AT&T Plan vs Tethering Verizon Wireless

[nStyle]

Do you guys think if I bought a Droid or a Palm Pre that I could tether and get the same speeds as I would get if I had bought the 3G version of the iPad?

The reason I am curious is because the monthly rate would be the same. $30 is the fee for having a smartphone on Verizon and you get unlimited internet. It also costs $30 for an iPad 3G plan with AT&T. I'm thinking I could turn the Droid or definitely the Palm Pre into a hotspot and use internet that way.

My question is, are the speeds going to be the same or similar? I live in an area where I get better Verizon coverage than AT&T anyway, so I thought it might be worth a consideration and just skip the 3G version and get a Wifi version.

 

[blazer deli]

I'm considering the same route. Especially after reading the palm pre is $50 and u can set up a hotspot for free with their data service.

 

[jav6454]

Do you guys think if I bought a Droid or a Palm Pre that I could tether and get the same speeds as I would get if I had bought the 3G version of the iPad?

The reason I am curious is because the monthly rate would be the same. $30 is the fee for having a smartphone on Verizon and you get unlimited internet. It also costs $30 for an iPad 3G plan with AT&T. I'm thinking I could turn the Droid or definitely the Palm Pre into a hotspot and use internet that way.

My question is, are the speeds going to be the same or similar? I live in an area where I get better Verizon coverage than AT&T anyway, so I thought it might be worth a consideration and just skip the 3G version and get a Wifi version.

No they are not similar. Verizon has much, much slower 3G speeds than AT&T. Also, using a Verizon device as a Wi-Fi hotspot will cost you more than AT&T's iPad plans. Also, remember, with AT&T it's prepay, so you can cancel anytime; Verizon it's a dead lock 2 year contract with a nice ETF if you so wish to bail.

Think about it well.

 

[JoshuaA]

I've had both the iPhone 3G and (currently) a Droid.

AT&T's network here in Utah gets around 150KB/s at best, depending on where I am.

On Verizon, I get almost 300KB/s indoors (but voice quality is terrible IMO, compared to AT&T).

I've tethered with both (root/jailbreak), and I'd have to say that both do their jobs fine, so it's a matter of which network performs better for where you are.

If you already have a smartphone data plan, it'd be a waste to pay another $30/mo IMO, for a 3G iPad.

 

[sectime]

I've had both the iPhone 3G and (currently) a Droid.

AT&T's network here in Utah gets around 150KB/s at best, depending on where I am.

On Verizon, I get almost 300KB/s indoors (but voice quality is terrible IMO, compared to AT&T).

I've tethered with both (root/jailbreak), and I'd have to say that both do their jobs fine, so it's a matter of which network performs better for where you are.

If you already have a smartphone data plan, it'd be a waste to pay another $30/mo IMO, for a 3G iPad.

I'm in Salt Lake, Downtown AT&T 1.2 2.5MEG Verizon 300 to 500K. I'm thinking of dumping Iphone and moving to Verizon again. I would get a Palm Pre to use the free tethering with my Ipad. I agree about voice quality, whats up with that??

 

[jav6454]

I'm in Salt Lake, Downtown AT&T 1.2 2.5MEG Verizon 300 to 500K. I'm thinking of dumping Iphone and moving to Verizon again. I would get a Palm Pre to use the free tethering with my Ipad. I agree about voice quality, whats up with that??

You do realize that if AT&T gets 1.2-2.5 Mb/s and Verizon gets 300-500 Kb/s, going with Verizon will slow you down considerably?

 

[nStyle]

No they are not similar. Verizon has much, much slower 3G speeds than AT&T. Also, using a Verizon device as a Wi-Fi hotspot will cost you more than AT&T's iPad plans. Also, remember, with AT&T it's prepay, so you can cancel anytime; Verizon it's a dead lock 2 year contract with a nice ETF if you so wish to bail.

Think about it well.

It will cost the same. 30$/mo for Verizon's data plan and $30/mo for the prepaid iPad. Sure i will be locked in, but If Im going to use it anyway...

Is there a way I can compare the speeds in my area before buying?

Obviously a SUPER fast connection is not necessary as not much binary downloading will be done.

 

[bluehaze013]

Speed will be the same over tethering as it will over 3G on the device. The only deciding factor is the speed of your provider. On t-mobile I get between 1-1.5mbps over tether depending where I'm at same as I get on my nexus one phone. Not sure what kind of speeds AT&T and verizon get by comparison.

Try downloading the speedtest app from the market and run a speedtest I believe once it's done you can compare your results to others in your area with the app.

 

[TeeJayEm]

I got a palm pre + free mifi for $80.00/mo ( at verizon). It works like a dream so far. I've been reading that you can jailbreak your iPhone and do the same but I'm not sure if I trust that.

