Unlimited Hotspot

[SWharton]

There was a thread called "Unlimited Hotspot" tha I managed to get blocked from somehow. I reported the problem. I can't even find the thread so I don;t know what is going on.

In response to Lou Schneider the Mobely was offered earlier this year so I just assumed(I know) it was still around. Maybe ATT just offers it periodically.

[Darryl&Rita]

Once the admin's get reports on a post, poof, it's gone. I haven't checked lately to see if ATT had an unlimited plan back on their website, but that's where I'd start. 

[SWharton]

I'm not looking I had replied to that thread and Lou had replied and then I was locked out...............I didn't see anything wrong with the post when I was looking at it.

[Lou Schneider]

That topic, if I remember correctly, was a new user promoting Atthotspot.com, a rather questionable web site offfering "unlimited" data on the AT&T network.  What made me question it was the site had no direct contact info and no physical address, just a text number and Facebook/Twitter for support. He also faked a low SKP number and said he was a Life Member.

 I reported it and both of his similar threads were removed.  He did the same thing over at RVForum.net with the same results.

The Mobley offer this past winter was to clear out AT&T's final inventory of Mobleys.  It's history.

The Connected Car Unlimited plan is still available, but you need a car with a built-in Onstar type hotspot to use it.  Or you can buy the Mobley's replacement, the Harmon Spark.  But unlike the Mobley the Spark confirms it's actually plugged into a car, and shuts off 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off or after 30 minutes if the car stays in one place with the motor running.  This makes it unsuitable as a Mobley replacement.

Edited July 12, 2019 by Lou Schneider

[SWharton]

Thanks Lou for the response.

[Technomadia]

We keep a constantly updated list of the best data plans for a 'home internet replacement' (including unlimited options) here:

www.rvmobileinternet.com/planpicks

There are several unlimited AT&T vendors out there, most of them without authorized relationships with AT&T. Many of the $60/month range ones are just reselling the unlimited tablet plan that you can get yourself for $34.99.month. 

AT&T does currently have a legit unlimited data plan specifically for RVers for $360/year - it's only available to Airstream owners, or when using the Togo Roadlink C2 roof top unit. 

 

You'll find more info on these options in the link above. The Mobley only resurfaced for a brief bit earlier this year, and we don't anticipate it coming back again. But then again, it was a surprise it came back earlier this year too.

 - Cherie

Edited July 12, 2019 by Technomadia

[Texas Shriner]

We purchased an unlimited Sprint hotspot through FMCA at $50/month and no contract.  That and a Wilson Amplifier cell booster and we are covered for TV, WWW, and email.  Works for us!

  

[Chalkie]

Granted, while T-Mobile coverage is not perfect, it works for us. With our 55+ plan we have unlimited Hot Spot on BOTH of our phones. 

[jerryneal]

Verizon has an unlimited prepaid plan.  Looks like it’s back again.  We’ve been using for over a year https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/#singlePlan

[Big5er]

10 hours ago, jerryneal said:

Verizon has an unlimited prepaid plan.  Looks like it’s back again.  We’ve been using for over a year https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/#singlePlan

The "old" Verizon prepaid plan was not throttled. A lot of "unlimited" plans are throttled after XX number of gigs. Yeah, it is "unlimited" but also virtually unusable after that preset amount. That would be my question about this one. 

[SWharton]

I think your perception of throttling is not what is done today. I have an "unlimited" ATT plan that might be throttled after 22G if the network is busy. I have now had it for 2-3 years and never been throttled and I have used will over 22G for months at a time. I have not heard of anyone who has been throttled. Looks like the throttling threat is a CYA.

[agesilaus]

The ATT TOGO plan is no longer limited to Airstreams, anyone can get it and I plan to do so. TOGO.

Costs $360 for the sat dome antennas and $360/yr for the service. $30/mo is a good price from what I've seen. As for it being throttled, I understand that is only if the tower is overloaded, and aren't all these plans throttled the same way. I've seen reports from people saying that they have never been throttled in rural areas.

We are getting visible for my wife's Verizon phone just to have two options.

