Unlimited Hotspot

[SWharton]

Definition of throttling on internet:

Cell phone providers can legally throttle customers' Internet speeds to reduce congestion during peak hours or in densely populated cities;

[docj]

7 hours ago, SWharton said:

I generally check the strength of the signal so I know what to expect.

After cellular transmissions became digital >20 years ago, the strength of a signal no longer had any real relationship to the download/upload performance.  If an adequate signal is available, further increases in signal strength have no impact on the speeds you will realize. 

Furthermore, if you are observing signal strength by looking at the "bars" at the top of your phone's screen you are getting only a very rough estimate of the actual signal strength.  Signal strength is measured in Decibels and can vary over many orders of magnitude (factors of ten).  The only meaningful way to assess your signal strength is to look at the About Phone screen in your Settings app or to download one of the many apps that will display the signal strength such as Network Cell Info Lite

Edited October 4, 2019 by docj

[SWharton]

I have an app that I use. I have no idea why the carriers keep displaying those stupid bars. Useless.

[chirakawa]

6 hours 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. 

That situation existed long before Al Gore invented the internet.  🙂

[RV_]

Big Fiver, with the Internet we can find out! Repeating incorrect information just happened, albeit as a joke.

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/12/al-gore-never-said-he-invented-the-internet/

Or from a wide variety of sources: https://www.bing.com/search?q=did+al+gore+ever+say+he+invented+the+internet%3f&FORM=AWRE1

 

[Dutch_12078]

2 hours ago, SWharton said:

Definition of throttling on internet:

Cell phone providers can legally throttle customers' Internet speeds to reduce congestion during peak hours or in densely populated cities;

Source?

Here's a different take on it:

"Throttling vs. Data Deprioritization"

https://www.wirefly.com/guides/throttling-vs-data-deprioritization

[Want2Go]

Thanks for all the good info and posts.  I'm not techie but need internet in our RV primarily hot spot for TV use, but would be awesome to surf the net.  Have a cell phone that can be hot spot, but quality diminishes after so much use... Verizon. So trying figure it all out.

I currently see this on the AT&T page.  Do you think this is a good idea/deal? Can someone explain what I need to have it usable for an RV?

From AT&T website:

"Get unlimited data for your car for $15/mo.

*Ends 10/31/19. After 22GB/line/mo. AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is busy. Req’s elig. vehicle & purchase of elig. unlimited data plan for vehicle. Svc. & coverage not avail. everywhere. Svc. renews and is billed monthly until canceled. Other charges, & restr’s apply. See offer details below.

Or add to your existing Mobile Share Plan starting at $10/mo".

[Lou Schneider]

3 hours ago, Want2Go said:

I currently see this on the AT&T page.  Do you think this is a good idea/deal? Can someone explain what I need to have it usable for an RV?

From AT&T website:

"Get unlimited data for your car for $15/mo.

*Ends 10/31/19. After 22GB/line/mo. AT&T may temporarily slow data speeds when the network is busy. Req’s elig. vehicle & purchase of elig. unlimited data plan for vehicle. Svc. & coverage not avail. everywhere. Svc. renews and is billed monthly until canceled. Other charges, & restr’s apply. See offer details below.

Or add to your existing Mobile Share Plan starting at $10/mo".

I highlighted the "gotcha".  You need a vehicle with a built-in OnStar hotspot that can interface to this plan.  AT&T did offer an aftermarket unit called the Mobley on a similar plan.  It plugged into the vehicle's OBDII diagnostic port and many people adapted it to work external to the vehicle, but the Mobley has been discontinued.  It's replacement is the Harmon Spark and it can NOT be used outside the vehicle, it has several failsafes so it can only work in a running and moving vehicle and shuts itself off it it isn't. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by Lou Schneider

[Want2Go]

2 minutes ago, Lou Schneider said:

I highlighted the "gotcha".  You need a vehicle with a built-in On-star hotspot service that can interface to this plan.  AT&T did offer an aftermarket unit called the Mobley that plugged into the vehicle's OBDII diagnostic port and many people adapted it to work external to the vehicle, but it has been discontinued.  It's replacement called the Harmon Spark can NOT be used outside the vehicle, it actively polls to see if it's connected to the vehicle data buss and shuts itself off if it isn't.

oh man!  I knew there must be a catch.  Thanks for explaining. 

[nwtraveler]

Luckily I jumped on the AT&T Mobley when it was first offered. I got it to be

a backup to our Verizon JetPack. It has since become our main source

of MiFi and the JetPack is the backup.

[rynosback]

On 7/11/2019 at 7:03 PM, Lou Schneider said:

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.

So glad that I bought a back up Mobley as I would hate to lose my $20 unlimited data plan.

[Dutch_12078]

7 hours ago, rynosback said:

So glad that I bought a back up Mobley as I would hate to lose my $20 unlimited data plan.

My Mobley is my backup for the $20 plan. The Mobley's SIM has lived in Netgear hotspots for most of the past two years.

[SWharton]

I sometimes worry about having a backup but feel all I need to worry about is the sim and hopefully if that dies ATT will replace. If the physical Mobley dies I would need to buy a hot spot to put the sim in. Am I thinking about this wrong? I know about the limitation of 5 devices but bought a Mango to resolve that problem.

