Cell Phone/Air Card

[kelpie]

Again, I think this may have been discussed previously but I can't remember the outcome. Currently I have a very basic cell phone (the free one 2 years ago) and an air card from Verizon which I use when I travel. I am eligible for a new phone now and new air card device in a few months. Right now I pay around $40/month for the lower tier of service for the air card which I don't use at all when I'm home. I also have wifi at home thru my cable and both my kids use it, all on separate puters. When I travel for more than a week or so, I can upgrade the service for the air card and that is about $60/month. Went to look at new phones and there is one called Palm Pre Plus (very nice phone) that has a built in wifi hotspot. It will cost $30 for same data usage as air card high tier and more than one unit can be hooked up to it. If I buy it now, I would have to pay $95 to get out of air card contract to save $10/month. Probably will wait the few months til air card up for renewal.While I'm home I won't disconnect my home wifi but probably will during winter when I'm gone (assuming DS #1 is gone by then) But here's the question - the phone can be used as phone OR air card, but not both at same time. I don't RV full time but do spend most of winter in it. What's your opinion of how big an issue this would be? Has anyone bought this phone and used it as internet connection? I get so confused with this high tech stuff.

[Bethers]

A couple things - you need to know that the phone will connect to your computer. A phone having "wifi" means you can use the PHONE to go online. That's a separate data plan than the data needed for the wifi on the phone itself. Look very carefully into what they mean with that $30 data plan - that's what most are for the phone only to have data - not for the phone to connect to the computer as your data. I was just in a Verizon office and would have had to have the $30 data for the phone, then an additional $30 plan to tether (see next paragraph).

I spent over a year tethering my phone to my computer. I was using AT&T and a Blackberry. In this case, I actually could use the phone and be online at the same time. I had good coverage and liked lots about both the phone and tethering. However, this spring, AT&T started calling some areas not "home" - which was fine for the phone, but not for data. I was very limited in using the data in those areas. Verizon claims that won't happen. I switched to Verizon and got an air card (the new fancy MiFi) and got a cheap phone with a basic plan cuz I don't really need all the bells and whistles on the phone.

Now, they are changing daily, but make sure you really understand exactly what you can do - as it's very confusing and the people in the stores don't even always know. When I just got this MiFi I specifically asked 2 people if it would charge when plugged in (one computer can use then, when use it as WiFi, multiple computers can use it). They both said no. I didn't believe them as every phone I've had that I could plug into my computer, it charged while plugged in. Had a problem when I originally hooked it up and called Verizon - asked why the light was a different color - tech on PHONE said "Oh, it's charging". Ha, I was right. The people in the stores have too many phones and plans, and really don't understand lots of them. And some look at you strange when you say you want to tether. Tether means using the phone to connect your computer to the internet.

Good luck - but if you don't use your phone a lot and don't need all those bells and whistles, I'd not change, except maybe to upgrade my aircard if it's due. I've recently had a post on this, and so has Liz.

[OregonLuvr]

I too have the MiFi card and love it. The Verizon store I bought it from told me it would charge 2 ways....plugged in to AC and plugged into the computer. When plugged into my desktop at home I can only use it as an aircard for 1 computer. When using it as MiFi I can connect up to 5 computers using its WiFi. It is a secured card so works well. I love all the "techy" stuff but dont always understand it all ha ha Lusting for the IPad now.

Karen

[rvgrammy1953]

My advice would be to check with a Corporation Verizon Store, not a "Authorized Independent Dealer".....for any details when wondering about all this....Corporate store associates are better trained and have the latest info......Our experience has taught us....just my 2 cents....

[Bethers]

It was a corporate store I was at. And I don't fault them - it's impossible for them to be kept up on all the different phones and cards, etc. That said - like Karen, I love my MiFi - and after tethering for a long time, would rather have my phone separate from my wifi card. This is so much better. And, like she says, when using it not plugged in, it works as a wifi card if you have other computers that need to get on line. Great.