darn ol' technology

Draco Dog

Well-known member
We have a 2008 Big Horn 3670RL and love it. We love it so much, we are wanting to sell our home and live in the Big Horn for a few years. Just traveling around our beautiful country. Also want to attend some of the Heartland Rallys.

At the present, we have ATT phone service land line, Trac Phone for my cell phone, a local server for my puter, and Directv for my tv.

I feel that we are "all over the page" with all these different companies.

Is there one company that we can sign up with for everything? phone service, tv service and puter service.

We hope to retire in the next few months, just waiting for our house to sell. (yikes----bad timing).

With working full-time, etc., I haven't kept up with all the new technology available.

Also, we purchased a TV satellite called the Vu-Cube. Hoping I spelled that right. Wondering if anyone else has this and how is it working for them.

OR-----what kind of TV satellite do you recommend? I know there is a small dish that stays on top of the roof of the RV that is suppose to be really good and really easy to figure out. Also pretty expensive ????

Any help you can give me would be so appreciated.

We hope to be on the "open road" by late Spring. (keeping our fingers and toes crossed)
 

Jim/rsvl/AR

Active Member
We have Directv satellite and AT&T cellphone/internet service and have no complaints withe either. Have used both all over the country.
 

2010augusta

Well-known member
We have Directv satellite and AT&T cellphone/internet service and have no complaints withe either. Have used both all over the country.

Jim, How much surfing and uploading can you do with the cellular plans? I am using Wifi but am seeking a more secure reliable internet
 

Jim/rsvl/AR

Active Member
I am using two computers with my AT&T air card (have CRADLEPOINT router using the aircard). Getting good service especially when I am in a location where AT&T has the 3G service. Got the router at BESTBUY.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
I just went with a Verizon air card with a Cradlepoint router and external antenna. So far so good. Others are happy with AT&T and Sprint. I want to use it at home as well as on the road. So my choice of Verzon was based on my home location. I got everything from the 3GStore. They can do some creative pricing on the bundle. I know the router was a lot less than other stores. I suggest you call them. They were very helpful. I asked more questions than fifty normal people combined. And they answered all of them. It's always nice when you get to talk to people that know the products and services they sell.
Peace
Dave
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
2010augusta, the bandwidth on air cards are normally limited to 5gig/mo. Thats actually a lot. Go to the 3GStore and you will find examples of how much it is. It's like 500,000 emails or 33,000 web pages. Movies and music are the biggest files. So if that is something you don't do it should be enough. As far as security, if you plug your air card directly into your pc it's secure. Don't hold me to that. Check with the experts at the 3GStore. As far as reliability, that would depend on the signal you get, just like your cel phone.
Peace
Dave
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
I have Sprint for internet services and DirecTV Satellite service. I agree with cookie. If you are not experienced about internet service you should go to the 3GStore or call them @ 866-347-8673. I am sure they will strongly suggest you use Verizon. Sprint and Verizon have the most complete service around the US. One thing you can do is send EVDOAlex a personal message (PM).

You already have the better Satellite service to set up. I don't have the VU-Cube but you can use it or a dish on the road. There are a number of ways to setup the dishes. I don't think the 3GStore can help you with Satellite TV services.

For Cell Phone we have AT&T. We have it because the majority of our family is on there cell service.

Do a lot of reading of the threads that pertain to your questions. Search for topics you have quesitons about, ask a lot of questions here on the forum and go to the Rally's. This is where you can find a lot of information about subjects you have questions.
 

mrcomer

Past Ohio Chapter Leaders (Founding)
Draco Dog,
Lots of good info here. I have been doing some of my own trials on cellular broadband service in an effort to get past our Wild Blue satellite internet service. I bring this up because I too would like to signup with a service that I already have with AT&T but have found in my situation that Sprint will be the better provider. So my input here is that you may still have a "cocktail" of service providers get all the things you want. By the way, I have been tapping the services of EVDOALEX from the 3Gstore here on our forum. He has been very informative and helpful. He hit the nail on the head for me as to which service was available in my area. I have yet to purchase all my hardware but when I do I will be calling Alex and getting everything from him.

I realize this only helps with the internet service for you but I wanted to let you know that there is a possibility you will not be able to bundle all your services. As a side note, AT&T (we have cellular phone service with them) would not give us a break or deal if we signed up with broadband service with them. I suspect this will be the same with the other providers.

