Is Verizon Unlimited Data (Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack) really unlimited?

[SmaugHat]

Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Merry Xmas!

I am paying for Mi-Fi data in my house in the deep woods, running off a weak Verizon tower. I preserved my grandfathered Verizon data unlimited package by buying a Motorola Droid MAXX on my own dime.

I've read through the forum but the posts are either technically over my head or seem to be older and this is a movng target

I sort of get that if I figure a solution, Verizon may bust me. But I'm totally up for that at this point with the $600 monthly bills I'm getting. Plus, just to get anything I've had to rig a antenna signal booster, and even then sometimes it is barely dialup.

So, can someone tell me whether there is any way to make this work? I am only barely cognizant about tethering and rooting, etc. I just want to get data at a reasonable price. Just tell me step-by-step like a 3rd grader with a head wound.

Anything? Any other hardware, or work around or sumpin? Is it a hardware problem? I have an I-phone and Blackberry sitting around.

Is there a way to download media on to my phone and then transfer it to the laptop?

I'm at the point where I am going to move just in order to get streaming media for less than a BMW car payment.

Sorry for the babble nature here.

 

[belodion]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Presumably you have no landline phone connection?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Yes, but it is the old copper...they haven't upgraded to fiber optic back to my Unabomber cabin. So, dial up at best there.

They mention a $30 fee from Verizon to do it, but any significant data charges run on top of that. (I think).

I'm looking for a workaround or other product...

PS: My son was laughiong at me for going to a smartphone help forum on the day after Xmas

 

[belodion]

I can understand your son laughing but smartphones and their operating systems are exceedingly difficult to understand so our reasoning here is that if we all help one another we might get somewhere. It sometimes works, too.
But I was thinking, could you not use your landline to get online....or is it unsuitable because of age?

(Yes, I can understand Verizon or any carrier putting a stop to Foxfi and other such things.)

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Golfdriver97]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

You can go to sensorly or rootmetrics websites to see if you can shift to a better carrier for your area.

From an AOSP M8

 

[belodion]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

^^^I think the OP stated elsewhere that only Verizon was available.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Aquila]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

The tethering options that you had mentioned are both not allowed via Verizon's terms of service, regardless of whether or not root access is obtained. The Verizon hotspot for $30 on the unlimited plan is unlimited, so that's probably your best bet.

 

[dpham00]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

You can also take a 4GLTE micro sim from a 4GLTE smartphone and place it into a mifi device or 4GLTE broadband router with voice. I am using the latter with just the unlimited data (no hotspot) and it gives me wifi plus wired connectivity. If you are getting weak signal then you will need to buy a signal booster(not sure what you have now, perhaps a better one?) , but keep in mind that it only helps to a point. It can't make a signal where there is not one


I also read that the 4GLTE broadband router with voice doesn't work so well with weak signal, but haven't tried myself. You can determine where the tower is for optimal placement of the antenna for the signal booster (outdoors should be better)

http://forums.androidcentral.com/ve...on-4glte-broadband-router-unlimited-data.html

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

The tethering options that you had mentioned are both not allowed via Verizon's terms of service, regardless of whether or not root access is obtained. The Verizon hotspot for $30 on the unlimited plan is unlimited, so that's probably your best bet.

If you are correct I am going to open a vein. I believe the hotspot option negates the unlimted data. I will go check.

To others: Verizon has me by the short hairs. The only phone line back to my house is old copper, not fiber optics where I can get any sort of high speed. No cable out here. Satellite internet (Hughes) is as bad as Mi-fi in terms of speed and cost, and they aren't even sure they could shoot a satellite from my little valley here. And the only cell signal I get is Verizon Wireless, and it is weak, always >1 mg download.

So...cellular Mi-Fi on a metered line.

 

[Aquila]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

$30 hotspot is on top of unlimited data, they're both unlimited.

XT1096NiT Fury. AndroidCentral Moderator

 

[dpham00]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

If you are correct I am going to open a vein. I believe the hotspot option negates the unlimted data. I will go check.

To others: Verizon has me by the short hairs. The only phone line back to my house is old copper, not fiber optics where I can get any sort of high speed. No cable out here. Satellite internet (Hughes) is as bad as Mi-fi in terms of speed and cost, and they aren't even sure they could shoot a satellite from my little valley here. And the only cell signal I get is Verizon Wireless, and it is weak, always >1 mg download.

So...cellular Mi-Fi on a metered line.

Take the sim out of your unlimited smartphone line and put it into the mifi for unlimited mifi.

You might be able to get a better signal if you adjust the external antenna on the signal booster. Also, stupid question, but just wanted to make sure that it supports Verizon band 13 and 4

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

$30 hotspot is on top of unlimited data, they're both unlimited.

Ahh...that's not the answer I got a number of times recently. The unlimited plan is only for the smartphone said Goebbels at VW support. I had a long philosophical discussion on the definitions of the word "unlimited" and he says he talks to ticked off people lusting after unlimited data on their hotspots every day, and I should go talk to people on other carriers with unlimited cuz their speed is halfassted (great commercial).

Basically, I guess, they look at hotspots as a product that emerged after my unlimited deal was struck. Or that is the story now.

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Take the sim out of your unlimited smartphone line and put it into the mifi for unlimited mifi.

You might be able to get a better signal if you adjust the external antenna on the signal booster.

