[Saltfisher]

I would really like to connect my TP when im at work (no wifi), on the road, or even camping/at the beach.

Right now I only have a straight talk phone (walmart), and only pay $30 a month as i dont use my cell much except for texting and calling the wife. Thats about it.... I use only about 400 minutes a month, and about 800 texts. Its all i need and for $30 a month its perfect.

The problem, is I cant create a hotspot from my phone. I DO need a new phone soon, as this one is almost 2 years old and getting rough....

Is there another way I can connect my TP to 3G, or create a hotspot, or mobile broadband for the TP?

I also dont want to have a crazy monthly bill. I cant see paying $150+ a month just for a cell phone bill. I can almost have another car payment.

If getting another cell phone is really the other option.... what do you guys think I should get? Would like to stay around the $30-40 a month range and has to create a hotspot, and have a slide qwerty keyboard.
Thanks

[joen05]

I use an overdrive pro 4G from Sprint, but I got a special deal since I already have an everything data family plan with them. That hotspot costs $35 a month, and since I only use it for 4G, it is unlimited. My phone (Palm Pre-) has FreeTether, and I use that when I don't have a 4G option.

That being said, if you want to stay around the 30-40 per month range with a phone, I don't think you'll be able to do it. Most data plans cost at least $20 per month, and that is for the bare minimum of data, not including hotspot. 5 lines for my family, with 1 being the hotspot, runs around $190, and that's after a 27% employee discount.

Unless you have a 4G Touchpad, there are no 3G/4G radios on the Touchpad so those won't be an option for you.

I would say that you are probably looking to be around the 70-80 per month range for one line if you can get a phone that can enable a free tethering option (Don't know how android is for that). If you can't get a free tethering option.. then you're looking at even more.

[Cube1701]

I have a HTC Desire HD with unlimited 3G (£35 a month in the UK). HTC's hotspot software is brilliant - it works as well as a wireless router so all WiFi devices will connect.

On top of the Touchpad, I've also used it to play Uncharted 2 online.

[FenrirWolf]

There are free tethering solutions for rooted android phones. Just do your research to be sure it creates an infrastructure spot and not an ad-hoc connection.

Just don't ask the carriers these questions since they want you to pay for tethering. =P

[OldSkoolVWLover]

There are also free tethering solutions for webOS phones. The bigger problem for the OP is I doubt with the current market of US cellular companies, it will be hard to find a data plan on the cheap. Especially with a QWERTY slider.

@OP, I have heard there are some prepaid data plans that run about $70 a month. Are you looking for just your line or are you looking for multiple lines? I would try and find the plan/sim first that fits your need and price range, then shop for an unlocked phone that will meet your needs. I know there were some threads in the Veer forums about using prepaid plans and prepaid data for Veers, I don't have the threads off the top of my head but you may want to search those forums.

[mlines]

I have a HTC Desire HD with unlimited 3G (£35 a month in the UK). HTC's hotspot software is brilliant - it works as well as a wireless router so all WiFi devices will connect.

On top of the Touchpad, I've also used it to play Uncharted 2 online.

I am in the UK as well, which carrier are you with. I have one of the T-Mobile unlimited data plans and an unlocked Htc Desire. It has worked just fine for mobile data using the Android built in Hotspot. However in the last two weeks I have had real trouble getting a data connection when WiFi tethered. Normal data from the phone apps works fine but the data connection disappears when the WiFi is on. I know T-mobile prevent tethering on their locked phones but have they started trying to stop unlocked phones?

[skyscanr]

This is easy just get a virgin mobile optimus download the super box app and turn the phone into a hotspot. Because you are new it will be $35 for 300 mins and unlimited everything else. You could get more mins by paying a little bit more.

I been with them for a while so got grandfathered in to the same plan for $25 works great

[Cube1701]

I am in the UK as well, which carrier are you with. I have one of the T-Mobile unlimited data plans and an unlocked Htc Desire. It has worked just fine for mobile data using the Android built in Hotspot. However in the last two weeks I have had real trouble getting a data connection when WiFi tethered. Normal data from the phone apps works fine but the data connection disappears when the WiFi is on. I know T-mobile prevent tethering on their locked phones but have they started trying to stop unlocked phones?

I'm with 3, specifically The One Plan. Which means it actually is unlimited (most unlimited data packages are limited to 1GB or less) and includes tethering.

[UCLAKoolman]

I Wifi tether to my iPhone (4.3.3) using tetherme when I'm at a conference and don't want to pay for internet access