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Time to Drop Verizon Wireless Internet?

Would it pay off to drop my Verizon Wireless internet connection? I'm talking about more than the $53 dollars per month. The main benefit would be the killing off of the bad habit that the internet has become. But there's more: without worrying about internet coverage, North America will be a much bigger and better place to camp.

Does the reader know of anyone who has done this, and whether they are happy they did?

There would still be wi-fi in town or at country stores. I really like the camping-style of coming to town once per week to do the usual errands. Internet usage would just be one more errand. It would be fun to look forward to it. Access once per week would be adequate for paying bills, catching up on the news (mostly just entertainment trivia), and reading websites and blogs (more trivia).

Once per week would be adequate for a little bit of internet shopping.

Nor would dropping Verizon Wireless internet service mean that my computer lies fallow all week. I can still write my blog, although the posts would only be once per week. But maybe it would be a good thing to let an idea marinate in brain-juices for a whole week, before posting.

An offline computer is still good for reading a backlog of eBooks, and for listening to a pile of old music, and for editing photographs. But would I find new stuff easily enough when using wi-fi at, say, a noisy McDonalds or laundromat in town?

For now I'm holding off on this idea because of the fear that I'll "cheat" by driving into town, which would quickly destroy the nominal savings, especially for a rational accounting of the true costs of driving -- say, 50 cents per mile. If that's not bad enough, you'll also squander money for coffee or food.

Once again, I'd like to know if the reader has any direct or second-hand experience with this idea.

Comments

XXXXX said…
Sometimes people talk about folks they meet along the way who do not have internet. That would be the only way to know they are out there. They are, you know.
Your idea sounds like a good one. A bit like why I don't have certain things in the house, like donuts. If I have to get in the car and go out and buy them, I don't.
Only you can decide what is best for you. Personally, I wouldn't give up the accessibility to instant research though. Everybody has to figure out on their own to what degree personal vs. impersonal contact with the world is comfortable.
I give you folks who author blogs alot of credit. I see the work in it. Personally, I wouldn't last a week.
It's a delicate thing, the sort of contact with the outer world that works for us. One of the wonderful freedoms we have that we so often overlook.
Pat said…
I use wifi at restaurants a lot. I either sit in my car or I take my earbuds into the place. But, I like having my Verizon account. I need it every day.
Unknown said…
For me internet access is an addiction. I'm willing to pay the monthly fees for that access. Getting answers to questions "now" sure beats making a list until getting back to civilization.

Living is about change. 10 years ago I searched for a dial up line to connect to the internet. At that time. I wrote monthly columns posted to my web site. Worked great and better thought out writing. Might be a lesson there. Even with internet access everywhere, perhaps I might want to consider weekly posts rather than daily drivel.
Rojo said…
I guess it just depends on a lifestyle. I need new airbags on our truck conversion, the locals want over $1,000 to do the job. I got on the internet last night and found out how to do the job myself ( that will keep me out of Jeanie's hair for a day or two) and found the airbags. Saved enough to pay for the internet for 15 months. I use it every day to find out how to do something , how to cook something or how to get where I want to go as well as buy sell and trade.

Jeanie uses it primarily for entertainment and for that alone it is well worth the price. Internet really means freedom for me.
email from Larry M:
One BIG disadvantage to pubic internet access is that they are not secure, and can be hacked.

It happened once to me. One should never do anything that needs security (ie email) on a site that doesn't say "https." (Yahoo email is "http", not "https", and is how I got hacked.) G-mail is "https".

"https" doesn't guarantee you won't be hacked, but it takes a more sophisticated hacker.

I'm heading out on the road in May, and am facing the same issues you are. I have relied on public internet access before, but I don't really like the risks. Still, I was only hacked once, and that was before I knew of the difference between "http", and "https"..

Take the risk, or not. That is the question.

Larry M
Wayne (Wirs) said…
Why don't you just lock your MiFi device in your glove compartment for a month as an experiment? Find out first hand.
Hey Boonie,

I don’t have any of the profiles set up under your comments section, so I’ll just send this via e-mail.


Time to Drop Verizon Wireless Internet?

