Here's my situation.

My daughter goes back to college soon, and is sharing an apartment with 4 others. They don't have internet there (yet), but they may sign up a cable contract in a few months (hence I don't want an annual commitment).

In the meantime, she needs to have access from the apartment (the college has WiFi so it's only for residence based access).

I was thinking that a USB GSM device, with a prepaid data contract and SIM would be the best way to go. Tethering to her current phone isn't really something I want to do as her contract doesn't support this.

Anyone recommend hardware and/or plan vendor for this? If so where's the best place to buy?

Thanks!

Hardware-wise I'd recommend the Huawei MiFi if you're thinking of going the GSM route. Plan-wise it all depends on how much data you'll need, but I think T-Mobile has a relatively decent prepaid plan for $3 per day, only chargeable on days you actually use it.

Using a cell carrier as primary Internet access can become extremely costly. If there isn't an option for unlimited data, you probably don't want it.

Some cable companies offer contract-free services but there will be installation fees, so it may not be worth it.

You can get contract freer with ATT and Time Warner depending on the region she's in. I wouldn't recommend cellular based plans as a some netflix hd streaming will use it fairly quickly.

It depends on your daughter's town/city where she need home-based access, and estimated data usage/needs (i.e. email/web surfing vs. netflix/youtube and video streaming (as it could burn 5GB and even 10GB very quickly) vis-a-vis budget for such spending ??

ISP including VZ/Fios and/or cable provider have month-to-month plans with no contracts (thus, no ETF) and free installation. Nowadays, there's a modem/router rental fee added as mandatory add-on to the bundled prices.

Check with the landlord/previous tenants (if still there) to see what services had been ordered/used before (or still active) since pre-wiring and "live" node meant it's an easy install/re-activation. Since our neighborhood/blocks got Fios 2+ years ago (ours being among the first) - everyone has been cutting slower cable feeds and lately, TWC is doing marketing bliz for "low-cost" internet only access & freebies, just to try to win customers back.

Come over to DSLreports dot com as geeks hanging out there on various forums have tons of info & can help figure out options if you aren't too sure. Review some of the ISP reviews to get a feel for tech support & services after install.

Thanks for all the feedback to date.

I will look at the Huawei option. Especially if it means that if she does get cable access later I might be able to use this internationally on my business travels (swap out a SIM)... ???

Data is only needed when she's in the apartment, but I concur (she being a student) will try to stream, which is why a fixed price with a cutoff is important.

They do have the ability to put cable into the apartment but I'm not prepared to sign her up for a contract without support from the other sharers, which will probably happen early into the semester (starts mid September).

She's in San Francisco.

Budget is important of course!

Will check dslreports - thanks for the tip.

Don't know if it will help, but I use a T-mobile sim when I'm in the US for my tablet (doubles as a phone). $60 per month non contract, with unlimited calls and texts. 3gb of data on 4G speeds then unlimited 2G.

Gives me all the freedom I need for the net, streaming, satnav etc.

Check here for prepaid data service: http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_data.htm

Have you checked out FreedomPop?

http://www.freedompop.com/home.htm

The device is cheap and you don't need to keep the data plan. Even if you stop paying for it, you still get 500Mb per month to use.

Anyone who is in the UK, or who has access to it, could look at Three's "Feel at Home" plans - about �18/$30 per month and you can use unlimited data in the US, with up to 4GB for tethering.

Sign up for cable... it's so much cheaper than getting a mobile hotspot. An entire year of basic cable internet ($15/mo is what Time Warner advertises) is $180. That's equal in price to 6gb of data on the Verizon 4g Prepaid hotspot I have - or about 2 weeks of internet with very light use.

That said, I don't know anyone who has annual contracts for cable internet in residential locations. Comcast doesn't require one where I live.

Not sure if T Mobile plans can be supported on a mifi, but their $30 Walmart plan has unlimited data, throttled to 2G at 5GB. A used Nexus phone could be found cheap for tethering if necessary.