use the ATT for a hotspot often. this works for us.

I pay $60 for the TM 55+ plan, 2 lines unlimited everything including hotspot. If you are paying $90, that's more than their regular plans.

[tetranz]

[QUOTE=slabman;5558881]

Originally Posted by DRM901

AT&T doesn't count USB tethering as hotspot data

Hmm ... I don't think that's true. I'm pretty sure that when a plan says "X GB hotspot data", the word "hotspot" usually means either wifi or USB tethering. That's why people mess around with TTL settings and apps like EasyTether to try to trick the carrier into seeing it as device (i.e., on the phone) data rather than hotspot.

One exception to that seems to be an iPad/tablet plan from AT&T. It has unlimited hotspot/tethering data. It's frequently mentioned on ltehacks.com but it sounds like a pain to buy. Many of the shop staff don't know it exists. There's a toll free number you can call which usually finds someone who knows about it. It seems to be a popular plan to buy and put the SIM in a router. The prepaid version of that was shutdown for abuse some time ago but apparently the postpaid still works.

[tetranz]

Originally Posted by ernieh

I pay $60 for the TM 55+ plan, 2 lines unlimited everything including hotspot.

If it's Magenta then data on the phone is unlimited but not the hotspot data. Depending on the plan it's either 3 or 20 GB of hotspot. https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-...discount-plans

[Camper25]

The T-Mobile website shows two lines on the Magenta 55+ plan is $70. Show us how to get it for $60, and I'll take two.