IS there a downside in getting a mobile hotspot instead of

[Godzuki]

cable, DSL, or your more standard Internet service?

I don't know anything about hot spotting. I just was signing up for mobile phone service with TMobile and they started selling me on their hotspot internet service. It sounds too good to be true where i'm wondering what the catch is. Here is how it breaks down:

6.5GB of hotspot data and once that is used, the only thing that happens is my internet speed slows down some but they don't charge anything extra. so basically unlimited internet, 4G internet speeds until 6.5 data cap is reached, then it slows down to 2G i think.....all for $50/month. Oh and the Hotspot unit costs like $132~

Where is the downside to this VS more standard internet providers? i mean i can take this anywhere and apparently hook up 4 other computers to it to get internet service too....

is there a downside?

[gts]

Interested in hearing an answer to this also

[embersyc]

It's a lot slower and has data caps and you have to worry about coverage.

[qrich]

Speeds are vastly slower. Good luck streaming.

Range of the device is more restricted. Won't get to go anywhere in your house and enjoy your mobile hotspot.

To top it off, it costs more.

You can get the 50/25 from Comcast, from where I worked there, for $39.99 a month (plus taxes and $7 if you need to lease the modem) for a year with no contract. Easily superior. Though Comcast will rip you off if you don't pay attention.

[Godzuki]

It's a lot slower and has data caps and you have to worry about coverage

Speeds are vastly slower. Good luck streaming.

Range of the device is more restricted. Won't get to go anywhere in your house and enjoy your mobile hotspot.

To top it off, it costs more.

You can get the 50/25 from Comcast, from where I worked there, for $39.99 a month (plus taxes and $7 if you need to lease the modem) for a year with no contract. Easily superior. Though Comcast will rip you off if you don't pay attention..


but they're promising 4G internet speeds, thats really fast and fine for streaming i thought?

how does 2G speeds compare to DSL/satellite?

well i got no cable lines at work so right now i'm using satellite internet(no problems streaming). you think it might be faster than that?

man i was thinking this was the perfect internet, i knew there had to be a catch tho.

[embersyc]

T-Mobile's HSPA+ network is not a true 4G network, but does deliver speeds faster than a typical 3G network; it's considered more of a 3.5G network than a true 4G network. T-Mobile says it can offer download speeds between 5 mbps and 8 mbps.


3G networks offer download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) up to 1.4 megabits per second (mbps), with bursts up to 3.1 mbps.


ADSL is the most commonly deployed types of DSL in North America. Short for asymmetric digital subscriber line ADSL supports data rates of from 1.5 to 9 Mbps when receiving data (known as the downstream rate) and from 16 to 640 Kbps when sending data (known as the upstream rate). ADSL requires a special ADSL modem.

For comparison. My Comcast Cable modem plan is advertised as 50 Mbps download.

[flipogb]

but they're promising 4G internet speeds, thats really fast and fine for streaming i thought?

how does 2G speeds compare to DSL/satellite?

well i got no cable lines at work so right now i'm using satellite internet(no problems streaming). you think it might be faster than that?

man i was thinking this was the perfect internet, i knew there had to be a catch tho.

the 4g is fine, but you might as well disregard the 2g because it is completely useless (it is that slow)

if you just need a hotspot once in a while on the road, check out freedompop.com (they have a free service and also paid ones if you need more data, all you need to do is pay for the device)

i have a hotspot from freedompop , i get 500mb a month (its called free but they charge you $1 a month for maintenance)

[niko]

Interested in hearing an answer to this also
It's slower, that data cap is tiny, and when they say it slows down after you reach your cap they mean to a freaking unusable crawl.

[Jameerthefear]

tiny ass data cap

[Godzuki]

thanks guys.

i might still get it since theres no contract and 14 day trial apparently.

[LeGOAT]

As soon as you go over the data internet speed decreases DRAMATICALLY.

[shoops]

I'd imagine one of the only benefits of using it is mobility. That doesn't seem like a good price, and once you hit that data cap, 2g is practically garbage...would probably only be useful for email. You'd probably hit that cap pretty fast too just by streaming videos. Basically only use it if you're away from home often.

[imnew09]

Data cap. Make sure you look thoroughly on the contract because some contract will CHARGE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY if you go over the limit. Also, it's fken way slower even though it's LTE. Prolly get like 2mb while on cable you get 4mb.