When we first hit the road in 2006 to travel full-time, being able to work remotely utilizing mobile internet was absolutely essential in pursuing our nomadic dreams.

We started off in a super tiny travel trailer, we were in our early 30s and took our existing careers with us – working remotely as software developers and technology consultants.

While we were self employed, at the time we had clients that expected us to be online and available during regular business hours.

So of course – connectivity was critically important to us!

While it was easier than our predecessors who had to rely on public Wi-Fi or satellite internet – it wasn’t as easy as it is today.

Back then, we often had to surf uphill both ways using nothing but 1xRTT on our trusty unlimited Sprint data card. Yes, as unbelievable as it sounds – Sprint was a top option back then!

5G wasn’t even on the radar, LTE was a distant dream, 3G was just barely starting to emerge, and we considered it the “technomad trifecta” if we could find those rare sweet remote boondocking locations that were free, scenic, and had ample bandwidth.

If we really needed to, we’d commute to a nearby town to spend a workday at a cafe or brewery sipping some free Wi-Fi. And we’d soak in wireless waves to conduct system updates, perform back-ups and download large files while visiting friends & family.

Thankfully, over the years, keeping connected has gotten a LOT easier!

In the past decade the cellular carriers have significantly expanded their networks and upgraded their technology, and we now regularly surf at speeds that were beyond comprehension for even a wired connection back then.

And we can get connected in more places than ever.

We now often stream video in 4K to our heart’s content, we host a YouTube channel with live HD broadcasts, conduct interactive two-way webinars and use cloud services as a normal part of our lives.

All over mobile internet!

Though things have gotten easier – there are still challenges, and there’s no one-size fits all universal connectivity solution. And the “best” options are changing all of the time too, and they vary by location!

To stay on top of the best mobile internet options, you almost need to make keeping connected a full-time job.

So that’s exactly what we did.

We had learned so much about keeping connected that we actually ended up writing a book on the topic in 2013 – to try to stop a flooded inbox with questions from our followers. There was so much interest in going deeper that we transitioned our own careers to tracking mobile internet options by founding the Mobile Internet Resource Center in 2014. The resource center is dedicated to sharing unbiased information about mobile internet options for RVers, cruisers and nomads. Disclaimer : We are not sponsored or paid advertising dollars by any company or service mentioned in this post. Some equipment we test is provided for review (clearly indicated), and others we purchase in thanks to member funding. Some links in this post may be affiliate links however – the little extra ka-ching makes our hearts sing. We track mobile internet for a living, and we do hope that you’ll further your research by clicking over to our content provided there (much of it free) and share it with other RVers and cruisers. If you decide premium membership is right for you, we look forward to helping guide you through your personal setup within our member spaces. Use Discount Code ‘TechnomadiaRocks’ at checkout to save $5 off a new MIA membership.

Since 2017, we now we split our time between our sweet 1961 vintage bus conversion, a motor yacht, and a Class-B van conversion too!

So you might be wondering, after years of super focusing on mobile internet options for RVers and cruisers – what options do we utilize in our personal setup?.

Since about September 2019 when the Pepwave MAX Transit Duo dual modem became consumer priced (at around $999) – we have pretty much standardized on this setup as our daily setup in all of our vehicles.

The router moves with us as we switch our seasons, each substrate with their own antenna installation:

When we leave one of our vehicles behind in storage, we do leave behind a spare data plan in an older single modem router for remote monitoring.

Video Tour

Here’s a video overview of this post with a tour of the plans and gear we used as of April 2020:

And.. now follow along for the juicy details.. including links to further guides we provide on our resource center if you care to dive in:

Last Major Update: April 2020

Cellular Data Plans

Cellular data is the primary way we get online in our travels. We primarily use them in our cellular embedded router (see below), but occasionally we’ll pop our SIM card into a portable mobile hotspot device that is battery operated to take with us.

We also each have smartphones with dual SIMs, and each keep two data plans active that we can use for personal mobile hotspot as a back-up or while out and about, and for general on device surfing when not at our desks.

