Remember that when you leave this Earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given, a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage. -St. Francis of Assisi

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Free Temporary Solution




I was never happy to be paying big bucks to have instant access to the internet, but I thought I needed it, so I paid for it.


I purchased the Sprint mobile hotspot in April 2011, the monthly fee is $69.99 per month plus taxes. When I was having problems with the device getting hot and not holding a charge, Sprint's solution was to add $7.00 a month to the plan for a service contract, and they would replace the battery or unit anytime I wanted for free....well, not really free. 


I arrived here at Mesa Verde on April 11th, 3 days later, Sprint sent me a text and email - I had used up all of the alloted roaming for the month.  They shut off the roaming so I would not have to pay overage charges and would turn it back on at the beginning of my next billing cycle. 


I tried to use the Aramark employee internet with no luck. Being impatient, I called Sprint and told them to turn on the hotspot for my iPhone, the charge is $29.99 a month and WAS unlimited (including unlimited roaming). Less than 2 months later, I am being told that roaming will not be unlimited. 


So, I was spending over $100 month for internet, I did not cancel the hotspot because I had a 2 year contract, and figured I would NEED it in October when I leave this job.


I told myself it was ok to pay that much, because I don't have a satellite dish, I don't own a TV and I don't purchase DVD's of music or movies, so this is the only "entertainment" expense I have. 


I will be looking for plans without a contract from now on.


Anyway,  Good News.


I worked this morning because my manager needed the day off. The big boss was working today, he said they updated the employee internet service.  They installed a 2nd antenna - and its close to my RV. I was also given permission to use the internet in the office...off the clock, of course and I can't sit in there all night long...but that's ok.





I am using the Aramark employee internet right now and it's just as good as what I was paying for.  I'm sure there will be times that it will be slow or will not work, but I am willing to work around that....to be free of contracts and bad service from the big corporations selling internet service.
                                                         picture shows distance from my RV
                                                         to the new internet antenna on top 
                                                         of a small outbuilding


I will cancel all of the internet I am paying for and use the money to buy a mountain bike, I want to ride around here and need something better than my 'beach cruiser' bike.


Being outside, hiking and biking, is more important to me than the internet.


I may find another internet provider at the end of October when I leave here, or I will continue to use "free wi-fi" when and where it is available.


I will keep my iPhone, I have many more phone minutes than I will ever need. And the 3g service works fine to check emails, directions, etc. when I am in a Sprint service area.  I may switch to AT&T or Verizon in November, or I may wait another year when my contract expires. It all depends on how this "free wi-fi" suits me - or if I will feel the need for instant access once again.


No more chains.... no more paying big bucks for bad service.


Ha ha ha.... the song "Chain of Fools" just came up on Pandora Internet Radio as I was typing this last sentence. 




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My rant about Sprint cancelling unlimited has had the most views of any of my blog posts.  People searching for ways to get out of their Sprint contracts without a penalty found my post. 





10 comments:

  1. Outstanding! Boo hiss on Sprint and Yay for the new bike!

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  2. You know, someone told me not too long ago that this unlimited data was going to end soon. He said people like us, who have our computers on all day, aren't the problem. We're a drop in the bucket. There are others, I don't know, maybe companies?, who were streaming constantly, using HUGE amounts of data on their unlimited data plans. Tons and tons and tons more data than we could use.

    When 4G came out, people could stream so much, so fast, that the phone companies couldn't deal with the amount that was being used.

    I worry about not having the unlimited data. It will definitely affect my lifestyle if I can't use my computer as much as I want. Or pay a fortune for that availability.

    I hope Verizon grandfathers me in. One thing I think Sprint is FOR SURE doing wrong is doing this to you before the end of your contract. They should have warned you there would be changes, but not until the end of the contract. That's a bad faith move, in my opinion.

    I have a question: My Kindle, I have the first one that came out, an old one, connects to the internet without a phone or computer hook-up, and I think the newer ones, like the color Kindle Fire, are the same. I wonder if that would be a good thing to get. They aren't that expensive and you can get e-mail, surf the web, play games, etc. without a connection. They have an 8 to 10 hour battery, too, I think. That's something I'll think about if the time comes that my data is be limited.

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  3. great news about ridding yourself of the Sprint people!..life without the interent?..well you know way back when there was no internet and those people survived just fine!..there is always a Mcdonalds or Starbucks..just think of all the coffee you could buy for that enormous bill!

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  4. Not having good internet is one of my biggest worry about full time life. Funny, ten years ago we had no internet at all and life was good.

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  5. I like your solution, or rather Aramark's solution. The more free wi-fi that is provided for us, the better. I'm glad you found a temporary solution to your problem.

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  6. Glad things are working out for you. That's a big outlay every month for internet. I'm sure you'll find a more permanent solution by October.

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  7. Good for you! We really can do without all that data...we don't need to be connected all the time. It's funny...when I am at my mom's for a couple of days (she doesn't have a computer) I don't miss it at all. As soon as I get home..there I go...right back on it! If it wasn't for doing e-bay I would not have the computer at home...a time suck for sure. We are still in Va...my sis-in-law's verizon bill is $472 a month!! for tv..land line and 2 unlimited phones....can you imagine?.....There would be no way for me!

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  8. Teri...I have Verizon and have not been thrilled with them either. I very quickly use up my allotment every month and then have to start looking for other sources. The absolute best are the public libraries. They are free, have lots of plugs for charging up phone, camera, computer, etc. and they are so quiet. The junior colleges also have free wifi in their libraries. Then I have found free Wifi in many hospital parking lots, some downtown areas in smaller tourist towns, and at Dunkin Donuts, Panera, McDonalds and even a Dairy Queen! And alway Starbuck's--even in their parking lot when I had drunk my coffee limit for the day. And today I found it in a Safeway grocery store. I won't renew my contract with Verizon--I think I can survive without them. Toni from 'Sailingdowntheroad.blogspot.com'

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  9. I love the free wifi up here and this year added 2 more boxes in the park. I just wish I could find something to use at home, right now its Verizon and its expensive. And it isn't unlimited.

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  10. internet companies seem to get us coming and going for sure..glad you are now on the free setup...

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Hi, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

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