What Are The Best RV Hotspot Plans?
Gone are the days of RVing to disconnect. Now more than ever, families are choosing the RV lifestyle and need to stay connected. RV hotspot plans do just that. We break down the best plans to keep you online.
Mobile hotspots
Living in an RV isn’t just for retirees and snowbirds anymore! These days, you can find all sorts of different family styles living the nomadic life in their rig. Retired couples, young couples, families with kids, and even solo travelers have created lives for themselves in a tiny home on wheels. And not everyone is looking to get off the grid.
No matter what your living arrangements are, it’s likely that you’ll want some internet connection. What once seemed impossible is now possible, affordable, and accessible. A mobile hotspot router and plan is the easiest way to get internet access in your RV without relying on park Wi-Fi or your cell service.
A hotspot allows you to take wireless data from cell phone carriers and turn it into wireless internet for your RV. Your hotspot setup will include a hotspot router, the piece of equipment that allows you to connect multiple devices to the internet simultaneously, and the hotspot plan.
The hotspot plan is similar to your mobile plan and uses a SIM card to connect to the internet. Typically you’ll pay a monthly fee for a specific amount of data, but prepaid plans are also available. There are many plans to choose from, so when shopping around, you’ll want to consider four things:
- The cellular network
- Device limits
- Router price
- 5G compatibility
While you may be thinking that your cellphone already has hotspot capability, this is not the best solution for an RV internet connection. For starters, you can only connect one device at a time to your phone. Using your mobile hotspot also drains your battery. Plus, many carriers limit the amount of data you can share.
There are RV hotspot plans for everyone
Any full or part-time RV dweller may need a hotspot. It depends on how often you like to be connected to the internet and where you plan to spend most of your time. RV parks often offer Wi-Fi, and when it’s weak, you can use a Wi-Fi extender to improve the speed. But if you plan on spending most of your time boondocking or need internet while you’re on the road too, a hotspot is the best bet.
You can use mobile hotspots for tons of things.
Working from home
Many people can afford the nomad lifestyle by working online from their RV. When your job is at stake, you need to make sure you can always stay connected, no matter where you’ve parked for the night.
Staying connected
If you’re out on the road away from family and friends, you probably want to be able to communicate with them from time to time. Share your plans, location, and plenty of pictures with the people you care about.
Entertaining on rainy days
Unfortunately, rainy days are unavoidable. If you’re not a fan of getting drenched, you may decide to spend a lazy day in your RV now and then when the weather is less than desirable.
Completing schoolwork
University students or families traveling with kids may need the internet to handle the coursework. Stay up-to-date with assignments while you travel by staying connected to the internet across the country.
Planning your adventures
Whether you want to reserve a time slot at a national park, buy tickets to an attraction, or book a spot at the next RV park, having an internet connection in your RV will make your life much easier.
Using hotspots while traveling
While hotspots are probably the most reliable source of internet for your RV, there are limits to their usage. Even if you’ve opted for an “unlimited” plan, the connection can become extremely slow once you reach a certain cap. In addition, streaming videos and gaming can eat through your data quickly, so it’s essential to keep an eye on usage, especially if you need the internet for work.
Since the internet connection comes through phone networks, if there is no cell service, there is no internet. While networks in the US have come a long way, there are still plenty of parts of the country that don’t get service. This is especially likely if you prefer to boondock or spend most of your time in secluded areas. You can improve your chances of connection by using different providers for your cell phone and your mobile hotspot.
Top RV hotspot plans
For reliable Wi-Fi on the go, your best bet is to stick with one of the big four mobile providers in the US (they have the most reliable coverage across the country). When deciding which one is best for you, don’t forget to consider:
- Where you’ll spend most of your time
- How much data you’ll need
- If you have speed requirements
Verizon
As the largest network provider, many people looking for internet in their RV turn to Verizon. Its network spans 70% of the country. Plus, its Ultra Wideband channels offer some of the fastest speeds out there.
