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Old 05-07-2009, 11:36 PM   #1
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What do you all who have mobile internet plans use? I'm not really thinking of the trailer (although I would use it there) as much as use at my cabin, which has no phone so no DSL and cable is not available in the area. It's up in Washington so services from that provider need to be offered in Washington. Right now I just have T-mobile's "$6 slow email you can read but not easily answer" plan.

Also, does anyone have a plan that they can turn on for a few months and then inactivate the rest of the year?

Bobbie
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Old 05-08-2009, 12:37 AM   #2
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what about hughes-net. my grandparents use it for full timing in the deserts. its fast and reliable. I'm not sure what it cost tho. http://www2.hughesnet.com/?gclid=COH...FRAMDQodNF8Ubg
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Old 05-08-2009, 04:32 AM   #3
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I have looked into this for myself to begin using and I decided that first i would just try finding free Wi-fi, Then, if unsuccessful, use a phone that had tether capability. Tethering connects your phone to your laptop and you gain the 'net through your cell connection. I have not done it yet but am about to replace my older phone with one water resistant that can also tether. Now, the good part is that I do not have to sign up for a two-year plan for the tether capability, just call up and have the provider (AT&T) turn it on when I anticipate I will need it. Cost is horrible, though, another $60 tacked onto my bill for each month it is used. I am convinced we are forced to pay far too much for cell phone use.
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Old 05-08-2009, 05:54 AM   #4
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I went from New York to Alaska in 06 and I used free Wi-Fi most all the time. I did get it at some campgrounds for a couple of dollars more too. But I found that I could get Wi-Fi easier than cell phone in many parts of Alaska & Canada. With that being said, I didn't use free Wi-Fi for any bank transactions, I usually went to a library for that (not wi-fi). And make sure your computer is up to snuff for security.
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Old 05-08-2009, 07:40 AM   #5
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I have looked into this for myself to begin using and I decided that first i would just try finding free Wi-fi, Then, if unsuccessful, use a phone that had tether capability. Tethering connects your phone to your laptop and you gain the 'net through your cell connection. I have not done it yet but am about to replace my older phone with one water resistant that can also tether. Now, the good part is that I do not have to sign up for a two-year plan for the tether capability, just call up and have the provider (AT&T) turn it on when I anticipate I will need it. Cost is horrible, though, another $60 tacked onto my bill for each month it is used. I am convinced we are forced to pay far too much for cell phone use.
How does the tethering work? Will it work with any laptop or do you need some kind of card? Isn't that supposed to be much slower?

Bobbie
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Old 05-08-2009, 07:45 AM   #6
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what about hughes-net. my grandparents use it for full timing in the deserts. its fast and reliable. I'm not sure what it cost tho. http://www2.hughesnet.com/?gclid=COH...FRAMDQodNF8Ubg
That might be an option (at $60 a month) if they would let me turn it on only when I was there, but not when they want a 24 month contract.

Currently the "free internet" that I use is to walk the 1/4 mile down to Mom's and use her WiFi. But there are times it would be really nice to have it at the cabin.

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Old 05-08-2009, 03:38 PM   #7
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Verizon has a feature, for which you need the right phone model, where you can turn on data for $60/month OR $2/day by calling service rep -- You also have to buy a connection kit to connect cell phone to computer (Or use software and BlueTooth). It's called Mobile Broadband Connect -- This link lists the phones -- NOTE: You do NOT want to use the PDA/Smart Phones because these require a monthly data plan:

http://b2b.vzw.com/productsservices/wirele...ndaccessconnect

Of course, you have to have Verizon service where you want to connect. If you decide to go this route, I recommend you also check as to whether there is a Wilson antenna adapter available for the phone to get a better signal.
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Old 05-12-2009, 09:08 AM   #8
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I went whole hog and got the Wilson external antenna and the wireless amp. which means you don't have to be tethered to use it. I got the usb antenna for the computer.
And yes I got stuck with a two year contract on that also.

Bill K

Of course, you have to have Verizon service where you want to connect. If you decide to go this route, I recommend you also check as to whether there is a Wilson antenna adapter available for the phone to get a better signal.
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Old 05-12-2009, 02:59 PM   #9
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Verizon has a feature, for which you need the right phone model, where you can turn on data for $60/month OR $2/day by calling service rep -- You also have to buy a connection kit to connect cell phone to computer (Or use software and BlueTooth). It's called Mobile Broadband Connect -- This link lists the phones -- NOTE: You do NOT want to use the PDA/Smart Phones because these require a monthly data plan:

http://b2b.vzw.com/productsservices/wirele...ndaccessconnect

Of course, you have to have Verizon service where you want to connect. If you decide to go this route, I recommend you also check as to whether there is a Wilson antenna adapter available for the phone to get a better signal.
I thought the day to day service was $10 a day?

Pam
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Old 05-12-2009, 10:18 PM   #10
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Bobbie we live on the Olympic Peninsula, across the pond from you, and where we live, on a major county road, we do not get any high speed service. Embarg, will not serve us as there are not enough neighbors, and trees prevent us from getting satellite, which is expensive anyway.

