How Google Voice & a MiFi Hotspot Can Replace An Existing Mobile Plan
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This article will explain how I replaced a monthly mobile phone and text plan with a Google Voice + WiFi Hotspot combination. Google Voice allows you to send and receive free unlimited domestic phone calls and texts and international calls/texts for a very low rate. I recently did this with my family’s mobile phone plan at home and estimate a savings of around $100 per month. The savings may be much more for someone who has a high or no limit voice / text plan, which can cost upwards of $100 or more per month. Before you decide to replace your cell service with my solution, however, please read the following disclaimer:
Disclaimer: I make no guarantees to the quality of service or actual savings you will achieve using this solution. Voice Over IP (VoIP) service providers, including Google Voice, do not offer 911 service for emergency calls. I will explain how I was able to retain 911 service, but I make no guarantee that the same approach will work for you. Use at your own risk.
With that out of the way, let’s get started.
Overview
My setup at home uses a combination of Google Voice, a MiFi hotspot (on Verizon’s 4G LTE network), and an iPhone with WiFi enabled. The MiFi hotspot gives my iPhone access to the internet which is all you need to access your Google Voice account. Google Voice, through an application called Talkatone, acts as my mobile phone for calls and texts.
My setup includes:
* An iPhone (w/ No Service Plan)
* A 4G LTE MiFi Wireless Hotspot from Verizon
* The free Talkatone App from the iTunes App Store
Each component is discussed in more detail below.
Using an iPhone
In my personal setup I am using an iPhone that was part of an AT&T mobile plan that we canceled. This is an ideal device because it can dial 911 even without an active cell plan. An iPhone is not necessary however to get free domestic phone calls and text messages with Google Voice. You can use the same setup on an iPod Touch or iPad, though you would need a separate device, such as an AT&T GoPhone, if wish to retain the ability to call 911. If you decide to cancel your current mobile plan as I did, just remember that your service provider may charge you an early termination fee if you’re still under contract.
Choosing a MiFi Hotspot
For those of you unfamiliar with them, a MiFi hotspot is essentially a WiFi router that connects to the internet over a cellphone network. Once online, you can connect up to 5 WiFi devices, such as laptops, iPhones, iPads, etc to this local network and use it just like you use your home WiFi network. For VoIP applications, the more bandwidth you have, the better. Though you can technically use Google Voice with a 3G MiFi hotspot, a 4G device is highly preferred. I have used both and the occurrence of dropped or low quality calls is significantly higher on a 3G network. I have yet to experience these issues with my 4G device.
I chose to use a Verizon 4G LTE Samsung MiFi hotspot to support my VoIP setup because only Verizon offers 4G in my area. AT&T offers 4G in other areas of the country though so I have provided coverage maps for Verizon and AT&T below for your reference.
If you live in an area with 4G coverage, I recommend going with whatever provider offers it. If you only have 3G coverage in your area, you may want to wait until 4G is available before attempting to replace your cell plan with this Google Voice based solution.
Click on the map below for more detailed coverage information.
| Verizon’s 4G LTE Coverage Map |
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| At&t4G Coverage Map |
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| MiFi Performance on 4G LTE |
 The data rates on the Verizon 4G LTE MiFi device are blazing fast. On my first day using it I was able to achieve rates of nearly 11 mbps down and over 4.5 mbps up. The performance varies but it is always significantly faster than 3G data rates and faster even than many people’s home networks. The only way to tell how the MiFi will perform in your area is to try one out. Verizon will actually let you borrow a device for a day if you go into a Verizon Wireless store and sign a release form! If you don’t want to go through the paperwork to borrow one for a day, you can also test one out in the store. This is a great way to find out how the device will work for you before committing to buying one. |
| Data Plans & Pricing |
| Whether you choose Verizon, AT&T, or another carrier for your MiFi hotspot you will need a data plan. My Verizon 4G data plan is $50 / month and caps me at 5GB. This may or may not seem like a lot of data to you depending on your specific usage. I ran dozens of tests on my first day with the device including phone calls, texts, and various other network usage and used only about 30 MB, so for my usage, 5GB will be plenty. You will need to judge for yourself if that is sufficient or if you need a more robust data plan. Verizon and AT&T offer tiered data plans at higher monthly rates. |
| Buying the Device |
 I highly recommend that if you decide to buy a MiFi you do so at a Best Buy. They have a buyer’s remorse policy that will allow you to return a Verizon device within 14 days and an AT&T device within 30 days without getting locked into your contract or being stuck with the device. If you buy directly from a wireless branch of the provider, you might get stuck with a device or contract you decide you don’t want! |
| Carrying the Device & Battery Life |
 When I tell someone about my MiFi / G-Voice setup they first ask, “Isn’t it a hassle to carry the extra device (the MiFi)?” For me, the answer is no, it’s not. The Verizon 4G LTE MiFi fits snugly into my standard sized men’s leather wallet. A picture of the wallet closed with the MiFi in it is included here to demonstrate.The second question I get is, “How long does the battery last?” So far, my experience has been that I get about 5 hours of battery life while actively using the device, which is what Samsung rates the device for. To me, I found this was a surprisingly long battery life. I do keep the USB charging cable with me in my bag in case I do run out of juice, but I must do the same thing for my iPhone as well, which gets less than 5 hours of active use time these days. |
| Other Uses |
| As I mentioned earlier, the MiFi hotspot can host up to 5 WiFi connections at a time. For me, this is a huge added benefit of carrying the device. I commute to and from work each day about 40 minutes each way on a light rail system that remains above ground and within Verizon’s 4G coverage area for most of the trip. In the past, I would pass the time on the train by browsing news articles or listening to NPR on my iPhone. Now, I spend it mostly working on my laptop on things that typically require an internet connection such as checking my corporate email or working on my blog. This is a plus of the MiFi that should not be overlooked. |
Google Voice
You’ll need to setup a Google Voice account and download Talkatone (or another application like it) to make and receive calls and texts on your device. Getting an account is easy. Just visit Google.com/Voice and follow the instructions to setup a new Voice phone number.
Google Voice has tons of cool features like voicemail transcription, customized greetings, and call routing rules that can be configured by caller or time of day. I’m not going to go into all the things you can do with Google Voice, but you can find out more when you setup your account. Once you’ve configured your account you need to download Talkatone or another Google Voice based phone application.
Talkatone
Talkatone is a really neat application available on the Apple App Store that let’s you send and receive calls and texts on your Google Voice telephone number. Visit the App Store or this linkto install it. Talkatone has lots of cool features as well that I won’t go over in this post. When you install Talkatone, make sure to read the setup instructions carefully. You’ll need to make sure that you’re logged out of Google Chat from Gmail and from the Google Voice iPhone app (if you have it) so your calls and texts are correctly routed to Talkatone. Refer to the documentation that comes with the Talkatone application for complete instructions on setting up and using Talkatone. Note:Talkatone is currently available for Apple devices but they will be releasing and Android version shortly!
Bringing It Together
Now that you have all of the pieces in place you’re ready to start using Talkatone to send and receive phone calls and text messages. If you’re committing to this solution as I have, I recommend replacing your Phone app in your bottom menu with Talkatone as pictured here. Just remember to keep the actual Phone application handy in case you plan to use it for 911 as I am.
Selecting the application will bring up an application that looks very similar to what you’re probably already used to. Dialing numbers and sending text messages with Talkatone is just as easy as doing it with a normal iPhone. If you’ve configured everything correctly you’re now ready to go and hopefully on your way to saving lots of money!
Good luck to you and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or wish to share any feedback.
