Data plan for Laptop? tethering phone to laptop for $10/gb?

[kamas]

I need to find a way to access internet from my laptop anywhere.

There is the karma device for $100, with monthly fee of $10 a gb. see this; https://yourkarma.com/store
However, if i would have to pay $100 just for the device, maybe I can try other options, such as:

1) buy some smart phone for $100 or less, then get a pay as you go data plan to use that to tether to laptop.
If i choose this option, I can use Freedompop or Tello, they seem to have good prices for data. I only need data, so I don't need talk or text.
But will freedompop or tello allow me to tether to laptop?
Tello: $11/month for 1GB
Freedompop: $20/month for 1GB

2) Google project fi is $10/gb per month, but it seems you need to buy a $250 phone first.

3) AT&T ahs this, but it is NOT prepaid, it is contract, at $50 /month for 5GB data. the device costs an additional $20. they do however have a prepaid plan, 4gb/month is $45. i do not need that  much data so this option is out: https://www.att.com/devices/netgear/beam.html#sku=sku6610389

Any other ideas on how to access internet using a data plan for a good price? I consider approximately $11/month for 1 GB data to be a good price. I dont need too much, maybe 2GB month maximum.

[Daley]

Roughly $10/GB is going to be roughly what you're going to have to pay, but as you're finding, there's a lot of gotchas along the way... such as wanting to ensure a minimum monthly income and tethering restrictions.

Most mobile providers (many MVNOs included, sadly) have shifted to the "unlimited" mobile data model, in which you get an allotment of high speed data and then as much heavily crippled and slowed down data as you can tolerate. They've shifted to this model to prevent tethering and charge more for data only services. You see, the FCC with their previous net neutrality regulations stated that if a fixed amount of data was being provided and paid for, the mobile carriers couldn't restrict how that data was used and had to permit data tethering for free. The mobile carrier's answer? Provide "unlimited" data with "high speed" data caps and nearly unusable throttled data for anything other than email and text communications, thus loop-holing the regulation and continuing to restrict/deny or charge for tethering service on phones. Cute, huh?

This said, the MVNOs that still charge a flat rate for mobile data access and cut service off after your allotment still typically permit data tethering without any hoop jumping, but it's hard to find a provider that doesn't bundle the service with talk and text prices.

Now, if you don't mind bundling the phone service with the mobile service, then I might just have the right solution for you. H2O Wireless' EasyGo sub-brand. Never mind, their $10 data top-ups have been cut back from 1GB to 500MB.

Consumer Cellular might be an option depending on your minute usage, though their TOS states that they don't permit tethering now, and I suspect it's because they have auto plan upgrades now and won't cut you off until you hit 12GB of data in a billing cycle. Technically, this falls within the spirit of the FCC regulation. Maybe contact their customer support and ask if they'll let you do a WiFi hotspot or something and see what the reaction is. Unfortunately, their website's FAQ doesn't cover such esoteric subjects due to the targeted audience of old people.

Of course, knowing who you have mobile service through currently and what sort of device you currently have would certainly go a bit of a ways to possibly finding you a solution that you could fold into one and possibly save you some cash.

The problems with the services you've cited come down to Sprint coverage and the lack of BYOD for that mobile hotspot, Freedompop excluded, but there's too many gotchas and catches with their service... including a complete lack of customer support. I know others have tossed the name around in the past and used them, but I can't recommend them as a viable solution, especially for your situation. There is also the sticky issue of tethering, and the fact that not even reading terms of service with some of these providers gives you a clear picture on tethering status.

1) Freedompop/Tello? Covered some of that already. Don't forget minimum monthly fees with Tello, and of course the added cost of a Sprint only device.

2) Google Fi also charges $20/month for talk and text in addition to that $10/GB. It's in line with what EasyGo used to charge, but stopped doing, and not a bad rate... excuse the fact that you have to buy into an expensive handset and sign over all your mobile usage (data, too) to go through Google's servers.

3) There's a cheaper option than AT&T that uses their network if you want a dedicated data connection. TOAST.net offers mobile hotspot service without contract over AT&T's network, with plans starting at $30/month for 3GB of data. That's right, they're actually cheaper than AT&T for the exact same service. You can either purchase a hotspot from them for $100, or you can just purchase the SIM for $20 and use it with any AT&T capable modem or hotspot. There's no shortage of used AT&T 4G LTE USB modems with clean IMEIs for well under $25, though you'll need to provide the IMEI to them when you sign up, if I recall correctly.

