Can Truckers Get Internet?
With the right cell phone, hotspot, or mobile router, you can stay connected while on the road. Internet for truckers allows trip-planning apps, dispatchers, music, friends, and podcasts with a limited amount of streaming during off-hours. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into the first internet option for truckers, the smartphone tethering option.
Smart Phone Tethering on the Road
As the device is most likely to be on your person, a smartphone is the most convenient option for accessing the internet for truckers. Tethering is turned on by enabling the hotspot link between your cellular device and laptop computer to use the internet interchangeably. Your phone is convenient but is usually in your pocket, and when you take a step outside of your rig, you risk the chance that you will need to reconnect all your devices. Also, running tethering is draining your battery faster than expected. The more tethered devices to your phone, the quicker you will burn through your battery and tethering limit.
The satellite is not as good as you think
A semi-popular option for commercial truckers is satellite. A few trucking companies provide a satellite internet connection in their rigs. Still, it’s slower than wifi in most (all) areas and expensive to get set up. Plus, you won’t be able to stream on it. But when you are out in the boonies, you will remain connected. Not to mention that most fleet drivers may have it already installed to monitor the fleet and dis-allow drivers to use it for personal use.
Now that Cellular data has been established as the most common way for truckers to stay connected on the road. Then it’s time to look at other options. Namely, Hotspots and Routers. A cellular phone plan won’t give you enough tethering data if you’re a heavy data user. You should get a mobile hotspot or 4/5G LTE portable internet. Most wireless routers are also compatible with booster antennas and data plans from multiple carriers, making them a more flexible solution for semi-trucks.
Hotspots; the good and the ugly
The big three carriers have their best hotspots out right now, with Att offering the nighthawk line or T-Mobile and Verizon with their flavors of hotspots. But for, a trucker traveling from state to state and region to region will quickly find out that one carrier is not enough to provide consistent service nationwide. From truck stop to truck stop or delivery point to delivery point, individual carrier coverage is not always 100%. There are plenty of times when though you have “coverage,” the tower is heavily impacted. Either due to load from other truckers so having more options for internet to watch your next Netflix episode favors two or more hotspots.
Now two hotspots can work if you are willing to have the same network name on both hotspots. With the same passwords, your networked devices can reconnect when one hotspot turns off and the other hotspot powers on. But it is not always convenient or fun to be fiddling around with the internet after a long day’s work.
Enter the Mobile Router.
Mobile routers from PEPWAVE or MOFI allow for multiple sim cards to be plugged into the router. Depending on the quality of the signal will switch from one carrier to the next while maintaining the wifi signal for your devices, so you never need to reconnect. They are on the more expensive side, but once set up; they are well worth the cost for sheer convenience. Can you put a price relaxation without dealing with technical support after a long day’s drive? No, I wouldn’t want to either.
If you want more like this, consider clicking here. Looking for other options for the internet? check this out.