I has a solicitor from Spectrum/Charter trying to get me to move from DirectV to their tv service. I already use them as my home internet provider. I argued that I use DTV because of the rv. She tried to sell me on the idea that I could take it with me to wherever WIFI was available and I would have access to all Spectrum hotspots.Primary thing that prevents my from trying this is that I only get 30 GB of data, to use as a hotspot for the month, and I know this would not last very long. Of course there are coverage issues with the phone that need to improve. Campground WIFI providers aren't pleased with campers trying to stream video. This is likely the way we get all of our tv, in the future. Just wondering how far away from this, as the norm and if any areas of the country is making progress in this direction.

For my money, DTV works fine, and works everywhere. SNL, CNN, local staions, awards shows, and many other forms of programming I've yet to see on any streaming service, including Netflix.I'm willing to pay for programming that I actually watch.

Truly unlimited isn't coming back anytime soon, not in the US. Providers will tell you they're at capacity and need to slow down streaming to avoid congestion. That's a load horse hockey.Providers have tons of capacity but they want both sides to pay for it. They to charge both the streaming viewer and the streaming provider extra.They see punish the consumer as the best way to accomplish this goal. Make you and me so dissatisfied with usage caps and buffering that we will accept state and federal bills that give the provider "more freedom to expand" so they can "meet our needs for the future" and other carp that lobbying groups spout.Just my five cents.

Obviously the Spectrum/Charter solicitor has not tried to watch TV over WiFi in a campground. As the old saying goes "Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself". Stick with your DirectTV; you'll be happier and so will all your fellow campers trying to use the CG WiFi.

You have to admit, for all the advances "technology" has come through promising to make things better for all of us, but at the same time making this world more and more dependent upon it, it sure can be a pain in the neck. It seems they give "us" a token offering to get us hooked, and then yank the cord and next thing we know we're paying big bucks when we've become dependent upon it and forgot how to get by without it. They give it to us, only in limited amounts so we are forced to pay even more. As we pay more, we become dependent more, and the vicious cycle continues on.Direct TV is satellite driven and you can get it anywhere you can see the sky. There are some hoops you have to go through when you move from state to state to get local stations, but in general, the system is self-standing and self-reliant.Add yet another complex layer of television viewing on top of the already complex layer of the Internet and WIFI, and the whole things is doomed to become a real pain-in-the-neck eventually ... guaranteed! Personally, I don't have DirectTV or DishTV any more, because of the constantly rising prices. But ... opposed to "streaming video" that's dependent upon the Internet for normal television viewing .... well, I'll stick with the clear skies!(we do have Netflix and Hulu... But Hulu freezes up too much, and you don't get normal television, so we do have over-the-air antenna viewing, and pay a premium for our cell phone data plans, If you REALLY want it .... you've just got to pay the price!)

This is one of those topics that really gets me fired up. I apologize for the rant in advance. I doubt there will ever be unlimited again, and I can see prices just getting higher and higher for access. So many devices are now cell dependent and every family has 3,4,5 of those devices, all sucking data from the network. The networks can't handle it and then it just makes it bad for everybody, unless you live within a block of a tower.I use a mifi device exclusively for internet access. I have satellite for tv. I'm in an area they claim has 4g data speed, and my mifi says 4g with 5 bars. Yet It's rare I can watch a youtube video so "streaming" isn't going to happen for me. I pay for 30 gigs of data, but after 10 gigs, I get punished with slower speeds (I fail to see the logic in that, but whatever). I have actually had a download speed of 1.2 kilobytes. The only thing slower than that is zero. (no download ability at all). Yet they tell me I should have around 1.5 MB, until they slow me down, then it is supposed to be about 128kb (whoopee!) which is about dialup speed (for those who remember dialup, you probably feel my pain)Talking to customer service and tech support is a complete waste of time since no one has a clue. I have been given 5 different reasons why my data service is bad, and in the 4 months I've been "discussing" the issue with them, nothing has improved. So my answer to your question is "probably never". It's just too lucrative for them to leave it the way it is, and like Dutchmen said, it's only going to get worse.

When will we get truly unlimited data from cell providers

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Feb 03, 2018
I have found my T-Mobile plans getting better and better over the years.
Oh, Last time I looked I'd burned 22 Gigs TOTAL between hot spot and phone. over half that was on the phone itself. I'm not throttled (As of yesterday) on HOT SPOT data but due to two things. 1: The nature of what I do on laptops and 2: THe fact that full speed where I'm parked is less than throttled level.. I don't notice.
Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2018
2oldman wrote:
lryrob9301 wrote:
I get unlimited, non-throttled, data for $22.06 per month with AT&T. Currently I have used 106GB this billing period all non-throttled and last billing period used 122GB.
If everything you just said is the honest truth, that is one killer deal. Does this deal last forever?