For more on the hotspotting options:

MiFi/Jetpack, USB Modem or Smartphone Hotspotting?

Our Data Plans

Verizon

Verizon has the best coverage nationwide for travelers, and is frequently referenced as the top choice for mobile folks. However, you can frequently experience slower speeds with them when in popular areas, as so many nomads rely on them. If you’re traveling across the country, having Verizon in your arsenal is highly recommended.

We currently have fours plans with them:

Our primary option:

Legacy Unlimited Plan – Back in 2014, we assumed liability of a grandfathered in unlimited Verizon account (a plan that retired in 2011, it’s truly unlimited – no throttling, no network management). We typically use a cellular embedded router (see below). We also pay a little extra to turn off Verizon’s video throttling so we can get full 4K. The total cost is $75/month. Sorry. This sweet plan has been pretty much difficult/impossible to acquire since early 2018, although there are 3rd party rental vendors left that rent or lease lines (we have them listed in our Verizon Unlimited Vendor Guide).

– Back in 2014, we assumed liability of a grandfathered in unlimited Verizon account (a plan that retired in 2011, it’s truly unlimited – no throttling, no network management). We typically use a cellular embedded router (see below). We also pay a little extra to turn off Verizon’s video throttling so we can get full 4K. The total cost is $75/month.

Other Plans we Keep (most folks won’t need multiple plans like this on the same carrier):

Verizon Prepaid Jetpack: From November 2018 – May 2019 Verizon offered a sweet prepaid Unlimited Jetpack plan for just $65/month. We use this plan as a back-up option, usually in an Verizon Inseego 8800L ($199.99 – released in Oct 2018, provided by Inseego) for simplicity.

From November 2018 – May 2019 Verizon offered a sweet prepaid Unlimited Jetpack plan for just $65/month. We use this plan as a back-up option, usually in an Verizon Inseego 8800L ($199.99 – released in Oct 2018, provided by Inseego) for simplicity. Verizon Prepaid Smartphone: We also added one of our dual SIM smartphone lines to the above Jetpack line with a 15GB cap, that includes mobile hotspot use. It’s just an extra $30/month.

We also added one of our dual SIM smartphone lines to the above Jetpack line with a 15GB cap, that includes mobile hotspot use. It’s just an extra $30/month. Visible: A prepaid smartphone brand owned by Verizon, Visible offers unlimited high speed on device data and unlimited hotspot use (capped at 5 Mbps). It’s only $25/month with their group ‘Party Pay’ discounts. We also keep this on a dual SIM smartphone as a back-up option.

Current best Verizon Options: As some of our above plans are no longer available, see our Top Data Plans guide for more the current best options on all of the carriers.

AT&T

For coverage, we rank AT&T slightly behind Verizon – however these days, many nomads can use them as a primary carrier. Their speeds in recent years have vastly improved due to their FirstNet contract in which they are going across the country and upgrading all of their LTE towers.

We currently have two plans:

Unlimited Plus / Business – We keep our smartphones on this plan that provides 15GB of high speed hotspot (along with several family members – this keeps our costs down). But our main AT&T internet source is a couple hotspot lines that are just $40 extra a month (they used to be $20, but in early 2019 they changed this plan around for business accounts). We typically use a cellular embedded router, but we also use the Netgear Nighthawk MR1100 ($199.99 – purchased) mobile hotspot. And we keep one line active in whatever vessel we’re currently storing for remote access & video surveillance – usually in an older cellular embedded router we’re no longer actively testing. Unlimited Plus was retired on 2/28/2018 – The retired plan allowed hotspot devices to be added that were not subject to the high speed mobile hotspot cap of smartphones (10GB), just subject to network management after 22GB of usage. It was sweet sweet SWEET. We got plenty of notice out to our members last year to get this plan. Their new “unlimited” plans do not allow hotspot devices at all, never mind with unlimited data.

