Buying hotspot device vs using existing phone as hotspot for mobile internet

You can use your iPhone true enough as your hot spot, but, you cant talk on the phone & use data at the same time. So, just about the time you get stopped for the night & get started on your internet surfing, mama is gonna call.

I use the Verizon Jetpack hot spot. I prefer it that way. However, again, as always, it comes down to preference. I'll also tell you, because AT&T & Verizon probably wont tell you... Its $10 or $20 per month for the hot spot device like the Jetpack, then its $10 per gig per month. So, if you get the Verizon Jetpack hot spot thing, its $20 for the Jetpack & $10 per month, per gig. So if you get 5 "EXTRA" gigs besides what you already have... its going to cost you $70 per month.

I'll say this, if you watch video's you're going to use about a gig an hour depending on the video's you watch. If you're just surfing the web like reading the local newspaper back home, getting on forums like this one... just general surfing... you'll use maybe 2 or 3 gigs a month.

My wife & I share 4 gigs on both iPhones & my Jetpack... if I dont watch any videos that month.... combined, we might use two gigs. If you watch an occasional video like someone on here posts sometimes... just count on a gig an hour... again, depending. So a 3 or 4 minute video a few times a week wont mess you up. I only used close to 4 gigs one time & I did that on the last couple of days of my billing period, just to see how much it used it. OH, I did watch half of the Saints game one time. I used about a gig or so, watching about half of that game. I would suggest to buy 5 gigs or so the 1st month or two just to see how much you use it. You can cancel the amount of data anytime because its not part of the contract. The $20 month for the jet pack is the contract. That's another thing, if you get the Jetpack, your stuck for two years (of course you can do a 1 yr plan or just buy it outright with no contract). But the data is not part of the contract. You can cut it back to one gig or add as much as you need... at +/- $10 per gig per month.

Also, I use my internet cause I do not have a TV or anything else to occupy my time at the end of the day. But, I am not out every night. I'm only out a couple of nights a week but, I have downtime (loading/unloading) about once or twice a day (M-F) & I use mine then as well to pass the time. I would say I use mine on average 15 - 20 hrs a week. That's average of 2 or 3 hrs per day (& use about 2 gigs a month shared with my wife & my iPhone).

But again, its worth it to me, to spend the extra for the Jetpack so I am not interrupted when I talk to friends & family after I stop for the day.

I hope this has helped.....

TC