boy09 said:

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I work for a construction company and we have 7 OTR devices (Netgear M1) for use on our job sites. They are all still running on AT&T... I'm the person in charge of our whole internet operation for our company, and I am panicking a little bit knowing the AT&T service is going to get the axe one day (probably soon) on all these devices..

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No big deal. Buy some AT&T sim cards and have them ready. Start moving over to another service or have them ready for when OTR bails on you. I went with an eBay store and I've had good luck and customer service. I have them set on a PayPal autorenew each month so I can just turn it off there if I don't want them anymore.

Any current otr att legacy plan ppl receive an email from OTR about a switch to the OTR Mobile Blue Blast plan?


" Action Required - Account & Plan Update

Due to changes from our providers, all current Legacy customers will be transferred over to the OTR Mobile Blue Blast plan to continue using us as their service provider. Unfortunately, we could not save the Legacy plan, even for existing customers. Service for Legacy Plans will end on June 1st, 2020.

We are now offering the Blue Blast Plan. If you prefer your current OTR mobile provider, this plan is for you. The process must be completed by May 15, 2020 to ensure your service will work on our new plan. To migrate to the Blue Blast Plan, we will first ensure your device IMEI is compatible and then send you a new SIM card. If your device is compatible, the transition should be seamless. If your device is not compatible with the Blue Blast Plan, we will send you an email with your options.

Beginning on May 15, 2020, all Legacy customers will pay $70/month. The link below will take you to the order page. This order will get your new SIM mailed out and allow you to submit your device's IMEI to check compatibility. Due to high volume, processing can take 3 to 5 business days, before the sim will be shipped."



??? Does this mean they will keep att as a provider?

Sure sounds like it, but it doesn't address what type of "unlimited" it will be. Is there data deprioritization and if so when? Will there be any throttling of any type like video? You just can't tell for sure if the service will be the same until you have those answers.

I don't know if it's worth trusting them at this point.....

I'm very happy with my internet with Never Throttle while also getting better download speeds than I did with OTR.

After 10 days on BIX Wireless, I cancelled OTR today, before it renewed. They removed the cancel button from my account page so I had to wait 30 minutes to chat. The support person offered me that "new" AT&T plan. I think they must have lost a considerable amount of subscribers when they forced everyone to TMobile, so they figured out a way (another scam?) to offer AT&T again. I turned them down and asked them to send me a confirmation I was cancelled.

No such luck - the support person said her supervisor would have to "approve" my cancellation first. Then they started calling my landline phone which goes to an answering machine - I keep it around since it comes with my cheap backup DSL plan - and its the number I give out to companies I don't want to talk to. Then they sent me emails asking for my cell number so a Solutions Expert could offer me new options.

This is from a company that I couldn't reach on their support line for the past six months and on more than a few days made we wait several hours in a chat queue.

So far BiX Wireless' AT&T has worked without interruption, and at the usual AT&T speeds I originally got with OTR and sometimes faster. And I get instant support - though after setup, I haven't needed any.

I have been using BixWireless' AT&T plan for almost 2 months since OTR no longer carried it. On 5/7, BixWireless sent out an email about a sim swap because AT&T was doing "upgrades" that required a sim change. They highlighted in the email that their "agreement with AT&T will remain the same." On 5/12, they sent another email saying "nothing changes with your service", "same service as before", "we're doing this to move a new provisioner" (which sounds very odd), and "change out your sim on 5/20".

As I'm waiting to swap out the sim on the specified date, I looked on BixWireless's website and noticed that their $85/month AT&T plans now advertise as "capable of 400GB of data". There's also a $160/month AT&T plan "capable of 800 GB". I chatted with their support and they said that ALL 3rd party AT&T resellers will be capped at 400 GB. They stated your sim would be "killed" by AT&T once you hit that 400 GB data cap, instead of deprioritized or throttled....

Can anyone confirm this, or has anyone else heard this from another 3rd party AT&T reseller? I'm just wondering if it's truly all 3rd parties or maybe just BixWireless getting the axe like what happened to OTR mobile. Maybe the provisions/agreements between BixWireless and AT&T couldn't be met?

After inquiring more, BixWireless support said they wanted to be proactive and transparent to inform their customers about these changes from AT&T that will affect ALL 3rd party resellers & their customers. They said other 3rd party sellers may not tell their customers or potential new customers up front to keep them from cancelling or switching.

AT&T is really doing EVERYTHING in their power to NOT be liked.

Yeah, the email for the BlueBlast plan is ridiculously ambiguous and the terms and conditions are absurd. If it is indeed still AT&T, why do I need to switch from my original AT&T sim card they shipped when I first started up? Also, they explicitly state that "excessive usage" (whatever that is) will be throttled or terminated, so clearly not unlimited. I never received an unlock code for the Nighthawk, despite repeated attempts to prod them along so I am still getting AT&T. In fact, after reconfiguring my booster and antenna setup, I am getting the best performance of my tenure with OTR. Since I'm lazy, I went ahead and requested the new sim. Hopefully, they can make my device work with whatever source they are reputedly selling and I have the opportunity to test out the new service.

