Most people need internet access nowadays, but not many want to pay to have home internet installed. This is where mobile hotspots come in. Here are some of the best mobile hotspot plans that you can buy.
This list will focus only on the plans, not the devices. It will outline the pay period, how much data you get per period, and how much money you pay per gigabyte. For unlimited plans,you'll see how much money you'll pay per gigabyte of high-speed data.
1. AT&T Best Value Plan
AT&T is one of the leaders in the mobile coverage department, coming just behind T-Mobile in 5G coverage.
Price, Data, and Signals
AT&T has three mobile hotspot plans, but this one is the pound-per-pound best value. You pay $55 per month for 100GB of data.This plan will cost you$0.55 per gigabyte, which is a great deal.
You will have access to both 4GLTE and 5G signals. Since it's AT&T, you will have decent 5G coverage. About 68% of US interstate miles are covered by AT&T's signals.
Fine Print
When you get this plan, a setting will be automatically enabled to reduce the video streaming quality to standard definition (480p). You can change this setting, however. That seems to be the only catch.Just keep in mind that streaming higher-quality video will cause the data to diminish faster.
Check out the AT&T monthly plan.
2. AT&T Yearly Plan
This plan is for people who don't want to bother with monthly payments.
Price, Data, and Signals
Since this is a yearly plan, you will be paying more upfront for the service, but you won't have to pay again for a full 365 days. You pay $300 upfront for the package, and the data resets every month.
Instead of 100GB, you will be getting 20GB a month. If this were a monthly plan, you'd be paying $25 every month.This costs you$1.25 per gigabyte.
Fine Print
Just like with the "Best Value" plan, you will automatically stream videos at 480p. You can turn the setting off if you want HD video.
Check out the AT&T yearly plan.
Related: Home Network Issues Solved By Google WiFi
3. Boost Mobile
Boost Mobile is another popular brand on this list. It runs on T-Mobile/Sprint towers.
Price, Data, and Signals
Boost Mobile only has one data plan, and it will set you back $50 per month. You get 30GB of 4GLTE data.This will cost you about$1.43 per gigabyte. Coverage should be good for this plan because it's using both T-Mobile's and Sprint's signal towers.
Check out the Boost Mobile plan.
4. FreedomPop
FreedomPop stands out on this list because it has an option for free internet.
Price, Data, and Signals
The crowd-pleaser is the data that you get for free. You are allotted 500MB of data for free each month. That's definitely not enough for heavy users in any capacity, but it can come in handy for a little bit of light usage.
Users who want more data can invest in a paid plan. You will be paying the most money per gigabyte of data on this list for these paid plans. You can get 3GB of data for $28.99 which will cost you about $9.67 per gigabyte. The other plan will get you 4GB for $34.99, which will cost you about $8.75 per gigabyte.
There are also options to earn free data. For example, there's a referral program that earns you 10MB of free data for every person you refer to the company. You can also earn free data by completing surveys and tasks.
Fine Print
While FreedomPop is a compelling company, the coverage isn't as robust as the competition. You'll be fine in eastern states and large cities, but coverage thins out in the western states.
5. GlobalMe
GlobalMe is a unique company because it offers plans for global data. That's data that can be used all around the world.
Price, Data, and Signals
GlobalMe has three plans, two of which are unlimited. We're going with the "Unlimited Plus" plan because it costs the least per gigabyte. It's $159 per month for unlimited data with 100GB of high-speed data.This costs $1.59 per GB of high-speed data.
This only offers 4GLTE data, so you will have to be aware of that. If you want to add on a global plan, you can get 20GB of global data for $183. There are also plans for European data.
6. Infinite LTE Data
Infinite LTE Data offers an insane amount of data for the price. There are three plans, but at the time of writing this article, one is sold out.
Price, Data, and Signals
The prices for Infinite LTE Data are higher than most of the other plans on this list, but the cost-per-gigabyte is much lower. For example, the first plan, called the Suburban Plan, costs $94.99 a month and will get you 500GB of 4GLTE data. That means that it will cost you about $0.19 per gigabyte.
The other available plan is called the Colossal plan. It costs $129.99 per month, but you will get a whopping 1TB of 4G LTE data! This will cost you only $0.13 per gigabyte.
Fine Print
Plans this sweet aren't without their compromises. Firstly,these plans are BYOD only, meaning you Bring Your Own Device. There are certain mobile hotspots that these plans are not compatible with, so you need to read the text and make sure that you have a compatible device.
For gamers, the networks have a locked NAT#3 setting. This can not be changed. This doesn't render the service unusable but might not be the best for optimal gaming.
7. MightyWifi
What makes MightyWifi stand out is the sheer amount of plans that the company offers.
Price, Data, and Signals
There are currently nine available plans, but this article will focus on the plans with the best cost-per-gig ratio.
- Firstly, if you just need some data to get you through the day, you can buy 1GB for $3.00 for the day.
- The plan with the lowest cost-per-gig ratio is the $10 plan that gets you 3GB for a month. This will cost you about $0.33 per gigabyte.
- If you need an average amount of data, there's the $35 plan that gets you 15GB for a month. That one will cost you $2.33 per gigabyte.
- On the upper end, there's the $70 plan that gets you 50GB of data for the month. That one will cost you $1.40 perGB.
- The highest tier plan will cost you $120 for 100GB of data for the month. This one will cost you $1.20 per GB.
At the time of writing, the prices are currently lower, but they will change come August 1, 2021. The prices above reflect the prices after the change. If you buy a plan before then, the cost per gigabyte will be a fair bit lower.
Related: Best Mesh WiFi Networks For Your Home
8. Skyroam
Skyroam, like GlobalMe, has its reach across the globe.
Price, Data, and Signals
Skyroam has a fewlimited data options available, but we're going with the unlimited plan.Skyroam's unlimited plan costs $49 per month with 20GB of high-speed data. That equates to $2.45 per gigabyte.
That's admittedly higher than some of the other options on this list, but if you don't use all of the allotted data, the price undercuts them. It only offers 4GLTE connectivity.
Which Carrier Is Best For Mobile Hotspots?
Whether you need a ton of data to run your business or just a few gigabytes to get you through the week, these plans should be more than enough.The option with the best cost-per-gigabyte ratio is Infinite LTE Data. It also offers the most data on the list. If you're looking for 5G, then the AT&T plans will be right up your alley.
If you want variety, then MightyWiFi might be the right company for you. It has the largest number of plans at different prices to suit your needs. Any way you choose, you'll be getting a great deal.
- Technology Explained
- Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Mobile Broadband
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