AZ,
Executive Summary: If you are on Verizon, get an used new phone. (Cheap on Ebay). Read the data plans carefully. Get a magnetic power cable or the power jack will be damaged. Get a way to power the device from house power. (This will kill batteries fast.) Make sure the V-hotspot is loaded and go.
My story - years in the making.
I was trying to think what happened when...
I did used to access with a Razr and a Win7-64 laptop. And it worked - OK for e-mail.
It traded the Razr for a Droid 2 and a non-Verizon a tether access app called Foxfi. It allowed much greater pass-though.
When D2 died, I bought a used D4 and stayed with Fox-fi until V made then resident hotspot free with data.
You have to be cautious, you can torch the device battery and run up a big bill, but V won't cut you off anymore but may throttle your connection.
Out of data non-I go so cheap it is amazing. The D2 was 400$ new. The first D4 was 100$ and now they are more like 40$. I like them for the keyboard.
Matt