This blogger (http://www.shalyard.blogspot.com/) doesn’t have internet when boondocking and only uses a Tracphone. He usually posts once a month and says he creates a list of things to look up and does that when in town. It sounds like he enjoys internet and would like to have it but isn’t there yet. He’s also very much into living in nature, trail running, mountain biking, tai chi, etc.

My guess is that there are lots of interesting characters out there without internet, but they don’t write blogs.

I’d probably miss the research aspect of the internet but realize it's mostly noise and see it as a useful experiment to go without. Might be interesting to try and report on your observations.

I don’t know of too many people living without internet @ home, but I do know several who just use Smartphones for everything. That would probably drive me crazy because I can’t stand the tiny screens.

Another thought is that living a mobile boondocking life requires one to “give up” many things that most take for granted. So, if you get real enjoyment and value from something, I’d say keep it.

McBe
I'm afraid I would cheat!
Unknown said…
Locking it in the glove compartment and swallowing the key would force you to go a more modest 2 or 3 days without. May even take an extra day or two as you scrape up the desire to, uh, well you know.
You won't save any money... you'll actually end up spending more because if humans can rationalize things like adultery... they sure as hell won't have any trouble coming up with something that ends up taking them to town to check out something on the internet. And that smell in the internet cafe/bakery is another problem altogether.

If it were me, living your type of RV lifestyle, I would need the internet for "company." You can only read a book so many hours in a day, and you know when writing your style of blog you will need a fact-check frequently... so don't thing you could even finish a post without that.
Box Canyon Mark
I've gone for long stretches without when boondocking, and by choice - months.

At first you miss it, then you start noticing things and doing things - like longer walks, etc.

But I'm a writer, so I need lots of solitude. To me, it's mostly a big distraction. But you'll want a weather radio.
Nan said…
We have found a much less expensive way to access the internet. It is called FoxFI. There is a one time charge of $6.97. It even works better than Verizon!
Teri said…
I use my smart phone as a hotspot $29 a month, and got rid of the mi-fi. If I could, I would just use free internet - but there is not much free internet out in the middle of nowhere.
from Larry M:
After searching the internet for a couple of hours today, I have found what I think is the only way to securely access the internet via hot spots like Starbucks, Library's, McDonald's, etc.

It's via a Virtual Private Network (called a VPN) like "Private Wi-Fi", or "proXPN."

These services use an encrypted link from your computer to their servers which then completes your access to the internet.. All info going out and back is encrypted. Any prying eyes, so to speak, would only see undecipherable garbage. Both have paid access (as low as $6.25 a month), and proXPN offers a slowed down free service (which I intend to give a try).

Here's a link to a 6 month old article I found on Wi-Fi security mentioning these two providers. There may be more VPN's out there, but these 2 seem to have good reviews. They both have videos on YouTube about their services.

http://www.networkworld.com/columnists/2012/081712-cooltools-261733.html

When I head out again I will probably use proXPN's paid service. It will be nice knowing that no one is going to be able to steal my identity while I'm online enjoying my coffee. Certainly worth $6.25 a month.

Larry M
Yes, it would be easy to find myself doing grocery shopping or laundry more often than necessary just because I want to go to town to use the internet. And those coffee shop/bakeries are expensive and fattening. Electronic entertainment is always cheaper than "motor vehicle entertainment."
from Bill:

Boonie,

I'm experimenting with my air card. I still have it but it is on the shelf. If I survive a couple of months I'll cancel. Will let you know how it goes. Easy for the net to draw me in. Day is done and I haven't thought a 'thunk'.

It was easy to throw away my last TV some years ago. To stay in touch I have a TracFone, also on the shelf. I check it most days. No calls, no dollars. I do carry a weather radio and a Kindle. I suppose I could de-clutter further but I am comfortable.

Wish you well. Bill
Unknown said…
I guess its a personal choice. Myself, I would sacrifice something else before I give up 24/7 access to the internet. It is a wealth of information for whatever you want to do. For example, I use it to fix anything and everything around the house and car. Youtube any subject and chances are somebody has already taped it. Convenient when out in the middle of nowhere and you want a solution to something.
I think you will find running errands more often for that need to connect to the world. Also nice to research where you want to go next and stay in touch with whats going on in the world and educating yourself, on the spot, with whatever comes to mind.
All true, Bill. That's probably why I'll wimp out and just stick with it.