Cell Phone Plans - Who has the best plan?

[cpendl]

There's this from Airstream:

https://www.airstream.com/att/


Get Unlimited Data for Your Airstream
We’ve partnered with AT&T to create data plans exclusively for Airstreamers.

Starting in late 2018, any Airstreamer can stay connected with family and friends, stream entertainment and share your Airstream adventure wherever you go with two 4G LTE Data Connect Plans from AT&T.

Unlimited Adventure
1 year of unlimited data at $360

Weekend Adventure
5 GB at $25/mo

Other features include:

Intuitive and easy-to-use Wi-Fi hotspot
High-gain, roof mounted antenna to ensure the best possible coverage
Wi-Fi boost technology to improve the performance of weak campground Wi-Fi
Airstream will be offering this innovative connectivity solution exclusively through Airstream dealers later this year.

[knowlts]

As Canadians, we just entered the USA where we'll be for the next 4 months or so.

Tmobile did a great job for us. We have two lines, unlimited calling and texting including to Canada, unlimited internet with 50 gb of hotspot before the coverage slows at all. We got a seniors discount and both phones cost us $100/month. We've been mostly East so far and the coverage has been good. We were told to leave our data roaming on at no extra charge so when we're in a bad zone, we may be able to connect to a partner carriers. Today we just added unlimited data to our iPad for an additional $20/month. At this stage, we're planning to keep our numbers when we return to Canada because you can't get a plan like this back home. Best wishes for finding a great deal and happy travels!

[streaminwild]

Looks like Airstream is stepping up to the plate on technology. Great posts knowlts and cpendl. Welcome to the forum.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by cpendl

There's this from Airstream:

https://www.airstream.com/att/


Get Unlimited Data for Your Airstream
We’ve partnered with AT&T to create data plans exclusively for Airstreamers.

Starting in late 2018, any Airstreamer can stay connected with family and friends, stream entertainment and share your Airstream adventure wherever you go with two 4G LTE Data Connect Plans from AT&T.

Unlimited Adventure
1 year of unlimited data at $360

Weekend Adventure
5 GB at $25/mo

Other features include:

Intuitive and easy-to-use Wi-Fi hotspot
High-gain, roof mounted antenna to ensure the best possible coverage
Wi-Fi boost technology to improve the performance of weak campground Wi-Fi
Airstream will be offering this innovative connectivity solution exclusively through Airstream dealers later this year.

I know this interests me. Although I already have a Weboost that works great for cell service

[75Bob]

Originally Posted by knowlts

As Canadians, we just entered the USA where we'll be for the next 4 months or so.

Tmobile did a great job for us. We have two lines, unlimited calling and texting including to Canada, unlimited internet with 50 gb of hotspot before the coverage slows at all. We got a seniors discount and both phones cost us $100/month. We've been mostly East so far and the coverage has been good. We were told to leave our data roaming on at no extra charge so when we're in a bad zone, we may be able to connect to a partner carriers. Today we just added unlimited data to our iPad for an additional $20/month. At this stage, we're planning to keep our numbers when we return to Canada because you can't get a plan like this back home. Best wishes for finding a great deal and happy travels!

Congrats on what you perceive to be a deal. I got the same plan for $62 a month for 2 phones with unlimited data. We went west of the Mississippi and we may as well have left the phones at home. It's only unlimited data in their coverage areas. After a short time using the "other" phone companies towers you get billed extra (about a dollar a minute). This is why I call T Mobile slimy, they did not properly explain that to you. Now when you go out west you will find out the hard way. At least you won't be surprised and you will no whats happening to your phone. If you stay in populated areas it's a good deal.Safe travels. You may want to bring some paper maps.

[daleyocum]

Not really about cell phones but evidently Verizon just announced a pre-paid plan for their Jetpack hotspots that’s pretty great. Unlimited data with no caps (but thorottled if the tower is congested after some reasonable amount of data) for $65 per month. https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ver...-for-jetpacks/

In our case we’ll have AT&T on our phones and then use WiFi calling on the Verizon jetpack if that reception is better. Because it’s prepaid you just activate it when you are on a trip. Plus you get unlimited data in the trailer.