Good luck,
Mark
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Draco Dog, we have all Verizon equipment and like it. Since we own GM vehicles, we have ON STAR. Verizon is ON STAR, and they will bundle it all together. ON STAR will become a 2nd phone line and you can use your cell phone minutes with ON STAR in the vehicle. BTW, Direct TV is tied into Verizon somehow with XM radio. We get XM radio with with Direct TV and we can "DOO WAP" all over the coach with the 50's channel:cool:. My 2cts. Bob :D
 

katkens

Founding Illinios Chapter Leader-retired
Draco Dog, we have all Verizon equipment and like it. Since we own GM vehicles, we have ON STAR. Verizon is ON STAR, and they will bundle it all together. ON STAR will become a 2nd phone line and you can use your cell phone minutes with ON STAR in the vehicle. BTW, Direct TV is tied into Verizon somehow with XM radio. We get XM radio with with Direct TV and we can "DOO WAP" all over the coach with the 50's channel:cool:. My 2cts. Bob :D

Bob was wondering if you could elaborate on your meaning / definition of "DOO WAP"....;) Kenny
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
It goes Doo Wop To Watta Watta, There's a Moon Out Tonight, Doo Wop To Watta Watta....
 

Jim/rsvl/AR

Active Member
I have been in areas where the service with AT&T was good and Verizon was poor and then been where Verizon was good and AT&T was poor so just depends where you are and who has a tower nearby. You can go to AT&T web site and see "coverage area" enter an address and see what the level of service will be (Verizon probably has the same). I pay $59.99 per month for unlimited service

Saving tip: If you are an AT&T customer and an AARP member you can take your AARP card to the AT&T store and they will sign you up for an appx. 20% discount.
 

cjbearden

Visitor
We have DirecTV and then use AT&T for mobile phones and air card 881. Air card is used in a Linksys router purchased from 3G store. Our air card with AT&T is on a truly unlimited plan for $59.99. DH loves downloading movies so this works beautifully for us. We always check the service map for any trips to make sure we are always in AT&T service area. Got caught once at Hart Ranch RV Park, Rapid City, SD - this is a Verizon only park. Go into town or at the KOA and you can get AT&T shared service!!
 

tkdmike

Member
We sold the house and moved into our Big Horn and went through the same thing. We have Verizon for cell phones and internet air card. Air card uses router from 3G store to provide internet for both wife's desktop and my laptop as well as printer. Also, after talking at length with 3G store, have external antennae that doubled or tripled download speed.

TV is Dish Network. Both Verizon and Dish are because that's what we had at the house and have had few problems with either one. Good Luck!!
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
OH MY Kenny, you make me blush:eek:. Heavens to betsy, what did you think I mean't. You would think that I posted items with hidden meanings:confused:. How dare you. Jim B. and J.P. also read these posts. "Well", think what you might. Just to clear the air, I only mean't dancing and singing to the "50's" music. BTW, I did find an error in spelling, it should have been spelled "DOO WOP SHE BOP" with a "RAMA LAMA DING DONG" thrown in:cool:. Silly boy. BOB
 

Draco Dog

Well-known member
Thanks to all of you for your help. I think I will stick to the little Trac Phone for now. The service is great and I can usually "get out", when some of the others cannot with their service.

We switched to Directv over a year ago and have been happy with their service.

So I guess my biggest puzzle to solve is the internet service. I just have a local company for my server at the present. But when I retire (hopefully in a month or two), we will need something better.

I am so use to "dial-up", I wouldn't know what to do with a speedy puter. When someone sends me pictures, it can take up to an hour to down-load them. I just leave the puter to do it's own thing, and I do something else. You know: dust, mop, mow the yard, grocery shop, etc. tee hee.

And again, thanks for your help. cheri
 

jpmorgan37

Well-known member
Draco Dog;

I have stayed out of this but will comment now. We use DirecTV, Sprint cell phone and Tracfone, because there are a lot of places that we end up, that only the Tracfone will work. By the same token, we use HughesNet Satellite Internet, because we end up in a number of places that have NO cell phone service and as long as I can see the southern sky, I get my internet service. In the past two years, I've had three weeks with no Internet and we were in a heavy forest in Arkansas. So for now, we will stick with what we have, primarily, because it fits our needs. And if we hit a park with free WIFI, good, I use it. If they want to charge me, I spend 15 minutes and set up my dish.

John
 
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