Millenicom

SteveAE wrote:

georgelesley wrote:

Looks like the best price out there for Verizon network, anything I am missing here?

Yes, you have.
The Straight Talk MIFi device from Walmart uses the Verizon network. $15.00 per Gig per month with no contract.
It isn't fast, but for the infrequent user, I find it plenty acceptable.
Since you travel for longer periods than I am able to at the present, this solution may not be for you, but just wanted to let you know of the option.

Steve

Thx Steve. Yes I did call Walmart Wireless center and inquired into Straight Talk. I was ready to buy. As soon as I said RV travel use the young lady told me flat out that I would not be happy with Straight Talk. She was emphatic about it, something about they only get a limited signal from the carriers or something like that and traveling we would not be happy. I thanked her for the honest answer and took her at her word.

I think I did not make it clear what I am looking for. My post is not a rant about Millenicom. The few months we used them last fall we were most pleased with the service and support. Had the price stayed the same we would still use them even though we have no use for more than 5 gig a month, actually less on the road.

If they offered a package of 5 gig a month we would still be with them. We just don't want to be paying for far more data than we need.

We did try the smart phone thing a few years ago. They worked wonderfully on the road, we used a hotspot then and all was well. Once we got home for the winter they collected dust on our dresser. After three months of paying about $150 p/m for something we were not using, we sold them on ebay, paid the termination fee, and bought a prepaid Trac phone for emergency use, (wife's mother is 92).

We do use google voice, skype audio, not video since mom has no computer, so the wife can call her mom in New Zealand while on the road.

I did check with Verizon as we do have the Home Connect phone from them that replaced our landline for $20 p/m. They told me that it will work on the road if we want to take the router and phone along. We plan to try that next trip to see if it works for us and is worth the trouble.

One last point about the Verizon jetpak we have. It accepts an outside antenna. Several times last fall it was the difference in getting reception or not. From what the local Verizon folks told us, our Jetpack will work with Verizon after they change the sim card, and the new Jetpacks will not accept outside antennas with the magnetic base like we have, so we should keep what we have now.

I hope this clarifies my post, we have no issue with Millenicom or those that need that much data. It appears to me they are the cheapest around for 20 gig. We simply do not have that need and I just wondered if there is something cheaper out there.

4GB of data with Straight Talk on Verizon towers is $40 per month. Buy the mifi and card at Walmarts.

georgelesley,

To date, I have only used the Straight Talk device in Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. And, so far, other than in areas of marginal cell coverage (voice), I haven't had any issues with the device or it's coverage. So I have no idea how it would work in the mid-west or east coast states. Again though, it is likely slower than other solutions you may be considering.
I am a minimal user and since I never (yet) am out for more than about three weeks at a time, the 1 Giga byte card lasts the whole trip with extra to spare. Of course, I can always purchase more data if needed.

Good luck finding a plan that works for you and please let us know what you come up with,
Steve

georgelesley wrote:


One last point about the Verizon jetpak we have. It accepts an outside antenna. Several times last fall it was the difference in getting reception or not. From what the local Verizon folks told us, our Jetpack will work with Verizon after they change the sim card, and the new Jetpacks will not accept outside antennas with the magnetic base like we have, so we should keep what we have now.

Even better than a connected antenna is to place your jetpak in a Wilson Sleek that is connected to an outside antenna (I use a Wilson short trucker antenna). No physical connection, but you get additional gain from both the antenna & the Sleek. The latest version of the Sleek works with either AT&T or Verizon with any phone or jetpak.