Yes.
I pay under $40/mo all in and get unlimited 5G + opted for 40GB of HS data for use in the car for tethering.
The modem uses normal 5G data and not the HS allotment. Some modems though work in a different mode though that get tagged as HS data which obviously would be an issue if using for a traditional ISP replacement.
SIMCOM is my primary modem and uses regular data
I picked up a Fibocom modem as well for under $50 as a backup and that one doesn't allow me to tweak the configuration to make it work as just a data connection and does get rated as a HS. It's also significantly slower.
There's only a handful of modem makers though to pick from when it comes to picking a vendor.
you're joining someone else's family plan?
Basically. It's a group discount on the lines. Since i route my voice/SMS through Google the line only sees / shows as data use. Privacy isn't an issue at that point since it's not being billed through TMO or tracked by the billing system.
Instead of paying $90/mo for a phone line it's under $40 and I get internet instead of paying someone else for that on top of it or being stuck with a home internet plan that can't be used on my phone outside of the house. I had the TMHI plan until they stated playing billing games and such. I tested out the modem I got with the TMHI SIM though and it worked better than the box they provided and was able to lock down the bands to prevent it from connecting to the slower ones that provided 1/2 the speed.
And you're at the whim of people cancelling (or having to give notice if you want to cancel).
I suspect the main account holder basically ends up getting free service with all of the additional lines anyway with the additional perks they get or the additional lines. I haven't really looked into the other side of it.
I've used most of the MVNO options as well over the past few years trying to save a buck wherever possible. It all kind of depends on how you want to use the SIM though. If you need an actual voice line for your phone then you'll likely need 2 lines if you also want internet to be available when leaving the house. If it's just you then you can do a single SIM like me and just move it to your phone as needed.
Since VZW seems to be a coverage issue in your case then it's going to lead you to either TMO/ATT and ATT isn't all that impressive when it coms to speeds. However, since CI isn't showing TMO plans it's an option for the ISP side
Stop overpaying on your monthly cell phone bill. Keep your existing Verizon or T-mobile plan. Group together and save together.
circledin.com
Anyway, the motive for me over the past few years was to quit giving away money to multiple providers and reassess whether I really needed that gigabit plan for DL's, Sure it takes a few minutes longer to get a finished DL but, no data cap and higher UL speed make up for it. The data cap thing was the big factor though for me when I'm paying ~$90/mo it shouldn't be a thing. Phone./voice / data became the next target and having worked for a couple of providers I already knew about the MVNO game and heavy discounts for stripped back plans. Figuring out how to combine them into a single plan became the goal more recently.
I took what was costing over $100/mo for 2 services and chopped it to ~$38/mo.
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