Using cell phone provider as internet

[cookiedough]

anyone do it?  I have US cellular as cell phone provider am trying it now using my cell phone plan as a mobile hot spot for laptops and netflix, youtube, etc.  since have unlimited data usage right??  I do not use netflix much maybe once or twice per week 2-3 hours at a time.

was wondering how that will work vs. paying 60 bucks per month for crappy internet provider am fed up with?  

[scooperhsd]

You better check if that kind of use is allowed on your plan.

[Dagwood]

You better check if that kind of use is allowed on your plan.

Yep, check your plan. Unlimited data usually does not include tethering (mobile hot spot). Doesn't mean you can't, but mobile hot spot data can be limited even on an unlimited data plan.

[Robert]

 Tethering is allowed on some plans but again check, and it may be subject to 25 gigs before slowing internet speeds to a crawl.

[Big Rig]

My wife changed from verizon to T-Mobile...they have a hot spot internet service.  We hated paying CommieCast/xfinity for internet, land line and TV....$$$$$$$$$$

We have been using it now for almost a year...about 1/2 the price from cable. I am quite happy with it...I have two teenage boys with gaming systems and I work from home 3 days a week...occassional reboot required, but had similar problems with cable...

 

[mbramley]

   I cut the cord a couple of years ago. I have Verizon hot spot. As some have said, my phone is unlimited data but tethering is limited. I usually do get to the point my hot spot slows way down for the last week of the month but I watch a lot of video (relative). I like that I can take my internet with me and have a secure connection wherever I travel. When some were having issues at the hotel I had no problem connecting. Verizon of course isn't cheep, I'm around 135.00 a month. I'm going to be comparing plans soon as I believe many others offer it now. when I started mine there weren't many options.

[Challenger]

I dumped cable and land line about 6 years ago. Was using a Verizon Jetpack. until last year. I didn't go off the grid, but cut way back on a lot of usage.  Now I have a Verizon S-8 with unlimited data for $45.00 with taxes. I use my phone for a mobile hot spot. It does what I need.  It isn't high speed, Can watch youtube and such but it buffers sometimes. Also notice that it can slow way down at times. It works for me, but most people wouldn't like it. 

[semo97]

We went to prepaid and cut the bill in half with Verizon leaving screw you AT&T. I have 16 g and wife has 6 g hot spot. $76 a month. Unlimited call and text as well. I use the hot spot for lap top and have streamed some football using an unnamed sources dish. Can get unlimited g if I want to pay extra 20 $ but do not use all our g we have. TV and phones have you by the yang.

[G-Man]

I just saw a a local cable commercial that went the other way around.  The cable company was offering cellular service (with all the includeds) for $20/month/line.  That would make my cell phone bill $80/month which is 1/3 less than my AT&T cell phone bill is now.  The savings would be twice what I pay the cable co. for internet. 

There needs to be communication advisors to get through it all.

I do know that I am not happy lately with the actual cable service.  I work from home and there have been many instances where connection was interrupted momentarily.  Of course it was during a presentation and my yearly evaluation, and when I need to actually get work done, etc.  Causes stress and panic for 5 minutes that I just don't need.  And I pay extra for "upgraded" service.  I haven't noticed a thing since I've been paying for that crap.  Oy Vey!  Don't get me started.

[3fan4life]

I have a truly unlimited plan from Sprint.

I started it with Intelos and was grandfathered when Sprint bought them.

I'm sure that Sprint doesn't like me, as it is nothing to use 300GB or more per month.

[cookiedough]

I have a truly unlimited plan from Sprint.

I started it with Intelos and was grandfathered when Sprint bought them.

I'm sure that Sprint doesn't like me, as it is nothing to use 300GB or more per month.

300gb per month - WOW....  great deal if internet speed using as mobile hot spot does not slow down.  I called US cellular my only cell phone company I can get where I live and said after 2gb it starts slowing down per month.  We tried it though over the weekend on wife's phone up to now 6gb usage this month and although speed was somewhat lagging, not too bad even then.  IMO the price paid per month for UNLIMITED DATA USAGE should be just that totally UNLIMITED right?  It is not and should be for over 50 bucks per month for each cell phone.  they did say though since I only use about 1gb usage per month data on my cell phone,  to then switch the hot spot to just my phone once my wife's phone hot spot starts slowing down.  It might just work for us since not big netflix users although I did watch (once or twice per month) a few Netflix movies using internet and they said that every 1 hour uses near 3GB of data usage.  Both kids are outta the house now so only 2 of us might just work?  Sure beats paying our local internet provider another about 60 per month for tops 15 megs of speed service. 

I know I am not the highest paying out per month on this board, but between over 200 bucks for 4 cell phones, 85 for dish network TV, and another 60 or so for internet, along with 5 vehicles and 6 cycles, and 1 enclosed trailer for 4 drivers (2 under age 25) with registration fees just going up drastically in WI every 50 dollar savings helps. 

[scooperhsd]

I know our household uses alot, but our primary internet (Google Fiber) broke Tuesday night and I'm waiting on the tech now to come and fix it. In the meantime, we have been using my cellphone as a Wifi hotspot (no streaming of other dataheavy usage). We get 3 GB per month plus rollover from last month - we started this with around 5 GB available.

Starting Jan 2 - we had 5.59 GB available. We have used 1.88GB so far for the month -  .88 GB since Tuesday.