Walmart's "Internet On The Go"

[QuiGonJohn]

I have been looking for a mifi option, mostly for when my wife & I are out in our RV. I recently found out about TruConnect and then this version of TruConnect called "Internet On The Go" through WalMart.

The pricing of the data, when they started was very good and I was really leaning towards this.

But then I see just back in May, they reduced the value of this deal, decreasing from 4GB to 3GB for the same $45. So now I am not so sure.

It is still a pretty good deal, and I may do it, but I am concerned they may change the rates again and make it even less of a good deal. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.


BTW, I am only interested in the "no expire plans", not the "30 day plans". Which they really soured those, cutting the $45 level in half.

Thanks all!

[Briarhopper]

We have been using a Verizon MiFi for 4 years and currently gives 5GB for $50 or 10GB for $80. Once or twice a year I look around for a better option and seems most are either less quality or higher cost. The really good dollar deals and the unlimited usage usually limit your speeds.

Depending on where you travel, there is a provider called Boingo that provides Wifi at airports and similar locations. They have agreements with many other providers and you can get an unlimited plan for $9.99 a month (they cut your speed if you use a lot). Teingo Internet which covers many state parks is one of their partners. We had it for a while but then ended up not staying anywhere near one of the hotspots for several months.

[QuiGonJohn]

Briarhopper, have you ever looked at this plan from Walmart. It is supposed to be on Sprint's network. What I like is that there is no monthly fee. Just buy the device, $79 plus tax, pay for the data, (I'd get the 3gb for $45). Then you just use it and when the data gets low, you top-up. It seems like a pretty good choice for us, who only take weekend trips about once every 4 to 6 weeks, and maybe a couple times a year, slightly longer road trips, of 2 weeks max.

[Briarhopper]

We've been using 4-7 GB per month so the $45/3GB would cost us more at a slower speed. Sounds like it could work for your purposes though. It may be a bit of a hassle to add airtime per some reviews on Wal-Mart's website.

[QuiGonJohn]

Just back from a 2 week RV Trip through the Southeast and I thought I would update on my experience with Walmart's "Internet-On-The-Go".

I bought the device early in the morning on 9/12 and plugged it in to charge it, once I got home. At that same time I went online to their website to activate it. Later in the afternoon, I figured it was fully charged and tested it, the 3GB I bought was applied and I was able to get the internet. We left home (Southeast Florida), on 9/13 and traveled up Florida via the Turnpike, then I-75, up through GA and Atlanta, then into the mountains NE of Atlanta, then into NC up toward Asheville, then Chimney Rock, then over to Asheboro, then further east to Warsaw, NC. After that we headed home, back towards Fayetteville, NC, then down I-95 to South Florida.

We were able to get internet almost every time we tried while on the interstate highways. We were not able to get it at the campground we stayed at outside of Blairsville, GA and also at the campground we stayed at just east of Chimney Rock, NC. We were able to get it at all other stops.

We used it as much as we wanted and needed to. For the whole trip we used about .4GB of data, less than half a gigabyte. So it seems this device and plan is a good fit for our needs. We will be home for a couple weeks, then we are taking a long weekend trip to Tampa, (in the car, not the RV), and we will probably take it on the road with us. After that, we are camping in the RV for a weekend in early Nov, and will take it again. Most likely, after those trips, we will still have between 1.5GB and 2GB left.

As far as the refills, we signed up for Auto-Refill, so I can't report on how well that works. But since the initial activation/being able to actually use it, went pretty smooth, I imagine the Auto-Refill will go just as smoothly.

[BlueSpring]

We have Internet on the go mifi and use it when we are in the USA and don't have access to wifi.

As Canadians this was only one that we could find that we did not have a monthly fee and didn't lose what we had paid when we are back home. It will not work in some areas but will work very well in many others. When we travel here in Canada we seem to be able to find wifi as the internet on the go will not work here.

[StellersJay]

Briarhopper -- any connection to Dwight Moody?

I use the Verizon Jet Pack $50 per month for 5 gb data. Haven't stayed in a campground yet where we didn't have service on the device. We rely on it and our ATT cell phone data plan for our home internet service, also.

Sam

[Haidenger]

Thanks for the post QuiGonJohn.

