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Technical advice re mobile broadband/wireless aircard/smartphone
Topic Started: Oct 18 2012, 09:02 AM (131 Views)
Barn Girl
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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Ok, so let me preface this by saying that I plan on going to Verizon on my lunch hour today but I was hoping not to sound like a TOTAL idiot. I'm wondering if any of y'all smart ladies can give me some guidance. ;) I'm such a luddite sometimes!

I'm contemplating entering the current century and purchasing a smartphone... gulp... but I don't want to get screwed on the phone bill.

Background: we live in BFE, so no cable/DSL is available. For my home laptop internet access I have a wireless card/USB broadband modem that works off of the cell towers like my phone. It works fairly well as we have good reception at the house. I think it's $50/month for 4GB and I normally use about 2GB. I'm on DSL here at work and we have a wireless network here also.

I'd be interested in a smartphone that can be used as a mobile hotspot, so that I could use it for internet access for my laptop instead of the aircard. As I understand it, you are not charged data from your phone plan if you're surfing while on a wireless network, is that correct? If so I could stick with 4GB and be fine, I think. So I think per Verizon's website, my price would be $110 for the smartphone with 4GB, and $30 for hubby's non-smart phone. So $140 total. Right now our total bill with two "dumb" phones and the aircard is about $150. Does that sound right as far as the projected new total or am I missing another charge in there somewhere?

If I can keep our monthly Verizon bill about the same, is there any downside to getting rid of the aircard and using the smartphone as a mobile hotspot?

Thanks for helping a dummy out! :shoot:
Edited by Barn Girl, Oct 18 2012, 09:03 AM.
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Won for Me
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BG. I am thinking you are about in the ballpark. But, there are other smarter women on here than I am! ;)

Are you still under contract with your aircard? You will have to pay a penalty for canceling that if you are. I pay $150 with AT&T for one smart phone and unlimited data which always makes me mad every month (but then again, I am pretty attached to my phone!)
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Barn Girl
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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Ok, so I decided to keep the aircard for my laptop and am getting a smartphone, if it all works out our monthly bill will be about the same. :) I just ordered the phone online and will have to call to change our plan once it arrives. Got a Motorola Droid Razr M, looks like a nice phone from all of the reviews and it was only $50 so no biggie if I end up hating it!

Now I just have to figure out how to use the damn thing! :teehee:

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