# Alternative to Verizon internet and cellular?



## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Im sorry if this.os the wrong forum to ask, I did not know where else to put this. In advance, please forgive my typing and grammar. This phone does not make it easy.

So, basically the quesion above. I pay FAR too much to Verizon, to this the tune of $3500 or more per year. I am poor and this is ridiculous!! For thay price I dont even get unlimited data...mch of my bill includes overage data charges. Funny how I get data overage notices in my text messages in the middle of the night when neither of.us is even awake. ???

So I wanna ditch Verizon. But im out in the sticks and I am not sure what services work here.. Metro PCs does not. Suggestions? I do use Verizon for my internet access also. But I still feel I am paying far too much. Im all ears, folks.

(correction on the numbers) DH says it is a bit over $400 per month. So estimate $4800/yr instead.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

There are two different incompatible cellular networks in the US, CDMA (used by Verizon, Sprint, and a number of smaller carriers) and GSM (used by everyone else, and most of the rest of the world). Both cover all heavily populated areas, but CDMA has way better coverage in sparsely populated areas. If Verizon works where you are, but many others don't, you're in an area with CDMA coverage only.

If you're paying $400/month, either you must have a really big family, or you're using a LOT of data. That's going to cost you a lot no matter what carrier you're with. So if you want to save money, your first job is to find out where all that data is going, and cut it way back.

There are a number of smaller CDMA carriers who should have coverage where you are, and are cheaper than Verizon. I use Republic Wireless, $10/mo for unlimited talk & text, but no cellular data. You'll need data too, so that would be $25/mo. They're about to introduce a plan where you'll buy whatever data you need in small increments on the fly, which should work out pretty well cost-wise.

Republic is so cheap because their system preferentially uses wifi when it's available, and switches to cell when it's not. Works fine either way for me.



ShannonR said:


> In advance, please forgive my typing and grammar. This phone does not make it easy.


If you're doing all your typing on a phone, you really need a keyboard. Bluetooth keyboards are cheap, and most newer phones can also use ordinary USB keyboards, flash drives, etc. via USB OTG (On The Go). For that you need a USB OTG adapter, which you can get on Ebay for a couple bucks.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Yes data is eating you up alive. see what you can do to limit using so much data.
Gees even Satellite Internet service which be a lot cheaper then that. And the get off from using the cell as internet access where the data usage is killing you.


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## Bellyman (Jul 6, 2013)

I agree, you need to know where your data is going. For our family, the big hog was computer software updates, primarily Windows. The second was a little online game my wife liked to play on her phone that would download video advertisements every minute or so. 

If you're going through a lot of YouTube and Hulu kind of stuff, you need to make some changes in how you use the internet.

Satellite such as Hughsnet can get you some free download time in the wee hours of the morning. A very few places might have internet over microwave as a possibility. Other than that, there just isn't much out there when you're too far out for cable or DSL.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

That is a crazy amount to be paying. My guess is that you have malware, adware, and somebody may have hacked into your account.

Exede satellite has a 100 gig/mo $100/mo plan. On the phone, go with a prepay plan like pagepluscellular.com Put each phone on an individual plan and don't be afraid to let the minutes run out so there be no access for a few days for the phones that go overlimit. It teaches restraint and what aps and use are data hogs.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

This is all good advice, thank you. I have been saying for months there is something strange about all this data usage. When we first moved here our cell phones didnt work for calls or internet and we were still getting data overages. Now tell me....how does that happen??? Verizon updated somethin or put in a new tower I guess and all works fine now. DH is at work and doesnt use his phone or data unless he is home. He does watch alot of YouTube and videotype of stuff while home. Im not as big on videos reaming data, im more of a reader myself. So how do I go about finding whete the data went? There is a little meter on my phone but it just.says my browser is using all this data with no details.


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Drop them like a hot potato. I don't know where you are located but I have net 10, they ping off what ever tower is closest. They have unlimited data plans for about 45 to 60 or so a month. They are a no contract company and you can pay automatically with a credit card or buy a card.

There is Boost that my daughter uses. She gets unlimited talk, text and data for 45 a month. I like net 10 because I get good reception everywhere I go. check out their web site at www.net10.com and see if you can get service in your area.


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## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Streaming videos, especially on YouTube, eat a LOT of data. Like, 3+ GB/hour kind of data. I have been googling and researching this exact same thing because I don't like my local ISP but we stream Netflix and it eats up the data too. Good luck!


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Hey everyone thanks again for the great input. I did find a suitable alternative, to take my Verizon phone and number over to Red Pocket's service. It uses Verizon's towers, has CDMA network, keep my phone and number and pay $1 for a new sim card to switch the phone over. I chose the unlimited everything with 2gb high speed data..when the 2gb is up the data is still unlimited but it slows down considerably. Internet speed is something I am willing to sacrifice, as long as I have internet here and a lot of it. The plan is $60 per month, I am happy with that.


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## cfuhrer (Jun 11, 2013)

We have verizon. Unlimited talk and text and 15 G of data for $200 a month. I agree something hinky is going on with your usage.

When we aren't using our datawe go into the settings menu and turn it off so the phones aren't interacting with the network. 

It means we don't get email, or picture messages unless we turn it on but that is okay with us.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

Also a tip, when ever possible use the WiFi setting, when ever and where ever possible, always switch the device to the WiFi setting.
When you do that it is not going through the cell and using up your data.
So far I have not activated my Verizon Cell yet on my iPad as I use it at home through my internet WiFi connection. LOL


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