Our internet provider is charging us per GB we use of data. So we started looking for other options. There are no other internet providers that service our area, except for maybe DISH (but we were nervous going satellite). So, then we came across this idea....but we just aren't sure if it's a good idea or not and we are hoping maybe you guys can give us some guidance. We have 3 kids oldest Freshman in college (obviously currently home), middle kid is a senior in High School and youngest is a Sophomore. We are homeschooling both kids that are still in high school and they are doing some online classes. We are not gamers, but we do like our internet. We like watching you tube videos, streaming netflix, hulu and amazon, and just doing regular internet things all day long....checking emails, facebook, etc. We are also paying for cable. Currently we use tracfone for our cell phone service and for the most part it's been really good. We are toying with this idea....please give us your opinion. Switching our tracfones to a regular cell phone that works off of local tower in our town that offers unlimited everything. We would then turn our phones into hotspots whenever we want to use the internet on a device that is not our phones. So that would mean, streaming on our TV, the kids using their computers for school, me on my desk top doing whatever. We know that when we are "out of network" our unlimited switches to 10 GB a month. One thing we are thinking is this option might be kind of nice when we are camping out of network or visiting my husband's parents who do not have internet in their home. Also, my husband works next door from our home (he is a Pastor of a small church and his office is in the church.). We have been shooting our internet signal to his office from our home and most of the time it works, but it isn't always super strong....but the signal doesn't go any further than his office...so if he wants internet in the church, lets say, we don't have it. With this option....he could take his phone and have internet. If we would do this, we are locked in for 30 months...so we want to make sure this is a good idea. Right now we have a demo phone from the company to test out the hotspot option in our home. We have this until Sunday. Right now because we are paying per GB we are limiting our viewing and lowing the quality of our videos (both are not a horrible thing) but sometimes it is inconvenient. And when we lay it all out, dollar per dollar, it comes out pretty equal because we are looking at dumping our cable too and using You Tube Live instead (we were told Hulu Live wasn't an option for that cell phone carrier). These are our questions: 1) will using our phones at a hotspot be really bad for them over time? 2) when our 2 older kids go off to college in the fall and they are on campus using the campus internet, why would they need unlimited data? (their tracfones currently have a fair amount of talking minutes and texts on them that we already paid for). 3) what other benefits does this option have for us? We have never owned cell phones that weren't tracfone so we don't know if there is a true benefit to this or not. Thank you for reading this and giving us your thoughts.

I am looking at T-Mobile....it appears to be the only one that might possibly work (without us getting cell phones)....but I am not sure yet. I think I need to make a phone call.

they don't and a lot of customers are very unhappy about it. It hasn't been a year since they switched from unlimited bundle (they offer cable TV and phone too) to this plan with fiber optics. Our bill has increased with careful monitoring of usage and changing the quality of video playback. The company doesn't seem to care too much because they know we really have no other easy choice. So I am trying to think outside the box to see if I can come up with a different solution. I appreciate all of the responses I am receiving.

we use tracfone for our cell phones, so I don't think what you are doing would work for us. But it is interesting to say the least. To me it seems most cell plans are so expensive, but if it takes away an expensive internet plan, it might balance out in the end. Right now, we hardly pay $20 a month per phone with tracfone....so I don't know...but it doesn't cost to look into it...so I am going to. Thanks for idea.

thank you guys! I am just trying to figure out what is best for our family and our budget. We don't game, but we do stream Netflix, Hulu, You Tube and Amazon. The "updating firmware" thing is concerning. I never thought to consider celluar internet....although I do know Direct TV uses AT&T and they did NOT service our address. But I will look at others. Please keep the opinions coming....thanks

so it seems like storms would be the main reason to NOT get satellite?

just bumping....and wondering if there are any opinions out there. It appears that Direct TV can't get us internet...so we are just looking at DISH and would love some opinions.

