T-Mobile Falcon z-917 hotspot usage on HOL-Alaska Inside Passage Cruise?

[WhaleWatcher10]

Hi, I'm new to cruise critic and have a question for you repeat cruisers. Hope I am posting in the correct location. I would like internet access during our upcoming Alaska cruise-Inside passage with stops in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. I have a T-Mobile Falcon z-917 HotSpot and buy data in GB as needed. Only use it occasionally when I travel but never tried it on a cruise/in ports. Typically I purchase a 7GB pass for $50 and it's good for a month or until I use it up. Has anyone had any experience using this type of hotspot with T-Mobile service and did it work out for you on the ship and/or in ports? I am not talking about a T-Mobile phone plan per se. This is their data plan which can be used with any phone, tablet or laptop that can connect to the hotspot. I realize there are wifi locations once in port(s). On the ship, however, will it work and, most importantly, will it by-pass the ships communications systems. I certainly don't want to incur any additional ship internet charges. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Clarea]

You need to check with T-Mobile to see if your mobile hotspot is functional over the cellular satellite connection while at sea. I had one that worked internationally, but did not work using the ship's cell tower.

[crystalspin]

I don't see how it can by-pass the ship's tower, when you are in areas without cell towers on land. You do not mention having your own satellite connection...

 

I have T-Mobile and have connected (at T-Mobile's *usually* reasonable rates for the country) from ships Lido deck and very occasionally from an OV room next to the window -- in northern South America and various places in Europe. But only in port or very near a populated coast. (BTW, T-Mobile coverage is actually better in many parts of Europe than many parts of the US! just not MonteNegro...)

 

I don't believe that you can accrue charges without agreeing to it... but people do agree to the contract popup without understanding what sort of charges they might end up with!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hi, I'm new to cruise critic and have a question for you repeat cruisers. Hope I am posting in the correct location. I would like internet access during our upcoming Alaska cruise-Inside passage with stops in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. I have a T-Mobile Falcon z-917 HotSpot and buy data in GB as needed. Only use it occasionally when I travel but never tried it on a cruise/in ports. Typically I purchase a 7GB pass for $50 and it's good for a month or until I use it up. Has anyone had any experience using this type of hotspot with T-Mobile service and did it work out for you on the ship and/or in ports? I am not talking about a T-Mobile phone plan per se. This is their data plan which can be used with any phone, tablet or laptop that can connect to the hotspot. I realize there are wifi locations once in port(s). On the ship, however, will it work and, most importantly, will it by-pass the ships communications systems. I certainly don't want to incur any additional ship internet charges. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

 

 

Connecting to a "hot spot" (yours or anyone else's) still requires that hot spot to have unblocked connectivity to either a cellular system or another type of internet provider (e.g., cable, satellite). And, at sea, there has to be a satellite in that equation whenever you are out of land based towers.

 

Unless your gizmo can exchange data directly (and at no additional cost) with a satellite used by T-mobile, you will need the ship's "middleman" connectivity, for which you have purchased (or been provided) data.

 

 

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[thinfool]

When you are at sea, even in the Inside Passage on an Alaskan itinerary, your phone/hotspot/whatever will only function if it can connect to a cell tower.

 

The only cell tower at sea belongs to the ship....more accurately the ship's cell provider.

 

Your T mobile device may or may not connect to the ships cell tower, but it will not connect for free. Typically data thru the ships tower is billed on a per MB rate.

 

As others have noted, T-mobile will work well in port.

[happy_trees]

Tmobile does not have any towers in Alaska. They partner with GCI to provide service to Tmobile customers on postpaid plans -- I.e. Monthly plans. If you have one of their simple choice plans, you'll also get free data and texting in Canada.

 

I've found in Icy Strait Point/Glacier Bay, you'll be forced onto ATT instead of GCI because the signal strength is much better.

 

You mention buying certain GB of data, which makes me think you might not be on a monthly plan, but a paygo customer? In which case, chances are your plan isn't one that transfers to Canada/AK. You can log on to the Tmobile account, see your plan type, and it will list what data and where you have it.