Extra Charges for Cellular Internet
I get a lot of questions about how much bandwidth usage is typical in one month. If you use an aircard, or tethered cell phone for your broadband Internet access, the contract with your cellular provider probably limits you to 5 Gigabytes of usage. So, how much is that?
First, you need to know that 1 Gigabyte (GB) = roughly 1,000 Mebabytes (MB) (1,024 to be exact)
Here are some numbers just to give you an idea of typical usage. Keep in mind that there is really no such thing as ‘typical’ however. It’s kind of like asking, “How many miles does the typical RVer travel in a month?” You know that can range from 100 miles to 5,000 miles or more!
Sample numbers:
- Surfing the internet and looking at web pages with pictures = approx 30 MB / hr
- Surfing the internet and watching videos = 150 MB/hr
- Emailing photos = negligible if you use something like Picasa to resize them first
- Download of Windows updates = usually <10 MB, but can be over 100 – when you’re least expecting it!
- Download a full length movie = 2 Gigabytes
With these ‘typical’ numbers, 5 Gigabytes/month is normally plenty even for a heavy Internet user. Where it can get problematic is if you use a router to enable two or more people to use the same connection. If two people are using the connection regularly, you need to keep a watch on your usage. Whatever software is managing your connection, should tell you about your usage. If you are using Verizon, you are probably using the software called VZAccess and you can click on the button that reads, “Usage” to see a screen like:
Your screen may look different depending on the software and the version you have (see comment below.) You need to keep an eye on this, just like you need to watch your minutes with regard to your phone bill. I got a call from a good friend yesterday who told me that she had an extra $180 charge on her Verizon bill because she had gone over her 5 GB limit with the aircard. She used 5,700,000 megabytes – which is 700 MB over the limit, charged at .25/MG. She watches her minutes religiously, but she never thought to watch the data usage statistics. She’s had the aircard for over a year and has never come close to the 5 GB, so what’s difference this month? Well, in addition to sharing the connection with her husband, they’ve been snowed in most of this month! Not much else to do other than browse the web!
Why she’s living in snow country when she has wheels under her house, I’ll never know! I told her to call Verizon customer service, beg their forgiveness and bat her eyelashes – tell them how cold it is … maybe they’ll take pity and let her off the hook this one time. Believe it or not, they did!
Chris Guld
www.GeeksonTour.com
Computer Education for Travelers
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
Thanks for the great information. We are considering doing this for next summer and our provider provides the 5 gigs. I had no idea how much that was and they really seemed to have no clue.
The VZAccess Manager you depict is somewhat dated. Newer versions show a total usage estimate (since last billing date) when you click on the “Usage” button. The screen shot you show is still available if you click on the newly added “Log” button.
You will find the latest software version at . The VZAccess Manager Help menu “Check for Updates…” function probably won’t find updates – you need to go directly to the web page, above.
Somehow the web link I included in the previous comment got stripped out. I’ll try again – (remove the embedded spaces I added to try to defeat the “stripper”:
vzw . smithmicro . com / download /
Tom,
Thanks! Good to know … I’ll add a note to my post accordingly.
I sgned up for a Verizon Air Card in June of 2005 and have been happy with it every since. I now have it plugged into a modem and have my own wireless network so my wife and I can be on at the same time. My plan has no limit. A couple of nearby rver’s signed up just recently and their plans are limited…
I tether my cell phone to my pc through Alltel and love it. I pay $25.00 a month for unlimited usage. However, Verizon bought Alltel and will switch over in Jan. Will probably lose my good plan then. Hopo not but will wait and see.
I might add that this rate is for usage is in the Alltel service area.
I, like Jim, signed up for a Verizon Aircard (USB version) in late 2006. This is an unlimited usage plan. (Hope it is not about to change) I have been quite satisfied with the performance (once I accepted that Verizon claims for performance were exaggerated by a factor of HUGE. Actual performance is closer to the performance of the now-discontinued “Quick-to-Net” performance except in large urban areas.) I am now exploring the possibility of adding a modem to my system so two of us can be online at the same time.
