I'm out of range every single work day. There's a dead spot in the 15-minute drive between home and work. My wife has a different dead spot on her 17-minute drive to work. Ah, the joys of rural living. But at least we have LTE now. So our phones' Internet connection is faster than our computers' connection at home.
@SSteve Seriously: Home ISP, Mobile LTE at home. I'm paying for 110 down/10 up, which I do occasionally get. I'm seriously considering canceling my home internet and adding an unlimited data line to my family plan for tethering to a spare phone.
@aarmea I'd hold off for a second. I remember reading that T-Mobile was somehow manipulating the speed test ratings users would find on their network. My experience has been the same though (LTE faster than Home ISP) but it's not that much faster.
@MsELizardBeth Overall, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. I just get a little jealous when people talk about their 120Mb Internet connections when I get 4Mb on a good day. But I have the courage of my convictions. When Apple bought the company I worked for they offered me a transfer to Austin or Cupertino and I declined. Financially, it's tied for the stupidest thing I've ever done (the other was to not finish college). But for what I and my wife value in quality of life it was a no-brainer.
"Out of range" and "I need to talk to someone relatively close to me but I'm too cheap to spend $3/minute on international roaming charges" are two completely different things...
We have full-time satellite Internet in our production trucks (even while in motion) and we all use Republic Wireless, so we are NEVER out of range. EVER. And we never roam internationally as long as we connect via Wi-Fi and use a VPN on the routers while overseas. The company I work for has waaaay to much money. I wish they would share it more with me. Did you hear that you fuckers? I need me a raise!
@stevo42 Republic rides Sprint in the absence of Wi-Fi. Sprint kind of sucks, but it is better than nothing. At least they are not Wi-Fi only, like some devices from FreedomPop, etc.
I work in a certified LEED building with low-e glass windows. This energy efficeient glass has metal fibers in it. Pretty much turns the entire building into a Faraday cage. Inside the building my phone says "No signal" walk two feet outside and I get five bars.
@okaytodd Damn. I did even think about that, I'm so used to it. The building where I work is also a Faraday cage. And it's about as far from LEED as you can get. It's the cheapest possible piece of unmaintained crap the local land baron can get away with.
@okaytodd Don't tell me this. I'm moving to a LEED building next year. Just this week the sysadmin had a talk with the architect, telling him that not all of the outlets should be turned off when the occupancy sensor doesn't detect anybody in the office.
The reception at my wife's parents really sucks. If the wife is visiting for a few days she doesn't call me to tell me she's coming home until after she leaves. Then it's, "Oh crap! I have one hour to clean this mess."
BTW: I work in a Gold LEED building and have no problems.
As @JasonToon said, there are times when a walkie-talkie is just a better solution. When I'm docking the boat, I'm at the helm, SO is 20' away handling lines. Yelling over engines is a non-starter, and dialing a phone is ridiculous. Walkie-talkie is perfect solution, I can see her, give instructions and she doesn't have to reply. That's why we have 2 W-Ts already.
I'm out of range every single work day. There's a dead spot in the 15-minute drive between home and work. My wife has a different dead spot on her 17-minute drive to work. Ah, the joys of rural living. But at least we have LTE now. So our phones' Internet connection is faster than our computers' connection at home.
@SSteve
@SSteve Seriously: Home ISP, Mobile LTE at home. I'm paying for 110 down/10 up, which I do occasionally get. I'm seriously considering canceling my home internet and adding an unlimited data line to my family plan for tethering to a spare phone.
@aarmea I'd hold off for a second. I remember reading that T-Mobile was somehow manipulating the speed test ratings users would find on their network. My experience has been the same though (LTE faster than Home ISP) but it's not that much faster.
@SSteve Ain't rural living grand ?
@phb What's this "T-Mobile" that you speak of? (We're in like a 100 mile wide circle of dead zone for T-Mobile.)
@aarmea what magical carrier offers unlimited.... Please don't say tmo.
@MsELizardBeth Overall, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. I just get a little jealous when people talk about their 120Mb Internet connections when I get 4Mb on a good day. But I have the courage of my convictions. When Apple bought the company I worked for they offered me a transfer to Austin or Cupertino and I declined. Financially, it's tied for the stupidest thing I've ever done (the other was to not finish college). But for what I and my wife value in quality of life it was a no-brainer.
@SSteve I wouldn't want to live anywhere else either.
@stevo42 I'm grandfathered on Verizon so far. :)
"Out of range" and "I need to talk to someone relatively close to me but I'm too cheap to spend $3/minute on international roaming charges" are two completely different things...
I try as hard as possible to not leave my bed which is well within range of mobile networks.
We have full-time satellite Internet in our production trucks (even while in motion) and we all use Republic Wireless, so we are NEVER out of range. EVER. And we never roam internationally as long as we connect via Wi-Fi and use a VPN on the routers while overseas. The company I work for has waaaay to much money. I wish they would share it more with me. Did you hear that you fuckers? I need me a raise!
@Pavlov Republic wireless looks great... If you can get internet service
@stevo42 Republic rides Sprint in the absence of Wi-Fi. Sprint kind of sucks, but it is better than nothing. At least they are not Wi-Fi only, like some devices from FreedomPop, etc.
Since I am on T-mobile, more times than I care for
Not as much as I'd like sometimes.
I don't get reception inside some stores, or it's very spotty. And there's a state park near me with zero service, but that doesn't surprise me.
I work in a certified LEED building with low-e glass windows. This energy efficeient glass has metal fibers in it. Pretty much turns the entire building into a Faraday cage. Inside the building my phone says "No signal" walk two feet outside and I get five bars.
@okaytodd Damn. I did even think about that, I'm so used to it. The building where I work is also a Faraday cage. And it's about as far from LEED as you can get. It's the cheapest possible piece of unmaintained crap the local land baron can get away with.
That should say "I didn't even think about that"
@okaytodd Don't tell me this. I'm moving to a LEED building next year. Just this week the sysadmin had a talk with the architect, telling him that not all of the outlets should be turned off when the occupancy sensor doesn't detect anybody in the office.
The reception at my wife's parents really sucks. If the wife is visiting for a few days she doesn't call me to tell me she's coming home until after she leaves. Then it's, "Oh crap! I have one hour to clean this mess."
BTW: I work in a Gold LEED building and have no problems.
Several places locally are out of range - up in the mountains or out in the more rural farming areas. It's getting better, slowly.
As @JasonToon said, there are times when a walkie-talkie is just a better solution. When I'm docking the boat, I'm at the helm, SO is 20' away handling lines. Yelling over engines is a non-starter, and dialing a phone is ridiculous. Walkie-talkie is perfect solution, I can see her, give instructions and she doesn't have to reply. That's why we have 2 W-Ts already.
@Sarahsda I'm thinking that they will come in handy during setup in our giant expo hall.
T mobile here....best telco so far, but once off the beaten path you're screwed.
@skymeat I miss T-Mobile, but when we moved I had no reception at my house. They were a solid provider, good customer service, cheap price.
Not as much as I use to now that I have my cellphone booster for my vehicle. Boy I sure would like to see Meh put some up for sell.