There's also T-Mobile prepaid hotspot service, they do offer 2GB data only plans for $20/month. You can pick up cheap used T-Mo USB modems as well, but again, this like Sprrint... without knowing the locations you need it, could prove problematic for reliable mobile data access. Could be an option, however.

Beyond more details or the possibility of combining services versus a stand-alone data connection, that's the best I can really cite for you at the moment.

[kamas]

3) There's a cheaper option than AT&T that uses their network if you want a dedicated data connection. TOAST.net offers mobile hotspot service without contract over AT&T's network, with plans starting at $30/month for 3GB of data. That's right, they're actually cheaper than AT&T for the exact same service. You can either purchase a hotspot from them for $100, or you can just purchase the SIM for $20 and use it with any AT&T capable modem or hotspot. There's no shortage of used AT&T 4G LTE USB modems with clean IMEIs for well under $25, though you'll need to provide the IMEI to them when you sign up, if I recall correctly.

There's also T-Mobile prepaid hotspot service, they do offer 2GB data only plans for $20/month. You can pick up cheap used T-Mo USB modems as well, but again, this like Sprrint... without knowing the locations you need it, could prove problematic for reliable mobile data access. Could be an option, however.

TOAST.NET sounds like a nice deal. They sell a hotspot for $100, is that basicaly the same thing as a "USB modem"? in that case, can I just buy any random USB modem from online and use it with toast.net? I assume toast.net will give you as sim card to put in the USB modem?

The T-mobile prepaid hotspot sounds similar to toast.net, but it may even be better for me since its $20 per month instead of $30, and I don't really think I need more than 2GB  a month anyway. Can I use any type of usb modem for this, or it must be t-mobile brand modem?

[Daley]

TOAST.NET sounds like a nice deal. They sell a hotspot for $100, is that basicaly the same thing as a "USB modem"? in that case, can I just buy any random USB modem from online and use it with toast.net? I assume toast.net will give you as sim card to put in the USB modem?

The T-mobile prepaid hotspot sounds similar to toast.net, but it may even be better for me since its $20 per month instead of $30, and I don't really think I need more than 2GB  a month anyway. Can I use any type of usb modem for this, or it must be t-mobile brand modem?

A USB modem is a very different (and far cheaper) thing than a WiFi hotspot as it has considerably less hardware and firmware requirements for usage. All it is is a little USB dongle that provides internet access to the computer that it is plugged into, so it would only be an internet connection accessible to the laptop itself and no other devices. In this regard, it may prove to be a smidge more secure (not a lot, just a smidge) over a WiFi hotspot. The form factor is similar to older WiFi USB dongles and thumb drives.

It is important to note that it is getting rarer to find a GSM USB modem that is carrier unlocked, and doubly so that has all the common LTE bands to service both AT&T and T-Mobile reliably anymore. If you go with TOAST.net, I would advocate getting an AT&T branded USB modem (such as the LG AD600) and likewise getting a T-Mobile branded USB modem (such as the ZTE MF683) for T-Mobile service. Neither device should cost you more than $10-15 off Ebay, and if you're willing to pay a bit more, you can get them carrier unlocked (not that it matters too much - as long as the IMEI is clean and isn't blacklisted, you're fine). (One minor note on the T-Mobile USB modem end - they don't have any that support their LTE bands specifically, so you'll need to go with a WiFi hotspot if you specifically need a device that has LTE bands 2, 4 and 12 for coverage support in your area. And yes, LTE band support is an absolute cluster for trying to do device usage between carriers.)

This isn't also to say that you couldn't pick up a used, cheaper WiFi hotspot as well for either carrier (such as the Netgear AirCard 770S for AT&T, or the ZTE Falcon Z-917 for T-Mobile), but you'll spend a bit more ($25-45)... but that's up to you. Just note that the USB modems are self-contained and pull power from the laptop, where-as the WiFi hotspots have batteries, require separate charging, and take up more room in your bag but won't stick out the side of your laptop while you're using it.

[kamas]

ok, after taking all of these tips into consideration, i just realized something else. I will be browsing on a laptop computer, not an iphone. therefore, my data usage will be higher just because websites on a laptop have more garbage on them, ads, flash player, etc.
Is there a way to minimize all this waste of data while browsing on a laptop?
The main way seems to be "use opera browser in turbo mode".
Is this something that reduces the data usage considerably?

[Daley]

I actually covered your points of concern in a post I did regarding mobile internet access for RV users a little over a month ago. Go down about 2/3rds of the page and look for the sub-header Minimizing Data Usage.

Mobile Everything On A Bugdet

As always, no ads, no profit-driving click-through on my site. Just reference materials. That sub-header will go over the best options for minimizing data usage on a laptop for you without a drastic amount of self-discipline.

