Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
UNLIMITED 4G LTE DATA + Rhapsody unRadio subscription included
$80 /MO. INCLUDES: UNLIMITED TALK, TEXT & DATA
LIMITED TIME! 2 lines of UNLIMITED 4G LTE data on our network for just $100/mo. Additional lines $40/mo. per line.
My question is if you have a service like this, and you DO NOT HAVE home wifi. then can you
1) Link to your TV with bluetooth and watch Netflix, hulu+, and Amazon prime ?
2) Get a wireless mouse and keyboard and run traditional internet based programs (like word processors and spreadsheet programs).
I see these ads for 4GLTE Internet Installed which give you Internet connection in your home, but it seems like it is aimed at people who don't have access to broadband cable. In addition it is measured data.
I was wondering what you could do with the UNLIMITED phone only data.
The term 'UNLIMITED' isn't REALLY unlimited...
I use StraightTalk for 39.95 a month for what THEY call unlimited text, voice, data.
When I hit (what I think is) a 2 gig limit, my bandwidth is slowed down or throttled, as they call it.
I love my StraightTalk service (it's thru Verizon) and I'm staying with them despite the other companies offers to lower rates (The new plan from WalMart, for example).
UNLIMITED 4G LTE DATA + Rhapsody unRadio subscription included
$80 /MO. INCLUDES: UNLIMITED TALK, TEXT & DATA
LIMITED TIME! 2 lines of UNLIMITED 4G LTE data on our network for just $100/mo. Additional lines $40/mo. per line.
My question is if you have a service like this, and you DO NOT HAVE home wifi. then can you
1) Link to your TV with bluetooth and watch Netflix, hulu+, and Amazon prime ?
2) Get a wireless mouse and keyboard and run traditional internet based programs (like word processors and spreadsheet programs).
I see these ads for 4GLTE Internet Installed which give you Internet connection in your home, but it seems like it is aimed at people who don't have access to broadband cable. In addition it is measured data.
I was wondering what you could do with the UNLIMITED phone only data.
As you are aware, this is "on device only" so you can't tether to anything (through USB or a hotspot), and you can't put these plans on a Jetpack / hotspot device.
But (if your phone supports it) you can get an HDMI or MHL cable / adapter for your phone, and plug directly into a TV and use the services (I do this with my phone when traveling), and a BT keyboard / mouse would give you some degree of usability (I have these on my Android tablet).
It's basically just pushing your phone screen onto the TV, so anything you can accomplish on the phone screen, you can now do on the TV.
As you are aware, this is "on device only" so you can't tether to anything.
It's basically just pushing your phone screen onto the TV, so anything you can accomplish on the phone screen, you can now do on the TV.
Yes, I am aware that it is device only. However, with a bluetooth connection so you don't have to connect to a cable every time, I was wondering how well it could replace home wi-fi.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tumf
I love my StraightTalk service (it's thru Verizon) and I'm staying with them despite the other companies offers to lower rates (The new plan from WalMart, for example).
You should check into Total Wireless, a Verizon based MVNO only sold through Walmart. It is only a few months old, but it has some very good deals that may even beat Straight Talk.
Yes, I am aware that it is device only. However, with a bluetooth connection so you don't have to connect to a cable every time, I was wondering how well it could replace home wi-fi.
I'm not sure what Bluetooth device would allow you to connect to WiFi / devices. There are apps that will allow you to bypass the tethering blocks, but T-Mobile has been very clear that they consider this a TOS violation, and will actively monitor for them, and for torrent apps.
I am not trying to connect to a WiFi device. I am trying to connect to a screen so that I can watch Netflix on a full size screen.
My question is will these $80 unlimited plans provide the same entertainment options as WiFi service?
If you can run an app on the phone, you can get it onto the TV. I can run Netflix, Hulu, etc on my phone and watch them on the TV as long as the phone is connected to the TV.
On my current Galaxy S5, I have an MHL cable that plugs into the phone on one end, and the HDMI port on the TV on the other end.
On my Droid Bionic there is actually a micro HDMI port on the phone, so I just used a micro to regular HDMI cable.
