MiFi vs Jetpack - strictly GB usage question ...

[RoadXYZ]

We are the WW2 era birth dates and have a decided problem with the language of the electronic/technology world, so please make the answers as simple as possible.

Last month on MiFi we used 9 GB and are looking at the Jetpack for both reliability as well as speed of connection.

First : have had this MiFi 2200 since before Verizon bought out Alltel .. old plan is still unlimited GB .. cost is $60 per month with Verizon.

And 'normal' monthly usage was 4 or 5 GB - before Facebook.

In the past year Hubby now has his own lap, and our monthly GB has gone up with MiFi, this past month 9.1GB.

Jetpacks are faster and thus would download, etc. faster, thereby would we use less GB ? Is this conclusion true ?

We don't want to 'jump' into a $50/month 4 GB plan, with each extra GB costing $15 with Verizon without some research. So asking for help.

[FlatBroke]

ChopperBill wrote:

wny_pat wrote:
Take a look at the Verizon Data Calculator.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/datacalculatorPopup.jsp

Do they consider one web site a page or if I look at several topics like in rv.net are those all considered separate pages? If it's the later it would be impossible for me the figure out.

Guess no one knows the answer. Call Verizon? CS generally knows nothing.

[wintersun]

Avoid Facebook if you care about data usage. It will continue to download data in the background even after you logoff until the computer is shut off.

[wintersun]

Buy out the Verizon contract and switch to Millenicom that charges $70 for 20GB per month and uses the Verizon cell towers and network. The 4G is the only way to go for fast data downloads and the cost is the same for 3G as with 4G or even 1xRTT if you are patient enough to go that route.

[wny_pat1]

Have been using my 4G Lte Verizon MIFI5510L since we left on our trip on Feb 15th. Have used the laptop nightly. To date I have used up 1.120 GB of our $60, 3 GB that I pre-purchased. I am exactly 1/2 thru the my monthly time as I purchased the months 3GB on Feb 11th and it runs out on Mar IIth. Looks like I will be okay. I have not kept track of the number of pages I have visited or different sites I have visited, but I have not cut down on my evening usage.

[Redsky]

Cheaper to go with Millenicom which uses the Verizon network. Only difference is lower rates and no contract and no big overcharges if you go over the cap as with Verizon.

A Cradlepoint router that supports what they call Wifi as WAN can be used between the Mifi and your computers or TV to monitor usage in real time. You pay one time for the router but then can safely use 100% of the GB of data that your plan provides. We have the $70 20GB plan and we use every last bit of data during the month.

The Cradlepoint is easy to set for your data limit and to have it send you an email alert when you get to a percentage of the cap that you decide.

[FlatBroke]

wny_pat wrote:
Take a look at the Verizon Data Calculator.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/datacalculatorPopup.jsp

Do they consider one web site a page or if I look at several topics like in rv.net are those all considered separate pages? If it's the later it would be impossible for me the figure out.

[RoadXYZ]

chiefneon wrote:
Howdy!

We like you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon and a MiFi 2200 which is 3g. I have read that you may be able to keep your grandfathered unlimited data plan and upgrade to 4g if you out right purchase a new 4g MiFi. Anyone else heard ofndoing this. I don't want to give up our unlimited data plan we use way to much data.
"Happy Trails" Chiefneon

YES, I noticed that there was a button for "replacing" and "new" .. another reason I want to wait until we return to our home base to see a contract. We are having problems with the battery usage time before we need to hook-up for a charging.

There is a MiFi with a different number which is $49 .. so will have to look into that also.

[steelpony5555]

We have the Jetpack now and I kinda wish we had stayed with the 3g just using the phone as a hotspot and unlimited usage. Now we pay $20 a month for the Jetpack + the monthly amount for the usage. We try to keep usage down by not downloading big files, movies and pics etc. You can switch the usage package back and forth depending on if we are at home base or on the road. But it was nice to not worry about our usage and now I don't use the internet radio like I use to.....

[wa8yxm]

Your bandwidth usage (Gigabytes GB) would not go down with a faster connection, Might go up.. What may also happen is when you change from your MiFi device, which I assume is 3-G to the 4-G Jetpack, you may loose your unlmited plan. Verizon likes to sock it to you when you go over your plan lmites. One of the reasons I do not have them.

[Dutch_12078]

It seems to be pretty common when switching from 3G to 4G to see your overall usage go up not down. When data downloads faster, you have more time to download more data.

[wny_pat1]

Take a look at the Verizon Data Calculator.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/datacalculatorPopup.jsp

[MrWizard]

Jetpacks are faster and thus would download, etc. faster, thereby would we use less GB ? Is this conclusion true ?

No ..
Any picture, video, Facebook game, will still use the same amount of data
The file just down loads at a different speed,
In use it becomes easier to use more data because webpages load faster Skype calls function better, video can be viewed at higher quality

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We like you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan with Verizon and a MiFi 2200 which is 3g. I have read that you may be able to keep your grandfathered unlimited data plan and upgrade to 4g if you out right purchase a new 4g MiFi. Anyone else heard ofndoing this. I don't want to give up our unlimited data plan we use way to much data.

"Happy Trails"
Chiefneon

[vermilye]

If you view pages with images or videos, you will likely find you use more data on faster connections. The reason is more images or portions of the videos will download before you view them. With the older 3G technology many pages would still be downloading data when you quit the page.

With the faster 4G technology far more data will be downloaded during the same time. It won't make much of a difference if you are downloading the entire data (such as a movie), but sites that download data in the background (such as Facebook) will use more.