4G as primary internet

alansauce · Aug 16, 2010

So I have an Evo and my girlfriend is getting the Epic 4G on launch (same as her birthday). We're moving to a new place next month and I was wondering if anyone else uses their 4G phones as their primary internet service. That would save us like 50-60 bucks a month. I think I might have to give up playing starcraft online, but I don't think that's worth 50 bucks a month that I don't need to spend.

So does anyone uses the phone this way? btw our new place has a pretty solid 4G connection.

dr g · Aug 16, 2010

I have used it for stretches while my cable internet was down, it works quite admirably. PDAnet and you are good go to, and supposedly Sprint means it when they say unlimited.

Captain Sexy · Aug 16, 2010

That was one reason I got the phone, but the 4G in my home is not always so good, more hit or miss than anything. If you have good reception, I say go for it.

dan330 · Aug 16, 2010

you better go to your new apartment.. and do some 4G speed tests...

keeping in mind that some test are not so accurate on EVO. Tether to your laptop... and then run tests.. and play your game... see what u think. answer your own question.

you have to try to do this from inside your apartment... because 4G does have some issues with walls

81_ · Aug 16, 2010

i'm doing this with froyo and pdanet

somebody is throttling down the internet speed. when tethered it maxes out at 1.4 megs down. now, i'm still on free pdanet, so hopefully, when i buy it, it will be faster, but i'm not counting on it.

if you still have 2.1, stay on it. when i was on 2.1, it was as fast as the phone, ie i was pulling 4 megs down, which is my typically speed test on the phone.

as long as don't plan on doing heavy interneting, it's fine, even at the lower speed. i do forums, read newspapers, sporting news, fantasy sports. it's fine for all of that. if you start getting into vid, it can be a bit laggy.

Slick1020 · Aug 16, 2010

Personally speaking, most places I have lived my internet cost me $30 a month from Suddenlink to Time Warner. The EVO is not meant to be utilized everyday as a hotspot device. I think your phone will overheat because you will have to keep the phone plugged in to use it as a hotspot and I think using it everyday for hours upon hours will eventually wear down the phone. If you are on the internet a few hours a day or you don't have homework to do then I would say go for it. Otherwise...no.

alansauce · Aug 16, 2010

Yeah I guess I'll find out in a week when I actually do get in there. It'd be another 3 weeks anyways for them to come out to set it up, so we're going to have to use the phones regardless at least for a while.

I just felt like it's at a point much like cellphones eliminated the need of a home phone

81_ · Aug 16, 2010

Slick1020 said:
Personally speaking, most placed I have lived my internet cost me $30 a month from Suddenlink to Time Warner. The EVO is not meant to be utilized everyday as a hotspot device. I think your phone will overheat because you will have to keep the phone plugged in to use it as a hotspot and I think using it everyday for hours upon hours will eventually wear down the phone. If you are on the internet a few hours a day or you don't have homework to do then I would say go for it. Otherwise...no.

i use the usb tether, and the phone doesn't get hot. it only ever got hot when i played a game for an hour.

connection is very solid. little lag, but not really enough to make you frustrated. they key is speed. will the connection be fast enough for what you want to do. if you are a gamer or heavy downloader of data or vids, i would say you want a cable connection. for light to medium use, it's fine.

plus with the cost of the phone being as high as it is, the $30 savings is nice.

BenChase7 · Aug 16, 2010

you could also get WiMax directly from Clear that is designed to deliver a full time home internet experience for about the same price as activating the hotspot on your EVO. I hear the modems Clear has provide a pretty solid signal. Then, when youre in a bind, USB tether your EVO using PDANet.

Slick1020 · Aug 16, 2010

81_ said:
i use the usb tether, and the phone doesn't get hot. it only ever got hot when i played a game for an hour.

connection is very solid. little lag, but not really enough to make you frustrated. they key is speed. will the connection be fast enough for what you want to do. if you are a gamer or heavy downloader of data or vids, i would say you want a cable connection. for light to medium use, it's fine.

plus with the cost of the phone being as high as it is, the $30 savings is nice.

Using USB Tether or Hotspot are two different things....

Cobravision · Aug 16, 2010

I'd probably go for this option if I were single and nothing at home required an internet connection while I was out. But between my wife and certain programs that require constant internet access during the day, it would not be feasible for me.

BlackDave · Aug 16, 2010

ok get this. I was staying at my uncle's house in Lakelank, FL for three days and I had full 3G bars at his house but NO 4G (duh).

My Down was 2.40 my up was .9

And I played Borderlands Online and Watched Netflix just fine. And I mean fine! Borderlands did not give me any trouble online (no lagg or disconnections). Netflix got interrupted once or twice but because I was using my phone while tethering

Can't wait for 4G in Fort Myers

alansauce · Aug 25, 2010

update:

Just moved in 2 days ago. Was sketchy at first, but now I'm convinced it'll run perfect. The speed test is a little weird because it's using servers in California and I live in Hawaii. I've been able to skype, watch youtube, do normal internet stuff, download large files, utorrent ect.

Haven't found the time to play any starcraft though, but that'll have to wait till the move is done with

4G as primary internet

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