Cheap $20 a month Stand Alone Unlimited Rural Internet through AT&T Wireless

[hawkeye08]

I had many discussions a few years back on ATT billing when our company changed from company paid plans for those with business phones to personal accounts. It took some time, but was finally resolved with compromise.

When my daughter and I purchased new phones, mine came with SIM, I was able to activate new phone with over a couple of hours on several phone calls (not fun). Her phone was supposed to come with SIM, but they had stopped selling them and supposedly were going to refund the $5 charge (note, we bought phones direct from Motorola). We went in to a corporate ATT store, explained that she got a new phone and needed a sim and activation. No charge, took the guy 5 minutes tops.

I should get one of these connected car devices and plans, but just don't have a burning need right now. I use ~200GB per month average on home internet and cannot risk being slowed down so will be keeping my current. I just told my wife that we should move to this for our backup network (currently an ATT wireless home phone with internet that uses data from our family share plan). We could move our "home" phone number to Google Voice so that we keep our home phone number. Our contract is up near the end of the year on wireless home phone so we could get the Mobley now and then make other changes later.

 

[TractorGuy]

no they are not, its a post paid plan so you pay a month behind. My next bill due in May will be for April usage, its like a water or electric bill.

When you activated online did they require SS number or just a credit card?

What I gather from reading all the experiences if you go with a contract you pay a $45 activation fee but if you buy the unit outright there is no activation fee. Is this correct?

By the way if you are willing to wait and build your own I just ordered a OBD2 OBD-II Opening Cable 16 Pin Female Extension Connector Diagnostic Extender from china for $2.85. It comes with a vehicle female end connector with a few inches of cable and wires exposed on the end. I have plenty of power supplies laying around including a brand new in the box 14v DC output unit. According to search info pin 16 is 12v+ and pin 4 is chassis ground so it should be very simple to make your own power supply.

 

[newbury]

Got the antenna mod install, pretty easy. Followed to HoFo link.
I then drilled a hole in the case:
View attachment 507544
Only seeing about 5-8 db improvement, but that good enough to move the Mobley to the interior spot I want to place it. A quick Speedtest 15/5. Considering my successor ISP is want $80/month for 10-15mb dl (shared, not guaranteed) this for $20 is a bargain.

I want to stabilize with a bit of museum putty. Will likely try the Yagi antenna at some point.

Now to get Mobley hooked to a Picostation.

Does the case snap open easily?

 

[sodamo]

Yep, 2 little Phillips head screws near the OBD connection, a tab each side about half way along the length. I found then with a small flat screwdriver by carefully opening near the screws.

 

[BigBlue1]

no they are not, its a post paid plan so you pay a month behind. My next bill due in May will be for April usage, its like a water or electric bill.

That's exactly what I was trying to say. Sorry it was unclear.

"you are paying for your usage during the past month when you pay your bill."

I guess I could have said "from the last month", but whatever.

 

[aeblank]

By the way if you are willing to wait and build your own I just ordered a OBD2 OBD-II Opening Cable 16 Pin Female Extension Connector Diagnostic Extender from china for $2.85. It comes with a vehicle female end connector with a few inches of cable and wires exposed on the end. I have plenty of power supplies laying around including a brand new in the box 14v DC output unit. According to search info pin 16 is 12v+ and pin 4 is chassis ground so it should be very simple to make your own power supply.

Are you suggesting this isn't kosher?



I'll be getting one of these.....
http://a.co/2Srjo1S ($5)
http://a.co/83njCsV ($6)
http://a.co/7sU2kEc ($10)

I like the $5 one for the cost, but I'm not sure how the wires connect. It appears to have all the terminals populated.

I'm probably putting this thing in a tupperware and up on my roof, for the signal.
Then connect my other APs and wired devices through a wifi bridge/client. Hoping to do so with my existing hardware. We'll see.

I was streaming with Kodi on one device, watching youtube and torrenting on another device. All with -112db signal, and it didn't skip a beat. It's no cable modem, but it's the same as what I'm paying $69/mo for.

 

[Xfaxman]

How can I find out why my speed is so slow?

Today with -101 dBm:

Yesterday with -120 dBm:

Fastest on 4-26 with -100 dBm:

 

[newbury]

How can I find out why my speed is so slow?

One man's slow could be another man's fast. I was getting -117 dBm and 2Mbps in places and was concerned, until I drove into town and pulled 14Mbps (didn't record dBm) at a random site.

 

[TractorGuy]

Are you suggesting this isn't kosher?



I'll be getting one of these.....
http://a.co/2Srjo1S ($5)
http://a.co/83njCsV ($6)
http://a.co/7sU2kEc ($10)

I like the $5 one for the cost, but I'm not sure how the wires connect. It appears to have all the terminals populated.

I'm probably putting this thing in a tupperware and up on my roof, for the signal.
Then connect my other APs and wired devices through a wifi bridge/client. Hoping to do so with my existing hardware. We'll see.

I was streaming with Kodi on one device, watching youtube and torrenting on another device. All with -112db signal, and it didn't skip a beat. It's no cable modem, but it's the same as what I'm paying $69/mo for.

That'll work too. Here is what I ordered.

 

[sodamo]

My plan is to wire a 2.1 female to the OBD2 and 2.1 male ends on a 120v adapter, USB adapter, 12v adapter. That way the OBD will stay in place and I only have to switch power source according to use. When in car/truck, either the 12v cig plug or USB. Thinking I could also put a cig plug in my tractor and golf cart.