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Internet Q&A

Questions about our Internet Service

How does the internet service work? 

Like ladybugs, cellular signal is just about everywhere.   Our modem connects to the cellular signal and that connects you to the internet.  This is not satellite, cable, a fixed wireless (Point to Point) or DSL.   Our service is not tied your current cell phone service

What is the difference between Red, Pink and Blue? 

The difference between Red, Pink and Blue is the network they use.  Please check the maps carefully and make sure you have coverage at your location.  Examples of Pink carriers are T Mobile, Simple Mobile, Ultra Mobile, Metro PCS.  Samples of Blue carriers are AT&T and Cricket.  Samples of Red Carriers are Visible, Verizon, & Page Plus.

These services are traditional, single sim services that uses a sim card on a single carrier put into a device that is unlocked and will work on all three carriers.  

Since the devices will work on all carriers with any sim from any provider, they are sold outright and yours to keep. You do not need to return them to Ladybug Wireless.   

What is Prism? 

Prism uses Cloud technology to allow the device to connect to any one of the three major networks based on signal strength, stability and throughput.  If one connection falters, it should automatically roll to the next best connection in the area.

Because Prism uses proprietary technology that renders the device useless without Ladybug service, (unless you're very tech savvy), this device is part of the service and must be returned within 10 days of service end or cancellation. 

If a device is not returned in working condition and in a timely manner, Ladybug Wireless will charge the payment method on file 100.00 fee.

What if I order the wrong plan? 

If you order the wrong plan, it's not the end of the world. You can pay a $60.00 carrier swap fee or you can wait until renewal and change carrier with no fees. 

If you just need to upgrade to higher data limits, then we can do that anytime and all you pay is the difference in the plan. 

What kind of speeds can I expect? 

On the 4G Cat 4 devices, average speeds are 20-50mbps down, 8-13mpbs up and an average ping of 35-55ms.   Some people will experience much higher than that, some less.  Since it's all based on proximity and strength of the signal you can receive in your home, we cannot guarantee speeds.  On the newer Cat 19 and Cat 20 devices speeds can be increased significantly by using carrier aggregation, where they combine signal from two or more towers if there are multiple towers in the area. 

 

On 5G, the speed you get depends on which 5G frequency band is being used and the environment around you.

Low-Band 5G (<1 GHz)

  • Travels far and works well indoors.

  • Speeds are generally 50–300Mbps downloads and up to 70Mbps for uploads.

  • Best for rural areas or locations where coverage matters most.

Mid-Band 5G (1–6 GHz)

  • Faster than low-band (200–1,000 Mbps) with moderate coverage.

  • Ideal for towns, suburban areas, and most general use.

High-Band 5G (mmWave, 24–100 GHz)

  • Extremely fast (1–10 Gbps) but short range.

  • Can be blocked by walls, trees, or weather.

  • Mostly used in dense urban areas or specialized fixed locations.

Why can't you guarantee speeds? 

No matter what kind of internet you have—wired or wireless- speeds are never truly consistent. With LTE, this is a wireless connection, so many things like your location, building materials, nearby towers, equipment, even topography, can all affect your speed. Then you add in all the things that slow down the internet as a whole, too many people on at the same time, everyone on the same website or trying to stream the same movie at the same time, etc.  The internet is a shared resource, so the more people on it, the slower it goes for everyone.  It’s just the nature of the technology. We don’t promise fixed speeds because we can’t control all those moving parts—but we’ll always do our best to help you get the best performance possible.

What do you mean wireless or wired? 

Wired internet is cable, dsl, fiber.  Wireless internet can be Satellite, Point to Point (aka WISP) and now LTE, which runs on cellular signal like your cell phone. 

What is the data limit? 

We now have several different plans, each with their own data limits.  Please read the plan descriptions carefully before purchasing.  Our basic plans are great for small families who don't stream a lot or game.   Our premium plans are better for larger families and allow for more streaming and some gaming.

Can I game? 

Light gaming and non data intensive games played on a tablet or pc are usually fine.   Gaming consoles are not light gaming and we do not recommend them to be used on the basic plans and used with care on the premium plans.   They often have large game updates and if you play on live servers, can use lots of data fast.   

Can I stream? 

