Best cell plans for just weathertap use?

[D. Hayes]

Hi all,

I've seen weathertap mentioned a few times on here and after a bit of reading it looks like something that would suit me well. There's like a million cell plans out there right now and I don't want to fall into another 2 year contract. I don't currently have a cell phone as I really despise them. Because I only used like 100 minutes a month and I had to pay like $45 for 2 years.

I have a NOAA capable CB, in dash DVD with TV, and of course local radio. But a weather radar display on the hand with lightning strikes would help me considerably. Anyone have any recommendations?

-Dory

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Every plan I've heard of requires at least some sort of contract whether it is 1 year or 2 years, don't think there is really a way around that unless you pay the $200+ to break the contract.

One year I did the whole using the cell phone to get radar and I hated it, it was so useless I may as well just not even bothered with it. One year I had a Pocket PC that had wifi capabilities that I used a few times to connect to wifi and get on the internet, it was better than a cell phone but still didn't like it cause the small size.

If you had the money you could always get WxWorks, the hardware is expensive ($900+) and the service is what you'd normally pay for wireless data.. in my opinion I'd rather have mobile internet and use something such as GRLevel3 but WxWorx is a good substitute and plus you don't need a contract, you can turn it on and off as you please.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Since you are from KS you might consider an alltel data plan. Some folks are getting rid of their home phone, then just using their alltel phone for that....and for internet. It's only $25 more a month for unlimited data use. Then data for chasing is pretty much ziltch...you'd just take it with you. Sure beats the hell out of buying wxworx hardware and paying a monthly fee. (I realize you don't want a cell phone contract etc, but pretty sure you'd need a contract of some kind to get data for weathertap........and this route would make it worth it)

 

[Dustin Wilcox]

Since you are from KS you might consider an alltel data plan. Some folks are getting rid of their home phone, then just using their alltel phone for that....and for internet. It's only $25 more a month for unlimited data use. Then data for chasing is pretty much ziltch...you'd just take it with you. Sure beats the hell out of buying wxworx hardware and paying a monthly fee.

Even better they now have the data Card's (free with Contract) you don't have to bother using your phone and avoid cords, all this while getting upload speeds 2-3 times what the phone connection offers, plus you get coverage in more areas than the phones do. It's only $60 a month, a measly $20-$30 more than your typical cable companies cost for landline internet (screw Huntel), and you get internet anywhere including while on the road chasing, and don't need to even own a phone to do it.

 

[D. Hayes]

I do have a pretty nice laptop with bluetooth and wifi that I have used through the my cellphone but that was when I was stationed over in England 2 years ago. I'll check with Alltell and see what it'll cost for their data plan. Maybe get rid of Vonage in the process since Cox can't seem to keep the internet up when I want to use my digital telephone.

 

[John Wetter]

While this thread has been covered many, many, many times... I'll point out that most 2-year contracts are so you can get the card cheap/free. If you are willing to outright pay for a data card, you'll usually be free of contracts. True, you won't get the lowest monthly rate, but welcome to the cell phone industry in the United States.

-John

 

[Mark Blue]

I do have a pretty nice laptop with bluetooth and wifi that I have used through the my cellphone but that was when I was stationed over in England 2 years ago. I'll check with Alltell and see what it'll cost for their data plan. Maybe get rid of Vonage in the process since Cox can't seem to keep the internet up when I want to use my digital telephone.

Dory,

Keep in mind you will have to pay a monthly or annual fee for a Weathertap subscription. If you were planning on getting data on a cellphone or PDA, you will need to use something like http://www.skweezer.net/ to get the web pages to display correctly on such a small screen.

Among other things I have a laptop, a Weatertap subscription, and a data card. To be honest with you, there is so much free information available on the internet (if you have mobile connectivity) that I often wonder why I maintain a Weathertap subscription when the same thing is available for free elsewhere. The only thing Weathertap may offer is a one-stop solution to find all of your data in one place - versus utilizing several free websites to acheive the same result. I do maintain the subsciption to Weathertap for a couple of reasons, so it's worth something in the long run I suppose.

