what is the best and cheapest internet access solution for a laptop while traveling?

Okay, we went with Verizon. Our plan seems to be doing pretty well, although coverage can be a little spotty in a few areas. We did it because he could get it pretty cheap when he combined it with his already-existing plan.

 

hurst, you know it's not my phone. as you can see high speeds matched with sprint in other areas.

it should also be noted, that this is my 3rd different model with verizon.

 

I'm just reaching. Trying to guess why your not experiencing the same service that I experienced when I was just there a month ago and had a great signal all the way from Hermiston Or, up through the Cabbage and all the way to SLC. The only areas service became spotty was a little before Ontario where they were doing that construction in the canyon and then that rural stretch before and a little after the Utah line. I was jambing to Pandora the whole way, hot spot was on so my wife could play her online hide and seek games, post pics on face book and skype with friends. We really had no complaints except for a few moments in the areas I mentioned. Scratching my head trying to understand.

Hurst

 

I think Sprint has got some of the more affordable plans if that what you guys are after.

When we switched to Verizon it wasnt because our bill would be less. In fact,.. with 4 lines and our initial data plan (I had unlimited data with Sprint,.. but was no good to me because it was useless most of the places I went) our bill with Verizon was $60 more a month. 4 Lines, unlimited txt/data and 2500 shared mins we paid $160 a month with Sprint. Verizon cost us $220 or $240. I just upped my data plan and doin the Edge thing to get the new phone I wanted before my upgrade was ready. My wife handles the bills,.. but I think we are paying something like $260 month now for unlimited voice and txt with 60gb data.

So Verizon is far from being cheap. Thats a lot of money for phone service if you ask me. But for what I need and want while out on the road, its invaluable to me to have a strong stable signal out here. Not sure how much I would pay before I called uncle and say its too much to pay.


Hurst

 

service isn't the issue, with either phone. it's the speed, man, it's the speed.

tomorrow i'll be traveling salt lake to sacramento. yall get to see, that sprint NOW has service along the 80. in nevada.

 

Well yeah,.. your speed tests arent exactly top notch.

Are you taking the default server that speedtest gives you or do you look and see if there are servers closer to where you really are? Like when I was in GA, Speedtest would default to Alabama when I was closer to Atlanta. So I had to manually choose a better server to do the speed test.

Let me know how Sprint does across Donner and those Canyons after Reno.

Hurst

 

theres a server north of where i'm at. kicked in at 18 meg down.

i don't pick the server though. we don't have control of what we're using on the genera useage.

if the internet is slow. i just want to know why. so i go to the sight, and start test.

verizon has always been slow. in this neck of the woods. with the 3 phones i've had anyways. i was still with sprint when i first came back out. my gps was actually sprint navigation, then i tried the verizon navigator, which sucked, before i bought truck gps.

 

Closest isn't always the best.
I'm in Clanton Al




Did actually get Good Speeds from the 2 Bimingham Servers.

 

wondering what the deal is that you all got much higher speeds on the east then the west does.

very seldom have i hit higher then 12. and you all are hitting 30 down and 15 up.

 

Dunno I'll check it out next time I'm out West.

Last time I was in SLC area I did call and complain.
They are very weak in that area for some reason.
Not too bad other places just around I15 once you get close to SLC it sux.