Thoughts on Carriers and Data

[ChrisMartin]

S&T can use data when you download construction updates, etc. but basic nav it doesn't really. GRLevel3 isn't a big data hog... more placefiles = more polling/usage. i wouldn't worry to much about grl3 though. big thing a lot of ppl mess up with on data usage w/ wireless stuff is forgetting to turn off things like auto update downloads. i have mine check & let me know, but make it ask before it downloads. another simple one some people just don't think about is itunes downloading podcasts. just look at what you have running all/most of the time & make sure it isn't downloading behind your back.

 

[David Wolfson]

Mat, I usually use my VZW aircard through the CradlePoint wi-fi router, so held off untill I could check the direct connect. As I remembered, there are three ways to monitor your usage. The first is the VZAccess Manager program. Selecting Statistics from the Options drop-down menu opens a live window for the current session; and the Log button displays and optionally exports a chronicle of previous sessions. The second is logging on to your MyVerizon account at Verizonwireless.com, which can display your almost-up to date usage in the current billing cycle. The third is the live status window for your current connection session available by clicking on "View Status" on the MSW Network and Sharing panel. Hope this helps....

 

[N Parker]

I have the 5750 Verizon aircard for internet and have a Sprint 9630 Tour Blackberry for voice/text/data. I love the aircard and it gets fairly good service. Pretty quick too. However, I hate dealing with Verizon period. Thats why I switched my phone service to Sprint. I have the everything data for 69.99 a month (450 any minutes) and it is the cats tail! I have the Any mobile, anytime included with my plan and it is well worth it. I had half the plan with Verizon and it would cost me close to 100 every month in overages and fees. And they would charge me for crap that I had turned off months before. You also roam off Verizon towers with Sprint, and roaming doesn't cost a thing. If they would just lift thier 300k cap on data while roaming, I would switch my internet over to Sprint as well. (I live in a "roaming" area and use my aircard as a main source of internet since I live in the sticks.)