Cost of staying connected.......
We just returned from a trip around the country and up to Alaska....For too many of those days we were devoid of any contact with the digital world. While at home it cost around 300 bucks a month for...
Forum Discussion
Interesting to hear the many varied ways, costs, and priorities of communicating. We take a pounding in the US by very greedy communications companies. And the surcharges you've paid in your bill over the past 30 years or so helped build their infrastructure. While our charges are exponentially higher, our internet speeds are much slower than Europe and even some 3rd world countries. Amazing.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/08/07/reviewed-high-speed-internet-column/2619497/
Following threads like this with interest as we hope to pull the plug and do either some full timing or 6-7 months snow birding in a year or two. Since I haven't changed the plan, I'm still getting a discount from my old employer for cell ATT plan of 24% (current employer only offers 17% w/Verizon). We still "supply" my daughter with a cell, have a wireless home phone (cell that backfeeds the hardlines in the house) and 2 more smartphones (total 3 iphones, 1 cell homephone). We went with the 4 lines, 10GB, unlimited talk/text for $160/mo, but then my 24% discount kicks in and with all thee little taxes and charges it is about $153/mo. With 3 smartphones I don't think we've ever gone over 2GB in a month so that plan works well for us. We have used the Hotspot function from the phones to provide internet to our tablets when wifi not available or of the road. We will probably re-evaluate in the next year or so as the daughter completes graduate school and will start generating her own income. Maybe then she can put us on her plan just for something different! Yeah, right....
I'm wondering why places like AARP or Good Sam wouldn't have the clout to get group discounts as good as my old employer (a hospital with 5500 employees). It would seem like a great service to offer members. Maybe they do... I haven't investigated and don't belong to either yet, but in reading this thread, seems like there is a need.
We pulled the plug on cable tv or satellite years ago and have just used amazon prime video, netflix on wifi or gotten redbox movies. We were spending way too much time watching tv anyway. I doubt we'll ever see an A-La-cart system where you could just pay for what you use.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/08/07/reviewed-high-speed-internet-column/2619497/
Following threads like this with interest as we hope to pull the plug and do either some full timing or 6-7 months snow birding in a year or two. Since I haven't changed the plan, I'm still getting a discount from my old employer for cell ATT plan of 24% (current employer only offers 17% w/Verizon). We still "supply" my daughter with a cell, have a wireless home phone (cell that backfeeds the hardlines in the house) and 2 more smartphones (total 3 iphones, 1 cell homephone). We went with the 4 lines, 10GB, unlimited talk/text for $160/mo, but then my 24% discount kicks in and with all thee little taxes and charges it is about $153/mo. With 3 smartphones I don't think we've ever gone over 2GB in a month so that plan works well for us. We have used the Hotspot function from the phones to provide internet to our tablets when wifi not available or of the road. We will probably re-evaluate in the next year or so as the daughter completes graduate school and will start generating her own income. Maybe then she can put us on her plan just for something different! Yeah, right....
I'm wondering why places like AARP or Good Sam wouldn't have the clout to get group discounts as good as my old employer (a hospital with 5500 employees). It would seem like a great service to offer members. Maybe they do... I haven't investigated and don't belong to either yet, but in reading this thread, seems like there is a need.
We pulled the plug on cable tv or satellite years ago and have just used amazon prime video, netflix on wifi or gotten redbox movies. We were spending way too much time watching tv anyway. I doubt we'll ever see an A-La-cart system where you could just pay for what you use.
