Harvest Hosts Hotspot (H3) – AT&T-Based Data Plans For Members of Harvest Hosts, Boondockers Welcome, and Escapees

Harvest Hosts, a major RV-focused company, has just introduced AT&T-based data plans for their members called the "Harvest Hosts Hotspot (H3)." The plans are available to anyone with an active membership to Harvests Hosts, as well as the Harvest Hosts-owned brands Boondockers Welcome, and Escapees.

Let's dig into the details of these plans and compare them to alternatives.

Harvest Hosts H3 Video Overview

 

Plan Details

There are two data plan options:

• 200 GB for $69.99/month
• 300 GB for $79.99/month

The plans are throttled to a max speed of 25 Mbps and use the AT&T network. The 25 Mbps throttle provides enough bandwidth for most online tasks, even video streaming. 

Once the monthly data allotment is used up, service is cut off until the next month. If you're on the 200 GB plan and run out of data, you can upgrade mid-month to the 300 GB plan. But there is no option to purchase additional data. Considering Starlink recently stated that their Roam 100GB plan is suitable for about 1 week of average usage, 300GB is well below the threshold for typical monthly household usage. 

Getting the plan requires renting a Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro mobile hotspot for a one-time rental fee of $69.99 plus $15 shipping ($84.99 total). Once you receive the device (the FAQ says shipping takes 10-14 days), you can sign up for one of the two plans on the same portal.

If you cancel service, you're required to return the hotspot, and the FAQ recommends keeping all the packing material to "properly" return the device. There is no mention of how much might be charged if the claimed $699 device is not returned. 

Neither Harvest Hosts nor the plan portal provides complete terms of service for these plans, so some information is missing.

One important consideration is whether these plans are locked to the rental hotspot device or if the SIM can be swapped and used in any AT&T-compatible device.

There are other details that might be important to potential customers that aren't addressed - such as the ability to pause the plan when not needed, or if there are any video throttles. 

We've sent inquiries and will update this article once we know any answers. 

The plans are provided through the third-party MVNO provider Zipit Wireless, which has partnerships with many carriers, including AT&T.  Additionally, since AT&T branding is on the data sales page, these plans are likely more official than those of typical resellers, who usually have to hide the network with a euphemism like the "blue" network. 

Comparison to Alternatives

Overall, these plans don't seem like a particularly compelling deal.

If you can qualify for an AT&T Business account (which you can do as a sole proprietor with only an SSN), AT&T's Wireless Broadband plans are also speed tiered, starting at 25 Mbps for $70/month, but come with unlimited data. The 100 Mbps speed tier is $100/month. These prices are lower if bundled with an AT&T Business phone plan.

The AT&T Wireless Broadband plans are also BYOD, meaning you can use them on any AT&T-compatible device.

But getting a business account requires a credit check, an SSN, and the hassle of setting up the account. The Harvest Host plans are prepaid, simple to get, and are likely available to those who don't have an SSN, such as Harvest Hosts members from other countries who need a USA-based solution. 

If you're willing to consider a T-Mobile plan, unlimited, unthrottled data options are available from non-profit providers for as little as $15/month.

As always, we keep an updated list of all the best currently-available data plan options in our Top Picks guide.

The Nighthawk M6 Pro

The Nighthawk M6 Pro is a solid hotspot option, though it is a generation behind the current M7 Pro model. However, since the plans are throttled to 25 Mbps, any real-world performance difference is unlikely to be noticeable. Direct with AT&T, this device actually has an MSRP of $459.99 (not the $699 claimed by HH). 

One advantage of the M6 Pro over the M7 Pro is that the M6 does support AT&T's millimeter wave frequencies - but these are mostly irrelevant for RVers and are generally only found in dense urban cores and major venues like stadiums and airports.

However, while the Harvest Hosts Hotspot page states the hotspot is the M6 Pro, the device pictured is actually the M7 Pro, which has an MSRP of $449.99. So it's possible the included device may actually be the newer model.

Concluding Thoughts

Harvest Hosts is a big player in the RV space with many members across its various brands. Offering cellular service to members, therefore, makes a lot of sense. They are following in the footsteps of the Family RV Association (formerly The Family Motorcoach Association - FMCA), which has long offered similar data plans to its members through their Tech Connect+ membership benefit.

It's just unfortunate that the Harvest Hosts plans are not particularly attractive compared to other options on the market, but they certainly aren't a bad deal. 

Harvest Hosts is now accepting reservations for hotspot devices, claiming they are in limited supply on their H3 Landing Page. Interestingly, while the plan is advertised as an exclusive offer for their members, you don't actually have to sign into your Harvest Hosts account - you can directly set up a new account on their provider portal with no membership verification. 

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