Question What are the best Cellular data plans currently available???

[docj]

I have my M2000 up and running and it's USB-tethered to my WiFiRanger Aspen. No issues; the Inseego/Novatel setup menus are much the same as those on my old 7730L.
Currently, I'm getting ~4-6 Mbps on T-Mobile. That might not sound like much but it's a lot better than the last time I tried them at this location. We live in the sticks and that's a decent speed for us. According to the T-Mobile coverage map, we're about ~2 miles from where the 5G coverage ends.

 

[AbdRahim]

Update-the UltraMobile plan throttled me to <600k after 50GB. I then realized that Mobile Internet Resource center made that abundantly clear had I bothered to read their review from August.. live and learn. I actually would have been somewhat happy with a 50GB cap before T-Mobile announced their 100GB for $50 plan earlier this month. So I'll not be renewing my UltraMobile prepaid T-Mobile plan.

So I ordered the T-Mobile plan last Friday, and the SIM card arrived Tuesday (no charge to ship), and I popped it in the trusty Peplink CAT18 Single and it came up like a champ. Testing it now. I plan to push 100GB thru it and make sure it delivers on the promise. The throughput in my area is great, and band 71 is showing up as a secondary channel from the get go. Funny thing about T-Mobile, I get BIG disparities between Speedtest from Ookla app (shows very fast like 90GB+ down) vs. Speedtest.net (about 60-70GB down) vs Fast.com (15ish down).

Another reason this T-Mobile plan is very exciting is it would appear I can turn off the service and turn it back on without penalty.. just don't recharge the prepaid plan until the month I need it. This significantly improves its value to those of us who are part timers. Or if we're long term in a location where we don't need it.

Soon I'm trying a new Verizon plan from a 3rd party reseller. If that goes well I'll be situated with all 3 major carriers, (ATT/Verizon/T-Mobile). I've added a 8800L to my setup so I am looking at rolling with ATT on my WAN port, T-Mobile as Cellular A on the Peplink, and the 8900L with Verizon via WIFI as WAN on 5,2Ghz. I'll have 2.4Ghz WIFI available for public access. Peplink has says this may tax the CPU-we'll see.

Sounds very expensive.

 

[VTPete]

I have my M2000 up and running and it's USB-tethered to my WiFiRanger Aspen. No issues; the Inseego/Novatel setup menus are much the same as those on my old 7730L.
Currently, I'm getting ~4-6 Mbps on T-Mobile. That might not sound like much but it's a lot better than the last time I tried them at this location. We live in the sticks and that's a decent speed for us. According to the T-Mobile coverage map, we're about ~2 miles from where the 5G coverage ends.

Great news. Will the Inseego unit tell you what bands are in use? What modem were you using previously on T-mobile, the 7730?

 

[VTPete]

Sounds very expensive.

If I use all 3 carriers and a second ATT line I’m at $130/mon

 

[Gizmo]

I use between 400 and 600 GB a month so the T-Mobile plan would be expensive and worthless. I have the old Version plan that is grandfather and no longer available that I have put as high as 800 GB in one month without a slow down. We are looking at the www.nomadinternet.com ATT plan to supplement my Version plan and it reported as unlimited - not throttled - but still managed.

 

[docj]

Great news. Will the Inseego unit tell you what bands are in use? What modem were you using previously on T-mobile, the 7730?

I wasn't using T-Mobile at all before this. I had tried them a few years ago using my WiFiRanger Aspen, but the download speeds were poor. What I'm seeing now with the M2000 are quite acceptable speeds. We live in a rural area and our speeds are always lower than those in cities.

The Inseego does tell me what band it is connected to but doesn't appear to give you any ability to choose.

 

[VTPete]

I use between 400 and 600 GB a month so the T-Mobile plan would be expensive and worthless. I have the old Version plan that is grandfather and no longer available that I have put as high as 800 GB in one month without a slow down. We are looking at the www.nomadinternet.com ATT plan to supplement my Version plan and it reported as unlimited - not throttled - but still managed.

I’ve also heard this 3rd party reseller for ATT has an unlimited plan that’s similar, 400-600GB+ for $99/month Unlimited / Unthrottled 4G LTE & LTE-A Data Plan - Monthly

I have a great ATT plan- they’ve never throttled me. I can put unlimited data thru them on my two data lines. But when I get no love (service) from ATT, I need options. So far the T-Mobile deal is my #2, unless this Verizon plan on its way to me out performs it. The reseller of this Verizon deal claim it’s a grandfathered unlimited plan like yours-if I can push a few hundred GB thru it, I’m thrilled and would not activate the T-Mobile line unless needed as a last resort.

so you need an alternative to your rockin’ Verizon, and I need the same for my rockin’ ATT.

 

[PartTimeRVer]

Great thread here. I just left T-mobile (5 lines $180) and went to Verizon (5 lines $180). My line carries 30gb of hotspot while the others just use unlimited talk, text, and data. My line is 50gb of data then can be throttled.
My question is really this: For those of you out in the middle of nowhere or in the mountains, does one provider give better coverage than the other? I know I would struggle with T-mobile away from major highways.

 

[Neal]

My experience is AT&T is best, Verizon 2nd, T-Mobile/Sprint 3rd.

 

[PartTimeRVer]

My experience is AT&T is best, Verizon 2nd, T-Mobile/Sprint 3rd.

Excellent. Thanks.