Slingshot from Pilot. Any opinions-experiences?

MrMustard · Feb 27, 2009

TruckerLlew said: ↑

No there is no rollover of unused data or minutes so far as I can tell. You can't bank them. As to how they will react when I reach 5gb, I have no idea. I've had the card for 3 days. I've used about 100 megs.

I did the math and with a 5gb limit over 30 days, that comes to 166 megs a day usage which isn't too bad unless you're constantly pirating movies or music. This is not the same as your home cable or DSL connector.

There is a data counter on the software which lets you keep an eye on your usage. I don't know how accurate it is though

As I said though, I have had it for 3 days. I am in NH and I have a good solid EVDO signal and surfing right along with it. It uses the Sprint network so it will work everywhere except most of the interior mountain western states away from population centers.

I remember with my Sprint data service, I ran out of signal around Lexington NE, picked up about 20 miles worth around Cheyenne, WY, then no signal to Salt Lake. I am not sure about west of SLC as I rarely run out that way.

If you are primarily a western states driver, I don't know if this would work for you. You could call thier contact number on thier website and ask them if they also utilize the Verizon system which has major coverage in the western states.

If I get out west again, I'll post my findings here (if i remember...lol)
Click to expand...

I have the Sprint service. The reason why I was asking, is people walk up to me all the time and ask me what I'm using. Because of the overage fees, I cannot recommend Sprint, Verizon, or AT&T. It seems to me Slingshot is the best way to go. Alltel is still selling the service with no caps, but I'm not too sure about their coverage area.

ghostchild · Feb 28, 2009

TruckerLlew said: ↑

LOL I forgot I started this thread!

I bought a Slingshot this last weekend 2/21. I tried to register it on Saturday and the phone was automatically answered by a machine. Message was "we are sorry due to service errors with the service providers, we cannot register any products today. We will resume registration on Monday 2/23. Thanks"

So I waited til Monday.

0900 am: I made the initial call for registration and after being on hold for 25 minutes, the phone was answered by this grumpy kid. He was a bit short with me on the phone about registering the device. We went through the registration process. He told me to wait 3-6 hours and it would be activated. that call was about 14 minutes long

I waited the full 6 hours and no activation.

1500 est: So I called back and the phone was answered by a much more pleasant young lady who tried to go through the registration process again. I was told my card would be active within an hour. Call back if theres a problem

an hour later..No activation.

1600 est: Another phone call answered by a guy who went through the registration again with no luck.

1700 est: A supervisor comes on the phone to tell me that they are still having technical problems with a carrier recognizing the slingshot and authorizing the account. They were working on the problem.. Call back in an hour. "we are open til 8PM est" Nothing was mentioned earlier about "technical problems in earlier conversations.

1800 est: Another hour later I call to tell them it's not working...

the phone rings and rings and rings...no answer after multiple tries.

I stopped calling at 1900 est.

Made one last call at 1955 est and got the same message I recieved on Saturdays calls. "we are sorry due to service errors with the service providers, we cannot register any products today. We will resume registration on Monday 2/23." Well monday is done and over with at this point!

Teusday morning 0900: tried calling several times after still no card activation. Got busy signal.

0930 est: finally got through and was on hold for 14 minutes. Phone was then answered. I told them if the card was not registered by 1000 I want my money back. We went through registration again and was told to call back if not activated within an hour.

0955 est: Card finally activated!

It took them essentially 3 days after i purchased for it to become active. I am waiting to see how the service actually works. If their tech support is any indication of how the service will work, then I will not be impressed.

So far after having it active for 24 hours, It seems to be working well. I am in Scranton Pa at the petro and I have EVDO speeds. several file downloads were at speeds of 65kbps average and upload was 45kbps average. It works just like my SPrint service did. It is the same card as I had with my sprint service as well. Novatel U727. Novatel makes a good product.

I don't know if their "Service Errors" are a common thing during registration. I hope not!

right ow I'm 50/50 on the fence as to if I can really recommend them. I will wait a few weeks or months to see how problem free the service is.
If I have any other problems with this, I will be posting them here

Thanks for the repiles guys
Click to expand...

I'v had mine for a little over 2 months, and I still love it, I'm on it now...I love it...I wish I had gotten one 3 years ago...

When you renew your monthly plan, do it yourself over the internet...so much easier...

And your slingshot has a gps locater...kind of a neat toy...will show you exactly where your at...like google earth...

ghostchild · Feb 28, 2009

TruckerLlew said: ↑

LOL I forgot I started this thread!

I bought a Slingshot this last weekend 2/21. I tried to register it on Saturday and the phone was automatically answered by a machine. Message was "we are sorry due to service errors with the service providers, we cannot register any products today. We will resume registration on Monday 2/23. Thanks"

So I waited til Monday.

0900 am: I made the initial call for registration and after being on hold for 25 minutes, the phone was answered by this grumpy kid. He was a bit short with me on the phone about registering the device. We went through the registration process. He told me to wait 3-6 hours and it would be activated. that call was about 14 minutes long

I waited the full 6 hours and no activation.

1500 est: So I called back and the phone was answered by a much more pleasant young lady who tried to go through the registration process again. I was told my card would be active within an hour. Call back if theres a problem

an hour later..No activation.

1600 est: Another phone call answered by a guy who went through the registration again with no luck.

