Cellphone internet access with no cellphone?

[jsc7]

Getting internet on a boat more than a mile from land seems to be tricky.

One option seems to be 4G radio data services such as Virgin Mobile, basically using the cell phone network with a base station (not a cell phone). I think it is called "Broadband2Go".

Does anybody have experience with this strategy? What happens when you roam out of the United States?

[StuM]

You will get slightly better coverage since most such devices have a better and antenna and greater range, but there's not much difference in the coverage. They still rely on the same cellphone towers and 4G coverage. In most less developed countries, 4G is only available in a few major population centres (if at all).

Outside of the US, you need a local SIM card and a device which uses the correct frequency band for the particular carrier..

[JBPohle]

We just returned from 6 months in the Bahamas and cruised from Florida to the Abacos, Eleuthera, Exumas, Chub Cay and back to Stuart. We used an IPhone 7 with Verizon in the US and BTC in the Bahamas. Current wireless data cost was $35 for 15gig. It works very well as a hot spot, phone and for using the phone apps. Generally 15 miles from shore we could reliably get data. Central Exumas, Exuma Land and Sea Park, was the only place we went for days without coverage.

Good luck