– We keep our smartphones on this plan that provides 15GB of high speed hotspot (along with several family members – this keeps our costs down). But our main AT&T internet source is a couple hotspot lines that are just $40 extra a month (they used to be $20, but in early 2019 they changed this plan around for business accounts). We typically use a cellular embedded router, but we also use the Netgear Nighthawk MR1100 ($199.99 – purchased) mobile hotspot. And we keep one line active in whatever vessel we’re currently storing for remote access & video surveillance – usually in an older cellular embedded router we’re no longer actively testing. Connected Car – We snagged a Mobley device ($99.99 – purchased) on the Connected Car plan while it was still available for just $20/month for unlimited data as a stand alone device. The Mobley can be setup to work anywhere, even not plugged into a vehicle. This deal retired in Sept 2017, was back briefly in early 2019 – but is now out of stock.

– We snagged a Mobley device ($99.99 – purchased) on the Connected Car plan while it was still available for just $20/month for unlimited data as a stand alone device. The Mobley can be setup to work anywhere, even not plugged into a vehicle.

Current best AT&T Options: As both our above plans are no longer available, see our Top Data Plans guide for more the current best options on AT&T.

Other Carriers & Coverage

We also keep T-Mobile and Sprint options on board as back-up options when our primary carriers are too congested.

For Sprint, we keep an annual membership with the Calyx Institute which gives us an unlimited data plan on the Inseego MiFi 8000 hotspot device.

For T-Mobile, we have an older now retired Simple Choice 6GB data only plan that includes 20GB of roll-over data and unlimited video streaming.

T-Mobile has greatly expanded their network longer range band 71 spectrum. And now with their merger with Sprint complete in April 2020, the next few years should be quite interesting as their technologies and spectrum get better utilized.

For planning our travels around cellular connectivity, in 2010 we actually wrote an app for that!

Coverage? is available for iOS and Android, and allows you to create you own personal coverage map based on your carriers and preferred signal type.

All maps are stored on device and updated throughout the year – so you can look up coverage even when you don’t have any.

Guide: How to Find Cellular Coverage in your travels

Data Plans as a ‘Home Internet Replacement”

A struggle with cellular internet however is finding affordable data plans that can serve as a home/office internet replacement on the road. This just isn’t something the carriers are keen to do across the nation in a still LTE-dominant world.

All carriers now offer unlimited plans, but we’ve taken to calling them “unlimited” plans – because they usually have restrictions that make them less appealing for high bandwidth consumers.

We spend a lot of time tracking plans as they come and go and advising travelers on how to best utilize them. And our premium members get alerts from us when we detect plans coming and going to make sure they can snag the deals while available.

The options for cellular data are constantly shifting, here’s our CURRENT Top Pick Data Plans for each carrier:

Stay in the Know: We get alerts out to our premium members of the Mobile Internet Resource Center when we hear about a new plan coming or going so they can jump on sweet plans before they retire. We also offer a free newsletter covering mobile internet news on a monthly basis.

And what about 5G?

The carriers are actively launching 5G technology across the nation.

What can mobile users do to plan ahead?

Does it make sense to put off technology purchases?

If you need mobile options now, then probably not.

LTE will remain the primary way nomads rely on for mobile internet connectivity for years to come, even as 5G becomes the standard (just like 3G stuck around for a long time after LTE debuted).

While 5G devices will be tempting in 2020, they will be the first generation devices with rapid improvements into the future. And at present time there are not many external 5G antennas & mobile hotspots on the market. And no cellular boosters or cellular routers available. It’ll still be a while before a mobile internet arsenal can be 5G-centric.

Related Guides:

Signal Enhancing: Cellular Antennas & Boosters

Since cellular data is the primary way we get online, optimizing our signal for the best performance is super important.

Boosters and antennas can take a weak signal and make it much more stable – resulting in a more solid connection and faster data speeds.

They can be like magic, allowing us to stay in an idyllic campsite or anchorage much longer than we could otherwise.

They can also be disappointing in some situations, and take some trial and error.

There are a lot of options on the market, and cellular signal enhancing for best data performance is a complex topic that requires some basic understanding.

