Electronic Communications

the next step in our WIFI project is to get input from you guys on the road and see what technology you use ... so, if anyone here can tell us what you use for Internet communication, cell phone communication, and TV stations, we'd like to hear it.

For clarity and efficiency -- please use the below format and respond here... and use one post for each individual type of technology you're talking about so I can copy and paste into a log, and later compose an overview of every type separately without interpreting several different items in one post ...

Type of technology your describing -- that is, WIFI, Cell, Cable, TV, whatever ...
What equipment you need to operate it
Do you buy or lease or rent the equipment
Approximately what the equipment costs to buy or lease
Does the service require a "monthly fee" and if so, how much.

We use a Verizon Air Card, which we purchased a year ago for about $100.00. We pay a monthy fee of about $60.00 for unlimited air time. I have built in wi-fi but rarely use it. The air card works great and we have internet access about 99.9% of the time, basically if you have cell phone reception you have internet. Also most areas are now broadband available so the speed is very good. For a full timer this is a great way to go. No satalite to set up, aim etc. It just plugs into the laptop and your good to go. To bad the monthy rate is so high, but we use it a lot. It will also pick up local WI-FI as and you can choose to use that or the Verizon access. Normally, unless the wi-fi is strong we just use the Verizon.

SO, the Air Card does internet only, and you must also pay another fee for the cell phone service, or it the $60 a month for both??

type of technology your describing -- We use WiFi only. If the park does not have WiFi available then I seek out a hotspot (McDonald's, Starbuck's, etc.)

What equipment you need to operate it -- Built in WiFi card in my laptop.

Do you buy or lease or rent the equipment -- NA

Approximately what the equipment costs to buy or lease -- NA

Does the service require a "monthly fee" and if so, how much -- No but many times, especially at military campgrounds I have to pay for the WiFi access as we go. I try to pick the parks we are going to from the ones that list "free WiFi" if at all possible.

We are not full timer's yet but we do spend approximately seven months out of the year on the road.

monkey
Yeah, about $60.00 EACH. The Air Card is internet only, and plugs into most every loptop I have ever sceen. I have a $120.00 a month going to them automatically and this month my bill was $95.00. We have the plan with a lot of minutes as my wife spends a lot of time talking to family in Vegas, Oregon, Virgina, South Dakota. So the nationwide plan with lots of minutes is good for us. I can easily remember paying $120.00 a month alone for a land line only so I count this a blessing. If I was really watching the dollar I think I would opt for a lesser phone rate plan, or retink the Air Card. But we are confortable with it.

monkey
I sent you two reply's, but an error message came up and said I had exceeded the two messages per hour limit, so I don't know if you got them. If not, try reaching me via my email address and I will try to answer your questions direct.
Frank
BTW, I only sent two messages, I don't know why it said I exceeded the two message limit. I am sure Larry will read this and take corrective action if needed.