[billrector]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

Not really about cell phones but evidently Verizon just announced a pre-paid plan for their Jetpack hotspots that’s pretty great. Unlimited data with no caps (but thorottled if the tower is congested after some reasonable amount of data) for $65 per month. https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ver...-for-jetpacks/

In our case we’ll have AT&T on our phones and then use WiFi calling on the Verizon jetpack if that reception is better. Because it’s prepaid you just activate it when you are on a trip. Plus you get unlimited data in the trailer.

So, did anyone bother telling Verizon about their new plans? Gotta love these phone companies!

Stopped in at closest Verizon store and showed the attached article and video. They swore up and down that this plan does not exist! Left shaking my head and started towards home. Called another store and was told that the plan does exist but limited to 15GB of data at 4G/LTE and then throttled back to 3G. The plan as reported above makes it very clear that this 15GB limit has been removed and is instead subject to network management all the time.

So, has anyone gotten the plan as reported above?

[featherbedder]

Visited Verizon store this aft. was told new $65.00 prepay plan is throttled down from start, meaning it is very slo from start not only when towers congested also same story at best buy. Old unlimited plan for jet pack throttles down after 15 gb, so IMO not worth having slo speed unless have time to burn waiting for data. Plus side for verizon have always had signal for internet any place we go. Only use verizon for lap top and desk top computers, have consumer cellular for phones.

[billrector]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

Visited Verizon store this aft. was told new $65.00 prepay plan is throttled down from start, meaning it is very slo from start not only when towers congested also same story at best buy. Old unlimited plan for jet pack throttles down after 15 gb, so IMO not worth having slo speed unless have time to burn waiting for data. Plus side for verizon have always had signal for internet any place we go. Only use verizon for lap top and desk top computers, have consumer cellular for phones.

I called the Verizon store back that mentioned the 15GB data limit at 4G/LTE and told the woman that the plan I was interested in specifically said that there was no data cap. She proceeded to inform me that the 15GB limitation was built into the Jetpack. I said...."ah....no". She went and talked to her boss and came back and told me that the plan I was referring to actually did not have a data cap but was limited during times of network management. So, hard to tell how fast data will be.

[billrector]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

Visited Verizon store this aft. was told new $65.00 prepay plan is throttled down from start, meaning it is very slo from start not only when towers congested also same story at best buy. Old unlimited plan for jet pack throttles down after 15 gb, so IMO not worth having slo speed unless have time to burn waiting for data. Plus side for verizon have always had signal for internet any place we go. Only use verizon for lap top and desk top computers, have consumer cellular for phones.

I was told...and remember, they don't seem to know anything, that it would only be throttled during times of network management.

[CruizinDux]

".....that it would only be throttled during times of network management."


Network management..It 's Chinatown Jake...

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

. . .
. . . have consumer cellular for phones.

AARP seems to offer some good deals on this. Any complaints or cautions about the service in rural areas?

Thanks,

Peter

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by Rfriebele

If signal connectivity is important, Verizon is the best choice. Yes, they can be pricey but we've all over the states, Canada and various parts of the world and almost always had connection when others did not..and service has been great. Our home is the one place we have a shakey signal due to geography but when we complained, they gave us a month credit AND shipped us a $200 signal booster to use that fixed it.

Good to hear this. We have the same issue. Just outside St Louis. I’m going to try and at least get a signal booster from them. Thx!

[featherbedder]

Originally Posted by CruizinDux

".....that it would only be throttled during times of network management."


Network management..It 's Chinatown Jake...

They say only by network management but both verizon rep.at verizon store not reseller or any other store that was verizon co. store and best buy both stated that it slo from start ............... This for my wifi and internet iphones other dif costs and plan lots slower than the unlimited plan that I have, then throttled after 15gb to same speed that $65.00 pre pay plan offers. Talk to authorized verizon rep. get true story not some market hype. Also called verizon 800 # at 8.19 am this morn and $65.00 prepay unlimited plan only speed is 600mb per second no HIGHER SPEED it does not throttled down as starts throttled speed no matter what there market hype of net work management so IMO not worth time or money to go w/this plan as it is very slo speed. Verify this is for data not cell phone talk only data.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by featherbedder

They say only by network management but both verizon rep.at verizon store not reseller or any other store that was verizon co. store and best buy both stated that it slo from start ............... This for my wifi and internet iphones other dif costs and plan lots slower than the unlimited plan that I have, then throttled after 15gb to same speed that $65.00 pre pay plan offers. Talk to authorized verizon rep. get true story not some market hype. Also called verizon 800 # at 8.19 am this morn and $65.00 prepay unlimited plan only speed is 600mb per second no HIGHER SPEED it does not throttled down as starts throttled speed no matter what there market hype of net work management so IMO not worth time or money to go w/this plan as it is very slo speed. Verify this is for data not cell phone talk only data.