 

[foxnews1]

No they are not similar. Verizon has much, much slower 3G speeds than AT&T. Also, using a Verizon device as a Wi-Fi hotspot will cost you more than AT&T's iPad plans. Also, remember, with AT&T it's prepay, so you can cancel anytime; Verizon it's a dead lock 2 year contract with a nice ETF if you so wish to bail.

Think about it well.

Please don't give misleading info. AT&T, verizon, and sprint all have 3G. Speed is very close to each other and vary depending on location and signal.

The bottle neck is not tethering between the phone and iPad. The bottle neck is 3G between tower and your phone.

I am typing this on my iPad tethering from sprint TP2.

 

[nStyle]

Looks like Verizon tethering is the way to go for me. I wonder if the Droid can do this for sure? I know the Palm Pre can..

 

[photogoofer]

pay as you go

In my area (Dayton, Ohio) Verizon is now offering pay as you go prepaid broadband plans. Must be a response to AT&T's plans.

No they are not similar. Verizon has much, much slower 3G speeds than AT&T. Also, using a Verizon device as a Wi-Fi hotspot will cost you more than AT&T's iPad plans. Also, remember, with AT&T it's prepay, so you can cancel anytime; Verizon it's a dead lock 2 year contract with a nice ETF if you so wish to bail.

Think about it well.

 

[goosnarrggh]

In my area (Dayton, Ohio) Verizon is now offering pay as you go prepaid broadband plans. Must be a response to AT&T's plans.

Verizon advertises prepaid "mobile broadband" data options on a nation-wide basis, for use with the MiFi and similar devices. (Whether or not it's actually available nation-wide, I don't know.) They are, indeed, prepaid, so there is no lock-in or ETF.

But (and this is a huge BUT): the prepaid options are significantly more expensive than the equivalent iPad-exclusive service from AT&T. The options available are:

- Pay-per-day ($15 per day for 75 MB, but you only pay for those days in which you intentionally use data), and

- Pay-per-week ($30 per week for up to 250 MB, if you don't want to use it next week, no problem, just don't pay next week), and

- Pay-per-month ($50 per month for up to 500 MB, if you don't want it next month, no problem just don't pay next month).

Like I said, Verizon's best rate ($50 per month for 500 MB) is still more expensive than AT&T's wost iPad rate.

In every case, if you use up the allotment you purchased for before the end of the payment period, data is cut off (ie overage is impossible) until you purchase another allotment.

 

[donjuan2009]

Verizon is 5gb not 500mb..

Verizon advertises prepaid "mobile broadband" data options on a nation-wide basis, for use with the MiFi and similar devices. (Whether or not it's actually available nation-wide, I don't know.) They are, indeed, prepaid, so there is no lock-in or ETF.

But (and this is a huge BUT): the prepaid options are significantly more expensive than the equivalent iPad-exclusive service from AT&T. The options available are:

- Pay-per-day ($15 per day for 75 MB, but you only pay for those days in which you intentionally use data), and

- Pay-per-week ($30 per week for up to 250 MB, if you don't want to use it next week, no problem, just don't pay next week), and

- Pay-per-month ($50 per month for up to 500 MB, if you don't want it next month, no problem just don't pay next month).

Like I said, Verizon's best rate ($50 per month for 500 MB) is still more expensive than AT&T's wost iPad rate.

In every case, if you use up the allotment you purchased for before the end of the payment period, data is cut off (ie overage is impossible) until you purchase another allotment.

 

[samcraig]

You still need a voice plan with Verizon - so it's not just $30 for unlimited hot spot/web.

And when you travel internationally - then what?

 

[donjuan2009]

Verizon has broadband internationally the do have simcards in some usb network cards..

You still need a voice plan with Verizon - so it's not just $30 for unlimited hot spot/web.

And when you travel internationally - then what?

 

[samcraig]

Verizon has broadband internationally the do have simcards in some usb network cards..

but for the pre and/or the pixie? Do they use sim cards?

And again - you still need a voice plan with either phone.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Verizon is 5gb not 500mb..

For their locked-in, contract based MiFi service, yes, their highest tier of service is 5GB. That costs $60 per month.

They also have a $30 plan for unlimited data use on smartphones, and it is only available in combination with a voice plan. It appears that this plan could be used with an appropriate smartphone to provide unlimited hotspot connectivity as well.

But for prepaid MiFi service, which is what I was referring to, their highest tier of service is 500 MB, and as I said, it costs $50 per month.

 

[flyguy206]

I got the mifi and i go month to month. the good thing about the mifi is you can have more then one device on it. And if i don't want it just call them up and cancel.

 

[shadrap]

Wait until June and get the Sprint HTC Evo 4g and you will be cruising at speeds faster than any other carrier. Plus, with wifi tether, you will be doing so completely free.