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-   -   I need a better aircard and phone service (https://www.classadrivers.com/forum/owner-operators-forums/34385-i-need-better-aircard-phone-service.html)

henboy1 06-26-2008 05:36 AM

I need a better aircard and phone service
 
I am paying $120(after taxes etc..)for
aircard and cell phone service through T-mobile.I sometimes feel like paying the penalty of $250 and just
break my contract.The aircard service runs like dial up and it gets worse at any rest area.The Motorolla Razor phone is always static and disconnects frequently.I am looking for an ISP that is lower than what I am paying (1500 minutes) or comparable.My contract ends in Feb and if possible I wouldn't mind trying the wilson amplifier or any signal booster that works with an aircard.
The breakdown is $49 for the phone and $49 for the aircard.I am also considering an ISP that will enable me to use one SIMM card for both.
Any thoughts?

NotSteve 06-26-2008 06:42 AM

Do like GMAN does. He still uses a rotary dial phone, tin cans with string and smoke signals if line of sight.

In fact, from what I've been told, even his cell phone has a rotary dial face!

GMAN 06-26-2008 07:56 AM

Hey, don't knock rotary dial. It is dependable.

I use Sprint for both my air card and cell service. I spend $89/month for unlimited national service for my phone and $59/month for my air card. Those numbers don't include sales tax. I have had my air card with them for about 2 or 3 years and cell service with them for about 7 or 8 years. Service has gotten better over the years. There are very few areas where I don't have service for both the air card and cell service.

Rev.Vassago 06-26-2008 08:11 AM

Verizon or Sprint. Take your pick. Those are really your two choices.

henboy1 06-26-2008 10:04 AM

It is bad to only have two choices and I guess the bigger the ISP, the better the coverage.Where are ISPs like Telocity and the smaller carriers?I will start with verizon.I will reserach what they offer on their site before signing on.The T mobile guy rushed me into getting this crap just to make a commision.
What about people using one SIMM card for both the cell phone and the aircard?In this case you share one account and phone #.Do you guys have this kind of set up?

Rev.Vassago 06-26-2008 10:09 AM


Originally Posted by henboy1
What about people using one SIMM card for both the cell phone and the aircard?In this case you share one account and phone #.Do you guys have this kind of set up?

With Verizon, your aircard has its own phone number associated with it.

henboy1 06-26-2008 10:25 AM


Originally Posted by Rev.Vassago

Originally Posted by henboy1
What about people using one SIMM card for both the cell phone and the aircard?In this case you share one account and phone #.Do you guys have this kind of set up?

With Verizon, your aircard has its own phone number associated with it.

I do understand that aspects of it.Mine also has it's own tel#.It takes time but as cheap as I am I know will come up with something cheaper ad better.

Doghouse 06-26-2008 11:29 AM

I use T-Mobile and it's pretty good, the only location I had problems was Craig Colorado.

GMAN 06-26-2008 12:39 PM


Originally Posted by henboy1
It is bad to only have two choices and I guess the bigger the ISP, the better the coverage.Where are ISPs like Telocity and the smaller carriers?I will start with verizon.I will reserach what they offer on their site before signing on.The T mobile guy rushed me into getting this crap just to make a commision.
What about people using one SIMM card for both the cell phone and the aircard?In this case you share one account and phone #.Do you guys have this kind of set up?


AT & T also has an air card. You can use your telephone for the internet, but according to those with whom I have spoken, they are much slower than an air card. Like Rev, I also have a separate telephone number for my air card.

tweety bird 07-03-2008 02:19 AM

I also vote for Sprint. They've really got great service. We switched from our former unlimited plan that cost $200/month with Sprint to the new Eveything plan (which is unlimited everything- talk, text, internet, I think it even includes tv- I have the Palm Centro) for $99/month. And I have an unlimited air card with them for $59 or $69. I'm not looking at my bill. That air card has great service- I had one with Nextel and that one was like you said, henboy, slower than dial up! I swear, I'd go home to my dial up connection and feel pampered! Of course, now I have high speed internet at my house, so that makes the Sprint card seem slooooow- but it's not all that much slower depending on my signal strength. I think the air card roams, too. It's weird.

I like they online payment options, too. We have two cell phones on the unlimited plan and one air card and they tell you how to best split the bill- which is nice since I pay for one phone and the air card for business and the other phone for a separate business (not trucking) expense.

I've been happy with their customer service, too. I always go to a Sprint owned store- not a Sprint agent but a store that is actually owned by Sprint. Their sales reps tend to be more knowledgeable and helpful- even though you do usually have to wait around for a long time if you get there when they're busy.

henboy1 07-04-2008 06:02 AM

I have decided
 

Originally Posted by tweety bird
I also vote for Sprint. They've really got great service. We switched from our former unlimited plan that cost $200/month with Sprint to the new Eveything plan (which is unlimited everything- talk, text, internet, I think it even includes tv- I have the Palm Centro) for $99/month. And I have an unlimited air card with them for $59 or $69. I'm not looking at my bill. That air card has great service- I had one with Nextel and that one was like you said, henboy, slower than dial up! I swear, I'd go home to my dial up connection and feel pampered! Of course, now I have high speed internet at my house, so that makes the Sprint card seem slooooow- but it's not all that much slower depending on my signal strength. I think the air card roams, too. It's weird.

I like they online payment options, too. We have two cell phones on the unlimited plan and one air card and they tell you how to best split the bill- which is nice since I pay for one phone and the air card for business and the other phone for a separate business (not trucking) expense.