@JHejl10

I just checked the BixWireless FAQ page

https://bixwireless.com/faq/

"Do any of your plans throttle? NO! Never!"

That part is good.

But it does state: "We offer our basic plans up to 400GB of data with no speed reduction. Our extreme plans go to 800GB. The average household in the US uses between 200-300GB of data per month using multiple devices and streaming video."

I started service less than two weeks ago and there was no mention of any SIM change on 5/20. The SIM they sent me was an AT&T logo-branded SIM. So maybe I got the new one already.

The oddest part is that BIX told you that AT&T would deactivate the SIM at 400GB of data.

What did BIX say they would do if that happens? Will BIX send you a new SIM?

I guess I will need to start measuring our data consumption. Though I doubt we average 400GB download per month, I assume upload also counts to the data total - and my wife uploads a lot of video to IG.

So yes, it's quite confusing and still developing. I've not seen anyone else publicize it yet. Technically BIX's FAQs are not wrong, because BIX support said they won't throttle or deprioritize. They said they were told by AT&T that 400 GB is the number for each plan. If you go over it, your sim would be killed by AT&T. My guess (and hope) is that 400 GB will be very loose. I can't see AT&T killing sims the moment they go over. That's quite harsh from a company that brags about their network being the best. I could see them killing sims that abuse unlimited data like I've seen before. I've seen some users using over 5 TB a month just because they could!

BIX said that if your sim was killed that they would be able to activate a new account for you. You would be required to pay another $10 for activation, provide another new sim card, and pay another monthly subscription fee since it would be a new account. Not ideal, but that's what I'm being told currently. I'm sure more info soon enough.

Received a new SIM from a "Blue Blast Migration" yesterday. It is a new AT&T sim, for those of you who were wondering.

Also have a new plan that is Blue Blast (not a migration from Legacy) that's using a T-Mobile sim. It worked great in a Netgear 1120 modem, for exactly 1 day. And now it says it's been disconnected... Would T-Mobile have killed the SIM?

This is such a headache, especially trying to manage multiple devices. Real close to moving to another provider....

Can I get a Cliff's notes update on this thread? My folks are in rural Brazoria County, have been promised fiber is coming soon, but need an alternative to the local phone company. From the past few pages it sounds like a lot is in the air. What are the best options and things to consider the way things stand for OTR internet?

Edit to add they are right next to an AT&T tower with good signal.

My internet setup! Caution I am not an IT genius; this is just what has worked for me.

This is an integrated modem and router, and cradle point is one of the best in the business. This is what I purchased. (You can skip the orbi system if you already have a router)

https://ltefix.com/shop/routers/cradlepoint-routers/cradlepoint-mbr1400lpe-v2/

If I had to do it again... Now that I have an orbi system, I would purchase this model. This is a modem only, so it has no wifi capabilities, which Is why I want this one instead.

https://www.amazon.com/MOFI4500-4GXeLTE-SIM4-Router-T-Mobile-Verizon-Embedded/dp/B01EY11K40

This is the Orbi system I was talking about, and this thing is incredible! It doubled our wifi speeds, and now we can sit outside with full bars of wifi.

NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh wifi System with 3Gbps Speed (RBK50) - Router & Extender replacement covers up to 5,000 sq. ft., 2-pack includes one router & 1 satellite White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4CZOBS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_bsacEbBH80Q7K

Now on to the internet, I went with Never Throttled; there may be better ones out there, but for my first time, I'm happy. This has no data caps and works off the ATT network, and it's only $85 a month with unlimited usage and NO CONTRACT. Now, if you want to stream 4k TV, not sure if this has enough ass in it to make it happen, I do not have a 4k tv nor any gaming system, so I can't talk about how those work.

I purchased an antenna to help catch the signal coming from the ATT tower, which the closest one is off of Ranch Road 12. Although my system was working fine without one, I want to make sure that I'm catching every bit of signal I can from the cell tower. You will also need the cable if you are going to get an antenna I can help you with the cable.

https://ltefix.com/shop/antennas/4g-lte-antennas/directional-panel/700-2700mhz-panel-5dbi-7dbi-4g-lte-directional-antenna-n-female/

Edit to correct the antenna that I had.


We had a TV on watching the Aggies BTHO Okie st last night plus three phones and a laptop all going at the same time with no issues.

I'm still on OTR. I'm still paying 70. I never responded to their email. Im just gonna keep riding the 70 dollar train until it goes off the rails.

I have new SIMs ordered already, but curious to see if they actually shut off the Legacy plans on June 1st like the email said.

I'll report back after June 1

So far I am still on the old Legacy plan. I signed up for the 180 day payment plan, and I think I was last billed for the next 3 months last month sometime. Guess I'll see how long that keeps up. It's been a while since I last checked, but my AT&T SIM still worked when I did.

