Phones and internet?

[jjozgrunt]

G'day everyone.

I need some answers from some electronic geeks :D about my son's suggestion for how to handle the phone problems between our phone bands, (Australia), and Verizon's CDMA bands. His solution is this:

Buy a Verizon mobile hotspot like this one http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/mobile-hotspot or similar and get a prepaid plan.
Get a Skype USA phone number, I already have an Australian one,
And make all my calls over skype using either my Galaxy Note 3 or the 8.4 Tab. Use the USA number for ringing local numbers and the aussie one to ring home, both then would be local calls. I could also send text through skype and get email via webmail.

Not sure on how much data I would need, it maybe better to go the locally purchased phone, cost wise.

I am not that switched on to all this stuff so any advice would be appreciated.:confused:

Moose

[MuddyWaters]

The Verizon hotspot should work for the most part I would think. I just use grooveIP app for VOIP calls with android , works great. Totally free.

I haven't used it but my impression was google hangouts will do the same thing essentially, text or call.

[jjozgrunt]

I just use grooveIP app for VOIP calls with android , works great.

Hi Muddy - What you have said above implies you already have a phone using an American carrier.

I've heard back from Verizon and they have told me it would be the solution for me as I would only be using the internet with their device as the modem. Prepaid device $79, 8gb/month with line rental internet only $70, $15/3gb if required. Whichever device I use, and I'm leaning towards the tab, I can preload all phone numbers and documents etc, which is why I leaning towards the tab (I hate tiny typing screens and my big fingers.)

Could be an option for all non USA walkers that don't have CDMA phones.

[bigcranky]

Verizon seems to have the best overall service along the trail corridor. However, please note that in many places my phone will show a data connection when one does not actually exist! This means that your little hotspot won't work in those places (and there were many of them on the trail.)

In those places my phone would often work to send texts, albeit slowly, if I turned off data. You could go to Walmart and buy a pre-paid Verizon smart phone and pay $45/month for unlimited phone/text/data. If you have a Google account (Gmail) you could get an Android phone and when you sign in all your Google contacts will be there (no typing :) ) Even if buying an expensive phone, the overall cost might be similar or lower, and you'd have one device that would work in the widest possible range of settings.

(That said, note further that there were plenty of places that didn't have any phone service at all, even if the phone claimed there was.)

[jjozgrunt]

Thanks Cranky

I don't intend to be posting a lot while out on the trail, mainly when I'm in for the night at a hostel or motel or resupply. I imagine it would be ok in most townships?

[jjozgrunt]

I've also got a Inreach SE so can send text from anywhere and my better half wants me to turn on the breadcrumbs so she can follow me on the map.

[MuddyWaters]

One issue with the hotspots is batt life. Not real good. You really don't need an
in reach or other sat communicator on the at. One more charger to carry as well. Cell coverage is good. I usually send a text at night, keep phone off, and batteries last more than 3 weeks at a time.

[jjozgrunt]

I usually carry at least a 20000mAh anker battery in Oz on long trips. The trip in the alpine area I'm doing in Nov/DEC has basically a recharge point every 12-14 days. I use rechargeable eneloop batteries for the light and GPS and they have good life. Phone or Tablet/Camera/SE all charge off the anker battery. I can also charge the original gps batteries in the gps off the anker battery.

I carry the inreach mainly to keep the wife happy and it has come in handy, especially in Madagascar and mainland Africa, plus I can send and receive a text anywhere. For a 200 grams it's not worth the hassle to have an unhappy wife. She also likes to follow my track on the map via the breadcrumb app. I also have gotten used to carrying it and it's almost mandatory to carry some sort of PLB on long walks in Oz and most regular bushwalkers carry one, of some sort, at all times.

I realise with a lot more opportunities to recharge on the AT I don't need that big battery so I'll probably opt for a 5000mAH anker. The hot spot will also recharge off that battery and will only be on periodically anyway. I only need the two USB cables as the connection are one of those on all devices, makes life easy.

In the end I suppose getting a phone there might be the easiest solution for most people. I'm not much on technology and it takes me a while to learn something new so I'd rather stick with what I know. This solution allows that. My electrical gear wouldn't weight 2lbs in total and since all the rest of my stuff is ultra light I'm happy with that. My base wt is just under 15lbs for the AT so I'm not going to be overburdened.

[bigcranky]

I don't intend to be posting a lot while out on the trail, mainly when I'm in for the night at a hostel or motel or resupply. I imagine it would be ok in most townships?

Well, in that case many, if not most, hostels & motels have wi-fi. If you're in town for a resupply, it's relatively easy to find wi-fi at cafes, McDonalds, libraries, and the like. My wife has T-Mobile and got no service of any sort in Vermont, but she was able to get online easily in every town we visited using wi-fi.

My personal feeling is that a hot spot is one more thing to carry, with yet another charger, that will be of very limited utility, especially if you're only using it in town. Add to that a tablet AND the InReach satellite texter thingy, and you have a lot of electronics to protect and keep charged. I'm not presuming to tell you what to carry and why, but that seems to be a lot of different things, all of which could be replaced with a smartphone.

[JohnG10]

Not all the USA phones are CDMA. GSM is wide spread. TDMA is more prevelant than CDMA. iDEN is no longer widespread since sprint bought nextel.

If you have a GSM phone, you'd just need a US compatible SIM card from your current wireless company.

Another option is buying a prepaid cell phone in Walmart. The Tracfone company rents space on the Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint networks. I got reception anywhere any of those 3 carriers had service.