Yes you can!  To help you pick the right plan for you, here’s a quick look at how much data streaming uses per hour. 

Resolution             Data Used Per Hour

480p  (SD)      About 0.3 GB Per Hour-    This will have almost no buffering and leave lots of bandwidth for shopping while binging!

720p  (HD)     About 0.7–1 GB Per Hour   This will have relatively short buffering and leave lots of bandwidth for shopping while binging!

1080p (FHD)   About 3 GB Per Hour-       This will have more buffering and leave less bandwidth for shopping while binging!

4K (UHD)       About 7–10 GB Per Hour    This will have lots of buffering because it is a lot of data to pull down all at once and may not                                                                leave enough bandwidth for shopping while binging!

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Simply multiply how you like to stream, (resolution) X how many hours X how many tvs and that will tell you how much data you'll need.  For example, 1 TV X 4 hours a day at 1080p will use about 12 gigs of data per day x 30 is 360gigs per month. 

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Here's some little known facts- Streaming in HD or higher is a lot of hype!  Technically, it's "better" but  did you know, most people can't see it with the naked eye?  You gonna watch your TV with a loupe or a microscope?

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Most people watch on smaller screens where 480p looks great. It makes sense, if the screen is only 480 pixels wide, why do you need 1080?

 

Plus, modern TVs and streaming devices use upscaling technology to boost 480p content to fit the TV resolution, so it often looks much better than you’d expect on bigger screens. That means streaming at 480p saves you data and reduces buffering without a big hit to picture quality- Win Win!

And, keep in mind, even when the internet delivers the stream, your device still has to unpack and decode it, so older devices may not be able to handle HD and UHD streaming.  

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Those are some tips to help you choose your plan based on how much streaming you do and what quality you prefer!  If you need help, just ask!  It can be very confusing, I know!

Can I use this for work and school? 

Yes, you can, but keep in mind this is a consumer line and there are no guarantees of uptime, speed or error free service.  We are not responsible for missed work or school and we don't compensate for downtime.  The service is sold as is because for something we rely on so heavily now, the internet is actually very fragile and goes down regularly for reasons beyond our control. For example, a Back Hoe Joe can cut a line digging a ditch and knock out multiple counties, a nut bag can bomb the carrier (12-25-2020) and knock multiple states off line, mistakes made at carrier level and/or equipment failure and really, just too many to list.  

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If your business relies on the internet, we suggest you talk to our Business Solutions team and get some failover in place.  It's a given, no matter the kind of connection you have, lte, dsl, cable, fiber, it's going to have issues at some point and if your business can't afford that, then you need a plan in place for when it does.  

So what is considered abuse?

Uses it for illegal purposes, torrent sharing/downloading, hosting servers, unattended process, uses it to heckle/abuse/harass other people, illegal software hacks, and more.  Pretty much if you have to ask if you can do it, then chances are you should not!    

Is it secure? 

It is just as secure as dsl, cable, satelite or any other ISP.   The modem has standard WPA2 encryption to keep your connection safe.  We highly recommend you use a 10 digit or longer password comprised of letters, digits and symbols to keep your connection safe.

What happens if I use too much? 

If you go over your limits, depending on your plan, your service may be slowed down or temporarily suspended.  If you get suspended by the carrier, it's no big deal.  You can wait for reset or you can buy a new sim card and pay for another 30 days service, subject to availability.  This will change your service dates. 

 

Also we're happy to work with you to check your settings and correct them, but we'll only do this once.  Ultimately you are responsible for managing your usage and teaching your children to use responsibly.   Excessive use is usually caused by too much streaming (even in SD), streaming in HD or downloading/updating big games files.  This is easy to avoid and easy to keep track of in your device.  

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If you need more data, you can have as many lines as you need to accommodate your usage, subject to availability. 

How hard is it to install? 

Easy peasy.  Really.  We put the sim card in the modem and provision it before we ship it to you.  You just have to call us to activate the service and then take it out of the box, attach the antennas and plug it in.  Average setup time is under an hour! The hardest part will be finding the best place to put the device to get good signal, but we walk you through it step by step and always here to help or answer questions! 

Why do I have to buy the modem upfront? 

