Best Prepaid Mobile Broadband Plan/Device

[btcoon7]

Guys what you use with your Surface Pro 3s?

I was using VM broanband2go 4g unlimited plan, but windows 8.1 doesn't work
with the VM u600 usb stick. So shopping for new plan/device.

What you use?

 

[leeshor]

Welcome to the forum

Wal-Mart has a prepaid, (never expires) portable hotspot that works with anything.

 

[kozak79]

Not sure what phone you have, but you can set up a hotspot through your phone, which most carriers charge $20 a month for and you share your data plan.

Price Breakdown from http://techland.time.com/2014/02/04/hotspot-share-your-phones-mobile-data-with-other-devices/

AT&T: Mobile hotspot is included with the carrier’s shared data plans, whereas a tablet-only plan would cost you an extra $10 per month. For non-shared, limited data plans, mobile hotspot costs $20 per month and provides 2 GB of extra data. That’s $5 more expensive than AT&T’s standalone 250 MB tablet plan, but $10 cheaper than a 3 GB tablet plan.

Verizon Wireless: Mobile hotspot is included with the carrier’s shared data plans, whereas a tablet-only plan would cost you $10 more per month. For all other plans, mobile hotspot costs $20 per month and provides 2 GB of additional monthly data. The same $20 gets you just 1 GB per month if you sign up for a separate tablet plan. For infrequent use, Verizon also offers $5 day passes with 300 MB of data.

Sprint: Mobile hotspot use starts at $10 per month for 1 GB, regardless of whether you have an unlimited smartphone data plan. If you do have an an unlimited smartphone plan, you can tack on 5 GB of hotspot use for $30 per month. By comparison, Sprint’s tablet data plans cost $15 per month for 300 MB and $30 per month for 3 GB.

T-Mobile: Mobile hotspot is free with all Simple Choice plans. Any data you use counts against your monthly limit, except for unlimited plans, which get 2.5 GB of hotspot use per month. For tablet users, T-Mobile provides 200 MB of free tablet data per month, but charges $20 per month for 500 MB and $30 per month for 2.5 GB.

 

[guymalloc]

I use a Virgin Mobile Sierra Wireless Pro 3g/4g wireless hotspot. I'm grandfathered in on a $35 per month 2gb 3g, and unlimited 4g (up to 10gb then throttled) plan. Works perfectly either wireless or plugged in to a usb port. Battery lasts about 4 hours, same as my Surface Pro 1 lasts when busy. Download speed is about 9.5 MGBs, upload about 3 MGBs. Can connect 5 devices wirelessly.

 

[btcoon7]

Guys hi, thank you for your replies.
@ guymalloc - i have exactly same plan, but i have u600 usb stick.
Trying to make it work...

 

[guymalloc]

I had a VM usb stick before I got the Sierra Wireless Pro. It never connected better than 3g, and was slow as dialup. Needed another option, as I won't pay $60 a month for cable internet, and needed something portable. I've been very pleased with my setup...

 

[daniielrp]

I have a Three Mi-Fi, but not pre-paid, I pay £8 p/m for 5GB data.

 

[btcoon7]

I had a VM usb stick before I got the Sierra Wireless Pro. It never connected better than 3g, and was slow as dialup. Needed another option, as I won't pay $60 a month for cable internet, and needed something portable. I've been very pleased with my setup...

guymalloc are using that device -> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/92344414/5124855.jpg
Virgin Mobile Over Drive Pro? And it IS working with windows 8.1 / Surface Pro 3, right?

 

[guymalloc]

Yes, I'm using The Virgin Mobile Overdrive Pro, but with Windows 8.1.1 on my Surface Pro 1. I haven't seen the need to upgrade to a SP3 yet, Maybe when the SP4's come out and the price drops. It has been working flawlessly with the SP1.