Yeah, I have a buddy there who is an engineer, and they sent me a topographical map, and I got on the roof with a compass...I think we are maximized. Turn the booster of and the mi-fi is useless.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Do you have any access to a property that's line of sight to any point on your roof, and also has line of sight to a location there there's a better Verizon signal? If so, get a pair of high-gain antennas (15-30 disks on each) would be about right,, or even a pair of cantennas, which can be made for about $5 each, (and a piece of high quality cable, but even at $3/foot, 2 feet doesn't cost much) and tell your engineer friend that, whether he believes it or not, passive repeaters do work. If he knows radio, he doesn't need any more information to say "AHA!". (But if you post asking for other specific information, I'll give you all I know, which is 57 years of experience and about 6 years of university.)

As for posting the day after Christmas, the grandkids are too wrapped up in their new Chromecasts to need me and my wife's asleep, so I'm here. Kids - what do they know?

 

[belodion]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

^^^They know that the world is theirs. What they don't care to know is that we made it. It amuses me to see teenagers wrapped up in their cool devices, unaware that they were made by uncool old people.

(Of course, by 'world', I mean human civilization.)

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[dpham00]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Ahh...that's not the answer I got a number of times recently. The unlimited plan is only for the smartphone said Goebbels at VW support. I had a long philosophical discussion on the definitions of the word "unlimited" and he says he talks to ticked off people lusting after unlimited data on their hotspots every day, and I should go talk to people on other carriers with unlimited cuz their speed is halfassted (great commercial).

Basically, I guess, they look at hotspots as a product that emerged after my unlimited deal was struck. Or that is the story now.

Verizon is REQUIRED BY THE FCC to allow you to use any compatible device with the sim. This is part of the open devices clause of the 700MHz spectrum that Verizon bought. This includes mifi, tablet, and 4GLTE broadband router with voice . I am personally using the 4GLTE broadband router with voice as my home Internet as well. Now, keep in mind that Verizon policy is that they will not allow activation of a mifi or broadband router with voice on an unlimited smartphone sim, but moving the sim over works. And ONLY on Verizon. So Verizon is doing the absolute minimum to follow the FCC requirements. You can't do the same on other carriers, they will immediately stop you.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Verizon is REQUIRED BY THE FCC to allow you to use any compatible device with the sim. This is part of the open devices clause of the 700MHz spectrum that Verizon bought. This includes mifi, tablet, and 4GLTE broadband router with voice . I am personally using the 4GLTE broadband router with voice as my home Internet as well. Now, keep in mind that Verizon policy is that they will not allow activation of a mifi or broadband router with voice on an unlimited smartphone sim, but moving the sim over works. And ONLY on Verizon. So Verizon is doing the absolute minimum to follow the FCC requirements. You can't do the same on other carriers, they will immediately stop you.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Hi! Sorry, my attention wandered.

So...I get it I think. I can take my SIM out of my Droid, put it in my jetpack, and the mi-fi usage should be on the unlimited data plan.

Do I have to "activate" the jetpack with the new SIM? More importantly, how do I keep my phone working?

 

[dpham00]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

Verizon is REQUIRED BY THE FCC to allow you to use any compatible device with the sim. This is part of the open devices clause of the 700MHz spectrum that Verizon bought. This includes mifi, tablet, and 4GLTE broadband router with voice . I am personally using the 4GLTE broadband router with voice as my home Internet as well. Now, keep in mind that Verizon policy is that they will not allow activation of a mifi or broadband router with voice on an unlimited smartphone sim, but moving the sim over works. And ONLY on Verizon. So Verizon is doing the absolute minimum to follow the FCC requirements. You can't do the same on other carriers, they will immediately stop you.

Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

Hi! Sorry, my attention wandered.

So...I get it I think. I can take my SIM out of my Droid, put it in my jetpack, and the mi-fi usage should be on the unlimited data plan.

Do I have to "activate" the jetpack with the new SIM? More importantly, how do I keep my phone working?

You can simply swap sims. You might need an adapter or cut the sim, if they are different sizes. You don't have to do anything else to activate it.

You can swap the sim back to get service on the phone again. You cannot get service on both the mifi and phone on the same line at the same time. You can use the phone as a wifi device and forward your calls from the number to a Google voice number, then answer through hangouts/gv.



Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4


Sent from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 4

 

[SmaugHat]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

This worked! You guys rock!

A few lessons:

Be VERY cautious with nano to regular SIM adapters. I got one stuck in my jetpack....the push pinny things are very touchy. If I had been going the other way, it could have trashed my expensive phone. It is my understanding that there are some decent adapters "SADAPTER?" but I got a cheapy plastic thing that jammed immediately. Beware!

What I wound up doing is getting a jetpack upgrade I was due for, and ordered a jet pack (800L) that uses a nano anyway.

I could freaking kick myself....I have spent many thousands of wasted dollars on this over the years. Thanks again, guys!

 

[comk4ver]

Re: Verizon Unlimited Data Wi-Fi Fail+ripoff+total jack

This worked! You guys rock!

A few lessons:

Be VERY cautious with nano to regular SIM adapters. I got one stuck in my jetpack....the push pinny things are very touchy. If I had been going the other way, it could have trashed my expensive phone. It is my understanding that there are some decent adapters "SADAPTER?" but I got a cheapy plastic thing that jammed immediately. Beware!

What I wound up doing is getting a jetpack upgrade I was due for, and ordered a jet pack (800L) that uses a nano anyway.

I could freaking kick myself....I have spent many thousands of wasted dollars on this over the years. Thanks again, guys!

I would use Noosy Sim card adapters the official ones that's what I'm using for my micro Sim in order to use my mifi890 to standard Sim. Check out ebay some seller from Toronto has them for $1.

Sent from my VK410 using Tapatalk