- Router: Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L Hotspot – $199.99
- Plan Features: 5G ultra wideband access, premium streaming quality
- Data: Four plans ranging from 15 GB – 150 GB of premium mobile hotspot data
- Price: $20 – $110 per month
AT&T
With the second most extensive coverage in the country, AT&T comes in at a close second behind Verizon. With access to their 5G network and the possibility to add an international data plan, this makes an excellent option for campers who may head to Canada or Mexico.
- Router: Global Modem USB 800 – $179.99
- Plan Features: 5G at no extra charge, international package options
- Data: Two monthly plans at 25 GB – 40 GB; prepaid packages of 15 GB – 100 GB
- Price: $50 – $75 per month; $35 – $90 prepaid
T-Mobile
The T-Mobile network has grown significantly in the past few years, offering some of the best international options available. According to them, they have the most extensive 5G network in the country.
- Router: T10 Mobile Hotspot – $90.00
- Plan Features: no annual contracts, data pass
- Data: 2 GB with the option to add more throughout the month
- Price: $10 per month with the option to add data throughout the month
Telus
For Canadians, Telus provides reliable coverage for mobile hotspots that can connect to up to 20 devices.
- Router: Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 – $480 CA
- Plan Features: access to 5G network, advanced encryption, guest wifi
- Data: 5 GB – 50 GB
- Price: $60 – $ 135 CA per month
The low-down on RV hotspot plans
It has become much easier and more affordable to stay connected as you adventure around North America in your RV. Still, even mobile hotspots are not a guarantee that you’ll always stay connected. There is always a chance that you may find an area that isn’t reached by your provider, or cell towers can go down.
If your internet connection is critical, be sure to plan ahead and have backup options like different plans with multiple carriers or nearby cafes with Wi-Fi. Be sure to read campground reviews to see what other RVers are saying about the internet and cell service in the areas you’re visiting, and plan your travels accordingly.
Forums such as iRV2.com and blog sites like RV LIFE, Do It Yourself RV, and Camper Report provide all the information you need to enjoy your RV. You’ll also find brand-specific information on additional forums like Air Forums, Forest River Forums, and Jayco Owners Forum.
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Verizon’s 8800L Hotspot is 4G only. It doesn’t work with 5G which, because of 5G’s short range, is too far away from most campgrounds anyway.
Anyone camping out West should consider StarLink for their internet away from home (and maybe at home also). VERY FAST SPEEDS AND NO DATA CAPS. Time to break out the Roku.
Many phone hotspot plans support more than 1 device. I have been using my Verizon plan to support multiple devices. The major drawback of using a phone as a hotspot is that it stops functioning as a phone. When I take or place a call it stops hotspot data. However, using a phone allows me to screen mirror video to my large flatscreen without using ANY hotspot data, a HUGE advantage of using a phone. The data caps for streaming, non-hotspot data are much more flexible and ill-defined by the carriers, they reserve the right to slow down data during network congestion but they don’t automatically downgrade your service like the do with hotspot data. Another consideration is that certain Android phones are much more useful than Apple for screen mirroring, Apple is much more restrictive than Android about which streaming apps can be mirrored because of digital rights. The advantage of using a hotspot device (we are using a Jetpack 8800 with the 150gb plan) over a phone is they have superior antennas. In the poor reception area we have been in since June our Jetpack works 99% of the time, my LG android phone works for voice most of the time and data mostly at night, and my wife’s iPhone works sporadically for voice and seldom for data unless we move away from our campsite. With discounts we spend around $200/month for the maximum plans on all three devices.
No one ever suggest Verizon’s Visible prepaid service
Unlimited 5G data for $40/month
I use 100GB/m minimum
Most of the time my speeds on OKLA are 15Mbs and higher
I am in a group plan and only pay $25/month
I spent January through March 2022 in the southwest with two phones. One was Samsung 10 over 4 years old on Verizon and one was a Google Pixel 3, same age on Visible…Visible was crap. I couldn’t get google maps sometimes…on the interstate. I had buffering listening to Audible and forget streaming. I canceled Visible.
Calyx Institute uses T-Mobile network and has true unlimited for less than $50/month when you become a member for a year.