I ended up going with a random eBay dealer that had auto-renew. I figure AT&T will go after the little guys last, but who knows for sure. So far so good. I've had it for almost two months.

A couple of things to add to the post above with product recs. I would not get a omni-directional antenna and put it on a house. Omni-directional is more for moving objects like a bus/rv. You will get a better signal for your money with a directional antenna on a house. There are plenty of tools to help you point it in the correct direction like https://www.cellmapper.net/.

Sorry you are correct! I put the wrong link this is what I have currently

https://ltefix.com/shop/antennas/4g-lte-antennas/directional-panel/700-2700mhz-panel-5dbi-7dbi-4g-lte-directional-antenna-n-female/

Had 1 of our Legacy plans go offline yesterday. 4 of them still working..

Same. Internet just quit mid-morning last week. Reset the modem and router a few times but no dice. I popped in the T-mobile sim that I ordered a while back and it started working fine. Download speeds not as good as AT&T, but I haven't had any issues.

I tried chatting with OTR to ask about it, but the queue is so long that I never made it to the front of the line because I don't have that much free time.

Honestly, T-mobile has been fine. Our other two legacy accounts are still holding on...

Mine went down with Gypsy last week. They said it was because I was on the old system. They had me go get a new SIM and then setup a new account for $75/month. It is still AT&T, so I'm not sure what limitations changes I can expect. It is working as normal.

My old otr legacy acct still working. God only knows when I'll be cut off.

Requested 5 new SIMs last week to migrate to the Blue Blast plan. Just received 7 SIM cards in the mail...

Interested to see if they're all activated, because as far as i can tell we're still only being charged for 5..

Just for grins, yesterday I swapped out my T-Mobile and old AT&T SIMS. I'm still running on the AT&T account. I wonder if this has anything to do with the mandate to not cut anyone off from internet during the start of the pandemic.

black_hat_ag said:

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I'll report back after June 1

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June 1. Old legacy att otr still working. Paying 70. Speeds are normal. God help us all.

All three of our legacy accounts have been cut off now.

Mine went dark yesterday. I'll plug in the new SIM next time I'm out to the ranch. Never received an unlock code so hope the new AT&T-based service will work.

I'm considering using a service similar to OTR for internet at a home I'm moving to. Would y'all recommend just using the equipment available through the provider or getting my own LTE modem and router then just getting a sim from the provider?

That will depend on what they offer and what you need. I'm inclined to get my own equipment and just get a sim so you don't have to deal with future unlock issues like some are experiencing with OTR now.

For a cheaper setup that works with AT&T and TMobile based carriers, I'd do this:
https://www.newegg.com/netgear-lb1120-100nas-office-products/p/2A6-00G2-00001

https://www.amazon.com/Netgear-6000450-MIMO-Antenna-Connectors/dp/B00DN3J03O/

For a higher end system in a place with a lesser system, I'd to this:

Works with all carriers.
https://ltefix.com/shop/routers/cradlepoint-routers/cradlepoint-cba850lp6-na-cat6-att-verizon-t-mobile-sprint-refurbished/

Then two of these mounted as high as you can get them.
https://ltefix.com/shop/antennas/4g-lte-antennas/directional-panel/700-2700mhz-15dbi-4g-lte-directional-antenna/

Of course there are many MANY other options and directions you can go. Let us know if we can help out in any way.

Thanks for the reply tfunk, that's helpful. I've read through this thread and some of it is over my head, but I'm learning. Recently it looks like OTR hasn't been the best to work with. There are a ton of different providers out there, has anybody had good luck with a different provider?

I'm pretty sure most of us have had good luck with other providers. I got an AT&T unlimited sim off of eBay. It ended up being one of the vendors listed on this list but for $10/month less than what their website has it for. I haven't had any issues or need to call them for almost 3 months now. I have had to reboot my modem a couple of times early on when signal was lost, but that's it.

Thanks for the ebay tip. There are a lot cheaper options on there.

I was about to pull the trigger on a Craddlepoint but it looks like they're moving to a cloud based subscription service if you update the firmware. Is it safe keeping the modem on the old firmware so I don't have to subscribe to the expensive service?

Well, here's a little good news. After all the miserable communication from OTR and time wasted on the chat queue, I'm happy to report that the new "Blue Blast" plan actually worked on my Nighthawk. Just swapped the SIM card and it fired right up. Performance is at least as good as the original at&t service. The device also looks like it is tracking the cumulative monthly usage, whereas before it would restart the counter each time I rebooted. Hopefully they can hold it together for awhile.

The Blue Blast SIMs are working fine on our 5 Nighthawk M1's, same performance as before. On our legacy plans, 1 of them was disconnected on the 27th, one was disconnected on the 1st, but 3 of them were still working on the 3rd when i switched in the new Blue Blast SIMs...

Like you said, let's see how long they can keep it going this time..