Which JetPack

[Packman]

As I wade in, I know I'll need internet and heavy use at least in the beginning. Where we will be spending next summer, only Verizon has service. As I look at the jetpacks they have available, mifi 8800L gets two stars, USB 730L gets three stars and Ellipsis MHS 900L gets two stars. Who has what and are you happy with it?

Thanks Rick

[Jim & Wilma]

We have the 8800L and it’s worked well for us. 

[hdrider]

We had the Ellipsis for a year and hated it most of the time and just switched to the 8800L and have been VERY happy. We have only had the 8800L for a month however.

[Sehc]

I had an old 6620L and reactivated it with Verizon Prepaid Unlimited. Can't complain.

[Bill Joyce]

I suspect the reason the 8800L only got 2 stars was due to a problem fixed by a recent firmware update.  Before the firmware update some 8800Ls would drop the connection periodically.  I have an 8800L and it has been rock solid since the firmware update.  

[Dutch_12078]

1 hour ago, Sehc said:

I had an old 6620L and reactivated it with Verizon Prepaid Unlimited. Can't complain.

I'm still using my 6620L as well on the prepaid UDP. I've been checking eBay from time to time for a good deal on an 8800L, but I'm in no rush to get one. We still manage to find the occasional spot where 3G is as good as it gets...

[remoandiris]

Have had an 8800 for about 6 months.  It works fine.

[Packman]

Thanks for all the responses. That's very helpful.

[Packman]

After chatting with Verizon, now I'm confused again. So, the rep told me when I buy the 8800L I have to choose postpaid or prepaid plan and that it's locked where you have to leave it on one or the other for six months. I said that doesn't make sense if you pay full price and she gave some canned answer about people getting mastercards and leaving. I also asked if there is any difference between postpaid and prepaid, she said "prepaid has slower data"

[pjstough]

I have read not to buy the mifi device from Verizon, but buy it from a reseller, then they wont hassle you about changing plans.

[Packman]

Can the 8800L connect to a router?

[j2catfish]

22 hours ago, Bill Joyce said:

  I have an 8800L and it has been rock solid since the firmware update.  

My 8800l works good most of the time but does drop out and causes some serious problems. Where can the firmware update be found?  Do  have to take it in to Verizon? Thanks

Catfish

[hdrider]

 I'm no expert but we had the true uncapped unlimited pre-paid plan with the Ellipsis hot spot and wanted the 8800L. When we went to Verizon they said if we bought a new hot spot we would loose our unlimited as we know it and have to switch to their newer (not really) unlimited plan.

 I went to Best Buy and bought a 8800L with no plan attached to it, took it home and switched the sim card from my Ellipsis to the8800L and all was done and working well with no hiccup.  

[Bill Joyce]

2 hours ago, Packman said:

Can the 8800L connect to a router?

I tether mine with USB to a Pepwave Surf SOHO MK3 router.  Works great.   You do need to take it off power every once in a while to let it run off battery or you will ruin the battery.  I do that half the month when I switch to using an AT&t hotspot on the router.

[Bill Joyce]

58 minutes ago, j2catfish said:

My 8800l works good most of the time but does drop out and causes some serious problems. Where can the firmware update be found?  Do  have to take it in to Verizon? Thanks

Catfish

There is a check for updates on the 8800L itself off one of the menus.   Here is info on that - https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/verizon-finally-releases-8800l-1s-firmware-update-hopefully-fixing-reboot-disconnects/ .

[Technomadia]

For anyone who'd like to understand the differences between the Jetpack models, we have a quick video at the top of this guide that explains things like modem category, carrier aggregation, frequency band support and internal antennas. And, we have a head to head comparison of potential speeds between all of the recent Verizon models. 

Guide: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/lte-modems

 

The 8800L is indeed the current flagship that came out last October, and is Cat 18 with internal 4x4 MIMO antennas. It was riddled with reboot and disconnect issues, but the 1S firmware update that was pushed earlier this month seems to make it much more stable than most. 

If you have the now retired prepaid unlimited plan - definitely purchase 3rd party, not directly from Verizon. If purchasing a new plan, the 8800L is not yet available for purchase directly with prepaid (but some reps are able to sell it that way) - it shouldn't be locked into pre or post paid that way, and you can swap SIMs as desired. 

 

 - Cherie

[Packman]

I do not currently have a data plan, but I am a current Verizon customer with two post paid phones and unlimited data. I stopped by the Verizon store and they recommend adding a line to my current plan for $20. He said I could add multiple lines for $20 each and that each one would come with 15gb of 4G data. I am still in S&B until the end of Sept and have Comcast. Looking at this year's data usage from Comcast, I have used anywhere from 59gb to 98gb. I'm sure some of that is that both phones are set to connect to wifi when in range and we do stream music and video on the phones. I may be forced to cut back my usage some.

Thoughts?

[sandsys]

26 minutes ago, Packman said:

do not currently have a data plan, but I am a current Verizon customer with two post paid phones and unlimited data.

Wait! You have no data plan but have unlimited data? With unlimited data can you just use your phone as a hot spot? Or am I, once agin, showing my ignorance?

Linda

[Packman]

I think, correct me if I'm wrong, but you'd have to use your phone as a hotspot and you are limited on hotspot data.

[Sehc]

You have unlimited data? Is that on a wireless plan. Or do you mean a DSL phone line? Beware of the clowns at the verizon stores. My experience is they lie. They don't know what they are selling. They will be gone next week when you need clarification of what they promised. You only need one line. How much does each GB over your wireless plan really cost. Mine used to be $10 per GB.

[Packman]

1 hour ago, Sehc said:

You have unlimited data? Is that on a wireless plan. Or do you mean a DSL phone line?

You mean in the S&B? Unlimited cable modem. Wireless phone plan - Unlimited postpaid.

[trailertraveler]

9 hours ago, Technomadia said:

The 8800L is indeed the current flagship that came out last October, and is Cat 18 with internal 4x4 MIMO antennas. It was riddled with reboot and disconnect issues, but the 1S firmware update that was pushed earlier this month seems to make it much more stable than most.

When we got our current phones, we were offered tablets for free with just the additional line device fee. I paid edtra to get a Mifi in place of one tablet. I had one of the previous Verizon Mifi versions. It started constantly rebooting. It was always considerably slower than the Samsung 7 and Tab A. I tried to get it replaced with a Tab A (which I could have gotten for free when I upgraded but chose to pay extra for the Mifi). Verizon would not give me a Tab A and replaced the Mifi with a 8800L. It also is considerably slower than the phone and tablet. It is running the 1S firmware and drops off frequently. If I tether it, it will work for a while and then slow to virtually 0. Restarting it does not resolve the issue it needs to be turned off for awhile before it will work again. When it is time to upgrade again, I will not get another Mifi if I can get a tablet for the same price or cheaper. 

[sandsys]

1 hour ago, Packman said:

You mean in the S&B? Unlimited cable modem. Wireless phone plan - Unlimited postpaid.

Ah, the unlimited data is on a cable modem. If I understand correctly the unlimited on the phone is just for phone calls, not for data? That makes a huge difference.

Linda

 

[Tom Cooper]

I also owned the 8800L. After 3 days I just threw it away because of nerves

[Ro and Joe]

There's a good post on iRV2 on utilizing SIM cards in a router with antenna.  My son set us up with a similar cusom made system and it's a sweet setup.  Used the SIM card from a formally used 8800L.   http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/configuring-and-optimizing-your-pepwave-max-cellular-and-wifi-router-449892.html