I don't know of any way to send the video signal from the phone to the TV via Bluetooth, but depending upon your phone, there are a couple of wireless options:
If the phone support Miracast, then you can cast the phone screen to the TV. The TV will have to support it as well, or you can buy a Miracast dongle for your TV.
You may be able to use DLNA if your phone supports it, but I'm not sure if you can stream from apps like Netflix via DLNA, or just local video files, so I'd do a lot of research before dumping money into this route.
There are also wireless HDMI extenders, but they are expensive ($150+ on Amazon), and you'd still have to plug the phone into the extender via an HDMI cable.
The term 'UNLIMITED' isn't REALLY unlimited...
I use StraightTalk for 39.95 a month for what THEY call unlimited text, voice, data.
When I hit (what I think is) a 2 gig limit, my bandwidth is slowed down or throttled, as they call it.
I love my StraightTalk service (it's thru Verizon) and I'm staying with them despite the other companies offers to lower rates (The new plan from WalMart, for example).
StraightTalk isn't really unlimited but the T-Mobile $80 Unlimited Plan is REALLY unlimited. I usually use around 10GB per month on it and once went up to 28GB.
I I don't know of any way to send the video signal from the phone to the TV via Bluetooth, but depending upon your phone, there are a couple of wireless options:If the phone support Miracast, then you can cast the phone screen to the TV. The TV will have to support it as well, or you can buy a Miracast dongle for your TV.
The question is really about replacing WiFi with unlimited LTE data stream for $80. All things like Chromecast and miracast are wifi technologies. Although cabling your phone to the TV each time is possible, it would be nice not to have to do that. Normally one likes to sit 5-6 feet from a TV.
But in doing a little research, it seems to me that bluetooth is not a high enough transfer rate for video. It has not trouble with audio, but video requres WiFi.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wikipedia
Version 3.0 + HS of the Bluetooth Core Specification was adopted by the Bluetooth SIG on 21 April 2009. Bluetooth 3.0+HS provides theoretical data transfer speeds of up to 24 Mbit/s, though not over the Bluetooth link itself. Instead, the Bluetooth link is used for negotiation and establishment, and the high data rate traffic is carried over a co-located 802.11 link.
So, the T-mobile idea would probably only work for a person who lives alone (like a college student) who has a single monitor for their computer, and sits at a desk and can easily plug their phone into a wire.
So my next question is can you push through Netflix in High (or Standard) definition with the cheaper Tmobile plan.
$ 80 per month Plus taxes, fees and monthly device payment
Unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data
$ 50 per month Plus taxes, fees and monthly device payment
Unlimited talk, text, and data while on our network Up to 1GB of 4G LTE data (Speeds reduced after 1GB)
The question is really about replacing WiFi with unlimited LTE data stream for $80. All things like Chromecast and miracast are wifi technologies. Although cabling your phone to the TV each time is possible, it would be nice not to have to do that. Normally one likes to sit 5-6 feet from a TV.
So my next question is can you push through Netflix in High (or Standard) definition with the cheaper Tmobile plan.
I think there's a terminology issue here: WiFi has nothing to do with internet access, and is just a wireless technology between devices (computer to router, phone to router, etc). You can still have WiFi in your house without having internet access from an ISP (you just need a wireless router).
Chromecast is WiFi based, and uses the internet signal from the WiFi router (not the device that's casting in most situations), so it wouldn't work in this scenario (the same goes for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, etc).
From what I can tell Miracast uses WiFi, but is local network not internet based.
As long as you have a WiFi router in the house (not connected to the internet), and connect both the phone and Miracast device to it, you will still use the phones internet signal to stream. The WiFi will only be used to transfer the image on the phone's screen to the TV (over the local network).
As for streaming Netflix, you won't get far on that 1GB package. Netflix averages 1GB per hour @ SD, and 3GB per hour @ HD.
IIRC T-Mobile chokes that stream to 128 Kbps once you hit your 1GB (some plans are 64 Kbps), so you wont' be doing much of anything at that speed (definitely not streaming).
Also keep in mind that roaming data is non existent on T-Mobile. This wouldn't be an issue as long as you have a solid signal at the house.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
