Why I need more Data!

[John Laninga]

We have the following devices in our motor home:

 

1 - Lenovo Yoga, W10

1 - Apple MacBook Pro, latest OS

2 - LG tablets, Android

1 - iPad, iOS9

1 - iPhone, iOS 9

1 - Samsung S6, Android

1 - Nexus 7, Android

1 - Apple TV, who knows

 

So we were gone for 2 months in the summer, everything except LG tablets, Lenova Yoga, iPhone and Samsung phone turned off. These were updated as we could while we were overseas.

 

When I got back I turned my Verizon system back on. During the next 2 days, I used 3Gig of data just to update all the software. That does NOT include the 6G update to the latest MacBook OS! I actually deleted Pages, Numbers etc. on the iPad as they also used over 2Gig to update just those programs. Wasn't using it anyway.

 

I am going to turn off all automatic updates wherever possible, go get some coffee at Starbucks, and use their data as much as we can.

 

A side note, Verizon does not have a rollover data so I had 30G of monthly date that expired (15G per month) so the month I got back I was low on usable data very quickly. I have added a T-Mobil plan with rollover, works real well so far, and I'll do a side by side comparison for a month to see how it all shakes out (T-Mobil is much cheaper than Verizon, and has rollover). So far, it has worked well even in iffy areas,

 

== John

[Bill Joyce]

"I have added a T-Mobil plan with rollover, works real well so far, and I'll do a side by side comparison for a month to see how it all shakes out (T-Mobil is much cheaper than Verizon, and has rollover). So far, it has worked well even in iffy areas,"

T-Mobile has expanded its 4G/LTE a lot lately and is getting close to how much coverage both Verizon and AT&T have - http://www.cnet.com/news/t-mobile-doubles-4g-coverage-to-take-on-at-t-and-verizon/.

[budeneighe]

T-mobile is one of the carriers that Google Fi is using. The FI plans are $10/gig/month and any unused data you have paid for you get back as a credit $ for $ to your account. Better than Roll-overs because you don't end up carrying a glut forever that you will never use.

FI.google.com.. And oh, BTW, the phones will switch from carrier to carrier to Wifi as needed to maintain a conversation or connection as you use it.

[Kirk W]

And I thought that we had a mixed bag of devices! You need get advice from the expert. I have done more than one update of OS at McDonald's.

KIrk you've been railing about how you hate Windows and now you say you are keeping both? I second the opinion that you need to get all the way in or all the way out.

[budeneighe]

I have downloaded more than 1 windows release ISO file to my Galaxy Note 4 SD card then burned it to a DVD to do an install. Sometimes this is a lot easier and more reliable than trying to do it live through a wifi link to a cell phone. I believe in redundancy as the major hedge against Murphy but different strokes for different folks.

[wildmandmc]

best thing is to always have that data icon off unless connected to wifi. i see a lot of ppl that failed to turn that off. all those apps are always updating, on mine i have removed apps,and/or stop getting updates from them.

[RV_]

Duplicate

[RV_]

And I thought that we had a mixed bag of devices! You need get advice from the expert. I have done more than one update of OS at McDonald's.

 

Kirk, on 01 Nov 2015 - 08:15 AM, said:Kirk, on 01 Nov 2015 - 08:15 AM, said:

Quote

KIrk you've been railing about how you hate Windows and now you say you are keeping both? I second the opinion that you need to get all the way in or all the way out.

 

 

Kirk,

Your quoting my comment from another thread and calling me an expert was very nice of you. Thanks for removing my name from the quote too, as you know how I don't work here for accolades, but 9 times out of ten do manage to help folks with Windows issues?

 

Thanks.

 

Back to the topic,

John we went all the way over to Verizon because we can't get a signal here from T-Mobile the minute we drive out of the city limits. If we could I would have gone over to them too with roll over data. Here from Shreveport T-Mobile is good along the Interstates but as soon as you get North of Shreveport on 71 North it drops out completely.

 

Sprint is a non player here as it isn't even active in the city limits of most areas except inside Shreveport and Bossier City/Barksdale AFB. We picked up on new Windows Phones for free for switching to Verizon, and got a $100 dollar service credit as well. The Verizon plan cost less for us two, than for both of us to do Straight Talk (ST) 3G (regardless of false ST claims of 4G that we fell for too.)

 

Please keep us updated as I am not carrier loyal at all. We pretty much aren't concerned with data on phones, 3GB on our plan works great for us. We've never used more than 500MB of data on our largest month ever, and that was when we got the new phones as both were activated at the Verizon store and both went right into updates and installs of my settings from my previous Windows 8.1 phone.

Safe travels!

[HSVBamaBob]

Our experience - especially when traveling out west - is Verizon is the king of the hill when it comes to signal strength and reception, especially out in the boondocks of NM, AZ, UT and WY.

[RV_]

Bob,

That is the case here in NW Louisiana and E.Texas too anywhere we have traveled in the region. I had to do a 100 mile radius marketing area from Shreveport that encompassed three states as head of marketing for a local steel building firm. For five years I, then my employees crisscrossed the tri state area to site, design, and shoot the building site for the amount of dirt needed for the pad using laser transit etc. The only one to work everywhere except a few spots where there is no coverage for any phone, was Verizon and Straight Talk phones on Verizon towers. MY wife does Senior Transitions of elderly folks from their big houses to downsized apartment or assisted living, and do their estate sales, as well as other moving/estate sales. They are everywhere and Verizon gets them through too.