Well, two reasons really. The upside of prepaid is no contracts, no commitment, no credit checks, the down side is you have to own your own equipment.   Our services run off LTE, so a modem from your old internet company most likely won't work because it uses a different technology to connect. 

I have a 4g LTE or 5g device, can I use it?

Yes, we are offering BYOD services again, but please order with caution and only if you are capable of programming and managing your device.  

As BYOD you are 100% responsible for buying the right sim for your device.   Make sure the device you're using has the right bands for the carrie
r you choose, and it's certified for that carrier and this type of use.  Not all devices are made to work on all three networks, so make sure your device is good for the network you choose, and that network works well in your area.   

Please use eIMEI24.com to check your IMEI with each carrier blacklist before ordering.  Ladybug Wireless is not responsible for broken, blacklisted, badly programmed, hacked or any other reason the service doesn't work in your device.   We are only responsible for making sure the sim is activated for the right amount of data.  There is NO REFUND on BYOD service.

Will this work in an RV or Boat? 

Absolutely!  We have lots of full time RVers and Live-aboards who love their Ladybug.  As long as there's LTE signal, you'll have service, no matter where you go in the USA!  We recommend the Blue network for RV as there may be better coverage off major highways and less congestion in big cities or crowded campgrounds.  If you are sticking to major paths, go Pink!  Their speeds are consistently better in side by side tests in 2025! 

How do I manage my account and pay my bill? 

It's easy! Ladybug Wireless is proud to be a digital company and almost 100% green! We don't print and mail bills, nor do we accept bills in the mail.  When you sign up for our service, you'll be set up on auto draft, but don't panic! You'll get reminders 5 days before we draft your account and you'll have 24/7 access to manage your account via the website.  

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Your service starts the day your device is delivered, so please don't dilly dally in going through the setup process.   We bill on 30 day increments and we'll run your card about 3 days before the service runs out so we have time to fix payment issues without having a lapse in service. 

What's the Cancellation Policy? 

No cancellation fees!  Isn't that amazing? This is a prepaid service, which means you can leave at any time no questions asked and no cancellation fees!    However we cannot pro rate or refund if you cancel in the middle of a service period, so time your cancellation wisely!

 

For security reasons, cancellations must be done in the portal only. Please do not leave voicemails, texts or call to cancel. Only the account holder can cancel and only the account holder should know the password into the account.  The best way to make sure your card is not charged again is to use the account portal. When you do it there, it instantly turns off the ability to run the card on file, so as long as you do it before the card runs, you won't be charged.


Once you have cancelled, any equipment that belongs to Ladybug Wireless (including but not limited to, Prism Devices, leased devices, loaner devices, must be returned within 10 days.  Failure to do so will result in charges up to 1 months service fee and/or the cost to replace the equipment.   Please refer to each individual service for details.

What is prepaid and why don't you refund service fees if I cancel mid month? 

We like to keep things simple here at Ladybug Wireless, so we run on a pre paid system.  You pay for 30 days and you get 30 days.  It's that simple and very clear what the deal is.

This is how we can offer no credit checks, no deposits, no credit dings and/or late fees if you pay late, and easy to understand billing.  

 

There is no commitment past the 30 days you buy and no cancellation fees!  The only rule is make sure you cancel before your card is run for the next 30 day increment.   

How long does it take to get the service? 

We keep the LTE modem in stock and orders go to fulfillment with in 24 hours of payment clearing and items usually ship within 1-2 business days from then.  Free shipping is UPS ground, which can take up to 5 day and usually our customers are online within a few minutes of opening the box.  

 

Expedited shipping is ether USPS Priority Mail or UPS 2 day.  This is because we are rural and most of our customers are rural, so the carriers will add on 1-2 days to the overnight shipping time for being rural and there's no use in paying for overnight if it can't actually get there overnight. 

 

Special order items take 5-7 business days to arrive.  They are pushed to fulfillment within 24 hours of the payment clearing and will be shipped direct from the distribution center either USPS, UPS or Fed Ex.  

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What if this doesn't work for me? 

Well, it won't be for lack of trying, but that's why we have the 7 day trial period.   If we can't get it working for you, we have a refund policy.  CLICK HERE TO SEE REFUND POLICY.

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