First off, I'm a programmer and a heavy Internet user when on the road and camping. No video or audio streaming stuff, just file transfer.
My 2015 Chevy truck came with this WiFi hotspot. I was hoping it would work for me. It uses the AT&T network, costs $50/month and can be started and stopped anytime.
It didn't work for me. It was rare to get a good enough connection, even though the signal strength showed 5 bars. This was in FL, GA, TN, KY and IN.
My phone can also setup a WiFi hotspot. Trust me - a phone can't handle this for very long. Both of mine get too hot to hold.
After also trying a freestanding AT&T WiFi hotspot which didn't work any better, I tried a Sprint hotspot fully expecting it not to work either. Guess what - it has worked fine in almost every place we have camped. Oddly, it usually only shows 1 or 2 bars but provides a good fast connection.
I would have liked to have tried Verizon because of better coverage, but our main campground in the winter in FL isn't covered by Verizon at all. Only AT&T and Sprint.