As a sidenote: I understand that Comcast intends to put a 5GB monthly limit in place for home subscribers also. This appears to be the coming thing unless we, as subscribers protest en mass. If we protest en mass with our subscription pocketbooks, these limits will go away.
Hi
I have been a verizon wireless air card user for many years – I travel for my job and it works well all over the US
It cost $ 60 per month for unlimited use … I highly recommend it.
It is also my understanding, if you have a plan, you will be grandfathered in – if any changes take place.
Hi,
I have a verizon air card,can anyone tell me how to make it so my husband and I can both use it at the same time.We are fulltime RVers.
Thank you,
We have had a Verizon air card for 3 years now. Don’t expect any speed with an aircaard. It depends on where you are when you use it. Currently in Amarillo TX, takes 3-4 attempts to get on and speed is around 56k. Denver CO was 112K on a good day. Have had the best reception in Spearfish SD with 224-340 range. Verizon has their excuses as to why. The cell tower in Denver was 1.5 miles away. Over all it works OK, just do not expect speed.
Those who think Verizon wireless cards don’t have a 5GB usage limit are mistaken. Verizon imposed this limit quietly in 2007, which I found out only after renewing my contract. They don’t make this fact obvious, but it’s in the fine print. To check, go to the “my plan” section of the Verizon Wireless website.
From what I understand of all these plans, anyone who was originally on a true unlimited plan has been able to keep their unlimited status. However, all new plans are placed under the 5Gb limit. I have an AT&T account and am still under the unlimited plan though none of the new plans claim to be unlimited anymore. All plans now have the 5Gb limit. I have friends that still have the unlimited plan on Verizon as well, but they’ve had their accounts for quite some time. Mine may revert to the new 5Gb limit when the contract expires in 2 years, but for now, I’m still able to keep unlimited which is quite nice.
I have had an AllTel card for about a six months and it is great! I got it for travel, but it is so much faster than my previous dial up (the only other option where I live) that I use it at home. I just hope I can keep the unlimited usage now that AllTel has been bought by Verizon…
Ken Anderson, I cannot speak for what may happen tomorrow or when my current contract expires whether I renew it or continue without a contract, but I did check and my aircard contract is still for UNLIMITED service with Verizon. It is my understanding that all new contracts will have a limit, but my existing contract that has only a few months remaining is, as of today, for unlimited service.
Betty Wilkenson, I am using a Cradlepoint MBR 1000 router with my Verizon USB 720 aircard with as many as three computers online at the same time. This same, or very similar, set-up was described on another blog here on RV.NET blogs just a few weeks ago. Don’t expect blazing speed from this setup even when in the urban EVDO areas, but, other than exaggerated speeds by Verizon, the set up works quite well.
p.s. I could have mentioned in the above post that I have uninstalled the verizon aircard driver from all computers on that network. The router creates a WiFi network that your computers connect to through your computers WiFi or ethernet card, just like in a home network. I was experiencing a struggle of sorts between the Verizon aircard driver and the router before uninstalling the aircard driver.
As an R/V’r and MSCNE, I have very hostile views towards cell and IP services at this point and time in relation to their B.S. contract shenanigans. They are NOT people friendly and tend to gouge the customers. NEVER do contracts with these outfits. PAY for the devices up front and move on…. I use Metro PCS and have had the company since about 6 months after their founding. $55.00 bucks a month(NO CONTRACTS or CREDIT CHECKS, NO DEPOSITS) and do all the stuff you want(unlimitted) REALLY! Unfortunately they are still expanding and do not cover most of the country YET! As an alternative, there are long range, high gain directional wifi antenna that are quite compact and have ranges up to 20 miles depending on the access points type and location. This could extend your access to free internet areas quite a bit more. This of course would require either an external or USB device with connections for a remote antenna.