Our guide: Understanding & Optimizing Your Cellular Data Performance

Option 1: Antenna Only Solutions (MIMO)

We often find that direct wired antennas, especially in a MIMO (multi in / multi out) configuration can often outperform boosters in many signal conditions.

MIMO is an important LTE technology that utilizes multiple antennas to get a better signal, which current boosters circumvent. It’ll be core to 5G as well.

Of course, antennas only work with devices that have antenna ports (another reason we prefer mobile hotspots & routers to smartphones for our primary cellular data).

We default to MIMO antennas in our own personal signal enhancing strategy and find that 70-80% of the time they give us the best results in any particular location.

And even better? They’re cheaper than boosters!

For the RV/bus roof , our personal choice has been the Mobile Mark LMT401 ($256 – provided by 5GStore)- it’s a low profile MIMO antenna that we wire directly into a cellular embedded modem, ours also has a Wi-Fi antenna built in. We’ll likely upgrade this to a 4×4 MIMO model when we next return.

, our personal choice has been the Mobile Mark LMT401 ($256 – provided by 5GStore)- it’s a low profile MIMO antenna that we wire directly into a cellular embedded modem, ours also has a Wi-Fi antenna built in. We’ll likely upgrade this to a 4×4 MIMO model when we next return. For our boat, we have been very impressed with the Poynting OMNI Mast Antenna ($349 – provided by MobileMustHave.com) and have made it our default antenna.

For our van, we have been impressed with the Mobile Mark LMTG ($365 – provided by MobileMustHave.com) – like the one we have on our bus, it’s low profile, but has 4×4 MIMO antennas that we use in a dual 2×2 configuration with our dual modem router.

Option 1: Boosters

A booster uses an external antenna that feeds signal collected from a cellular tower into an amplifier that boosts the signal. It then re-transmits the signal through an interior antenna. They can help with better phone calls and better data performance in some situations.

While a popular option made even more popular by aggressive social media marketing – they’re not always the right choice in all situations.

And they’re pricey!

Quite honestly, a booster is perhaps the best signal enhancing option for data maybe 20-30% of the time. And when used in moderate signal areas, they can actually DECREASE your download speeds (but increase your upload speeds).

But for those who depend on cellular data, they can be a very worthwhile to have onboard as an option to try – especially for devices without antenna ports, like smartphones. Or for folks doing a lot of uploads and video broadcasting.

We rarely pull ours out anymore. But those few times we need it, we’re thankful to have it on board.

Personal current choice: After lots of testing of almost every mobile booster and antenna combo on the market, we consider the newer weBoost Drive Reach ($499.99 – purchase on: weBoost | Amazon) paired with the 4G-OTR antenna to be the winning combination – however this is not yet available as a kit from weBoost.

The weBoost Drive X OTR or RV ($499.99 – purchase on: weBoost | Amazon, ours provided by weBoost), while a generation older – is tried and true and comes with our favorite 4G-OTR antenna.

More on Boosters (including other options on the market we test):

Mobile Cellular Boosters for RVs & Boats Overview

We and our staff try to test as many mobile cellular boosters and antennas as we can fit on our roof, and are constantly running field testing. Our members have access to our extensive field testing data and notes, as well as our reviews.

Check out our Field Testing Lab to see what we’re currently testing.

Related guides to cellular signal enhancing:

Mobile Routers & WiFi Extending Gear

While mobile hotspots and smartphones can create their own Wi-Fi network, and you can connect your laptop to the campground’s Wi-Fi if you’re close enough – those with more extensive networking needs might consider a mobile router.

A router acts as the central conductor between your mobile internet options and your devices.

This allows all your devices to always connect to the same network, and you just switch out what is the current best internet source at your location (Verizon, AT&T, campground/marina Wi-Fi, etc.).

Routers also usually have ethernet ports, which can be important if you want a wired local network or have a cellular modem that supports ethernet out. And routers usually can create a stronger and wider local Wi-Fi network too.

