Truth be told, our family is pretty much always on the go. I-95 and I-26 are our constant companions. So it’s no secret that internet connectivity is important to us. While traveling, my wife does volunteer work with a non-profit organization that requires her to work in the car while I chauffeur. And, when we arrive at our favorite destinations in three different states, we need reliable internet service for both my business and for hers. If you pretty much hang out at a stationary location, then feel free to stop reading now. But if you have the nomad gene like we do and need to take your phones and your internet service wherever you go, then enjoy the ride.
Internet Options for Moving Vehicles
Most of today’s newer vehicles offer an option to enable WiFi connectivity in your car or truck. Depending upon the manufacturer, the WiFi hotspot is typically provided by either AT&T or Verizon. In our case, it’s an AT&T WiFi hotspot. For most of our travels, that connectivity is sufficient to get us from Point A to Point B without internet interruptions. As a backup, my wife and I maintain cellular and hotspot service with the other two major carriers, Verizon and T-Mobile. If you weren’t aware, US Mobile offers cellular service from all three of the major carriers at dirt cheap prices with the unique ability to switch carriers on your phone in a matter of minutes at little or no cost. For those that typically travel to locations with differing carrier dominance, US Mobile is a godsend. The link will uncover my first name and your reward.
Internet Options Off The Grid
As much as we hate to ever again put a dime in Elon Musk’s pocket, it would be an oversight not to mention Starlink Mini service for those that travel to or frequent places off the grid. There also are numerous adapters to temporarily affix the Mini to the roof of your vehicle or boat while en route. Feel free to use our referral link for a month of free service almost anywhere in the world. In addition to a pricey $170/month unlimited data plan (typically 100-300 Mbps) and a $50/month 50GB plan, Starlink now has a $5/month unlimited data plan with 500Kb download speeds for those that want to use the service primarily for emergencies or email. Perfect for us!
Good News: We now have tested the $5 plan and can report that Starlink was reliable for email, VoIP using Incredible PBX and Groundwire, Twitter, BlueSky, and even Facebook. YMMV!
Starlink generously offers a 30-day, money-back guarantee on its hardware when purchased directly from their website. If you’re not satisfied with the service or hardware within 30 days of activation, you can return the Starlink kit for a full refund. This applies to the hardware itself AND the first month’s service fee.
Internet Options On The Grid
I remember when T-Mobile first introduced their Home Internet service at $50 a month. It was a terrific bargain especially since you could move it from place to place. Well, it didn’t take T-Mobile long to figure that out and triple the rate for those that wanted to travel with it. But there’s good news. A little known non-profit corporation named Calyx Institute came along and took advantage of a giant loophole that T-Mobile agreed to as part of its merger with Sprint. It allows companies like Calyx Institute to offer unlimited 4G or 5G service at very reasonable rates using devices of their choosing without all the hot spot restrictions that the Big 3 carriers have morphed into yet another money-maker. And recently Calyx Institute began offering a BYOD option for those that wanted unlimited T-Mobile 5G service using a cellular router of your choosing. For $500 a year or $150 a quarter, you get a data-only SIM card with unlimited T-Mobile data to use in any device of your choosing. You also get a federal tax deduction each year for more than half the cost of the service. And you can travel with the SIM card and a cellular router of your choosing as often as you like to any location that offers T-Mobile connectivity. You can also swap the SIM card into any other device of your choosing at any time. Use our referral code when you sign up, and we’ll both get an extra month of BYOD service at no cost.
Choosing a T-Mobile-Compatible Cellular Router
In the plug in router department, we’ve fallen in love with the Uotec 5G CPE Router (shown above). It is a stand-alone beauty that works flawlessly with the Calyx SIM. We’ve used it in a remote area of Ponte Vedra Beach with barely one bar of service, and we’re getting steady 300+ Mbps downloads. Although supported by this router, no IMEI or TTL device manipulation is required using the Calyx Institute BYOD SIM. Just plug it in and enjoy!
If you’re looking for a 5G cellular router that can be used without external power, then look no further than GL-iNet’s new GL-XE3000 (shown above). Its battery will keep the internet humming along for up to 7 hours using the Calyx Institute BYOD SIM and a T-Mobile 5G tower.
Unlike most of the trade rags that regurgitate a script provided by corporate ad agencies, we actually eat our own dog food. All of the products mentioned or recommended by us are products we have purchased on the open market without compensation from the companies appearing in our reviews. Enjoy!
Originally published: Monday, August 18, 2025
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