Also FMCA has a $50 unlimited plan that uses Verizon towers and can be suspended a portion of the year if you aren’t RVing
Bothe are much better options than going directly to the big 3.
We do long weekend (3-4 nights) trips every 6 weeks or so. I’m not sure what “phone” hotspots are limited to 1 device as I know the Samsungs that I had were not. We have been using a phone for HotSpot while RV’ing for some time but once 5G phones rolled out I traded an old S8 (4g lte) for T-Mobile REVVL V+ 5G it’s been great. It has a max of 8 connections at once and 50GB of streaming for $20/month. It’s actually on 24/7 (even when parked and traveling) as I have RVWhisper monitoring temps and such and a MyAir remote thermostat. I also have a Safe & Found installed on the phone so I know if the RV were to be moved by someone other than me. It’s plugged into a charger all the time, and while some phones don’t really like that, this one seems to be fine.
While not all plans are equal, the T-Mobile 50gb hotspot plan added to a phone will just slow to 3G speed if you hit the 50gb mark. Before 5G I was stuck with 3G for years and while Netflix, Prime and YouTubeTV did reduce their resolution to match the speed, it was still fine to watch and normal email or web browsing didn’t seem to be affected.
Two things to note.. The options to “do not turn off when idle” or “number of connections” are under the advanced tab. Also, some older devices may want to connect to 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wifi devices only. While my Samsung phones allowed both, the REVVL V+ 5G I have to choose. Luckily in my case, everything connected works with 5 GHz in my case.
The biggest issue with any of these solutions is coverage. In most campgrounds in my area coverage from any carrier ranges from none to just ok. Rarely do we get more than 4-bars. Especially in summer when there is a lot of foliage. Sometimes we have to put the phone outside on something high (like the roof of the rv) to get a decent signal. This would be the same with any hotspot. It’s nice having a spare phone too.
Happy RV-ing.
You did not include Visible which is a subsidiary of Verizon and only costs $25/month (Flat Fee-No additional taxes, etc) with the same coverage as Verizon. Works great for a hotspot. Can only hook to one device at a time however, the work around is to get a portable router. Pair the router to your phone’s hotspot then run all your devices through the router.
We live full-time in a Class A Motorhome. Before we sold our home, I picked up a T-Mobile Magenta (over 55?) plan and a MiFi Hotspot. I also upgraded the Wifi RANGER in our RV to the Spruce inside and the Everest on the roof. The T-Mobile tech had told me just to try the MiFi first and that I may not even need the Wifi Ranger. As far as I can see, so far, he was right. While I have no serious complaints with Wifi Ranger, this was over a thousand dollars and periodically required multiple emails to track down busy, and presumably, overwhelmed technicians to help me get things working properly and later to deal with connectivity issues on different occasions. I’m told that both are safe with your personal data. When I have problems with the WifiRanger T-Mobile has consistently been quite reliable. We have been fulltime for almost a year and may have had a minor issue with T-Mobile availability on one or 2 occasions but these were shortlived and may have been related to the time of the day. I’ve seen reviews that T-Mobile was not that good. We pretty much stay at RV Campgrounds as opposed to boondocking off the beaten path. Also, we traveled from Pennsylvania to Texas, through West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arkansas. For the last 8 months, we have been in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri. I can’t vouch for T-Mobile for the rest of the USA. Certainly, that needs to be taken into consideration.
We are moving to dropping both our hot spots. One is AT&T the other Verizon. We recently became Starlink customers. Speed is so fast. Cellular data cannot compete. It is a great alternative to cellular data. We are seeing more and more RVers with Starlink antennas.
Where are you mostly traveling/using Starlink? Their website shows “low capacity” coverage over much of the country, specifically most of the eastern half of the country.
What about the satellite systems now out there?
Thatis where I am going next.
In places like southwest arizona or national parks there is not cell tower.
Be careful when signing up for a hot spot…as said above, know what data you may need, otherwise you’ll get to your campsite, and within a couple of days, you’ve used up your data, and they slow you from 5g to lower speeds of data. The more you use, the slower your data. Make sure you get a plan that gives you adequate data.