Nexus 4 questions-carriers etc

[Leah101]

Hi,

New here. I've read around and didn't find exactly what I needed--but loads of other useful stuff. So I thought I'd ask:

I've been using a pay-as-you-go Tracfone after ditching a Treo awhile back because I hardly used it, and I was tired of the cost/contract stuff etc. with AT&T. I'm on Skype and Google voice all the time (and whatever else online), so it's really just for emergencies, mostly.

But I'm driving from Philadelphia to Portland in a month or so, and I need something reliable. Not just for an emergency, but also for general online connection. After reading around, I'm pretty sure I'm getting a Nexus 4 (though an iPhone was tempting at first, thinking vaguely about some sort of connection to my iMac later on).

-Does anyone have a recommendation for a pay-as-you-go carrier that's most likely to be reliable nationwide, as I travel? I've been reading around, and I've found a few that could work, seems like (T-Mobile, Straightalk) but I value personal experience as well.

-What about data? (I'm not sure I'm explaining this right.) What I wish I could have is a tablet that could work as a phone--like the Nexus 7--but as far as I can see that won't work. I work online and need to upload stuff (blog posts, graphics, etc), so i need something that will work while traveling and even a few weeks (maybe) after, until I'm all set up in new apartment.

-What about tethering? Looks like I can use the Nexus 4 as a modum (sort of) to get my laptop online in a hotspot/wi fi area. That depends on the carrier though, right?

-What would you do if you were me to stay connected over a few uncertain weeks of travel? Could Google voice on a tablet plus Skype suffice for an emergency?

I'm way behind on the latest with mobile (though I could tell you all about mobile responsive websites and why they're so important so I hope I'm explaining properly.

I will SO appreciate any direction/help/advice on this! Thanks in advance.

 

[StingDrop]

tmobile might be your best option if you have good coverage in the area

 

[gone down south]

You have to choose either T-Mobile, AT&T or s third party reseller using one of those networks.

T-Mobile is faster than AT&T, but outside of urban areas T-Mobile s signal disappears quickly while AT&T is fairly steady in suburban and rural areas. Resellers ( aka MVNOs) have cheaper rates but significant restrictions at times.

Once you decide which network you want to use, estimate how much data, many texts and many talking minutes you expect to use on s typical month. With that info, we can help point you in the right direction.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[techisking]

You can get the 30 dollar per month unlimited web (throttled after a certain threshold)+text and 100 call mins from tmobile.

 

[itic]

Id go with AT&T for better coverage nationwide. As others have said TMs coverage outside of urban areas is really bad. As long as you can bounce between carrier and wifi along the way you should be able to stay in touch. Sounds like a killer road trip.

 

[jdbii]

If you can survive with lots of long stretches of dead spots when you are in the middle of nowhere, and 2G coverage for much of the trans-US route outside of cities and larger towns, then T-mobile would be an option. They have a $30 plan that has 5GB of data and unlimited text and 100 minutes of talk. After 100 minutes of talk you then get charged 10 cents a minute. Tethering is not ?officially? permitted, but so long as you keep it reasonable you likely won?t get flagged, especially if you tether to a tablet. I am not sure if you can add $15 mobile hotspot feature to the $30 5GB plan - (does anybody reading this know)? - but if so you could just pay the $15 extra to tether if you got flagged.

If you need coverage in the middle of nowhere, then you?d have to go with AT&T Go Phone, but they don?t permit tethering nor offer very much data. There are also the AT&T resellers like Net10, but people in these forums have posted complaints about connecting to data when traveling on Net10. Personally, I've had good success with Net10 while traveling in rural Oregon for data, but I think AT&T Go Phone would be a safer bet. Not to mention along the route of your trip, you could walk into an AT&T store to get help if you are having issues.

In your case if I needed reliable voice along the whole route, and a good amount of data with the ability to tether I would probably do a combination of the two. With a Nexus 4 I?d get two sims: a AT&T Go Phone sim for $25 for 250 minutes, and unlimited text and a T-mobile sim with the $30 plan for 100 minutes and 5 GB of data. I?d swap the two out depending on my needs. I'd install the Google Voice app and use my Google Voice number and have Google Voice forward to both phones so family and friends wouldn't have to juggle multiple numbers.

BTW welcome to Portland! If you are new to the area you should go to the coast and see Haystack Rock, visit the Columbia Gorge, and head up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. They are all great place to visit in the fall.

Edit: You might look into AT&T resellers Red Pocket and H20. They might sell USB data sticks or mobile hotspot devices with a monthly pay as you go plan that permits a decent amount of data.

