Pissed at ISP's. What wireless options are out there?

[Frank]

Where I moved in Rockwall county, Charter has a cable running through my yard. Literally not even 20 feet from my electric meter. They tell me they can't offer me service because I have to be no more than 250ft from the tap and I am 1600. The same line runs across probably 8 other yards on this street and yet there can't tap anyone into it?

Verizon FIOS, not available
TW, not available
AT&T, not available or so they tell me. Everyone around me has the AT&T, but they said there are no slots available to add me. I have to wait until someone cancels service or moves. I asked if they can call me when one becomes available. They told me they don't do that.

I understand there are other options like CLEAR? Anyone had any luck with them?

Doesn't Sprint or someone offer a USB device that I just plug in and subscribe that I could use anywhere? I can't find what its called on Sprint's site. They just want to shove phones in my face. I don't need a phone right now.

[mustangguy289]

I have the same issues where I live.

I have two options:
Dial Up
Internet through an air card provided by a cell phone company.


I have been using Spring for internet for almost 4 years now. The first 2 years we had the USB one. Now we have the "MiFi" so we can both use it and also use our ipads, iphones, etc off the wireless signal. We can also take this Mifi with us on trips and have internet anywhere we want.

We went with Sprint because at the time they were the only ones with an unlimited usage plan. I will not change my plan because nobody else offers Unlimited 3g anymore. 4g is not available here and neither is clear.

It can bog down pretty easily if more than one person is using a decent amount of bandwidth and if it is really windy it just plain out sucks. Overall it is not too bad.

[Rick Modena]

I need the same thing at my house, I'm tired of paying $49.99 a month. I call everytime they increase it and they drop it down in price, but this last time they wouldn't do it and would rather lose a customer over their prices.

Ive been interested in doing an airtype USB connection.

[Gargamel]

Clear is OK at best... and sometimes downright shitty, but if its your only option it's better than nothing....

Things to remember about Clear:

Unless you are very close to a tower, forget about it...
Clear throttles at night from "Unlimited" 10MB connection down to 1MB....
Customer service sucks balls...

We live across the street from the tower and get awesome service during the day... stream Netflix in HD via the Roku or play some good Bad Company 2 Multiplayer.

But after the network usage goes up after 6PM, its worthless for any high bandwidth, low latency usage.

My wife uses the Clear Spot for her Kindle while away from the house and it works awesome for that type of usage.

Overall, it's so-so.... but better than nothing.

I'm going to go to AT&T DSL for our home service soon due to the latency problems....

[mustangguy289]

I need the same thing at my house, I'm tired of paying $49.99 a month. I call everytime they increase it and they drop it down in price, but this last time they wouldn't do it and would rather lose a customer over their prices.

Ive been interested in doing an airtype USB connection.

Most airtype plans will run you more than $49.99 a month (atleast they did the last time I checked). Ours is $65 for unlimited after taxes, but like I said earlier it is our only option. Look into an aircard that sends a wifi signal if you ever have the chance of using more than one device at a time or a device that does not have a usb port.

[mustangguy289]

Doesn't Sprint or someone offer a USB device that I just plug in and subscribe that I could use anywhere? I can't find what its called on Sprint's site. They just want to shove phones in my face. I don't need a phone right now.

They all call it "Mobile Broadband".

Plans:
go to sprint.com>plans>mobile broadband

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop/plan/plan_wall.jsp?tabId=pt_data_plans_tab&flow=AAL&planFamilyType=null

Devices:
go to sprint.com>plans>phones>mobile broadband

http://shop.sprint.com/mysprint/shop/phone_wall.jsp?flow=&tabId=dt_mbc

[hunt4m3x]

Pretty sure Clear doesn't work in Rockwall County. Where do you live at? I believe Cool Wireless is out there.

[hunt4m3x]

http://www.1txbb.com/new/

and WildBlue Internet services.

[Frank]

I am finding that Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T no longer offer unlimited data. You can get 5 or 10 gb. I truly do not know what amount I use now. I connect vpn and work sometimes watching video meetings, downloading files of a few mb's. Then we watch videos on youtube, wimp, etc. We don't stream any movies or deal with any itunes. No pattern of downloading anything on a regular basis. I downloaded Networx to see if I can determine what a typical week/month looks like. I guess time will tell. Does anyone with similar usage as I know about the amount of data you move a month?