As a Canadian who will be travelling in the US for 5 to 6 months of the year I need reliable wireless internet access but I don't want to pay hefty monthly fees for the other months of the year when I am in Canada. This sounds like it may be a viable solution since the unused usage does not expire and no time-binding contract is required.

[jlandon13399]

Any smart cell phone with a data plan can be used as a hot spot. You are probably paying for data each month that you do not use. It is not necessary to buy a separate plan or device.

[Haidenger]

Any smart cell phone with a data plan can be used as a hot spot. You are probably paying for data each month that you do not use. It is not necessary to buy a separate plan or device.

I see a product like this as a possible solution for those of us crossing borders often. If you are a US citizen crossing into Canada or a Canadian in the US, the roaming charges on a cell phone contract become very costly quickly. My cell phone plan allows me to call anywhere in Canada and access more data than I need all for under $70/month. If I cross the border into the US, my cell phone cost skyrockets to $1.45 per minute.

I was planning to simply pick up a pay-as-you-go package for my phone calls and a package like this would fill in the data needs for Internet access without costing me for the months I'm back home in the frozen white north.

[QuiGonJohn]

We have used it quite a bit since buying it last September. We do not full-time and most of our RV trips are weekends, with occasional 1-2 week trips. This has been a God send. Obviously, most of our internet is at home on our wifi, with our ISP (AT&T). But when we travel in the RV, and even on car road trips, we bring this handy device and pretty much can have internet whenever/wherever we are, even cruising down the highway. We are still on the original 3GB we bought when we bought the device, no monthly fees is the best part. We still have about 1.6GB left. Total cost in almost 1 year, ~$125. (~$80 for the device, plus $45 for our first 3GB). We use it pretty much without limitations, when we feel we need it (except I will not try to watch any streaming TV show). Only additional cost will be when we use up the rest of this 3GB, $45 to buy another 3GB.

When my wife wanted internet access available when we travel, I looked at a lot of options. I was loathe to spend $50 a month just for a plan, and this has really fit the bill for our needs. We do not have smartphones and are not paying for any data plan with our voice only cell phones.

Even on a recent visit to my daughter's house in Tampa, her internet was down for a day, so we were able to use it in the house to look up some things, check email, etc.

[rpfunk55]

As Canadians we have used Internet on the Go while in the US. Because you can buy the top up cards at Walmart a US address is not required as with other Internet services. On returning to Canada and not using this service for six months the time does disappear.

[royclem]

Thank you QuiJonGon I too Was thinking of internet for when we travel on long trips we sometimes stay in out of the way places and there's no internet your post and that of others where very helpful thank you all.

[huffypuff]

We hooked up with Verizon Jetpack with 4g speed and 3gb data per month. Has many more hotspots. You can use your phone if you have unlimited data but I think that is hard to get or very costly.

[dorgene]

We use PdaNet+ on an Android phone from Verizon (Google http://www.junefabrics.com/index.php).

With PdaNet+ the phone can be used as a hot spot or as a tether to your phone. You have full access to the Internet and NO data charges. You can download it for free from Google Play store.

You can use it without a license but your sessions will be interrupted requiring you to sign on again. Or you can buy a license like I did. Normally a one time charge of $14.94, but currently on sale for $7.95. Best investment I've made. Note: The ability to use PdaNet+ on a few newer phones is blocked (cell carriers weren't making any money on it). Be sure to check to make sure your phone is PdaNet+ capable.

[QuiGonJohn]

UPDATE

Internet On The Go has changed their pricing again. Now $45 gets you only 2gb of data (used to be 3gb). So it's not as good a deal.

But, we are still on our original 3GB of data (purchased in Sept 2013...we have 500MB left). So still, even though the pricing is less attractive, when we refill soon, that 2GB will last us, most likely, at least a year. So that is still a heck of a deal. A years worth of internet for $45, and NO MONTHLY FEES.

[royclem]

Walmart's Internet on the go carries over month to month? Then that is a good deal-- was thinking of getting this also. Was it easy to set up and did you need to pick it up at the store to get receipt to set it up?

[creativepart]

We had a Sprint MiFi device for a while and found it useless in most remote places. It worked fine in the cities, but we don't usually camp in the city. We carry both Verizon and ATT MiFis now. We use the one with the best signal - usually the Verizon. But not always. We're going to a fairly remote TX State Park next week that works well with the ATT MiFi and has no signal at all on Verizon.