I've been happy with their customer service, too. I always go to a Sprint owned store- not a Sprint agent but a store that is actually owned by Sprint. Their sales reps tend to be more knowledgeable and helpful- even though you do usually have to wait around for a long time if you get there when they're busy.

I have finally decided to stay where I am.I went through all three major providers and compared my rates/minutes to other service prividers and I am better off.
I am paying $59/month for 1500 anytime minutes and I get free nights and weekends which starts at 9pm.For $59 all the providers will give you 950 minutes.As far as the aircard, I am also paying $49 for unlimited aircard usage.If I change providers they all will not accept my T-mobile razor phone from T mobile even if it is unlocked.I will then have to invest at least $200(since I will only do a yr contract and not 2)in a phone and another $150 in an aircard.


I have decided to stick with the same plan but change the razor phone with only a 1 yr contract.During my research I realised the Motorolla razor do have problems with their GSM software.I have been told to go with Samsung.I will get rid of the Sony Ericson aircard and pay about $20 more to be able to use a USB cable from my Samsung phone to the USB port of the laptop to get on the internet.I could also get a phone (one phone #/one account) where I can take out the SIMM CARD from the phone and use it on my GC89 aircard.The phone will not be active at this time.While on the net at that time, I will use www.skype.com to dial out all my calls.$5 on that account will give me enough minutes that I can use to call out to agents from the loadboard.This feature from T.mobile is about $80-$90/month.

I also use www.skype.com to call to foreign countries, it is cheaper than buying a calling card.A headset/mic on your laptop and a skype account and you're done.

lowrange 07-04-2008 11:56 AM

Re: I have decided
 

Originally Posted by henboy1

Originally Posted by tweety bird
I also vote for Sprint. They've really got great service. We switched from our former unlimited plan that cost $200/month with Sprint to the new Eveything plan (which is unlimited everything- talk, text, internet, I think it even includes tv- I have the Palm Centro) for $99/month. And I have an unlimited air card with them for $59 or $69. I'm not looking at my bill. That air card has great service- I had one with Nextel and that one was like you said, henboy, slower than dial up! I swear, I'd go home to my dial up connection and feel pampered! Of course, now I have high speed internet at my house, so that makes the Sprint card seem slooooow- but it's not all that much slower depending on my signal strength. I think the air card roams, too. It's weird.

I like they online payment options, too. We have two cell phones on the unlimited plan and one air card and they tell you how to best split the bill- which is nice since I pay for one phone and the air card for business and the other phone for a separate business (not trucking) expense.

I've been happy with their customer service, too. I always go to a Sprint owned store- not a Sprint agent but a store that is actually owned by Sprint. Their sales reps tend to be more knowledgeable and helpful- even though you do usually have to wait around for a long time if you get there when they're busy.

I have finally decided to stay where I am.I went through all three major providers and compared my rates/minutes to other service prividers and I am better off.
I am paying $59/month for 1500 anytime minutes and I get free nights and weekends which starts at 9pm.For $59 all the providers will give you 950 minutes.As far as the aircard, I am also paying $49 for unlimited aircard usage.If I change providers they all will not accept my T-mobile razor phone from T mobile even if it is unlocked.I will then have to invest at least $200(since I will only do a yr contract and not 2)in a phone and another $150 in an aircard.


I have decided to stick with the same plan but change the razor phone with only a 1 yr contract.During my research I realised the Motorolla razor do have problems with their GSM software.I have been told to go with Samsung.I will get rid of the Sony Ericson aircard and pay about $20 more to be able to use a USB cable from my Samsung phone to the USB port of the laptop to get on the internet.I could also get a phone (one phone #/one account) where I can take out the SIMM CARD from the phone and use it on my GC89 aircard.The phone will not be active at this time.While on the net at that time, I will use www.skype.com to dial out all my calls.$5 on that account will give me enough minutes that I can use to call out to agents from the loadboard.This feature from T.mobile is about $80-$90/month.

I also use www.skype.com to call to foreign countries, it is cheaper than buying a calling card.A headset/mic on your laptop and a skype account and you're done.

Hey Henboy,

I really liked my Tmobile phone, I found their customer service to be better than anyone else. The only reason I changed, I wanted the rollover.

Like the others, I pay for my phone, and I pay $59 + taxes for an aircard. Working for Landstar, pay the money for the best service, don't go cheap on this one. Seriously, if anyone needs convenient internet service, you do. I've paid about $3000 on repairs for my truck over the last month. That's no problem, I don't have a truck payment and haven't been paying much for repairs. When it has to be done, it's the cost of doing business. Particularly with Landstar, fast, convenient internet service is a relatively low cost of doing business. You surf the internet doing God knows what and you write it off your taxes. My opinion.

tweety bird 07-04-2008 12:50 PM

We've had bad luck with every Samsung phone we've had- and I know a lot of other folks who have Samsung issues. We've had the Razor for a couple months now and love it- my husband texts all the time now.

pigrider 07-05-2008 04:21 AM

I have AT&T air card and cell phones! I have never had any problems!

Tatertot 07-05-2008 06:19 AM

Sprint does not offer an unlimited internet data plan anymore. Check out their website, it's 5gb per month like Verizon. If you are a current customer and don't go over the cap, your plan will still say unlimited until you go over it, then you'll get a letter of the change.

thomasz 09-09-2008 06:34 PM

You can look find here to know more:
http://www.accessorygeeks.com/verizon.html
http://www.accessorygeeks.com/sprint.html.
:roll: :wink:


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