1700 est: A supervisor comes on the phone to tell me that they are still having technical problems with a carrier recognizing the slingshot and authorizing the account. They were working on the problem.. Call back in an hour. "we are open til 8PM est" Nothing was mentioned earlier about "technical problems in earlier conversations.

1800 est: Another hour later I call to tell them it's not working...

the phone rings and rings and rings...no answer after multiple tries.

I stopped calling at 1900 est.

Made one last call at 1955 est and got the same message I recieved on Saturdays calls. "we are sorry due to service errors with the service providers, we cannot register any products today. We will resume registration on Monday 2/23." Well monday is done and over with at this point!

Teusday morning 0900: tried calling several times after still no card activation. Got busy signal.

0930 est: finally got through and was on hold for 14 minutes. Phone was then answered. I told them if the card was not registered by 1000 I want my money back. We went through registration again and was told to call back if not activated within an hour.

0955 est: Card finally activated!

It took them essentially 3 days after i purchased for it to become active. I am waiting to see how the service actually works. If their tech support is any indication of how the service will work, then I will not be impressed.

So far after having it active for 24 hours, It seems to be working well. I am in Scranton Pa at the petro and I have EVDO speeds. several file downloads were at speeds of 65kbps average and upload was 45kbps average. It works just like my SPrint service did. It is the same card as I had with my sprint service as well. Novatel U727. Novatel makes a good product.

I don't know if their "Service Errors" are a common thing during registration. I hope not!

right ow I'm 50/50 on the fence as to if I can really recommend them. I will wait a few weeks or months to see how problem free the service is.
If I have any other problems with this, I will be posting them here

Thanks for the repiles guys
Click to expand...

I'v had mine for a little over 2 months, and I still love it, I'm on it now...I love it...I wish I had gotten one 3 years ago...

When you renew your monthly plan, do it yourself over the internet...so much easier...

And your slingshot has a gps locater...kind of a neat toy...will show you exactly where your at...like google earth...

TruckerLlew · Mar 2, 2009

Well I have had this for almost a week now. The only place that I have had connection problems is in Newbern Va at i81 x101. Cell signal was at 60% 1xrtt and none for the EVDO. The card wouldn't connect at all. This was after hours for help at Slingshot. I don't know if it was the cards fault or if it was a problem with the cell site itself. I made it to Tennessee around the Murfreesboro area and it seemed to work alright with no connection problems.

I just used Speakeasy broadband test and in Murfreesboro area connecting to a NYC server, I got 1368kbps down 163kbps up and 84ms latency. Not bad at all.

hs1125 · Mar 7, 2009

Is the Slingshot high speed? ie. 2 mbps download is this possible? Had a guy at a Verison booth at a Truckstop tell me Slingshot was only up to 400 kbps download. (of course he going to say this to sell his service) Where can I get a coverage map of slingshot? Just use Sprints coverage? as noted someone said they use sprints tower?

MrMustard · Mar 8, 2009

hs1125 said: ↑

Is the Slingshot high speed? ie. 2 mbps download is this possible? Had a guy at a Verison booth at a Truckstop tell me Slingshot was only up to 400 kbps download. (of course he going to say this to sell his service) Where can I get a coverage map of slingshot? Just use Sprints coverage? as noted someone said they use sprints tower?
Click to expand...

It depends on the tower you are connected to, how many others are using the tower, and probably another hundred other factors I'm not even aware of. Yeah 2 mbps is possible, I've seen it up close to 3 mbps, but 1.5 is usually the best it gets. Right now I'm only getting about 700 mbps for some reason. I don't have Slingshot, I have Sprint, which is the same. I've found that if you are on the outskirts of town, which is where they typically put the truckstops, it runs much better than in town.

hs1125 · Mar 8, 2009

MrMustard said: ↑

It depends on the tower you are connected to, how many others are using the tower, and probably another hundred other factors I'm not even aware of. Yeah 2 mbps is possible, I've seen it up close to 3 mbps, but 1.5 is usually the best it gets. Right now I'm only getting about 700 mbps for some reason. I don't have Slingshot, I have Sprint, which is the same. I've found that if you are on the outskirts of town, which is where they typically put the truckstops, it runs much better than in town.
Click to expand...

I run the I-75 corridor from Mi to I-71 then to I-65 to BGKY does the service work on this route? I see your close to where I would like the service

ghostchild · Mar 8, 2009

I have slingshot and it works wherever I go, and download speed is hyper fast...

No wires, no nothing...just plug it in and go...
And when your month runs out, just renew it on line...it's faster and more convient that way....I love slingshot....

MrMustard · Mar 9, 2009

hs1125 said: ↑

I run the I-75 corridor from Mi to I-71 then to I-65 to BGKY does the service work on this route? I see your close to where I would like the service
Click to expand...

I can't post a link here, they go nuts about it but if you google "sprint coverage map" and click the second link you'll get the coverage map. It defaults to voice coverage, so you have to click on data coverage, and the areas will turn orange. It looks like you are good from Michigan all the way down to just past Elizabethtown, Ky then it goes from high speed to a little faster than dial-up speed. You'll have coverage the entire route.

hs1125 · Mar 10, 2009

Thanks Mr Mustard sitting in the Petro # 167 Ohio using the IdleAire internet (gulp) need to do something soon I'll check out your info

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