Millenicom MIFI - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Dave Buck · RV-Dreams Family Member

Millenicom MIFI

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hi Dave and Marge,
We are considering switching to the Millenicom MiFi. How's your coverage been? Are you happy with the service?

As far as checking usage, I would call Millenicom. I'll bet there is a read out on the MiFi itself, but not sure how to access it.

Dave Buck · RV-Dreams Family Member

I've only had it a couple of months and it has worked fine. I've been located in North Central Illinois most of the time and only get 3g here. I was at a loction for a few days where I had 4g and it was very fast. We are moving further south next weekend so we will see how it works in a few more locations.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

When we talked to Millenicom, they said they are/would be providing a way to access your usage on their website. We haven't found it yet. Contact their customer support and ask? I think they can tell you how much you've used. But keep in mind, their 20GB limit is 'soft' - they only really care if you frequently go way over.

We've been using the 3G/4G MiFi service for a few months now, and been quite happy with it. Speeds tend to vary quite a bit in one location - but haven't been able to isolate if that's Verizon, the MiFi or our booster system.

- Cherie

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

By the way.. we just chatted up Millenicom to double check. Right now, the only way to check your usage is to send an e-mail to 'usage@millenicom.com' - be sure to include your account info.

- Cherie

janni · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have had the 20gb plan for about a year and a half now. I emailed them twice to check my usage. Have been everywhere in US except the east coast states and always had internet.

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Are these using the Sprint plan or Verizon?

Dave Buck · RV-Dreams Family Member

The 20g hot spot is Verizon.

I e-mailed Millenicom and so far they say I've only used 2g so far this month. I thought I had used ti a lot but I guess it takes a lot.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

BTW.. here's another reason Verizon rocks... this is a comparison of LTE (the new fast 4G stuff) coverage for all 4 major carriers from back in October to recently in May... Verizon is clearly ahead of the curve and rapidly deploying.

We got these maps from our little iPhone/iPad app 'Coverage?' - which overlays the major carrier's maps to help us travelers plan our routes to stay connected.

- Cherie

-- Edited by Technomadia on Monday 3rd of June 2013 09:59:26 PM

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sprint will be a very different coverage map than Verizon. Sprint's coverage is mainly in urban areas and along interstates, and the Millenicom plan is for their 4G WiMax, not the new LTE they are rolling out. Outside of urban areas, Sprint roams onto other carriers, and usually at sub-3G speeds.

If you're going to be sticking to urban areas, they may work for you. But otherwise, if you're choosing one or the other - we've decided that the 20GB cap is worth it to have a carrier that has coverage in many places.

BTW.. Millenicom now allows you to check your usage online. Just log into your account, click over to 'Products', select your device. The last data pull they took (usually every Monday evening) will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. They only do that weekly, and they've also told us that the first one of the month isn't accurate. But.. useful towards the end of the month to make sure you're on track.

- Cherie

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Technomadia wrote:
BTW.. here's another reason Verizon rocks... this is a comparison of LTE (the new fast 4G stuff) coverage for all 4 major carriers from back in October to recently in May... Verizon is clearly ahead of the curve and rapidly deploying.

Yes, Verizon clearly "rocks" when it comes to data connection. Really,it is hard to consider anything else for your primary cellular data connection. Unless you are stationary and in an area better serviced by someone else.

Like Cherie does, if you want a secondary connection, AFTER Verizon, ATT is the best choice. Between the two, for an RVer on the move youhave about the best coverage you could have....but if only choosing one, Verizon is the ONE.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

You know, for someone that was employed as a manager of a "major national electronics" store, I've really fallen out of the technical issues related with so many systems today. (Anyone remember the "brick" that was the original Motorola handheld cell phone? I date back to that technology.)

However, as a user, I think I should mention a couple of things. When we started out with cell phones, we went with AT&T, and we were with them for several years. In our experiences, we had numerous issues of dropped calls, late arrival of voice messages (up to three days later), and terrible coverage. We lived in an area that was roughly 21 to 26 miles from Oklahoma City. In order to use my cell phone at home, I had to walk outside to use it, and even then it was a weak signal.

When we began to have problem with our wireless internet service (@Link in Oklahoma City), we went to Verizon to see about their MiFi system. I expressed my concern, based on our experience with AT&T, that we might not have service. They told us to take the MiFi and give it a try, and if it didn't work, we would be free to return it with a full refund of all charges, including any deposits.

Within a year, we had changed out to Verizon for our phones as well, based on the good coverage we had with the MiFi. Once, when we were vacationing Northwest of Pagosa Springs, CO, we had no phone service at all on AT&T, but on one trip to the office/store, I noticed a lady standing outside and talking on her phone. I asked her what service she had and she said it was Verizon. That is what got us to thinking about Verizon.

We've since had three different different MiFi units with the first one being good, but slow (pre-4G), the second (3G) being OK, but it was hard to keep a signal. Our latest one is the Verizon Jetpack 900A that is 4G, and it is working out very good for us. I love being able to take it along in a vehicle with a laptop and still stay connected.

It is doubtful that we will ever go back to AT&T.

Terry

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have Verizon smartphones and a Millenicom/Verizon plan. But we are adding an AT&T MiFi type unit since we do spend time in places where Verizon has lousy data service and one of the two places we had no Verizon service in the last three years had great AT&T service. Having AT&T data is especially important to us in the Long Beach/Ilwaco, Washington area where Verizon is extended network (roaming) on US Cellular towers. We have family in that area and it is also a really nice place to camp and spend time. $50 more a month and a 2-year contract, but having our internet is important to us. Now to stay under 5GB might be hard, but it is only $10 a GB if we go over.

BTW: For those on Android there is a more limited app than Technomadia's Coverage available now, but it does the job. It is Mosaik Solutions "CellMaps Mobile Coverage" app, free to get high level coverage information and $1.99 a year to get detailed coverage information and the ability to compare carriers. I can tell from Cherie's posts that Coverage is a broader product, but at least we have something on Android now. I will say that both of these apps depend on the carriers being accurate with their coverage maps and I can tell you they are not. (I have specific examples of AT&T, Verizon and Sprint showing coverage where it does not exist.)

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

I was just looking at the Millenicom website and from the conversation above, the 20 GB hotspot plan is Verizon, correct?

There's also a unlimited plan and a BYOD plan. Does anyone know which one of those 2 plans is a Verizon vs. Sprint plan? Both indicate unlimited data.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

The 20GB plan is Verizon, and both of the unlimited are on Sprint's network (which now includes their LTE network... which is a nice upgrade!)

- Cherie

bigredoes · RV-Dreams Family Member

Does the Verizon 20Gb plan allow one to turn the service 'on and off'....month by month?

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Millenicom is no-contract. You can put the plan on 'vacation' or suspension for up to 3 months at a time and just pay $20. I believe if you need to do that more than once a year, or for longer - then you just pay the current activation fee.

The details should be on their website.

- Cherie

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Technomadia wrote:
The 20GB plan is Verizon, and both of the unlimited are on Sprint's network (which now includes their LTE network... which is a nice upgrade!)

- Cherie

If Softbank puts the money they say they will in Sprint now that they own it, this will work out great over time. They want to match or beat both AT&T and Verizon.