H2O Unlimited? Anybody tried it?

[inzitech]

I've not bought a router yet, not sure what to get. What I need is different.

I have a remote cabin in central Texas, ATT 4G isn't bad there. I think I can get t-Mobile as well; plan on testing it. Verizon, Sprint, and others are complete dead zones.

What I'm trying to do is put an Internet connection there (pre paid or pay as you go) that I can add GB to before I spend a weekend or a week there. There's only one TV which I'd put a fire stick on for movies at night, and streaming music during the day. It'd be great if it were unlimited (throttled) after 4G usage so I could put a camera there that emails me.

I only make it down there 2 or 3 times a year, so a prepaid is the way to go vs paying a monthly fee for something I'm not using.

I was looking at H2O, they have an unlimited for $60 - 30GB, capped at 8Mbps and video capped at DVD quality. That's fine for what I am wanting, but it goes "no data" after you hit the limit. All 30GB can be used for tethering, and I chatted with them and they said their SIM would work as long as I got the unlimited, because it's the only one that allows hotspot / tethering.

What would be optimal is a 2g speed unlimited, with inexpensive GB to add on. Most of these I see want $10 a GB, which seems outrageous.

Has anyone used H2O with their router? Is there another provider I should look at? I think some kind of unlimited with 10GB or 15GB would work. Every time I add it up, though, it quickly costs me more than that H2O plan.

Which brings up an alternative - I could keep the SIM active with only SMS/MMS and write a script to MMS me pictures from the camera if it detects motion (using Python MMS).

I'm currently leaning towards a raspberry pi project using an LTE modem hat, or even a USB modem. Haven't decided.

Thanks for any feedback or suggestions.

[BillA]

Here's a list of currently available prepaid carriers, along with some stats.
https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=5790#p5790

[gscheb]

Since this isn't very often and if your phone works there well enough. Could you just tether the phone to a router?

[inzitech]

I could tether - but I'd rather have a router so I could use phone my regular phone via wifi. Certainly worth considering. I have an unlocked iPhone 6 that would probably work ok.

[BillA]

I could tether - but I'd rather have a router so I could use phone my regular phone via wifi. Certainly worth considering. I have an unlocked iPhone 6 that would probably work ok.

Since you only need it occasionally, you could use some cheap router flashed with GoldenOrb (here's a list of all such routers > https://www.ofmodemsandmen.com/firmware16.html), and simply tether your phone to it as described here > https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?p=10303#p10303

[LoveMeSomeCALTE]

If you're looking for ATT connectivity, for your usecase, the CricketWireless 8Mbps throttled (for the "core" $25/mo plan in a group) or no throttled (for the "more" $32.5/mo plan in a group) could be a good fit if your alternative is a $60/mo plan 30GB, capped at 8Mbps

https://wirelessjoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1556