Quote Originally Posted by Jon Wehrenberg View Post
Then what is the deal with tethering? If the cost is as much as an air card what is the advantage. Similarly, I see emails sent from phones all the time. Do those cost $70 a month just to be able to do that as opposed to $40 or so per month?

If I want to get on line when we travel (not sure about that, it's nice to not have phones ring or to feel compelled to get on the computer) I would only do it to get on the POG forum and answer emails. Wouldn't a phone work?
Tethering just lets you use your full computer. Yes, you can do most everything through the phone but I'm just not that fast at typing with the chicklet keyboard. Yes, the phones do cost $70/mo as opposed to $50/mo for the aircard but you would probably still need the phone with the aircard for voice calls. So really, you're looking at either phone + aircard = $40 + $50 = $90/mo with 5 g data or a smart phone for $70/mo with unlimited data.

As for using it, one of the handiest things we do is use it to find places to stop. There is an online searchable database for free places to park overnight at Overnight RV Parking, I check for spots along our route when Fuzzy decides it's time to stop. If we want a park, I check the RV park review website for locations along the route that aren't dumps. I have both of our phones set up to give weather alerts, so we won't drive into a hazardous weather condition unaware. Course, that didn't help much when the tornado almost got us, but that's another story.