If I were you (and since you have a laptop), I'd look into the mobile data cards that Alltel offers. I've seen the Alltel mobile broadband solution in action when I chased with Roger Hill and it connects virtually everywhere one might venture. I myself have a Sprint data card and it works pretty good as well, but it does require a 2 year contract (unfortunately). Sprint and Alltel have roaming agreements, so there aren't too many places that data isn't available nowadays, albeit at 1xRTT speeds in most rural areas. In those locales where your data card doesn't work, you can always sniff out free Wi-Fi and mooch off of some unsuspecting goober who knows nothing about network security! Good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Mark

 

[ssimmons]

WeatherTAP now has a Mobile section that allows the user to define what size they want the images to be displayed in. It also allows for zooming, panning and animating of the images. WeatherTAP Mobile makes nearly all the images available on WeatherTAP viewable on almost any mobile device. You can read more about it here.

WeatherTAP subscribers can get to the Mobile site by going to http://www.weathertap.com/mobilewx

 

[Bill Tabor]

Among other things I have a laptop, a Weatertap subscription, and a data card. To be honest with you, there is so much free information available on the internet (if you have mobile connectivity) that I often wonder why I maintain a Weathertap subscription when the same thing is available for free elsewhere. The only thing Weathertap may offer is a one-stop solution to find all of your data in one place - versus utilizing several free websites to acheive the same result. I do maintain the subsciption to Weathertap for a couple of reasons, so it's worth something in the long run I suppose.

Another reason I keep Weathertap is they are fast. Many other free sites will bog down during a severe weather event. This is almost never true with Weathertap. They have some of the best detailed satellite views as well. Plus I like a lot of the format of how the data and apps are presented - often for quick, easy use.

They have a number of different products which come with your subscription as well such as Weathertap Mobile and Radarlab Hd - which includes level II radar data.

They are not the only source I use by any means, but for the fairly low monthly cost I maintain my account.

 

[Tony Perkins]

Data Cards and Contracts

I've read elsewhere and been under the assumption that all data card services require a 1 or 2 year contract, which has kept me on tethering. However I've seen references that with Alltel (not Vzw/Sprint), that you can buy your card outright and go month to month with only paying the activation fee. Can anyone with Alltel data card service verify that?

If it only costs me a card plus activiation, that's worth it in my book for 7-8 months of service a year, saving $300+ for the winter months.

 

[John Wetter]

However I've seen references that with Alltel (not Vzw/Sprint), that you can buy your card outright and go month to month with only paying the activation fee. Can anyone with Alltel data card service verify that?

If it only costs me a card plus activiation, that's worth it in my book for 7-8 months of service a year, saving $300+ for the winter months.

If you're willing to buy the card outright, you can go month-month with Sprint too. I think it's just $10/mo more. I personally just have them hold my data account over the winter.

-John

 

[Forrest lambert]

I just have a question about weathertap? when you get weathertap it goes to your cell phone right? and you can view radar etc from it right? im new to that web site thats why im asking. thanks

 

[fplowman]

Forrest Weathertap is a web based data service. If your telephone can cruise the internet. Meaning if you have a fancy phone you can cruise the net with then, yes it will work. I must say though when chasing a larger screen that you can manipulate with higher resolution so you can see where the storm is in relation to cities, roads and your position etc. is needed. I suppose you could "get buy" with it though. Hope that helps.

 

[Paul Redmond]

I swear by weathertap at home and at the office for up to date nexrads, satellite, and quick surface conditions. For forcasting, I will use other sites of course. But on the road, weathertap is boss for nexrads.

I am planning on updating to a data card this spring. I am curious as to how well altell functions in texas. My cells are with AT&T (formerly cingular). To be honest I have had no complaint with AT&T's cell coverage, but I have heard not so good things about their data card coverage in the more remote areas.

I am thinking about two options

1: upgrading my cell phone, cancel the other phone and get the data card with AT&T.

2 Going to Altell, get one of their phones, their data card, and stick with a new multi year contract.

Decisions decisions

Now if I could just fenagle a laptop out of work to replace my regular desktop.

 

[Forrest lambert]

yea i dont think that will work with my phone, i got tmobile and the only think i can get to is the web, email and the weather channel. looks like i need a upgrade!