The tl;dr of even that though is the Vivaldi Browser (which can let you fully toggle image loading on/off), uBlock Origin for adblocking, Google's Data Saver plugin for further HTTP traffic compression, Disable HTML5 Autoplay to reduce unwanted video bandwidth usage, a few setting tweaks, and restricting automatic system software updates. Opera does have their compression VPN as you pointed out, but Opera's also owned by a Chinese corporation now with some possible government ties and sponsorship... just something to research further yourself and take into consideration.

That said and asked, do you have an iPhone? Why do you want a separate device and plan instead of an option to tether/hotspot from it? It would be cheaper for a multitude of reasons to combine the service.

If this is the case, I would again circle the wagons back around for you to Consumer Cellular and talk with their support staff about the current status of teathering/WiFi hotspot usage. Like I said, their TOS appears to currently restrict it, but they have offered and supported WiFi hotspot usage with devices (iPhones included) in the past. 3GB of data with 1500 minutes (not knowing your current usage) and "unlimited" texting would only run you $50 and tax.

[zolotiyeruki]

ok, after taking all of these tips into consideration, i just realized something else. I will be browsing on a laptop computer, not an iphone. therefore, my data usage will be higher just because websites on a laptop have more garbage on them, ads, flash player, etc.
Is there a way to minimize all this waste of data while browsing on a laptop?
The main way seems to be "use opera browser in turbo mode".
Is this something that reduces the data usage considerably?

That's where Adblock or uBlock Origin come into play--by eliminating the ads, they can dramatically reduce how much data you pull down when using the web.

[kamas]

That said and asked, do you have an iPhone? Why do you want a separate device and plan instead of an option to tether/hotspot from it? It would be cheaper for a multitude of reasons to combine the service.

If this is the case, I would again circle the wagons back around for you to Consumer Cellular and talk with their support staff about the current status of teathering/WiFi hotspot usage. Like I said, their TOS appears to currently restrict it, but they have offered and supported WiFi hotspot usage with devices (iPhones included) in the past. 3GB of data with 1500 minutes (not knowing your current usage) and "unlimited" texting would only run you $50 and tax.

Yes I do have an IPHONE. Currently, I only use it with TRUPHONE. Truphone charges 9 cents a megabyte! I only use it for talk/text, spending less than $15 a month.
So thats why Im looking for another separate plan, turphones data charges are way too high. As for a separate device, I think it would maybe be easier to just have a dedicated hotspot device, since the hotspot devices usually have a good long 8hour or more battery life. Maybe they are faster too.
I have a lot of reading to do to figure out what device to get.
First I was thinking of getting a separate smartphone with a decent data plan, to use it only for tethering. I like to use laptop rather than phone because phone screens are too small and hard to work with when you have a lot of typing and things to do. 
I figure if my only reason to get an alternate smartphone is for this purposes, I might as well get a hotspot device instead?

[Daley]

I figure if my only reason to get an alternate smartphone is for this purposes, I might as well get a hotspot device instead?

My question is thus: Why do you need a separate device and plan at all?

It's great that you're only spending $15/month or so with Truphone, and I understand not wanting to use their PAYGO data. My question, however, is why not laterally move to another provider where you only have the one device, only one account, and save some money? Are you doing a lot of international travel? The price difference between what you're spending on Truphone now plus the costs and data plan on a separate device is going to at best match the cost of simply going, say Consumer Cellular which does permit domestic roaming on top of their network coverage (not data, though). One less device, one less bill, and you can tether the phone via USB as a modem versus using it as a WiFi hotspot, which negates the battery issue. (I'd still recommend checking on that with support first, but if they're still permitting WiFi hotspotting with iPhones, they should permit tethering as well - the data usage would be identical in your situation for your laptop.) Using a dedicated hotspot device isn't going to make the connection faster... real world, you're probably not going to see much faster than about 5Mbps down anyway no matter what you use.

If it's about international service options with a domestic MVNO, there's always the KnowRoaming sticker.

I can certainly understand too not wanting to churn and stick with a provider that's treated you well, but if the provider no longer has the capacity to fit your usage needs, then don't be afraid to make the change.

If you have reasons to keep it separate, okay, keep it separate. All I'm suggesting is, why buy more equipment, carry around extra devices, pay more, and deal with yet another monthly bill just to get mobile data access for your laptop?

You're already questioning if 2GB is going to be enough per month.
You've already stated that $30 is reasonable for internet only access.
You're already spending about $15 a month on average for only ~160 outbound billable minutes/texts/MB of data (not counting inbound minutes/texts).
AT&T coverage is going to be far more robust than T-Mobile.

