For years, we were grandfathered into an unlimited data plan with Verizon that allowed us to use our hotspot for an Internet connection. We used this as our only Internet connection for much of the time or, when we had another connection at home, it came in handy while traveling since so many hotels still don't have suitable Internet service. Oh, they all claim to have free WiFi but too many of them have Internet service that sucks. However, each year the cost went up until finally it was no longer affordable, so we let it go and got a plan with US Cellular. While we were in New Hampshire last month, the free WiFi kept going out, so I used the hotspot on my iPhone for a few hours. Then while we were in another hotel a couple of weeks ago, I used the hotspot for an hour, and we got hit with overage charges of about $40 or so, and had to be very careful for the rest of that coverage month. I just ordered a mobile hotspot called Skyroam Global WiFi that claims to be able to provide an Internet hotspot throughout the United States and in more than a hundred countries. The device costs $100 and if we find that we need a hotspot while traveling, we can buy Internet time for as low as $8 per day, with unlimited data. Of course, this is more than I would be willing to pay for regular Internet service but it's much cheaper than the overage charges would be if I had to use the hotspot on my cellphone. Plus, it will power up to five devices, so my wife can use it as well. Since we work online and like to travel, if only in New England, this might prove to be helpful. I'll let you know how it works out. This is not a sales pitch because I don't even know how well it will work yet, and might find that I can't get coverage from the places I need to have it, but if it looks like something that would work out for you, you can get a $20 discount by using this link, and I'll get a couple of free days of WiFi.
@Ken Anderson "use our hotspot" What is a hotspot? Back in the '90s a scheme was planned and funded called, I think, "Iridium", which involved launching and deploying a large number of geosynchronous satellites, which would allow any cellphone to communicate from any point on the surface of the Earth. This would have voided the usefulness of the zillions of cell-towers already built, and the even more zillions planned to be built. Additionally, it would allow simple communication from aloft, within any airplane, as well as from any boat of any size at sea. Never heard anymore about the scheme, except that it "failed due to funding difficulty'. Ever hear of it? Frank
I've never been in need of a hotspot yet and really don't understand them. I don't have unlimited data on my Verizon plan with my iPhone but so far I haven't been over. I haven't changed my plan in years so should take a look at it...I probably could get more for what I'm paying now. My iPad is cellular and when I know I'll be traveling I'll buy the $15 data plan. I always go where there is wireless available these days. Only time I was completely without anything was when I was on the wedding cruise.
@Ken Anderson, are there any other costs besides the one time purchase price and as needed fee of $8/day? It doesn't sound like a bad deal if not, but I know how a lot of these companies pull people in and then we suddenly find out there are maintenance or other fees. I'm just curious. I'm not in a position at this time to purchase it, but who knows about the future.
Both Comcast and AT&T have hotspots that you can use when you are using their wi-fi; so we seldom need to use the hotspot on my iphone to connect either. Mostly, I am not online anywhere besides at home, and so many places do offer free wi-fi (restaurants and such) that I would be just fine without the hotspot. I am surely not the best person to explain a hotspot, @Frank Sanoica ; but I will give it my best try, and someone with more tech experience can fill in whatever I miss. Basically, a hotspot is like having a wi-fi connection on your phone that works with your cell service. As an example, suppose I am away from home, and have my iPhone and iPad along with me, and I want to connect to the internet. When I turn on the hotspot in my phone, then it acts just like the wi-fi connection at home, and I can go online with my iPad. If I am somewhere that AT&T has a hotspot, then I can connect up with that for free, since we have AT&T as our connection at home. I could travel across the country and use their connection any place where AT&T had service, and I was close to a hotspot. When you and your wife go out for dinner, if you have the Chromebook along, you probably use the hotspot at the casino to connect to while you are there if you want to go online. Hope this helps ?
@Yvonne Smith explained it about as well as I could. Although nearly every hotel now offers WiFi, the sad truth is that many of these connections are not very good and I think a lot of them throttle data or otherwise don't support the amount of data that my wife and I use when we are both working online. Since we work while we're traveling, a good Internet connection is more than a convenience. Plus, there are times when I might like to get online when I am somewhere that that doesn't have a WiFi connection at all, such as at my camp or in a restaurant that doesn't have WiFi. As far as I can tell, no. But, of course, I haven't received it yet, let alone used it.