So when rural dial-up got too slow for anything on today's web, we went with the AT&T laptop connection. We have a introduction one year contract, available through the local AT&T vendor (who gave better assistance than the AT&T store), but it is usually a two year contract (I guess this is a down side, but if you need it you need it), and yes it is expensive, $60 plus tax, almost $70 total, but it does work well. Not as fast here as I'd hoped, but faster than dial up. And when we travel it is GREAT! Even further west, in Port Angeles, it is very fast. The difference is whether or not you are in a 3G network area. AT&T claims to be increasing the 3G networks, you may already be in one. We aren't.

If I think about it I get pissed <_< that we have to pay so much because the phone company won't provide us internet service, it feels like rural discrimination, but I am also glad to have the convenience and portability of being able to go on line any time anywhere. I use to go around looking for free wifi and sit in parking lots, this is so much nicer.
I think you would find that you would use it year round, maybe replace what you have in CA.

Verizon offers essentially the same and we have friends on a different hill in the woods near here happy with their Verizon. Since we know AT&T cell phones work well here we chose AT&T.

I do move around the house a bit in the evening to get a better connection, closer to windows better, metal roofing not good. I did get an antenna at first but it didn't make enough difference consistently so returned it.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask questions, I was naive about all this and reluctant at first, but am glad to have jumped in. I use the connection device on a MAC and had to download special software for that, but that was all part of the help I had when I bought the service.

Good luck!
Penney

PS My brother lives in Clinton and has excellent high speed through the local provider. I have not yet had my AT&T device over there.
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Old 05-12-2009, 10:57 PM   #11
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I don't think I'd go for $60 a month on a contract until I'm up there more than three months- I'm paying $25 for internet here. I'd do $60 with no contract. They have DSL in Clinton but I have no land line so no DSL. Putting in a land line is expensive and there is no cable internet on our part of the island. Luckily I have the 1/4 mile option of hoofing it down to Mom's- that's the healthy choice, anyway!

But I'm glad to know there are lots of options. I want to give T-mobile one more chance but if they are still dropping calls I'm changing providers (that doesn't happen down here) and then I'll see about the internet options.
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Old 05-12-2009, 11:20 PM   #12
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Yes that would be a lot on top of what you are paying now, you could drop the $25 service you have for the 9 mos. you are in CA, get AT&T and use it both places and everywhere in between! It is an ideal service for folks who travel or move around, that's really who is it marketed at, not under served ruralites like us! (a small market!) Maybe when you are here in the NW more that will make sense. I think just like cell phones, which are replacing land lines in lots of people's lives, the mobile internet connections will replace site specific service, especially as the 3G networks expand.

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Old 05-13-2009, 06:22 AM   #13
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If I think about it I get pissed <_< that we have to pay so much because the phone company won't provide us internet service, it feels like rural discrimination, but I am also glad to have the convenience and portability of being able to go on line any time anywhere.
I live in a rural area, where high-speed is a rare commodity, so I feel your pain. (Although since you live in the Olympic peninsula, I don't feel that sorry for you 8-) There are a couple of physical limitations as to why high-speed through phone lines is limited in the country. First, the local CO (think phone company local little building) has to be digital, and here in rural Manitoba, some of them are still analog. Second, there is a limit to the distance that you can transmit data on copper, before the noise gets stronger than the signal (was about 5 kilometres last I saw; it is improving all the time). So if you live more than about 3 miles (as the copper line is run) from the CO, no high-speed. Like you, I'm hoping for better 3G coverage.
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Old 05-13-2009, 07:11 AM   #14
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Yes that would be a lot on top of what you are paying now, you could drop the $25 service you have for the 9 mos. you are in CA, get AT&T and use it both places and everywhere in between! It is an ideal service for folks who travel or move around, that's really who is it marketed at, not under served ruralites like us! (a small market!) Maybe when you are here in the NW more that will make sense. I think just like cell phones, which are replacing land lines in lots of people's lives, the mobile internet connections will replace site specific service, especially as the 3G networks expand.
Once I'm up there (it will be 7 1/2 months at a time once I start being partially retired) then that would make sense. But now its 3 months in Washington and 9 in California, so that's a lot of extra to pay for internet for those three months- not to mention the reception problems.

By the time I fully retire I'd get either a land line or more likely 3G would be cheaper and more available (though it isn't getting cheaper from what I can see!)

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Old 05-13-2009, 07:41 AM   #15
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thanks for the information. No, I deserve no sympathy, I live in "God's Country" when it comes to beauty and not having the latest and greatest in technology is a small price to pay, though it is frustrating that there are places here that are very well 'covered', we're just not in one of them.
It's the same with digital TV, there is a hill somewhere between us & Seattle and even with box and antenna, we will lose all reception after the switch, digital does not 'flex' like analog (as one station engineer explained to us). There may be some stations that will switch back to an analog band after the big switch. But hey, there are folks in urban areas with buildings blocking their reception!

Who has time for TV when we have a FGRV to go exploring in!
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Old 05-13-2009, 08:23 AM   #16
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Well, there I lucked out... at the cabin I get every single digital station and then some. Never got such good analog reception...
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