what mifi has the best coverage?

Discussion in 'Trucking Electronics, Gadgets and Software Forum' started by KY Rambler, Jan 24, 2013.

  1. Blue02celi

    Blue02celi Road Train Member

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    I use verizon, I got one of those wifi devices for free (samsung 4G jetpack) when I bought my laptop and eventually switched my phone over to them as well after the first 3 months on the road. Like they said, its not the cheapest plans but it almost always has signal. I keep jumping between 10g and 20g data, when i first started with them their max was like 10g and so you paid 10 for every gig over as someone mentioned before, now they have up to like 50g. I'm home more now on the weekends so I went back down to 10.
     
  2. Dieselboss

    Dieselboss Technology Contributor

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    Technically you can watch satellite or over the air on a laptop. That does eliminate the TV. But it's all about the connectors and what model of laptop you have. If your laptop has an HDMI input or component video inputs, or even and older RCA input, you can connect it to the satellite box like you would a TV. If it does not have any video inputs then you can still do it with an RCA to USB video adapter.

    Naturally this does not eliminate the part about needing a satellite dish or VuQube or King Dome, or Winegard, etc dish though.

    But. Just wanted to clarify that it can be done.
     
  3. DirtyBob

    DirtyBob Road Train Member

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    Very few laptops have inputs, most are outputs. They exist, but it's pretty rare. The USB adapter is the most likely solution.

    You can also just buy a computer monitor. I used a desktop monitor for a TV in my truck when I had a sleeper. No reason to buy a TV with a tuner when the satellite box does that for you.
     
  4. Dieselboss

    Dieselboss Technology Contributor

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    Yep true story. In most cases you have to convert from HDMI, componant, or RCA into a USB tuner. Then you can play PS3, DVD player, satellite, etc on a laptop.
     
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  5. hunts2much

    hunts2much Medium Load Member

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    Friends do not recommend Sprint to friends! If you're 48 state otr Verizon is the only way to go. After being with Sprint the past 8 years and now with Verizon I could kick myself for not doing it sooner. I can't believe how often I have 4g coverage. I would say I have 4g coverage about as often as I had 3g coverage on Sprint. Yeah Sprint is unlimited data but what good is that on their horribly slow network. I get 15meg/sec download speeds with Verizon often. I was lucky to get .75/sec down with Sprint.
     
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  6. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Verizon, love it.
     
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  7. Wingnut1

    Wingnut1 Light Load Member

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    I have VZ and am a long-term customer (started with Alltel, before VZ bought them out).
    I have a Droid Bionic and am Grandfathered in with unlimited, and have the phone rooted, so the mobile hotspot is unlocked. Found out how to do that with a simple Google search.
    Because of that I can watch netflix, etc on my laptop (17" widescreen). I regularly go 15-20 GB a month and have never heard a peep out of VZ. They have been very busy upgrading towers to 4G across the country, but once in a while I will get stuck in a dead zone, but those seem to be few and far between. SW Texas is one of them, but I rarely go there.

    I have been told that my unlimited will go away with my next upgrade (over a year away) unless I pay full price for a new phone. I reckon I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
     
  8. silvereaglex

    silvereaglex Bobtail Member

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    I have Verizon and Love it u can open your phone and use that as a hotspot. but then u cant hardly receive phone calls or call out that's why I bought the mifi. $20 isn't a bad price and works excellent and is faster then opening your phone and plus u got full use of phone while on computer
     
  9. joshd

    joshd Bobtail Member

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    Verizon all the way. The devices are generally very reliable and fast. Studies to show this online (pcmag etc) pricing can be affordable if done right (bundle with phone its just 20 more a month with a shared plan)