You could spend $45/month split between Truphone and TOAST.net, get 3GB of data and the exact same ~165 units of billable service you're getting with Truphone, have AT&T coverage, have to buy and charge a separate device (since you seem to want a WiFi hotspot, that's another $50-ish), and add complexity and hardware to your travel routine...

Or you could spend $45/month plus a couple extra bucks in telecom taxes to potentially go Consumer Cellular, get 250 minutes of talk time, "unlimited" texting, 3GB of mobile data all on the AT&T network, and only have to buy a $10 SIM card down at Target, port your number, and keep using the phone you already have. (Reminder: GSM networks can handle data connectivity and phone calls at the same time.)

Make sense?

I know I advocate not churning needlessly, but a move of this nature isn't needless churning. We're talking about differences in electronic waste generation and demand, simplified billing and usage, and a volume of needed mobile data that your current provider simply can't offer at a competitive rate due to the structure of their business model.

Again, if you've got reasons for not wanting to consider this route, fantastic... but I hope you can see why I'm suggesting this path from a purely KISS engineering perspective. I point this out, because it seems like (and please correct me if I'm wrong) you are already way overthinking it and trying to make it more complicated than it needs to be. KISS your needs.

[kamas]

I figure if my only reason to get an alternate smartphone is for this purposes, I might as well get a hotspot device instead?

My question is thus: Why do you need a separate device and plan at all?

It's great that you're only spending $15/month or so with Truphone, and I understand not wanting to use their PAYGO data. My question, however, is why not laterally move to another provider where you only have the one device, only one account, and save some money?........
I can certainly understand too not wanting to churn and stick with a provider that's treated you well, but if the provider no longer has the capacity to fit your usage needs, then don't be afraid to make the change.

If you have reasons to keep it separate, okay, keep it separate. All I'm suggesting is, why buy more equipment, carry around extra devices, pay more, and deal with yet another monthly bill just to get mobile data access for your laptop?

You're already questioning if 2GB is going to be enough per month.
You've already stated that $30 is reasonable for internet only access.
You're already spending about $15 a month on average for only ~160 outbound billable minutes/texts/MB of data (not counting inbound minutes/texts).
AT&T coverage is going to be far more robust than T-Mobile.

You could spend $45/month split between Truphone and TOAST.net, get 3GB of data and the exact same ~165 units of billable service you're getting with Truphone, have AT&T coverage, have to buy and charge a separate device (since you seem to want a WiFi hotspot, that's another $50-ish), and add complexity and hardware to your travel routine...

Or you could spend $45/month plus a couple extra bucks in telecom taxes to potentially go Consumer Cellular, get 250 minutes of talk time, "unlimited" texting, 3GB of mobile data all on the AT&T network, and only have to buy a $10 SIM card down at Target, port your number, and keep using the phone you already have. (Reminder: GSM networks can handle data connectivity and phone calls at the same time.)

Make sense?

Again, if you've got reasons for not wanting to consider this route, fantastic... but I hope you can see why I'm suggesting this path from a purely KISS engineering perspective. I point this out, because it seems like (and please correct me if I'm wrong) you are already way overthinking it and trying to make it more complicated than it needs to be. KISS your needs.

Actually I looked at the details of my TRUPHONE usage, its usually only $5 a month, and if it ever gets over that, its because of data being used sometimes.
Another thing, I dont need data EVERY month. so thats why I want a separate thing, so for the months I do not need data, I don't have to pay.

I contacted "Consumer cellular"; they said tethering is allowed. their speed is 4G LTE.

[Daley]

Actually I looked at the details of my TRUPHONE usage, its usually only $5 a month, and if it ever gets over that, its because of data being used sometimes.
Another thing, I dont need data EVERY month. so thats why I want a separate thing, so for the months I do not need data, I don't have to pay.

I contacted "Consumer cellular"; they said tethering is allowed. their speed is 4G LTE.

Something to be aware of about your considered approach. If you allow an account to lapse with a GSM provider, you'll have to replace the SIM card and set up a new account. That can potentially get expensive, especially if the SIM cards cost a fair chunk.  If you go CDMA, you'll likely run into account reactivation costs with a device as well. The mobile carriers in this country are not set up to support casual users. They want ongoing large chunks of cash whether you use the service or not. The easiest path will probably be going with a mobile carrier where you can add on additional data as you need it.

On that note, if you can get away with T-Mobile coverage without roaming, US Mobile might be worth pricing out as well.

Just an extra couple data points to consider.