Anyone use mobile hotspots?

[Dukhat]

I'm thinking about getting a mobile hotspot and was wondering if other people here use them too. Clear has its hotspots on sale for $25 and an unlimited 4G data plan for $45, but I've read so many horror stories about them. I'm also aware that 4G service may be very spotty in certain areas, so I didn't know if I should even bother with this. Any ideas?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

What exactly is a hotspot?

I just got my first smart phone, and it shows 4G most of the time, wherever I am.

It also has WiFi, which showed my home wireless network.

It did go to 3G & 2 bars when I was sitting in the "designated tornado shelter" the other day.

 

[Dukhat]

What exactly is a hotspot?

It's just a small device with a wireless router built in that lets you have a broadband internet connection over a 3G/4G network wherever you go (in theory). So if I have a laptop, iPod Touch or whatever, I can access the internet with it.

However, after doing more research, the costs for having one of these as opposed to just using an iPhone for internet access (ether through 3G or wifi) is negligible. Or just a phone with a hotspot built in.

Hopefully the new iPhone 5 will have 4G.

 

[Lindley]

I've heard of at least one business that gets their internet solely from MiFi devices. I'm glad I don't work there.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ That business probably considers themselves "edgy".

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Wireless broadband has notoriously high latency and inconsistent throughput, to say nothing of the draconian metering and overage charges. I had Sprint wireless broadband via a USB modem for a while. It was nice except for the 5GB limit and senseless bandwidth fluctuations.

I'd give it a pass unless you're really adventurous about your Internet access and have a pressing need to be 100% mobile.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Verizon has true "unlimited" data.

Still, I'm not even sure what normal browsing eats up in terms of gigabytes and I don't use the phone for too much of that, except looking at email.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

AFAIK, web browsing does eat a lot of data usage.

 

[Amaris]

I have OpenRange, which is a wireless internet company. Anywhere that I'm in range of any tower that OpenRange owns (or has as an affiliate), I can access broadband internet. It's a home service, which means my desktop, netbook, wireless devices can all receive wifi anywhere there's a signal. It's 3 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up but, for the price, I love it.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Do you ever get charged extra if you're using an affiliate tower (like using an ATM your bank doesn't own)?

 

[Amaris]

^ Do you ever get charged extra if you're using an affiliate tower (like using an ATM your bank doesn't own)?

Nope. As long as OpenRange is accessing it, there are no extra charges.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

AFAIK, web browsing does eat a lot of data usage.

Web browsing--as in looking at typical websites, not ones with streaming media--does not use up that much data.

It's really once you start figuring in streaming audio/video that you start to burn through data in a hurry.