If you read my recent post about a week or so ago...we are being charged per GB used for our internet by our provider. So we are looking at other options. There are no other companies in our area that service our rural town...but I know that DISH and Direct TV will...but I do not know anything about that service and how good or bad it is. If you have had any experience with it , I would greatly appreciate it. Currently we have fiber optics. Thanks.

ok. I don't have any other information about them....so I guess I will wait...thanks for clarification.

they have a FB page, so I went to that....and it hasn't been updated since 2012....so I am wondering if the site is actually operational to anyone....

I didn't pay for anything....and I can't even click on "contact us" without getting the same message....so I guess I am out of luck. I even tried it on a different computer (a newer one) and that didn't help either.

oh....so I should contact them and tell them then?

I am trying to access music from a sheet music site for my boys so they have some new music to play on their horns. I have accessed music from this site before (about 5-6 years ago however). Well, today when I get to the site and I try to look at music, I get this message: Your PHP installation does not have MySQL support. Please enable MySQL support in PHP or ask your web host to do so for you. What does it mean and what can I do about it?? thanks.

thank you all for the ideas. I needed something to help us pass some of the time....and Amazon has some games that are shipping quickly and some that don't....so I wanted a couple options. Keep them coming.

We are a family of 5 and need a new game. We have 3 kids 16 and older.... I would prefer a game that isn't highly strategic (Sagrada for example) or random (Tenzi)...or something that has a ton of rules (Fluxx). (this is because I want my husband to play with us...and he won't if those 3 things are involved) We are good with either board or card games. A couple games my husband with play with us are Bohnanza, and Nines (which is similar to Skyjo). Does anybody have a suggestion for us? thanks.

we are a family with a 19 year old girl, and 2 boys age 16 and 18. I want to get some DVD movies that we would all enjoy. We don't like dark movies or ones that are deeply sci fi. The kids like marvel movies (but we own those already) ...we like movies that are just plain fun (without lots of swear words, or inappropriate behavior or speech.)....doesn't have to be rated G...but even many PG13 are just off color in our opinion. It also doesn't have to be current (although it can be) either....thanks.

I could have.....I will watch and wait and see....I am not interested in going into any doctor's office....nor do I want to bother a doctor during this time unless I need to. They are already dealing with so many people who are scared their symptoms are COVID whether or not they really are....they don't really need to deal with my red cheeks at this time....unless I feel that it's urgent.

the red cheeks are the only symptom that I have...none of the other ones I found listed on several websites.

nope...nothing like that in our history...at all...

my arms look better today....less bumpy....but my face is still red....but again, doesn't hurt...doesn't itch...it is just there...

yesterday morning I woke up with a slightly red, bumpy rash on my arms (doesn't hurt or itch) and my cheeks look like they have been sunburned...but they haven't. They don't hurt either...but feel dry. It's sort of weird. I am not really worried....but certainly curious what it could be. I haven't used any new soaps or cleaners in the COVID 19 enviroments....since I am mostly just at home. I did go to a grocery store the day before I broke out....but that is it. Any thoughts for me? thanks

our "nice" provider is giving us 1 whole GB free every day, per student (not our homeschooled students mind you) until their school would be out of session. With my college aged daughter home and doing a full load of classes, that will buy us one class free...the others we will have to pay for. And that doesn't count anything else she might need to do....like watch an extra video for class or anything extra she needs to do. I am glad that other companies are nice enough to lift the limits for COVID....

Will you please answer 2 quick questions for me? 1) is your internet plan at your home unlimited usage? 2) if not.... Would you mind sharing with me where you live? I am asking because right now the only internet company that serves our small town is charging us per GB we use and I am wondering if this is a common practice or not. People in the towns where this is happening (in our area) are fighting the company... Not only because now everybody has kids at home doing online school and many people are also doing work from home, but even before this because we live in a time where using the internet is a constant in most homes. Thanks for answering my questions.

I was cleaning out my spam folder (which I haven't done for a while) and I noticed 3 emails from Facebook dating March 9, 10 and 2 on the 13th, stating that someone reset my password from a location somewhere near Albuquerque, New Mexico (and we live in Nebraska). Is this legit....would FB actually contact me? Should I be concerned?

When it comes to leftovers, properly cooked and stored....what is your general rule of thumb for how many days after it was made will you eat still eat it? And if it varies on the type of food, state that too please. thanks.