Anybody using their phone as a "mobile hotspot"?

[JDay]

We use T-Mobile and we have an unlimited data plan that we've had for ages and I'm pretty sure is grandfathered in against additional charges. Not sure how well it would work with a new service plan.

T-Mobile doesn't charge extra if you go over your data plan, they just throttle it until the next billing cycle.

[rudigan]

Android has VPN support built-in, look in your settings.

Yeah, and I tried to get our IT guys (it's a work phone) to get it working for me. They said they could/would not get it to go.

[Scout2Diesel]

What about the free hotspots. IIRC you can upgrade by the day if you need more bandwidth.

I get by with internet connection sharing...on one machine by usb.

[atto]

T-Mobile doesn't charge extra if you go over your data plan, they just throttle it until the next billing cycle.

They throttled me down to 2 kbps.

Reminds me of the old days, when 56k was all we had.

[DinoPJR]

man i just read all this and sounds cool but kinda confusing to me. Can I do any of this on Sprint. And does it work even if you live off the beaten path? I am in the High Desert

[DinoPJR]

I would probably need to upgrade my samsung flip phone from 2005 huh?

[Equis]

I had T-Mobile, back before they started throttling , it was great, and super fast. I have switched to Sprint using 4G, and pretty much cancelled my Internet at home. I pay $100 a month for unlimited mobile to mobile , and 1,000 any other minutes. If I have to call a land line I just use Google .

[Bryansix]

No joke. When I tether my phone, I also plug it in via USB and then take out the two freezer cubes from my lunch box and put one on each side of my phone. Otherwise it overheats and the connection freezes (no pun intended).

[atto]

I had T-Mobile, back before they started throttling , it was great, and super fast. I have switched to Sprint using 4G, and pretty much cancelled my Internet at home. I pay $100 a month for unlimited mobile to mobile , and 1,000 any other minutes. If I have to call a land line I just use Google .

I got my phone (with 2 year contract) from T-Mobile a few weeks before I found out about that Sprint plan. I was pissed when I saw the commercial on TV!!

I pay $100 for unlimited minutes, unlimited text, and 5GB data. Data is way more important though (there has to be a way to make free VOiP calls).

[FreedomIsNotFree]

How you like it?

I understand it costs more (or at least it does with a Droid on Verizon) than your regular data plan. They tack on some kind of extra fee and limit you to "X" number of gigabytes, then you pay extra for overages I think. I don't know what the cost is on Verizon, but I'm gonna find out.

So if I understand it correctly, it basically turns my phone into a interweb router?

For example, I'm wondering if it makes sense to cancel my ISP at the vacation home and have all the family members (with laptops and nooks) use my hotspot instead to get their Facebooks and Twitters on. I won't know for sure until I talk to Verizon, but it might save me some money.

And it would for sure be more useful to have the capability on me, all the time, rather than having a perfectly good router go unused 95% of the year at the vacation home... right?

Anybody doing this? What kind of performance are you seeing, and with how many users? Thanks.

If you have the traditional unlimited data plan grandfathered and you upgrade to a 4G LTE device, you can add unlimited hotspot for $30. Yes UNLIMITED. This may work for you and your situation.

*** Forgot to add that the feature is NON contractual so you can add and remove it as needed.

[damndave]

I use FoxFi for bluetooth or wireless tethering. 100% free other than your data. I am on Sprint though where there is unlimited bandwidth.

[Databyter]

How you like it?

I understand it costs more (or at least it does with a Droid on Verizon) than your regular data plan. They tack on some kind of extra fee and limit you to "X" number of gigabytes, then you pay extra for overages I think. I don't know what the cost is on Verizon, but I'm gonna find out.

So if I understand it correctly, it basically turns my phone into a interweb router?

For example, I'm wondering if it makes sense to cancel my ISP at the vacation home and have all the family members (with laptops and nooks) use my hotspot instead to get their Facebooks and Twitters on. I won't know for sure until I talk to Verizon, but it might save me some money.

And it would for sure be more useful to have the capability on me, all the time, rather than having a perfectly good router go unused 95% of the year at the vacation home... right?

Anybody doing this? What kind of performance are you seeing, and with how many users? Thanks.

Don't get me started.

I just bought a Galaxy SII (Sprint version).

I have been with Sprint for many years, and although my last phone was a smart phone as well, it didn't have much processing power. I thought that was why stuff was slow to load.

Well, to make a long story a lot shorter, I live in San Diego, and the powers that be neglected to tell me that San Diego does not have a 4G network.

I love my new phone, especially on WiFi.

But I barely get 3G here, and the slowness out and about is the same as my old brick in the pocket.

Now everytime I see Sprint signs with the huge 4G it pisses me off.

I still like Sprint, but what a rip that I have to now pay 10 dollars extra with my new for for the "premium data rate" and still get dial up speeds from a decade ago.

Oh, and all the markets being upgraded to the new type of faster 4G? They are investing in other cities that already have blazing fast speeds. Not in San Diego, the 8th largest city in the Country that still has 3G that is so slow it is barely worth attempting except for perhaps email and other text based tools.

Forget using that new bright screen for any multimedia in this market, unless of course on wifi or navigating with satellite view off.

[evidens83]

I just activated my AT&T iPhone hotspot last week. I originally had a 2gb data plan at $25/month BUT when I upgraded to the hotspot feature it changed to 5gb $50/month hotspot included. So basically I'm only paying $25 more for 3gb more plus the hotspot service. Not a bad deal if you ask me. I use it mainly to surf the web and check my email on my iPad. Loading times are surprisingly smooth and it's just a great feature to have when you're on the go and you have the need to use a tablet or laptop. Unless you're streaming movies 5gb is sufficient IMHO.

[dem0critus]

I use my galaxy s2 as a hotspot. You don't have to pay extra if you can figure out how to root that motha.

[damndave]

FoxFi is free and works for pretty much any Android device.