Mobile Hotspot ?

[tinkerbell615]

Does anyone know anything about mobile hotspots? I would like to have one when we are traveling this summer. We will be driving and I would like to be able to access the internet while in the van for my laptop. I don't have a smartphone. Yes, my kids do, but I would like to have it for my laptop. The thing is... I don't want to have to sign up for a two year plan to get it. I really only would like to have this for a month. Is there anywhere that you can get a mobile hotspot for just a month. I am a Verizon customer and I don't know anything about pre-paid cards. Can you do this for a month with a pre-paid card? Just thought maybe someone on here might know.

Thanks in advance!

 

[gshumaker]

take a look at freedompop... http://www.freedompop.com/OverdrivePro

you have to buy the device for around $40 but monthly service is anywhere from free to $20 depending on usage

 

[runwad]

We have an "Internet on the Go" mobile hot spot that we bought at Walmart last summer, for just the reason you stated, going on vacation. You can buy a refill card online for $10 that gives you 500mg data. It's a pay as you go plan and when your data runs out you just can't use the device until you "refill" it. I have 3 kids and that $10 card lasted for our whole vacation. Of course we had wi-fi at the resort so only needed for the 17 hour drive there and back. My kids just use it for email and surfing the web, you can't really watch movies or stream, you'd go thru too much data. But if they want to tweet, text and surf, a device like this would work. I believe the hotspot cost me around 80 bucks and it looks like a little silver credit card. It's a handy little thing. Here's a description from the walmart site on the refill card http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...ernet+on+the+go&Find=Find&search_constraint=0, I couldn't find the actual hotspot???

 

[tinkerbell615]

take a look at freedompop... http://www.freedompop.com/OverdrivePro

you have to buy the device for around $40 but monthly service is anywhere from free to $20 depending on usage

We have an "Internet on the Go" mobile hot spot that we bought at Walmart last summer, for just the reason you stated, going on vacation. You can buy a refill card online for $10 that gives you 500mg data. It's a pay as you go plan and when your data runs out you just can't use the device until you "refill" it. I have 3 kids and that $10 card lasted for our whole vacation. Of course we had wi-fi at the resort so only needed for the 17 hour drive there and back. My kids just use it for email and surfing the web, you can't really watch movies or stream, you'd go thru too much data. But if they want to tweet, text and surf, a device like this would work. I believe the hotspot cost me around 80 bucks and it looks like a little silver credit card. It's a handy little thing. Here's a description from the walmart site on the refill card http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...ernet+on+the+go&Find=Find&search_constraint=0, I couldn't find the actual hotspot???

Thank you both so much!!

 

[RitaE]

The Freedom Pop devices have been all over the place (Groupon etc) at low prices. I picked up one for my Mom at $14.99 and now I wish I would have gotten a few more because other family members keep wanting to borrow it. But just beware that you can run through 500MB pretty quick if you're web surfing but they are great for checking email and looking up addresses etc real quick. I carry one in my purse all the time and don't pay for a data plan with my Smartphone.

There's a list on Slickdeals that you can add in your email to get Freedom Friends. (use a Spam email account on the Freedom Pop account if you're going to post your email out on the web). You can earn an added 500MB a month if you get enough friends.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I have a pay as you go hot spot through Straight Talk. If you are going to do any streaming, it will burn through data quickly. If you are going to just check email, disboards, and surf the internet that isn't as bad.

On Straight Talk you can get 2GB for $25(1GB is $15)

 

[anniemck]

I have a virgin mobile mifi, pay $50 for unlimited for a month, and it was great driving from FL to TN and back. We used it for the gps on my phone, pandora and even to watch the nascar race on race view. I have had this for 2 years and only put time on it when traveling, which is about twice a year, and only for a month at a time.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Hi my DH has a hot spot and here is what he has to say about Verizon. After a lot of research he found that Verizon no contract hot spot charges a fee of $35 if you have a gap of time and don't need the service. So say you buy it for your trip and then you don't need to use it until several months later. When you go to reconnect they will bill you $35 plus the monthly fee for the hotspot service.

HD went with Virgin mobile and he pays $25 a month and there is never any hidden fee's if he elects not to top up the next month.

If you kid has a smartphone it maybe cheaper to hotspot from their phone. Usually the charge $15 to hotspot from a phone plus there is no need to buy the hot spot device that usually runs $ 80-$100. You will need to buy a hot spot device in order to hotspot. So if you need the hot spotter for just one month you could be looking at spending a total of $105 - $125 for this trip.

DH and I travel a lot and use the VM hotspot all the time and have never had a connection issue. You get 1.5 gb. for $25 a month and you get
4G service

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband-plans/broadband-2-go/overview/

 

[tinkerbell615]

Thanks so much everyone for all of this information!

 

[mrudman]

We have an "Internet on the Go" mobile hot spot that we bought at Walmart last summer, for just the reason you stated, going on vacation. You can buy a refill card online for $10 that gives you 500mg data. It's a pay as you go plan and when your data runs out you just can't use the device until you "refill" it. I have 3 kids and that $10 card lasted for our whole vacation. Of course we had wi-fi at the resort so only needed for the 17 hour drive there and back. My kids just use it for email and surfing the web, you can't really watch movies or stream, you'd go thru too much data. But if they want to tweet, text and surf, a device like this would work. I believe the hotspot cost me around 80 bucks and it looks like a little silver credit card. It's a handy little thing. Here's a description from the walmart site on the refill card http://www.walmart.com/search/searc...ernet+on+the+go&Find=Find&search_constraint=0, I couldn't find the actual hotspot???

We've had this for about 18 months now, and love it! Just use it during car trips and camping trips, etc. Think we've only had to refill it twice since we bought it.

Here's the link for it, but they're sold out online.. I've seen it at stores recently though.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Internet-on-the-Go-Mobile-Hotspot-3G/20665535

 

[wiigirl]

take a look at freedompop... http://www.freedompop.com/OverdrivePro

you have to buy the device for around $40 but monthly service is anywhere from free to $20 depending on usage