What sets mobile routers apart from household routers are these features:

WiFi as WAN – the ability to use a Wi-Fi hotspot as your own network’s internet upstream. Wi-Fi extending antennas/radios are more powerful long-range WiFi options that can pick up hotspots vastly further away than laptops alone can. However, it’s important to note – the struggle with campground and marina Wi-Fi is not always distance, but an under configured or overloaded network. Wi-Fi extending gear can not help with these sorts of issues.

– the ability to use a Wi-Fi hotspot as your own network’s internet upstream. Wi-Fi extending antennas/radios are more powerful long-range WiFi options that can pick up hotspots vastly further away than laptops alone can. Cellular tethering or embedded cellular modem – allows you to use cellular data as your internet source. There are Wi-Fi extending only solutions out there, but since we optimize for cellular – we don’t spend any time with them beyond testing.

allows you to use cellular data as your internet source. There are Wi-Fi extending only solutions out there, but since we optimize for cellular – we don’t spend any time with them beyond testing. 12V Power – most mobile routers can be powered off 12v or 110, allowing you to use them without needing shore power or an inverter when boondocking.

Routers come in a variety of price points, complexity, usability and some have roof mounted options for better signals.

Personal Choice: We used to say this was a tough choice as to which setup we like best, but ever since we got in our Pepwave Max Transit Duo ($999 – provided by MobileMustHave.com) in September 2019 – we have pretty much standardized on it. It’s so convenient to have two of our carrier plans active and going, and switching between them or combining them. And Pepwave gear tends to be rock solid.

Here are the two basic approaches you can choose from:

Tethering Hotspots: With this approach, you tether a mobile hotspot or smartphone to a cellular aware mobile router usually via USB or ethernet – and then allow the router to spread the connectivity to your connected devices. The advantage of this approach is that mobile hotspot options are frequently released with the latest modem chipsets for around $200. If we optimized for this approach, we’d choose the WiFiRanger Spruce ($119 – provided by WiFiRanger) as our interior router. It’s got a LOT of power for the price with gigabit ethernet ports, quad core processor, Wave 2 Wi-Fi extending, support for multiple USB devices tethered, built in VPN and multi-WAN load balancing. It can also easily pair with their optional external roof mounted Converge equipment offering choices in Wi-Fi range extending and embedded cellular equipment. There are other options too available that we test including the Pepwave Soho – and WiFiRanger has even more advanced products coming in 2020.

With this approach, you tether a mobile hotspot or smartphone to a cellular aware mobile router usually via USB or ethernet – and then allow the router to spread the connectivity to your connected devices. The advantage of this approach is that mobile hotspot options are frequently released with the latest modem chipsets for around $200. Cellular Embedded Routers: These are going to be higher end routers, usually more pro or industrial grade (with price tags to match). The cellular modem is built into the router itself, and sometimes even have dual SIM slots (or even dual modems!) for easier switching between carriers. The downside is, the cellular modems in these tend to be a bit behind those offered in mobile hotspots and they require a bit more tech comfort to manage as they’re designed for an IT staff. Dual Modem: We have been using the refreshed Cat 12 version of the Pepwave MAX Transit Duo ($999 – provided by MobileMustHave.com). It’s the first dual modem high end router on the market in the sub-$1000 range capable of load balancing and bonding. It’s become a favorite and now moves with us between all three of our vessels as our primary option. Single Modem: For single modem options, our default for a while now has been the Pepwave MAX-BR1 ($599.99 – provided by Peplink) – but we anxiously await the modem to be updated. We use these as the routers we leave behind for remote monitoring while our RV or boat is in storage. We’ve spend time with the Cradlepoint IBR900 ($999.99 – purchased), but they implemented a policy change that requires an ongoing annual subscription to get firmware updates – so we’ve reduced our interest in it. Roof Mounted Options: We have the WiFiRanger Converge Denali ($519 – provided by WiFiRanger) roof unit that was released in November 2019 in active testing. We’ll pull this out if marina/campground Wi-Fi really is the best option at a location (rare), but thus far the cellular embedded features don’t compare to other options in our current setup. We also have hands on time with the Winegard ConnecT 2.0 – another combo LTE/Wi-fi device.