Turns out the Verizon reps vary widely on what they know about this plan and what they make up.

I picked up Verizon’s latest hotspot (MiFi8800L) and activated it with this $65 a month prepaid plan. I live in an area of Portland with marginal Verizon coverage so I can’t give a full report. What I can say is I’ve been getting about 5Mb up and down with two bars of LTE service and was able to watch Netflix and Youtube at good resolution. I’ll know more over this weekend when we’re visiting family.

Verizon has a 14 day return policy but you’d lose the $50 restocking fee and your month of data.

Also WFi calling over this hotspot works just fine with my AT&T iPhone.

[daleyocum]

Some more data on this mysterious too-good-to-be-true Verizon unlimited hotspot plan. I took my new Verizon 8800L about a mile from my house but without a mountain between me and the tower. Still two bars of LTE service but now the data rate is about 60Mb down and 40Mb up! There may be throttling that happens when the tower is congested at some usage level but is sure wasn’t today.

This one’s a keeper.

[Ldytraveller]

We are Canadian travelling through the US for the next 6 months. We wanted to find something that would work in both countries. T-Mobile had the best deal with $75/mos for unlimited talk, text and internet. That price also included a hot spot with unlimited access. Other plans with AT & T were higher and had a limited hot spot. This coverage also applies to Mexico. The only exception is that the hot spot will not work in Canada. That is notan issue for us as we have service at home. We just wanted to find a phone service that worked in Canada and USA so we didn't have to keep changing SIM cards and providers. We also needed a hot spot as the Park we are in for the next two months doesn't have wi-fi where out AS is parked. We would have to go to a public area and that doesn't work for banking or personal business. So far we are very happy with the service here in the Florida Keys. In Canada, Rogers is their partner so that should mean good access just about everywhere.

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by Ldytraveller

We are Canadian travelling through the US for the next 6 months. We wanted to find something that would work in both countries. T-Mobile had the best deal with $75/mos for unlimited talk, text and internet. That price also included a hot spot with unlimited access. Other plans with AT & T were higher and had a limited hot spot. This coverage also applies to Mexico.

Ldytraveller, I'd love to hear your experience. My discussions with CS @ T/M indicated the hot spot use was throttled back to 600 mbps (?) or 3G (??) My inexperience shows here. Maybe 600 Mbps is fine???



We have a jet pack and connect with a laptop and Kindle and it has worked fine but finally making the jump to a smart phone and the T/M senior plan is pretty competitive. Plus I'm disappointed on the lack of apps for the kindle. I'm just concerned re the speed as I'm 4G LTE on the jet pack. We don't stream but connect for email & surfing. Comments and experience appreciated.
Bob

[CruizinDux]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

.......

Also WFi calling over this hotspot works just fine with my AT&T iPhone.

Daleyocum, so i understand, using the jetpack you can connect wifi (mifi?) to your phone to give you connectivity to make voice calls as well as data for a secure internet connection?

Bob

[Edistobob]

About three months ago we left Verizon and signed up with their associated company called Visible. Visible uses the Verizon network and has one plan: unlimited talk, text and data for $40 per month per line including all taxes and fees (credit card automatic payment is required). It is a startup MVNO supported financially by Verizon and managed by former Verizon execs. We were quite pleased with it during a recent 6-week trip. The main "catch" is that, while the data is truly unlimited the download speeds are officially limited to 5 mbps, which is fine for general surfing and for most streaming. My wife streamed a lot on this trip and 24 days into her billing cycle she has already used over 32 GB of data--yes, still only $40 for the month. There have been a few glitches on the service, as they are still in beta (I think), but we had good coverage throughout our trip (again, it uses the Verizon network). The glitches were cleared up within a couple hours each time. The other "gotcha" is that currently it is only available for iPhones; Android is supposedly in the works. If you are interested, I'll be glad to answer your questions or you may want to check out the following: https://www.visible.com/ . Right now, we have been so pleased with the service and cost that we have absolutely no desire to switch back. $40 for unlimited everything is tough to beat. Also of great importance to us: the phones can be used as hotspots with no restrictions; that is a necessity for us with any plan.