Does anything "last forever"? With these cell companies you're lucky if something lasts as long as they advertise. You can be assured they have some really small verbiage buried somewhere, so they can get themselves out faster from something than they got into it LOL.
Horsedoc
Explorer II
Feb 02, 2018
Sounds good "as long as there is wifi". Problem with that is that many, if not the majority, of the places we stayed during the last extended trip had wifi that was available only close to the office, was there - but just barely, would fade in and out depending on the use (mostly morning and night)
chiefneon
Explorer
Feb 01, 2018
MrWizard wrote:
'dtv Now' should work with any internet connection

but i think you will find , no 'data roaming' connection while traveling thru Canada or it will be extremely expensive data

best to check with ATT about voice and data 'roaming' for your Canada transition

i think you can forget about VZW fmca mifi data roaming while in Canada

Howdy!

We have unlimited plus plan with AT&T and they have stated we can use our data plan in Canada. The FMCA Verizon plan will not be used in Canada but both will work in Alaska.

The last time we went to Canada DTV turned off our service without asking, only to say let us know when you return and they would reinstate the service. They stated it was illegal for them to provide service in Canada. Alaska was out of the ark and we could not even get a signal if we wanted to. So we’re hoping DTV Now works out.

“Happy Trails”
Chiefneon
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2018
mikestock wrote:
I has a solicitor from Spectrum/Charter trying to get me to move from DirectV to their tv service. I already use them as my home internet provider. I argued that I use DTV because of the rv. She tried to sell me on the idea that I could take it with me to wherever WIFI was available and I would have access to all Spectrum hotspots.

Primary thing that prevents my from trying this is that I only get 30 GB of data, to use as a hotspot for the month, and I know this would not last very long. Of course there are coverage issues with the phone that need to improve. Campground WIFI providers aren't pleased with campers trying to stream video.

This is likely the way we get all of our tv, in the future. Just wondering how far away from this, as the norm and if any areas of the country is making progress in this direction.

When will we get truly unlimited? Unlimited at full 4G or the upcoming 5G? Not in our lifetime!
Bill_Satellite
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2018
Right, but your unlimited plan is not unlimited (just like all the others). It is unlimited speed until you hit 22GB and then you "might" be slowed based upon network congestion. I have the plan and have never been slowed including 1 month where I downloaded 990 GB. However, that does not mean that they cannot.
lryrob9301
Explorer
Feb 01, 2018
2oldman wrote:
lryrob9301 wrote:
I get unlimited, non-throttled, data for $22.06 per month with AT&T. Currently I have used 106GB this billing period all non-throttled and last billing period used 122GB.
If everything you just said is the honest truth, that is one killer deal. Does this deal last forever?

My "Connected Car Unlimited" plan has 20 months left on the contract. After that who knows, but AT&T's history has been to leave things as is.
GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 01, 2018
2oldman wrote:
lryrob9301 wrote:
I get unlimited, non-throttled, data for $22.06 per month with AT&T. Currently I have used 106GB this billing period all non-throttled and last billing period used 122GB.
If everything you just said is the honest truth, that is one killer deal. Does this deal last forever?

Agreed, one killer deal. I would wager when it comes time to renew these contracts, there's going to be some changes.

ATT is offering my work unlimited, no throttle 4g service for $45 a month, but that is a government only offer. No bad compared to what Verizon is charging us.
2oldman
Explorer II
Feb 01, 2018
lryrob9301 wrote:
I get unlimited, non-throttled, data for $22.06 per month with AT&T. Currently I have used 106GB this billing period all non-throttled and last billing period used 122GB.
If everything you just said is the honest truth, that is one killer deal. Does this deal last forever?
GordonThree
Explorer
Feb 01, 2018
vermilye wrote:
GordonThree wrote:
No one will answer if that $20 is stand alone, or added on to existing plan?
It was available as either. I purchased the Mobley from an independent dealer, went to an AT&T store, had a separate account started. While I have a grandfathered AT&T unlimited iPhone, billing is separate.

I've never had throttling of the Mobley since purchase, although it does not cover some of the newer frequencies, and there have been places where the iPhone provided faster service. The problem is AT&T won't allow tethering of the iPhone without replacing the unlimited with a new account.

All in all, a great service for $22.07 per month.

Thanks for the info.