These are going to be higher end routers, usually more pro or industrial grade (with price tags to match). The cellular modem is built into the router itself, and sometimes even have dual SIM slots (or even dual modems!) for easier switching between carriers. The downside is, the cellular modems in these tend to be a bit behind those offered in mobile hotspots and they require a bit more tech comfort to manage as they’re designed for an IT staff.

Related Guides:

Devices & iGadgets

We’re pretty much an all Apple household. We each have a MacBook for portability, and Cherie also has a Mac Mini connected to a retina screen that she does most of her work on. We also have a collection of the latest iPhones and iPads. (All purchased on our own.)

Those on cellular data plans we can also use the personal hotspot to get our computers online when away from home (or more common, Cherie uses to get work done while Chris is testing gear and has our network unstable.)

We use an HDMI Ligthning Digital AV Adapter cable from our iPhones to a larger TV screen to use our carrier’s unlimited data plans for video streaming without counting against our mobile hotspot data cap. (See this guide for more: TV & Video Streaming On the Go)

Both of our phones are the iPhone 11 with DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Stand-by) – meaning we can actually carry TWO cellular data plans for each phone.

Chris currently keeps an AT&T Unlimited Plus plan as his eSIM line (with 15GB of high speed mobile hotspot data), and has a line with Visible for Verizon access ($25/month.

Cherie currently has her iPhone’s eSIM on AT&T Unlimited plus as well, and is using a Prepaid Verizon plan with a 15GG data plan in the physical SIM slot.

Other Solutions of Note:

Flagpole Mast & Directional Antennas & Suction Cup Mounts

When set up for a while and we need to reach a further away tower or access point, we deploy a flagpole on a rear hitch mount (purchased) for our higher gain directional equipment.

We carry an Ubiquity NanoStation M2 (purchased) for WiFi repeating.

We also have a directional wideband cellular antenna (purchased) we can mount.

We also carry a Suction Cup Mount ($44.99, provided by TechnoRV) for quicker temporary deploys of exterior antennas.

Since we don’t stop in one place too often, and rarely utilize Wi-Fi hotspots – we honestly don’t utilize these setups all that often.

But, when we need it, it’s definitely worth the storage space and setup efforts to deploy.

Satellite Internet:

Up until November 2013, we did travel with a tripod satellite setup from HughesNet.

However between the prevalence of cellular & WiFi, the setup & equipment hassles, high latency and no longer needing to be as connected as we once were due to shifts in our business – we ditched the setup.

Since then, new mobile suitable satellite options have come online, including HughesNet Gen 5. Reports from customers are astounding – advertised speeds are up to 15 mbps but we have reports much higher! Getting official mobile provisioning can be tricky, and there are serious considerations to make before deciding if satellite is right for you. But for those really going off in the boonies – it’s great to have the option available.

Currently, we do travel with a Garmin InReach Explorer+ ($449 – purchased) – which gives us some basic satellite communication when we’re out of reach of cell towers or Wi-Fi.

With the inReach, we can at least get a TXT message out to loved ones, and our staff can reach us if there’s something big going on. We can also pull up weather reports, get an SOS emergency out and allow people to track us if we so desire.

When going out for hikes or dinghy explorations, we also bring it along for basic navigation and emergency communication.

But of keen interest to mobile nomads is the launching low earth orbit (LEO) constellations that can deliver broadband speeds and low latency – we’re closely tracking Starlink, OneWeb and Kuiper. Things could start really shaping up by mid 2020 in this space (hah, get it?).

Here’s our guide: Mobile Satellite Internet Options

LTTE – Libation: Technology Tribulation Elimination – Surviving via mobile internet can sometimes be frustrating, especially if you are used to the consistency of a plugged in connection like cable or DSL. For dealing with the inevitable frustrations, we suggest keeping a box or two of LTTE (reviews within) on hand as part of your tech arsenal essentials – it helps take the edge off when the bits just refuse to flow.

We love Bota Box Old Vine Zin and RedVolultion (Cost – $14-19/box depending on local taxes – you can add to our supply using the ‘Leave a Tip’ button at the bottom of this page)

Installation & Cabling

So just how do we route all these cables around?

