Which Hotspot To Use ?

[eagleback]

I use my cell phone as a hot spot from Verizon or what ever cell company you choose. Why do people buy hot spots with another account to pay for when most phones do it already?.

[Riverman]

Several plans will not let you use your phone as a hotspot. I have one like that.

It is much cheaper for me to use the ATT Mobley... unlimited data for $20 a month.

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by eagleback

I use my cell phone as a hot spot from Verizon or what ever cell company you choose. Why do people buy hot spots with another account to pay for when most phones do it already?.

I can't tether my no contract Tracfone smartphone so I use a Straightalk router and buy what data I need. Much cheaper than a contract phone.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by eagleback

I use my cell phone as a hot spot from Verizon or what ever cell company you choose. Why do people buy hot spots with another account to pay for when most phones do it already?.

As you visit more remote areas, you many times have only one provider who has good service. Out West where you have vast areas of very low population, it doesn't pay for a provider to install towers, they share with one being the dominant provider. There are vast areas with no cell service. And, as others have mentioned, what works well for the locals, doesn't work well when you get 5 - 10 times the visitors during peak times...even cell service is marginal at best, data...not even a chance..

Good Luck.

[NH_camper]

Quite a few cell companies don't have their own towers. Instead, they have a behind the scenes contract with someone like Verizon or AT&T. I found out the hard way that doesn't mean they get to use 100% of their towers. I used to live where I could see an AT&T cell tower about a mile away out my front window, but I had a weak signal. My next door neighbor had service directly with AT&T and he had a great signal. After much complaining and investigation, it turned out the nearest AT&T tower my cell company could use was 15 miles away.

[vcbice]

Which is why we use Verizon. Out here in the SW ATT does not have good coverage off the interstate corridors