Verizon offering new 3G service plans. - RV-Dreams Community Forum

3Gstore_Matt · RV-Dreams Family Member

Verizon offering new 3G service plans.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think many RVers will jump at the 3GB plan even though they might have to buy a wireless amp or Wilson Sleek to boost the MiFi. Many RVers stay below 3GB anyway and the overage charges are quite reasonable.

3Gstore_Matt · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree that it's a really good deal. Even if you happen to go over by say 2GB, you'd end up paying $55 for 5GB of data which is still less than their current 5GB plan on devices like the USB760.

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

I might not be up to date on this one, but the problem with the MiFi is that it has no external antenna connector. That, for us, is a big deal. Yes there are passive “repeaters” available, but it is still radio frequencies you’re dealing with. Those “laws of physics” haven’t changed. Direct connection to the amplifiers / pre-amps, like the Wilson boxes, will always work better than patches or repeaters, especially if the tower signal is weak to begin with.

Now, if I am mistaken and there is a new MiFi that does have an external antenna jack, please let me know. That would be a completely different product and one I would like to know about. Anyone got more recent info on new products with external antenna jacks. Hope so.

Thanks

Bill

3Gstore_Matt · RV-Dreams Family Member

Bill,

You're correct that the MiFi 2200 doesn't offer an antenna port currently. A direct connection between the device and external antenna/amplifier will always be better than a repeater but these new plans won't be available with dedicated USB devices.

Remi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Not sure about this one, but I saw at the car toyz place I bought my Thule hitch trunk from a company called Clear I believe who is offering unlimited 4G, totally mobile coverage. $40 p/month.

I haven't even researched them as I have a mifi and a contract, so not switching any time soon, but thought I would toss it out there for y'all. I was in Salem, OR when I saw the Clear truck and then the ad in the window.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Clear is part of Clearwire/Sprint and is the "4G" that Sprint uses. Not in that many places yet. If you want both 3G and 4G it costs more like $55 a month and the 3G is Sprint limited to 5GB per month.

Remi · RV-Dreams Family Member

Interesting. It's too bad Sprint has such sketchy service outside of metro areas. Having lived in Tampa and had Sprint, I knew exactly where the boundary of their metro coverage was. Was nice in town, rough in the burbs and a waste more than half the time when traveling, but then it's been a few years too.

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

This entire 3G topic is one where every one needs to really do their homework. There are locked in contracts associated with most cell carrier's plans and buying a 3G device can be anywhere from free to a couple hundred bucks. One should take into account that the cell carriers reinvent their products every 5 minutes and cost vary accordingly.

Just to add fuel to that fire I suggest that anyone interested in this issue take a look at this Virgin Mobile website. http://business.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978491812

Sooner than later the free enterprise system is going to dicatate lower prices in this market.

3Gstore_Matt · RV-Dreams Family Member

TXRVr wrote:

This entire 3G topic is one where every one needs to really do their homework. There are locked in contracts associated with most cell carrier's plans and buying a 3G device can be anywhere from free to a couple hundred bucks. One should take into account that the cell carriers reinvent their products every 5 minutes and cost vary accordingly.

Just to add fuel to that fire I suggest that anyone interested in this issue take a look at this Virgin Mobile website. http://business.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978491812

Sooner than later the free enterprise system is going to dicatate lower prices in this market.

Virgin service is cheaper than other carriers but you get what you pay for. Read our comparison review of the 2 services here - Virgin Mobile VS Sprint

We've found that a lot of people are experiencing the same issues with the Virgin service. If you don't want to be locked into a 2/yr contract other options exist such as our service through DataJack which doesn't suffer from the problem Virgin does. It is $10/mo more than Virgin and not unlimited though.

I'm not saying the Virgin deal is bad, it's just a lot of users have experienced speed and reliability issues with it. What good is unlimited service for $40/mo if it doesn't work? Feel free to google the service as we've heard lots of complaints about it, but we've also heard of users happy too.

-- Edited by 3Gstore_Matt on Friday 5th of November 2010 02:53:48 PM

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

3Gstore_Matt wrote:
We've found that a lot of people are experiencing the same issues with the Virgin service. If you don't want to be locked into a 2/yr contract other options exist such as our service through DataJack which doesn't suffer from the problem Virgin does. It is $10/mo more than Virgin and not unlimited though.

I was just throwing it into the pot with the comment about doing one's homework. As a long time VZW customer, I agree with some of your comments and for my situation the Sprint coverage map would turn me off to Virgin.