Bus:

This allows us to more easily switch out cabling as needed, as we’re constantly changing out gear as we test and evolve our system.

When we replaced our refrigerator years ago, we took the opportunity to route conduit from the roof of the bus, through the fridge vent and then into our cabinetry to our tech cabinet.

For those who desire keeping their technology updated, we highly recommend taking the time & effort to route conduit from the roof to the tech cabinet – it makes a world of difference when it comes time to install new antennas or gear.

During our 2015 bus renovations, we also had the fridge vent converted to be an antenna hatch.

Boat:

As we’ve done boat projects over the years, we also take the opportunity to run a wired network with ethernet.

And when doing our marine electronics installation in late 2017, we used the opportunity to run low loss coax cable for antennas from our radar arch to our tech cabinet for antennas.

There’s lots of considerations however in your best installation options.

Related Guides:

Do You Really Need This Much ??

What will be ideal for you, will likely vary – but no, no one needs this much tech onboard. Remember, we test this stuff for a living and we have way way way too much of it.

And we don’t recommend just copying another blogger’s setup without really assessing if their needs are close enough to yours.

And besides, this stuff changes so often that you really need to look at what the current options are.

Even stuff 6 3 months old can be outdated now.

What will work best for you will be highly dependent upon your needs, your travel style, your RV or boat type, your budget, your technology comfort level and what existing setup you have.

Our Use Case

We prefer to be places where Wi-Fi isn’t abundantly available (we mostly skip it even if it is).

We work full time with lots of web surfing, managing social media, research, email and most everything a business needs to do online. We do a LOT of video work (live casts, webinars, conferences and YouTube) and we love streaming TV & videos.

We easily use 200-300 GB of data a month.

Ok, maybe 400-500GB if we’re in a really good signal area and Kiki has access to 4K cat videos (always blame the cat).

Having a strong cellular dependency works really well for us, especially if we plan our travels around connectivity. We’re often abundant in bandwidth with super fast speeds (10 – 50 mbps down, even 100 mbps down sometimes!)

We like the redundancy of multiple cellular networks and the combined coverage footprint we get with Verizon & AT&T – there are places where one excels over the other.

We typically have usable connectivity 98-99% of the time these days.

We actually sometimes miss the days of forced offline time due to dead zones.

Here’s some additional use case guides you might find insightful:

More on Assessing your own mobile internet needs:

Before You Can Assemble a Mobile Internet Setup – You Must First Understand YOUR Unique Needs

Approaching Your Mobile Internet Solution & Sample Setups

How is our Boating Setup Different?

With our style of boating – which is mostly coastal cruising along the ICW and inland waterways – we just move our equipment & plans between the bus and boat and van.

In terms of connectivity, our boating style really is ‘RVing on water’ – and our setup has been nearly identical.

The biggest changes we have:

We do stay in marinas more often than we ever stayed in commercial RV parks. And the provided Wi-Fi has been surprisingly useful more often than not. So we do sometimes default to Wi-Fi for non-critical tasks.

We focus on omni-directional antennas and skip directional. A boat is always moving unless it’s on the hard.

Helping you Understand your Mobile Internet Options

After years of sharing about our own mobile internet connectivity, and answering lots of questions on it – we started a dedicated resource center at MobileInternetInfo.com in 2014 after writing the first edition of The Mobile Internet Handbook.

It is all funded by our premium members – the very folks who depend on our content. We have no 3rd party advertising, no sponsors and we don’t sell gear & plans. We like it that way.

Mobile Internet Aficionados is a community of fellow nomads utilizing mobile internet for their lifestyle. For their support they get insider tips, alerts, reviews, in-depth guides, webinars, interactive guidance, vendor discounts and a classroom.

It’s because of their funding that we’re able to offer a lot of resources for free.

Here’s some further places you can tap into our resources:

If this topic is important to you – we’d love to have you join us!

Use Discount Code ‘TechnomadiaRocks’ at Checkout to save $5 off a new MIA membership.

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