Who here has no home internet and only uses a smartphone?

[nsl]

Just looking at the pros and cons of cutting off the home survive and going to a smartphone for my internet needs.
Only this I use other than my desktop and iPad for surfing is an occasional download or update for a PS4 or Nintendo Switch game.
Don’t watch movies or anything.
Is there a decent service or plan that would allow my surfing and occasional download for $60 or so a month?

 

[Alpo]

I use Metro pcs. $60, unlimited talk, text, data. I can use the phone's hotspot with my confuser, or work directly from the phone.


There is a monthly limit on the hot spot, but if I hit it, I just use the phone the rest of the month.

 

[TX-Dennis]

T-Mobile has the highest limit before they "deprioritize" your connection at 50GB/month. Others are usually less. Keep in mind that this is very low compared to an ISP with no limit or a much higher data limit. Also keep in mind that data speed with a cellphone is much slower than that of most home internet plans. Also data speeds will vary considerably from time to time and from day to day depending on numerous factors that are beyond your control. Locally my download speed on my phone can vary from 30mb/s all the way down to unusably slow seemingly at random whereas my cable internet is reliably stable at 85-90.

If you can live with those disadvantages find the network that works best in your neighborhood whether that is T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon or even Sprint. Then find the plan from either that provider or an MVNO that uses its network that will do what you want at the lowest possible cost. Make sure tethering or hotspot is allowed on the plan - many do not allow it. Make sure that hotspot is not at a reduced speed - some plans are.

You should be able to do that for $60/month if you can live with the restrictions involved.

 

[bigwheelzip]

I believe most mobile plans come with access to a huge network of WiFi "Hotspots". If most of your use is near enough to a hotspot, then you might grab a WiFi signal instead.

Example: My mobile providers WiFi App grabs a hotspot on my aunts block and when I visit I can stream video with the Cellular Data switch turned off.

 

[Narragansett]

Just looking at the pros and cons of cutting off the home survive and going to a smartphone for my internet needs.
Only this I use other than my desktop and iPad for surfing is an occasional download or update for a PS4 or Nintendo Switch game.
Don’t watch movies or anything.
Is there a decent service or plan that would allow my surfing and occasional download for $60 or so a month?

Well, i could almost do it, but i can only take the small screen for so long. For me I need a big screen

 

[H Richard]

I can't stand to try and read anything worth reading on my cell phone screen. When you get past 75 you want it to be as big as possible. I also hate to try and send any message with those teeny keyboards on the screen of a cell phone. Same reason. That's why I sit down to my 22" monitor with wireless full size keyboard. I'm sure I'm not alone.

 

[Eric300]

No internet service here. I don't even have satellite. I have an old antenna on the roof with a rotor. I have to use a Verizon 'Jetfpack' for my laptop. Can't stand looking at my cell phone screen.

 

[kwselke]

I actually do the opposite of what you are thinking of. I have AT&T standalone Internet with Wi-Fi router/modem that connects two computers, two smart TVs, one printer, and one smartphone to the Internet and my simple home network. With taxes this service cost me $65.22 per month. The smartphone relies on Wi-Fi most of the time, and I have a simple TracFone prepaid service for voice, data, and text when Wi-Fi is not available. The TracFone service cost me about $10 a month. I could get a cheaper AT&T Internet service level if I wanted to keep the total cost under $65/month. 5 G cellular service is starting to rollout in the Houston area. This will make major changes in service offerings over the next two years. I thought about changing my setup and decided to wait a year and see how 5G shakes up the market.

 

[histreenut]

I pay for internet only which runs $45-ish dollars a month. I have cell phone for work that is a plan that rolls unused data for $50-ish dollars a month. My phone catches free Wi-fi in most places I go, so I never run out of data. I would go to my phone only buy I live in the mountains and my signal varies just in my house.
I have kids so I ditching internet is not feasible right now.

Sent from my VS835 using Tapatalk

 

[BigBoy99]

I'm just the opposite. I only have a land line and use DSL through the phone company. My "cell phone" hangs on kitchen wall and had a long curly cord. I find that I have no need or desire to be at everybodys beckon call. If you want me, call my home and leave a message on my answering machine. Yes I'm a curmudgeon!

 

[Golddollar]

I can't stand to try and read anything worth reading on my cell phone screen. When you get past 75 you want it to be as big as possible. I also hate to try and send any message with those teeny keyboards on the screen of a cell phone. Same reason. That's why I sit down to my 22" monitor with wireless full size keyboard. I'm sure I'm not alone.

Believe me, you don't have to wait until you're 75!