 

[Leah101]

Thanks Stingdrop. Definitely considering T-mobile.

 

[Leah101]

Thanks--losing the signal in rural areas is exactly the sort of thing I'm concerned about (in case of emergency, flat tire etc.). It's probably unavoidable in some areas though (mountains, desert, etc). I'll have to take a look again at some coverage maps I found.

I have to look into it more, but I'll need very little for talking or text. I'll mostly use it for maps and finding places, possibly to respond to comments on my blog or social stuff (FB etc). But it depends on whether I can use it for tethering for my laptop. I was originally thinking I'd stop at truckstops and Starbucks (and wherever I can get a connection) to get some work done, as needed. But I have to think this through. Thanks.

You have to choose either T-Mobile, AT&T or s third party reseller using one of those networks.

T-Mobile is faster than AT&T, but outside of urban areas T-Mobile s signal disappears quickly while AT&T is fairly steady in suburban and rural areas. Resellers ( aka MVNOs) have cheaper rates but significant restrictions at times.

Once you decide which network you want to use, estimate how much data, many texts and many talking minutes you expect to use on s typical month. With that info, we can help point you in the right direction.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[Leah101]

Thanks--Appreciate the second vote for AT&T. Yeah, it will be a killer trip, but I'm giving it a week-9 days (max for my U-Haul trailer rental), and I have a couple of friends to see along the way, so it shouldn't be too brutal. I could stop at truckstops and Starbucks or whatever to upload stuff or whatever I have to do online, but it sure would be great if I could check maps and have email and phone access most of the time without stopping anywhere special. As I mentioned to someone else, the main concern is being able to get help if I need it for a flat tire or whatever might happen (plus I'll have my 2 dogs with me, so I have to plan carefully, knowing they can't stay in the car for long, depending on the weather).

Id go with AT&T for better coverage nationwide. As others have said TMs coverage outside of urban areas is really bad. As long as you can bounce between carrier and wifi along the way you should be able to stay in touch. Sounds like a killer road trip.

 

[Leah101]

Thanks much for your detailed reply. I like the idea of the combination--that sounds like a great plan. But I'm going to come back to this later and sort of study it, and look stuff up, and take notes and get it all sorted out in my head. Best bet will be to get it all set up at least a few weeks before I leave, so I get the hang of the whole thing.

Thanks for the welcome! Definitely brand new to Portland--never even been there. Long story (I know a lot of people online from Portland, though, so it's not a total unknown). I decided to move out of my area and researched lots of cities for a couple of months, and I finally decided on Portland. Lots of stuff to see, but I made a note of the three places you mentioned! Thanks

If you can survive with lots of long stretches of dead spots when you are in the middle of nowhere, and 2G coverage for much of the trans-US route outside of cities and larger towns, then T-mobile would be an option. They have a $30 plan that has 5GB of data and unlimited text and 100 minutes of talk. After 100 minutes of talk you then get charged 10 cents a minute. Tethering is not ?officially? permitted, but so long as you keep it reasonable you likely won?t get flagged, especially if you tether to a tablet. I am not sure if you can add $15 mobile hotspot feature to the $30 5GB plan - (does anybody reading this know)? - but if so you could just pay the $15 extra to tether if you got flagged.

If you need coverage in the middle of nowhere, then you?d have to go with AT&T Go Phone, but they don?t permit tethering nor offer very much data. There are also the AT&T resellers like Net10, but people in these forums have posted complaints about connecting to data when traveling on Net10. Personally, I've had good success with Net10 while traveling in rural Oregon for data, but I think AT&T Go Phone would be a safer bet. Not to mention along the route of your trip, you could walk into an AT&T store to get help if you are having issues.

In your case if I needed reliable voice along the whole route, and a good amount of data with the ability to tether I would probably do a combination of the two. With a Nexus 4 I?d get two sims: a AT&T Go Phone sim for $25 for 250 minutes, and unlimited text and a T-mobile sim with the $30 plan for 100 minutes and 5 GB of data. I?d swap the two out depending on my needs. I'd install the Google Voice app and use my Google Voice number and have Google Voice forward to both phones so family and friends wouldn't have to juggle multiple numbers.

BTW welcome to Portland! If you are new to the area you should go to the coast and see Haystack Rock, visit the Columbia Gorge, and head up to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. They are all great place to visit in the fall.

Edit: You might look into AT&T resellers Red Pocket and H20. They might sell USB data sticks or mobile hotspot devices with a monthly pay as you go plan that permits a decent amount of data.