Prepaid Data only

I know that Verizon and T-Mobile both offer prepaid data with the USB modem or Wifi. Prices vary for prepaid, and it looks like Verizon charges the worst rates for data ($50 for 1GB of prepaid data?:loony. Also, perhaps Millenicom may be a possibility if she doesn't mind auto pay (but no contract from what I can tell).

It looks like the hot spots are hard to find online (at least with the official carriers websites), so a visit to a big box store may be in order.

Also, Verizon does't throttle data, it just stops working when the data cap is reached. Not sure about T-Mobile prepaid. The monthly plans throttle, prepaid may stop working after the cap is reached.

Verizon: Verizon Wireless - Mobile Broadband - Plans (sadly, I didnt see the hotspot ... and the prepaid is probably restricted to USB )
Millenicon: Millenicom | Wireless Broadband Plans
T-Mobile: Unsupported Browser

I remember seeing a data stick for AT&T at Best Buy as well, so they likely offer prepaid data.

 

Skype isn't too heavy on bandwidth, I counted the data on my Skype call once and it wound up to be something like 1MB for 3 minutes of talking, more-or-less. Average that with how much time you expect to talk, I'm sure 2.5GB will be sufficient.

I think just about every mobile operator on earth has a data cap (pre and post paid) and will either block you or rate-limit you once you reach it. Depending on the rate-limiting, it still may be enough for Skype (Skype needs roughly about 100Kbps).

 

Oh, yea, 100Kbps is for voice only. Video would eat up much more bandwidth, depending on video quality, maybe something like 500Kbps. You'd need a pretty solid cellular connection for that as well, meaning: good signal, low interference and a cellular provider who isn't over-subscribed in your area (ie: not tons of people making video calls and bogging down their network )