Can You Use Verizon Jetpack on Smart TVs?
By Trae Jacobs,
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Verizon Jetpacks are unique devices that give your Wi-Fi the power of portability. The Verizon Jetpack—or MiFi device—is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) for on-the-go internet or rural areas where ISPs cannot provide a Wi-Fi setup through fiber or cable. Can you use a Verizon Jetpack with Smart TVs?
You can use a Verizon Jetpack on Smart TVs or any device capable of accessing a wireless internet network. Aside from their portability, Jetpacks are not much different than a mobile hotspot. Essentially a cable modem with a wireless network router attached.
Connecting your smart TV to a Verizon Jetpack hotspot is no different than connecting to traditional Wi-Fi routers. Once your hotspot is powered up, your smart TV will locate your wireless network hotspot router during the internet setup process. Select your hotspot router, enter your Wi-Fi password, and your TV will connect. You’ll be watching Netflix in no time.
Can You Use Verizon Jetpack with Smart TVs?
A standard smart TV—with 1080p HD resolution—will consume roughly 1.5GB per hour. With 15GB of data, you’ll hit your cap in ten hours. Through an ISP, the Wi-Fi you use at home is unlicensed and costs much less.
The 15 GB data cap on the Verizon Jetpack will be used quickly. On average, cable internet will run you around $52 a month, which usually includes a data cap of 400GB to 1TB. Using your home WiFi would be much cheaper, if possible. Streaming with a cell serviced hotspot can end up being expensive.
If you don’t stream a lot, MiFi is a pretty reasonable purchase. However, if you’re cutting cable, surpassing your data limit will be very easy. If you are using a Roku or Apple TV, it’s quite easy to stream video and go over your cap. The costs associated with using a Verizon Jetpack will result in large data use and may not be worth it.
Using your Verizon Jetpack with Roku or Apple Operating Systems
It is possible to connect your Verizon Jetpack mobile hotspot to video streaming devices that use any operating system such as the Roku, Apple TV, or Google Chromecast with TV. However, it will be prohibitively expensive as streaming video uses a lot of data.
However, to use streaming boxes with the Verizon Jetpack, you just have to connect to the Jetpack’s wireless network like any other. Once you are connected to the Jetpack, you can stream video to your Roku or Apple TV.
You can also use Chromecast with a mobile hotspot as well.
Verizon Jetpack Hotspot Plans for TV Use
The Verizon Jetpack—there are several different versions—is convenient, portable, and generally a reliable device.
However, there are a few caveats. Verizon’s plans are malleable and sometimes confusing. A Google search may quickly lead you in the wrong direction due to outdated plans that Verizon has recently changed or dropped altogether.
It is no longer true that a prepaid, standalone plan comes with unlimited data. There is an exception with the 5G Ultra-Wideband, but the availability is still very limited—mostly to large metropolitan areas. If you want to use a Jetpack to stream on your smart TV, it’s worth considering Verizon’s data plans and limitations.
| Unlimited – $75 | Unlimited – $65 | 15G – $50 | 5G – $40 |
| 10GB before throttled down to 600Kbps | 10GB before throttled down to 600Kbps | Subject to 2Gbps speeds once high-speed data is exhausted | Subject to 2 Gbps speeds once high-speed data is exhausted |
| Includes unlimited 5G ultra-wideband | Unlimited 5G ultra-wideband not included | Unlimited 5G ultra-wideband not included | Unlimited 5G ultra-wideband not included |
| Unlimited talk | Unlimited talk | Unlimited talk | Unlimited talk |
| Unlimited text | Unlimited text | Unlimited text | Unlimited text |
On Verizon’s site, there’s a sliding scale that determines discounts for “loyalty” customers, which reduces the monthly bill for these standalone plans. Verizon also offers hotspot data in their unlimited packages for existing plans:
| Play More Unlimited – $45 | Do More Unlimited – $45 | Get More Unlimited – $55 |
| 15 GB of 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE | 15 GB of 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE | 30 GB of 5G Nationwide and 4G LTE |
| Unlimited 5G Ultra-wideband | Unlimited 5G Ultra-wideband | Unlimited 5G Ultra-wideband |
| Unlimited talk/text | Unlimited talk/text | Unlimited talk/text |
Verizon doesn’t exactly make it easy to track down all the various plans and options on offer. The Unlimited Plus Plan announced in September of last year is conspicuously absent on their prepaid packages page and connected device plans.
Which Verizon Jetpack Can Be Used with Smart TVs?
You can use any Jetpack with your smart TV and jump on one of Verizon’s plans. However, Verizon only sells one Jetpack, the newest in the lineup. Other options can be found on Amazon or other online stores.
- Verizon Jetpack MiFi 8800L (latest version)
- Verizon MiFi 6620L Jetpack
- Verizon AC791L Jetpack
- Verizon MiFi 4620L Jetpack
All four Jetpacks run off of the Verizon 4G LTE network. On average, you can expect a speed of around 60Mbps, which is more than enough to stream at 1080p HD on your smart TV. Only Verizon’s new Inseego MiFi M2100 5G UW uses the ultra-wideband 5G network.
Final Thoughts
Wi-Fi and MiFi hotspots aren’t going away, mainly because they aren’t truly competitive. But, that doesn’t mean the Verizon Jetpack couldn’t or shouldn’t be a viable stand-in for a traditional Wi-Fi setup.
If you choose the Verizon Jetpack for your smart TV, understand its limitations. The licensed spectrum used by cell carriers has just as much trouble penetrating buildings as Wi-Fi, and the data limits concern smart TVs that chew data fast.
