Cheapest way to get on the go internet?

[swbsam]

I have the absurd idea to quit cable internet and just rely on an everywhere/wireless account. I'd like to use it at home with a router and on the road via a usb dongle.

Any suggestions?

I currently have AT&T as a cellphone provider but work pays for that, so I'm pretty open for a data only plan.

 

[Barfo]

Neighbor's unsecured wireless connection.

/thread

 

[MrChad]

http://www.solidsignal.com/pro...play.asp?prod=MBR-1000

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: barfo
Neighbor's unsecured wireless connection.

/thread

That's my approach. It's not always the most convenient, but it works great, and you can't beat the price. When I first started driving you had to find a phone booth to make a call. Finding an open connection is easier, and faster than that.

 

[swbsam]

Originally posted by: barfo
Neighbor's unsecured wireless connection.

/thread

Yeah, i don't think I'll be that shady...

Any other service suggestions?

 

[HopJokey]

You could get an aircard from AT&T and set up an internet gateway at home (for multiple computers).

Keep in mind there is a 5GB/month usage cap that is in the "unlimited data" fineprint.

 

[edro]

IPhone + Tethering

$75/month for mobile + internet

 

[AAjax]

Originally posted by: barfo
Neighbor's unsecured wireless connection.

/thread

Yup

 

[TwiceOver]

I would think New York would have WiMax or should have it any day now. But being New York it'll probably be $50+/mo.

 

[JDMnAR1]

That is all I have for internet, not necessarily by choice as cable and DSL are not available at my house. I have a Kyocera KPC-650 EVDO PCMCIA card, with a KR-1 router at home (purchased at AT FS/T), and my service is with Alltel. While it certainly beats the pants off of dial-up, there is a ton of variability in speed. I have hit speeds of up to 1.6Mb down/225Kb up, but the test I ran just now is 817Kb/104Kb (latency of 232ms). I will say that it does work pretty reliably for VPN which is a good thing, and speeds with the current gen of hardware should be better.

EDIT: Oh yeah, cost. Check with your employer to see if they ofer any kinds of discounts with wireless providers. Mine offers anywhere from 10%-20% discount depending on the carrier (15% with Alltel). Also, you might see if you can get in on the SERO plan still or not.

Alltel's base rate for unlimited usage is $59.99. I can't say definitively that it is unlimited, but I have at least 5 machines at any given time - doing stuff like Windows Updates, downloading ISOs of my TechNet subscription, etc - and I haven't ever gotten a nastygram from them or been billed for any 'overage'.

 

[JS80]

clearwire?

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
That is all I have for internet, not necessarily by choice as cable and DSL are not available at my house. I have a Kyocera KPC-650 EVDO PCMCIA card, with a KR-1 router at home (purchased at AT FS/T), and my service is with Alltel. While it certainly beats the pants off of dial-up, there is a ton of variability in speed. I have hit speeds of up to 1.6Mb down/225Kb up, but the test I ran just now is 817Kb/104Kb (latency of 232ms). I will say that it does work pretty reliably for VPN which is a good thing, and speeds with the current gen of hardware should be better.

EDIT: Oh yeah, cost. Check with your employer to see if they ofer any kinds of discounts with wireless providers. Mine offers anywhere from 10%-20% discount depending on the carrier (15% with Alltel). Also, you might see if you can get in on the SERO plan still or not.

Alltel's base rate for unlimited usage is $59.99. I can't say definitively that it is unlimited, but I have at least 5 machines at any given time - doing stuff like Windows Updates, downloading ISOs of my TechNet subscription, etc - and I haven't ever gotten a nastygram from them or been billed for any 'overage'.

I have Alltel EVDO as well and have probably used 30GB/mo on average over nearly 2.5 years, and they've never complained. It's definitely unlimited, or at least more unlimited than providers that cap at 5GB. With the Verizon buyout, though, policy will likely change. You might want to start keeping an eye on your usage so see if you go over 5GB/mo.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I have Alltel EVDO as well and have probably used 30GB/mo on average over nearly 2.5 years, and they've never complained. It's definitely unlimited, or at least more unlimited than providers that cap at 5GB. With the Verizon buyout, though, policy will likely change. You might want to start keeping an eye on your usage so see if you go over 5GB/mo.

Supposedly if you are on an Alltel plan it won't change, they just won't be selling any more Alltel plans after June, or at least that is what our corporate Alltel rep has been told. But yeah - I will definitely be keeping an eye on it, as I am not under contract so will not hesitate to jump ship if necessary.

 

[frostedflakes]

Well if you're in a contract you might be safe (until the contract expires and has to be renewed, of course), but people without a data contract are kind of at their mercy if Verizon changes the wireless data ToS. It's possible they might be nice and grandfather old Alltel customers in with the old policies, but I'm not counting on it.