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Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? #161149
05/19/2018 12:30 PM
05/19/2018 12:30 PM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 6
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Bryan Cowger Offline OP
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Bryan Cowger  Offline OP
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Joined: May 2018
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We are chartering a cat from Sunsail next month and are wondering if the optional WiFi device is worth the $40 / day rental. Does anyone have any recent experience with one of these?

Is it good enough for, say, Facetime and the required bandwidth for real-time video?

Trying to determine what to tell my crew about access to kids left back home.

Thanks in advance!
Bryan

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Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161150
05/19/2018 12:36 PM
05/19/2018 12:36 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,979
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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Don’t even think about it. There are many other cheaper options. Many carriers will provide WiFi cell service internationally for 10 dollars a day. Most phones will now operate as a hotspot. ATT gets coverage over a good part of the BVI in network from the USVI and offers the 10 dollar a day option for the rest.
G

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: GeorgeC1] #161151
05/19/2018 01:09 PM
05/19/2018 01:09 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,150
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
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warren460  Offline
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Ontario, Canada
Sometimes the carrier cannot provide decent coverage anyway.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161153
05/19/2018 02:24 PM
05/19/2018 02:24 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,003
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sail445 Offline
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sail445  Offline
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Posts: 3,003
It’s only a week or two..... Splurge and make your vacation hassle free!

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161349
05/22/2018 11:47 AM
05/22/2018 11:47 AM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 6
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Bryan Cowger Offline OP
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Bryan Cowger  Offline OP
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Thanks for the opinions, but I was really looking for someone who had used one. Anybody?

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161353
05/22/2018 11:57 AM
05/22/2018 11:57 AM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,214
Toledo, OH, USA
Orange_Burst Offline
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Orange_Burst  Offline
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Posts: 4,214
Toledo, OH, USA
In April we chartered from TMM, they include WiFi on all of their charter boats. It worked great the whole time we were out, no problems at all.

We have never used WiFi before this trip, and I wouldn't again unless it was free. I like being disconnected!


Colleen

[Linked Image]


Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161367
05/22/2018 01:20 PM
05/22/2018 01:20 PM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 6
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Bryan Cowger Offline OP
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Bryan Cowger  Offline OP
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Great, thank you Orange_Burst! Good to know that it works as expected.

Bryan

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161368
05/22/2018 01:26 PM
05/22/2018 01:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 189
Eastern MA
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tothedogs Offline
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Eastern MA
Typically what they are supplying you is a router that is connected to a cellular wireless signal. I have used them in the past for email, weather, etc. It wasn't fast but it worked. The more people connected at one time, the slower it will be. For Facetime and video streaming, the first question is can you do this over your existing cellular data network? If not, it isn't going to be any better there as my guess is that the cellular bandwidth available has likely not recovered to pre-storm levels. I'd suggest you check with your charter company unless someone else can comment on the current state of the BVI cellular data network.

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161377
05/22/2018 01:58 PM
05/22/2018 01:58 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 463
Charlotte, NC
DEL Offline
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DEL  Offline
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Posts: 463
Charlotte, NC
Our experience is that on board WIFI works most, but not all places. The Bight has been problematic for us.

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161425
05/22/2018 11:05 PM
05/22/2018 11:05 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 361
S/V Event Horizon
FRANKIE2 Offline
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FRANKIE2  Offline
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S/V Event Horizon
No connection is worth $40 per day. Lots of other options!

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161471
05/23/2018 08:31 AM
05/23/2018 08:31 AM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 784
Kannapolis, NC
ndfaninnc Offline
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ndfaninnc  Offline
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Kannapolis, NC
I agree with Frankie2. Besides, I love using my phone for a camera only while there. No emails and no ringing is my ideal vacation. The better half would not agree. But Verizon seems to work most everywhere for $10 a day.


Go Irish!!

Bill

[Linked Image]
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161475
05/23/2018 09:19 AM
05/23/2018 09:19 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
louismcc Offline
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louismcc  Offline
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Posts: 833
Houston, Texas
You can't compare the $40 price per day for a router based connection to Verizon's $10 per day plan because the WiFi on the boat can serve as a connection point for multiple phones and devices. To figure out if it is a good deal, you need to factor in how many people will need to make connections during a typical day.


