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thegeek
Premium Member
join:2008-02-21
right here

thegeek

Premium Member

Just Tether to a Cell Phone

Rooted Android phone with Wireless Tether + WiFi only Android Tablet = win.

Camelot One
MVM
join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

Camelot One

MVM

said by thegeek:

Rooted Android phone with Wireless Tether + WiFi only Android Tablet = win.

You don't even need to root. My Asus Transformer is tethered to my un-rooted Droid-X via bluetooth, with no additional tethering plan.
NuShrike
join:2010-09-01

NuShrike to thegeek

Member

to thegeek
Unless you're on AT&T. They're hunting you down like the plague because you're breaking their collusional, multi-dipping racket.
xenophon
join:2007-09-17

xenophon

Member

Even if you officially tether, it's better than buying a device that needs another plan. With phone tethering, can do multiple devices with none plan.

The carriers need to stop selling devices with 3G/4G and just promote WiFi with tethering phones. I feel for those suckered into carrier specific tablets. Just not a wise way to go.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

I totally agree. I converted my AT&T iPhone $30/mo unlimited data plan to the $45/month tethering plan. Although I'm now capped at 4G/month, the MiFi is worth it. I recently took the family to YellowStone and my three boys loved having on-the-go Internet access on their iPods and laptops. During the 24hour drive, hey played a game called Minecraft that my middle son said made hours of driving seem like minutes. I must say, though, that Nebraska sucks. I-80 outside of Omaha and Lincoln was horrible (Edge or GPRS -- never before had I seen the iPHone with a small "o" == GPRS. I had only seen 3G or E).

My father, who also owns an iPhone, purchased an iPad2. He wanted the iPad2 with a data plan. I advised him to buy the WiFi version and add the tethering plan to his iPhone. It was considerably cheaper and infinitely more flexible. Instead of just using it with his tablet, he can also use it with his laptop.

Does anyone know if a "data only" plan for a tablet gets hit with USF, E911, excise tax, common line user charges or any of the typical telco/government fees? If so, adding tethering to a plan for which these charges are already covered could be much smarter than paying for all this crap again.

thegeek
Premium Member
join:2008-02-21
right here

thegeek

Premium Member

said by rradina:

I must say, though, that Nebraska sucks. I-80 outside of Omaha and Lincoln was horrible (Edge or GPRS -- never before had I seen the iPHone with a small "o" == GPRS. I had only seen 3G or E).

Being from MO you should have expected it. MO, NE, KS, IA, IL, WI, MN. All pretty much have shitty spotty coverage from all the major carriers. Corn cobs and cows don't really need 3G ya know.
rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO

rradina

Member

I believe MO has 3G on along the interstates. We had it the entire drive between STL and KC.

Montana and South Dakota had 3G the entire trip along I-90. I-80 in Nebraska was the biggest pain. Of course Wyoming was also a pain but with the mountains, getting ANY service was a pain. Jackson, WY, West Yellowstone, MT and Gardiner MT had 3G near the parks. Almost no AT&T coverage inside the parks outside of the Old Faithful area which had Edge. The east side of Idaho along the west side of the Tetons also had 3G coverage. Overall I was impressed with how much of the trip had 3G coverage -- with the exception of Nebraska. Even though it said Edge, if it worked at all, it was worse than dialup.

thegeek
Premium Member
join:2008-02-21
right here

thegeek

Premium Member

half way up I-29 and I-35 out of KC the 3G coverage gets spotty. Otherwise, yes it's good along the interstates. But that's it.
ShellMMG
join:2009-04-16
Grass Lake, MI

ShellMMG to rradina

Member

to rradina
I have an aircard account with VZW (formerly an Alltel customer). Because it's considered an "internet only" device there are no federal, state, local, 911 or other nonsensical taxes on in. There is a tiny -- as in pennies -- Administrative Fee.

Of course, after today's market slump and our government drooling with taxation greed, that could end anytime now...