[QuiGonJohn]

Walmart's Internet on the go carries over month to month? Then that is a good deal-- was thinking of getting this also. Was it easy to set up and did you need to pick it up at the store to get receipt to set it up?

Yes it carries over. We just last week had to finally top up ours, our initial 3GB, (from Sept 2013 ran out). So we got just a couple months shy of 2 years. As I said, the only downside is now it is only 2GB for $45. But even if that just last us one year, it's still a good deal. Heck, even if it only lasts us 6 months, that would also still be a good deal. You can't beat the no monthly charge. Only caveat is, don't plan to use this if you intend to stream video, you'll fly thru the data. But for checking email, looking up restaurants, routes, places of interest, gas prices, campsgrounds, etc. it's a great deal with no monthly fee.

I just hope they change the pricing to make it a little more favorable, as it was in the past.

[rlbarkleyii]

I use Verizons 4G Broadbaand Router with voice MIFI device and have always had great service and speed all over the south and north-east. The device fee's are 30.00+- per month and then your data plan. Verizon charges $30.00 activate their or your device. Since you can attach a land line phone to the device, you can forward your home or business phone to the router on the road. TIP: Don't buy the router from Verizon, on Amazon the new router is $85.00 or $57.00 for refurbished. Verizon charges $280.00 for device. It runs perfectly on less than 75 watts, so i run mine thru a 75watt inverter 24/7.

[signorelli]

I use Verizons 4G Broadbaand Router with voice MIFI device and have always had great service and speed all over the south and north-east. The device fee's are 30.00+- per month and then your data plan. Verizon charges $30.00 activate their or your device. Since you can attach a land line phone to the device, you can forward your home or business phone to the router on the road. TIP: Don't buy the router from Verizon, on Amazon the new router is $85.00 or $57.00 for refurbished. Verizon charges $280.00 for device. It runs perfectly on less than 75 watts, so i run mine thru a 75watt inverter 24/7.

rlbarkleyii, my husband and I are brand new to RVing. Just got a Class A and will be heading out on our first trip soon. I am interested in knowing more about the Verizon router connection option and am wondering if we can use what we already have as our home phone modem. We investigated mifi options, including using a Verizon Jetpack, but when we called Verizon (our cell and home phone provider) to ask more details about it, we were told we can just use the hot spot on my iPhone 6 to connect, using our data plan, of course. We decided that was the easiest way to handle connecting to the internet while on the road and that we would just add data if we get close to going over our present limit (4 GB/month). We would, however, like to take our home phone with us, as well as have the potential to connect to the internet using a more powerful "hot spot" option (being the 4G broadband router) since we already have the equipment and won't incur any additional fees or costs (other than additional data, if needed). Thanks for any help you can give!

[dlfishing]

What wifi options do US residents have when going to Canada?

[dlfishing]

I assume this conversation is for using computers on the road, thus the need for a hot spot. 

I use my I pad when traveling so it all is charged to my data plan. We have AT&T on both Smart phones and my iPad. 

Would I be better using one of these other plans for access to the Internet?

i have recently retired and plan to make two or three RV trips for a duration of 30 to 60 days at a time. 

[royclem]

I got my Internet on the go the first of the month and use it twice a week to keep it activated. I got the 4G LTE from Walmart, I purchased 4GB and I think it was either $45 or $50 and its good for 2 months anything less like 2GB is only good for 1 Month. I think they were losing money letting plans carry over so they put an end date on all the plans. At Least according to Walmart Employee..

That being said 4GB is way to much for me, I have barely used 1GB so far so I'll top of with 1 or 2 GB when this expires and that will be good for  one month and then you lose the balance, after 30 Days, $15 for 1GB for one month isn't bad. I don't download movies or books, or do any streaming so usage is less. We don't have data plans on the phones as we use Boost plan by sprint.

[dlfishing]

I assume this conversation is for using computers on the road, thus the need for a hot spot. 

I use my I pad when traveling so it all is charged to my data plan. We have AT&T on both Smart phones and my iPad. 

Would I be better using one of these other plans for access to the Internet?

i have recently retired and plan to make two or three RV trips for a duration of 30 to 60 days at a time.