Louis from Houston
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161478
05/23/2018 09:45 AM
05/23/2018 09:45 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,979
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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Most newer phones will serve as a router for WiFi. My IPhone will allow 5 other devices to use the WiFi. It does eat the battery when using it as a hotspot so it needs to be kept plugged in.
George

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: GeorgeC1] #161498
05/23/2018 12:41 PM
05/23/2018 12:41 PM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 631
BaardJ Offline
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BaardJ  Offline
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My 4 yr old Samsung S5 can serve as a mobile hot spot for up to 10 other devices. I've been using the Verizon $10/day for the past few trips with my phone as a hot spot. My international roaming costs have gone down significantly with this Verizon plan. It does seem the download speeds get throttled down at times in the BVI. I can't always stream online music, for example.

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: BaardJ] #161514
05/23/2018 04:07 PM
05/23/2018 04:07 PM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 56
jredenbaugh Offline
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jredenbaugh  Offline
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Posts: 56
How is Verizon signal throughout the BVIs?

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: jredenbaugh] #161519
05/23/2018 06:31 PM
05/23/2018 06:31 PM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 631
BaardJ Offline
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BaardJ  Offline
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Posts: 631
We had very good coverage throughout the BVI. We're basically roaming using LIME or Digicell towers. It seems like when we got to North Sound we had to reboot the phones as the primary carrier switched to Digicell (or visa versa). Coverage on Anegada was excellent, and in fact as of March most or all of the landlines were still down there.

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161522
05/23/2018 07:31 PM
05/23/2018 07:31 PM
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,212
JAX
jphart Offline
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jphart  Offline
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T Mobile is a great deal if you travel internationally. Very cheap phone calls and text. May be only 2G broadband but it still works won’t Dara charges. You can also hotspot it depending on signal strength and broadband. They even allow you to turn on and off the subscription based on when you were traveling. A friend of mine who travels every other month Internatonal has an AT&T phone but also a T-Mobile for when he is traveling international.


JPH
I spent my money on booze, broads, and boats...the rest I wasted.
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161526
05/23/2018 08:17 PM
05/23/2018 08:17 PM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
agrimsrud Offline
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Apex, NC
If you sign up for the ATT international plan you pay $10/day for any day you use it internationally. If you don't use it you don't pay. We had excellent signal a few weeks ago. I can't speak to Verizon at the present time but according to Baard it worked fine as well. Both ATT and Verizon allow you to make a hotspot. Both carriers are going to use the native infrastructure meaning LIME or Digicell. Which I believe means you will have the same bandwidth as you would get with the Sunsail $40/day plan. So I"m not sure why you would bother with the Sunsail plan - I don't believe it gives you anything other than a bigger bill.


Life's short - sail more!
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161533
05/23/2018 10:23 PM
05/23/2018 10:23 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,979
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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The above is all correct. For part of the trip you will get ATT from St John so you will pay the 10 dollars for maybe 4 days out of the week.

Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: Bryan Cowger] #161558
05/24/2018 08:25 AM
05/24/2018 08:25 AM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 784
Kannapolis, NC
ndfaninnc Offline
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ndfaninnc  Offline
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Kannapolis, NC
Baardj, I learned this on my last trip from Verizon. Instead of rebooting to find a different carrier, just turn off "Automatic" in the Cellular settings. It will grab the strongest signal at that time. Just a little quicker than rebooting. I found Verizon's signal to be good throughout most of the BVI's. And yes, streaming music does not always work. But my iPhone X worked perfectly as a hotspot.


Go Irish!!

Bill

[Linked Image]
Re: Sunsail onboard wifi - worth it? [Re: ndfaninnc] #161613
05/24/2018 11:02 PM
05/24/2018 11:02 PM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 631
BaardJ Offline
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BaardJ  Offline
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Posts: 631
Originally Posted by ndfaninnc
Baardj, I learned this on my last trip from Verizon. Instead of rebooting to find a different carrier, just turn off "Automatic" in the Cellular settings. It will grab the strongest signal at that time. Just a little quicker than rebooting. I found Verizon's signal to be good throughout most of the BVI's. And yes, streaming music does not always work. But my iPhone X worked perfectly as a hotspot.

Thanks! I'll try that during our upcoming June trip.


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