 

[SWharton]

We also have one phone on ATT and one on Verizon(Visible). We picked up the ATT Mobley offering a while ago(2 years?) and it is $20 a month. Wherever we have gone in the US we mostly had service. Visible, once we final got ourselves sorted out works well. Just be aware that Visible only allows one connected item to its phone hotspot. Easily overcome. Just don't be surprised.

[Dutch_12078]

The plan Jerry linked to is a single line phone plan, not the prepaid unlimited hotspot plan that was previously offered. The current largest prepaid hotspot plan is limited to 30GB at 4G/LTE speeds and then drops to 600 Kbps.

[Bill Joyce]

4 hours ago, SWharton said:

I think your perception of throttling is not what is done today. I have an "unlimited" ATT plan that might be throttled after 22G if the network is busy. I have now had it for 2-3 years and never been throttled and I have used will over 22G for months at a time. I have not heard of anyone who has been throttled. Looks like the throttling threat is a CYA.

"Network prioritization" is what happens after 22GB on the Mobley plan, which is not "throttling".  Throttling (what some call "hard throttling") is where the carrier intentionally slows you down.  My  Verizon phone will do 15GB of full speed hotspotting, but at 15GB it is throttled to unusable speeds.  

[Technomadia]

15 hours ago, jerryneal said:

Verizon has an unlimited prepaid plan.  Looks like it’s back again.  We’ve been using for over a year https://www.verizonwireless.com/prepaid/#singlePlan

This is the smartphone plan - and if you look carefully, it includes no mobile hotspot use at all. 

This should not be confused with the Unlimited Prepaid Jetpack plan (ie. 'pUDP' - http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/pudp) that retired on May 21, 2019 - which did not have hard throttling, but was always subject to network management. 

And for more on understanding the lingo used when describing "unlimited" data plans:

http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/unlimited 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Technomadia

[SWharton]

1 hour ago, Bill Joyce said:

"Network prioritization" is what happens after 22GB on the Mobley plan, which is not "throttling".  Throttling (what some call "hard throttling") is where the carrier intentionally slows you down.  My  Verizon phone will do 15GB of full speed hotspotting, but at 15GB it is throttled to unusable speeds.  

Our Cricket phone has unlimited data and no throttling. I don't believe that plan is offered any longer, latest plan is 15G then maybe network prioritization which has never occurred and we used 80G for a couple of months.

[Big5er]

7 hours ago, SWharton said:

Looks like the throttling threat is a CYA.

It appears you are confusing throttling with network prioritazation.  

[SWharton]

Call it what you want, if it slows me down it is throttling. nuances.

Edited October 3, 2019 by SWharton

[Dutch_12078]

3 hours ago, SWharton said:

Call it what you want, if it slows me down it is throttling. nuances.

Have you ever been slowed down on a heavily used tower even with no throttling? That's about the effect we've seen on a few occasions, and we really can't tell if it's from prioritization or just normal traffic density. So far, it's never caused us any problems even when streaming...

[SWharton]

I generally check the strength of the signal so I know what to expect. I have never been slowed down to my knowledge. If I have it has not been noticeable.

[chirakawa]

Strength of signal and download speeds are two different things.  I have a good strong signal where I am.  During the day, I get speeds of 25-50 down and 10-15 up.  In the evening when workers come home and use the cell, my speeds are half of that...............but my signal strength is the same.

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, chirakawa said:

Strength of signal and download speeds are two different things.  I have a good strong signal where I am.  During the day, I get speeds of 25-50 down and 10-15 up.  In the evening when workers come home and use the cell, my speeds are half of that...............but my signal strength is the same.

Yep, a good example of the "busy tower" effect that occurs even without deprioritization/network management.

[Big5er]

16 hours ago, SWharton said:

Call it what you want, if it slows me down it is throttling. nuances.

And that is the problem with the internet. Too many people who, for whatever reason, refuse to educate themselves and then repeat incorrect and inaccurate information. 

[Dutch_12078]

50 minutes ago, Big5er said:

And that is the problem with the internet. Too many people who, for whatever reason, refuse to educate themselves and then repeat incorrect and inaccurate information. 

And when Verizon slows you down to 600 Kbps after you hit some plan limit, you'll really see the difference between actual "throttling" and a busy tower...