[Dutch_12078]

A local AT&T store had no problem replacing my failed Mobley SIM even though it was installed in a Netgear Unite Explore hotspot at the time. And the Explore hotspot allows up to 15 devices to connect...

[SWharton]

Great news. Another concern off the mind. I am sure something else will take its place. Thanks

[Lou Schneider]

6 hours ago, SWharton said:

I sometimes worry about having a backup but feel all I need to worry about is the sim and hopefully if that dies ATT will replace. If the physical Mobley dies I would need to buy a hot spot to put the sim in. Am I thinking about this wrong? I know about the limitation of 5 devices but bought a Mango to resolve that problem.

Moving the Mobley SIM into another device is a technical violation of AT&T's Terms of Service, as is using the Mango if you're using it to send data to more than 5 devices simultaneously.  They haven't actively enforced these terms yet but who can tell what will happen in the future.

With more and more low cost plans coming out this may not be significant.

My Mobley backup is my Visible phone with it's unlimited data hotspot. It's my only phone. Visible is a Verizon no-contract subsidiary.  Their Visible R2 phone (ZTE 5151) is $19 or free with a working trade-in, they also offer higher end Apple and Android phones.  The service plan has unlimited voice, text and data for $40 a month on the Verizon network.  There are restrictions like being subject to data de-prioritization on crowded towers, a cap on the hotspot speed (fast enough to stream video), only one hotspot device at a time, etc. but so far it's perfectly usable for my needs.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Lou Schneider

[SWharton]

I am not concerned about backup in the sense you are thinking. I have my Cricket unlimited phone and Visible(FYI you can only connect 1 device to the Visible phone). My concern is if the Mobley dies(no longer made) or something goes wrong with the Sim.

[Dutch_12078]

I first moved my Mobley SIM to a Netgear hotspot on the advice of AT&T tech support when I asked about an alternative so I could use the OBDII port for an insurance company device. According to the TS rep, the Mobley is classed as a hotspot, and the SIM can be used in any other hotspot. Using it in a phone or tablet would be a TOS violation though, and there have been reports of people having accounts terminated for doing it. 

[Guest]

The unlimited data service with Visible looks good.  Is anyone currently using Millenicom? I understand that they are now with T-Mobile.

[Pappy Yokum]

On 10/17/2019 at 11:31 AM, Lou Schneider said:

 

My Mobley backup is my Visible phone with it's unlimited data hotspot. It's my only phone. Visible is a Verizon no-contract subsidiary.  Their Visible R2 phone (ZTE 5151) is $19 or free with a working trade-in, they also offer higher end Apple and Android phones.  The service plan has unlimited voice, text and data for $40 a month on the Verizon network.  There are restrictions like being subject to data de-prioritization on crowded towers, a cap on the hotspot speed (fast enough to stream video), only one hotspot device at a time, etc. but so far it's perfectly usable for my needs.

 

"The service plan has unlimited voice, text and data for $40 a month on the Verizon network."

The Party Plan reduces that $40. a month - -  to $25 per month.

The 3 others on your party plan (or you on theirs) do not know each other, or how to contact each other (your phone number/s remains private).  You are billed individually.  If a member drops out, no problem to add another.  (Reddit forum will assist with adding members, or joining a party).

http://www.reddit.com/r/VisiblePartyPay

.

 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Pappy Yokum

[Dutch_12078]

14 minutes ago, agesilaus said:

That was posted on iRV2 where several have called it spam, so caveat emptor

 

Hmmmm, the Watertown, CT address they list on their website shows up as the First Congregational Church at 40 Deforest St.

[Big5er]

1 hour ago, Dutch_12078 said:

Hmmmm, the Watertown, CT address they list on their website shows up as the First Congregational Church at 40 Deforest St.

And if you look up the name of the LLC listed on their web site you get this:

SELENICA GROUP, LLC was registered on Dec 26, 2019 as a type company located at 155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA . The agent name of this company is: AARON SELENCIA , and company's status is listed as Active now.
Selenica Group, Llc has been operating for 31 days.

 

Company Name

SELENICA GROUP, LLC

Date of Incorporation

Dec 26, 2019

Record Status

Active

Citizenship/State Inc:

Domestic / CT

Latest Report

No Reports Found

Business Address

155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA

Mailing Address

155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA

Agent Name

AARON SELENCIA

Agent Business Address

155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA

Agent Residence Address

155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA

[Dutch_12078]

2 minutes ago, Big5er said:

And if you look up the name of the LLC listed on their web site you get this:

SELENICA GROUP, LLC was registered on Dec 26, 2019 as a type company located at 155 SHAW FARM RD, OAKVILLE, CT 06779 USA . The agent name of this company is: AARON SELENCIA , and company's status is listed as Active now.
Selenica Group, Llc has been operating for 31 days.

 

Company Name

SELENICA GROUP, LLC

Date of Incorporation

Dec 26, 2019

(trimmed)

That address is a residence, but I wonder why the church address is listed on his website? This deal strikes me as being similar to the old $5 unlimited 3G plans that required modifying the phone or hotspot firmware so Verizon saw it as an eligible device. They did eventually catch up with that scam and shut the devices down though...