Cellular data is the most common way to get internet for truckers and stay connected on the road. With the right cell phone plan, you can stay connected to trip-planning apps, dispatchers, music, friends, and podcasts while driving and even do some limited TV streaming during off hours.
But not all cellular plans work as well on the road. T-Mobile’s network, for example, is great in urban areas but unreliable in rural areas where AT&T and Verizon have better coverage.
Another thing to watch out for is how much hotspot data a cellular plan offers. Many claim to be unlimited, but if you read the fine print, they offer a limited amount of full-speed data before, and once you use that up, you get slow unlimited data (as in too slow to use for streaming or gaming). Verizon and AT&T are both guilty of this, but since their networks are so robust, they’re still preferred by most truckers.
If you know you're a heavy data user, a cellular phone plan probably won’t give you enough data. In that case, we recommend a mobile hotspot or 4G LTE portable internet, which should better serve your needs.