[Taylor]

Where I moved in Rockwall county, Charter has a cable running through my yard. Literally not even 20 feet from my electric meter. They tell me they can't offer me service because I have to be no more than 250ft from the tap and I am 1600. The same line runs across probably 8 other yards on this street and yet there can't tap anyone into it?

Verizon FIOS, not available
TW, not available
AT&T, not available or so they tell me. Everyone around me has the AT&T, but they said there are no slots available to add me. I have to wait until someone cancels service or moves. I asked if they can call me when one becomes available. They told me they don't do that.

I understand there are other options like CLEAR? Anyone had any luck with them?

Doesn't Sprint or someone offer a USB device that I just plug in and subscribe that I could use anywhere? I can't find what its called on Sprint's site. They just want to shove phones in my face. I don't need a phone right now.

After reading the title to this thread, I was going to suggest Charter, lol.

That's what I have, very fast and cheap. Too bad they are giving you shit about not being able to receive service.

[Tx Redneck]

I am finding that Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T no longer offer unlimited data. You can get 5 or 10 gb. I truly do not know what amount I use now. I connect vpn and work sometimes watching video meetings, downloading files of a few mb's. Then we watch videos on youtube, wimp, etc. We don't stream any movies or deal with any itunes. No pattern of downloading anything on a regular basis. I downloaded Networx to see if I can determine what a typical week/month looks like. I guess time will tell. Does anyone with similar usage as I know about the amount of data you move a month?

If you MUST go the mobile "broadband" route, get the largest package you can afford. You're not going to be using it just for interweb browsing, but AV updates, MS Updates too. Those can be rather large at times.

I can use/have used as much as 6.5Gigs from my phone alone. Consider too that I have ALL ads blocked to conserve bandwidth, use mobile versions of sites where available, or use Tapatalk for forums to conserve too.

I say all that to say, if 10Gigs is the largest they offer, get it and gauge your usage from there. It's better than steep overage charges.

[94form2000z]

Move out of the Boonies.. problem solved. lol

[Frank]

Move out of the Boonies.. problem solved. lol

If you saw where I lived, you definitely would not call it the boonies. I appear to be in this "bermuda triangle" where everything is a hassle. Internet, cable TV, trash pickup, etc even though my neighbors on either side of me and all behind me (none of us more than an acre away from the next), I just cant service for anything without paying a lot more than they do. I even researched this before I moved out here and since my neighbors could get ATT, I thought surely I could, but they say "they do not have enough slots." Talking to the phone guy the other day, he said they told them they won't be adding any new cards until they resolve any issues they have with what exists.

I have to laugh that Virgin and T-Mobile offer "unlimited", but then they tell you they CAP it at 2.5 - 5gb per month. After that it drops to 256 kbps until you pay more. At least you don't get hit with excessive overages.

[94form2000z]

I know was just pokin fun. Were you not the one with the trash issue as well? I dont remember who it was and its a lazy ass Sunday so my search function is broke.

Oh and get in good with your neighbor that has wireless and get them to go with U-verse 24mb and split it with em. Would have to be next door to have descent signal though.

[Frank]

I know was just pokin fun. Were you not the one with the trash issue as well? I dont remember who it was and its a lazy ass Sunday so my search function is broke.

Oh and get in good with your neighbor that has wireless and get them to go with U-verse 24mb and split it with em. Would have to be next door to have descent signal though.

Actually thinking of this. My next door neighbor I have actually been friends for a few years. He and his wife are retired an on fixed income. I can see they have a wireless router but it has WEP enabled. I might mention to them about the wireless, but the problem is I can only get it if I am in one room, upstairs, near the window. My home PC downstairs on the other end of the house cant get it.

As for trash, I was thinking of offering to take out their trash and let me combine mine with theirs and pay their trash bill so we both win. I am afraid if we actually put out a 2nd trash can, the company might complain and I don't want them to have any trouble.

There are 3 different trash trucks that service this street. 2 are the same company. I noticed one guy down the street has a burn barrell he's been using. I guess he didn't like it either. I have just been dropping off in an industrial area's dumpsters.