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All iPads Your experience with the portable Internet devices like Clear, etc?

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Pinkstiletto66

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
501
1
New York City.
Would especially like to hear from people from NYC but I was thinking about getting one of those portable devices you pay about 40 a month for Internet. How are they? I checked my coverage map and it said its covered. I'm thinking about getting one of these instead of a data ipad mini.
 
I have an Apollo clear hotspot. And I get great coverage with it. I brought mine almost three years ago and for two of those years I used it for my only means of Internet. I have connected two iPads two iPhones a wireless printer and a laptop to it all at the same time and didn't have a problem. You just have to be in the right coverage area. To me it is just easier to use the clear hotspot then look for wifi or use my precious data on my Verizon data shared plan.
I am in the Bay Area can't speak for NYC. I would suggest that you buy and try it out because it is one of few data plans that are unlimited and I have never been throttled and I use anywhere between 100 to 200gb a month. And have never been slowed down. The only problem I have had with the hotspot is when I go to my doctors office and I can't use it all but when I turn on my cell data that is also spotty. So try it out in the places that you frequent and that should give you a good ideal.
 
I ended up reading some reviews from Yelp for people in my area and it was a bit concerning. Enough that I would want try a different company. Someone linked net zero and some other brand in another section on here.
 
I almost purchased a Clear device being promoted by Best Buy a couple of years ago but decided not to at the last minute because I didn't want to change my e-mail address. I decided to look up reviews for Clear when I got home and read some of the worst reviews I've ever seen for any product. Also a common complaint was the difficulty of getting tech support on the phone or being able to return the product and get a refund. Maybe things have changed since then but I felt very lucky that day to have side stepped a land mine. I learned that in the future the time to read product reviews was before a purchase. :)
I would try to find current reviews for the product before making your decision.
 
I had the clear iSpot for two years before I dropped and broke it. Coverage was fine in all densely populated areas.

Unfortunately they wouldn't keep the service plan I had if I bought a new device so I just have a data plan on my iPad now.
 
I'm not in NYC area but I have been using CLEAR for almost a year now as my home Internet provider. I pay $50 a month for their top speeds. It's great. I could not be more pleased. We have 3 iPads, 2 iPhones, MacBook and 2 PS3 connected to it. Even with all of that Netflix plays clear and I watch live hockey games on my ipad with no problem.

I bought mine at FRYS Electronics and they checked my zip code for service coverage before I purchased. No contract made it even better.

I think it's great.
 
Very interesting I am glad OP make this thread because I was going to. Anyway I was thinking about buying a Clear Spot Voyager for 49.00 plus data plan for my iPad 2. :apple:
 
Just keep in mind the WiMAX network Clear runs on is going to be phased out over the next few years. Perhaps find an LTE carrier. Get a hotspot from Tmobile
 
I'm getting 10-12 down 4-6 down. Mine stays in my house. I haven't tested in any other place in the San Jose San Francsico area. I'm really pleased with my service.
 
I user Verizon Card

My plan
10 Gigs

Pros:
Super Fast,
ive driven down the highway going 70 mph while getting 700-900 klbyt's per sec

now thats freakin badass

Cons:
Freakin Expensive $100 bills for 10 gig
like 5 gigs is 80ish i think
battery time
good thing i got my power pack


Never Used Clear
But from their site
www.clear.com (damn they must have payed a pretty penny for that domain)
pros:
never used it, so dont know if its fast but it says 4g which is same as verizon
its $50 for 4 gigs

Cons:
4 gigs max plan
its mostly east cost coverage and seems like
ny and such, but it coverage map seems really like a bunch of areas
vs. verizon really dense spread coverage map..
 
finishmarketing said:
I user Verizon Card

My plan
10 Gigs

Pros:
Super Fast,
ive driven down the highway going 70 mph while getting 700-900 klbyt's per sec

now thats freakin badass

Cons:
Freakin Expensive $100 bills for 10 gig
like 5 gigs is 80ish i think
battery time
good thing i got my power pack


Never Used Clear
But from their site
www.clear.com (damn they must have payed a pretty penny for that domain)
pros:
never used it, so dont know if its fast but it says 4g which is same as verizon
its $50 for 4 gigs

Cons:
4 gigs max plan
its mostly east cost coverage and seems like
ny and such, but it coverage map seems really like a bunch of areas
vs. verizon really dense spread coverage map..
Click to expand...


I think you misread the plans. It is 50 dollars unlimited for up to 6 or higher download and up to 1 or higher upload. And 35 for unlimited up to 1.5 and higher download and 500mb upload or higher. 19 for 2gb of data.
 
jeans94621 said:
I get 21 down and 4 up
Click to expand...

Damn. That's pretty good. I checked the coverage map, and I'm in the "Best" service zone. Right now I'm getting 16/4 from comcast and paying $62 with the modem rental. I would need an in-home device for my iMac, however (according to the site), which it looks like may slow things down a little.

Thanks!
 
Bonehead question:

Anyone know how these devices generate an IP address? I'd love to watch my Red Sox on MLB.TV without the blackouts.
 
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