# Verizon mobile hotspot internet service

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-mobile-hotspot-internet-service/599370>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [October 12, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-mobile-hotspot-internet-service/599370 "2011-10-12T00:44:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bahia\_hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bahia\_hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahia_hombre)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-mobile-hotspot-internet-service/599370/1 "2011-10-12T00:44:34Z")

</div>

Seeking info/advice on the following:

What is the total monthly charge with taxes/fees (49.99 + ?)

Can the wifi connection between laptop and mobile hotspot device be secured? Would this be like setting up a conventional wireless router? I could get a USB plug-in modem but that limits the flexibility of using it with multiple and/or non-USB devices (e.g. tablet)

Is there a better option for mobile internet? I’ll be moving around some in the next months; I’ve already terminated my Brighthouse cable internet and am surviving for now on public wifi hotspots which is obviously less than ideal. I’m looking at Verizon for the strong nationwide network. I use a Net10 prepaid phone for voice calls @ $25/mo. for sufficient minutes. I think it would get tiresome quickly having only a smartphone for all my internet usage.

Thanks…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-mobile-hotspot-internet-service/599370/2 "2011-10-12T14:42:31Z")

</div>

I have a Verizon MiFi 4G LTE. I like it a lot.

Anywho, each unit comes with it’s own special password. So it is secure.

I don’t get 4G, and my down speed hovers around 1Mbps. For the $50 I get 5 Gb per month. Not much by todays standards. Understand though, I’m used to DirectWay. Which is serviceable, but very slow.

For me it works quite well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bahia\_hombre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@bahia\_hombre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bahia_hombre)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2011, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/verizon-mobile-hotspot-internet-service/599370/3 "2011-11-11T04:05:31Z")

</div>

I went ahead and signed up. Got the Samsung hotspot modem which does have WPA security, can even do MAC addressing like a regular home router. Fast 4G LTE service. I just have to watch my data usage, limited to 5GB/mo. so I try to avoid a lot of videos. Not sure yet what the monthly total will be but probably around $55 or so - a little high but the portability is great. I’m hoping competition will force Verizon to lower the prices so I can switch to a cheaper contract. I also got $100 off an Asus Transformer 10" tablet which is sweet.