iPhone 14 Pro Cancelled my broadband and been using 14 Pro as a hotspot for months.

[PegasusTenma]

So I mentioned earlier I use my iPhone 14 pro as a tethering hotspot. I did use it that last year and the previous year with an iPhone 12. Now I purchased a 5G router and I pop in my SIM card.

Is truly unlimited stuff with Three (UK) and it works extremely well and I can watch 4K content without issue while downloading PlayStation games in very shorts amounts of time. Is actually really good stuff. I amass TB of internet used each month.

 

[eyoungren]

Which is why carriers tout "Unlimited data," not "Unlimited high speed data."

You do get unlimited data, just not different speeds.

The problem is that when originally introduced, the carriers did not qualify the word 'unlimited'. People were left to their own definitions and they (like anyone would) assumed in their favor.

People assumed unlimited meant just that. Unlimited data, with unlimited speeds and unlimited use. Because unlimited literally means 'no limits'.

The entire industry had to walk back what they meant. Had they originally stated what they actually meant 'unlimited data on a device after using 'x' amount of high speed data' this wouldn't have gone the way it did.

But that's not a selling point - and they wanted to sell you a data plan (and a device in a lot of cases). So, the carriers created their own monster and then tried to reign it in.

 

[autistic-savant]

I’ve never had land line broadband and have only ever used my iPhone X hotspot at home.
I have a Vodafone unlimited price plan. It is about £35pm.
It supports my iMac, apple TV, an iPad and another iPhone. I do all os and software updates over it.
The battery gets hot and was replaced once when it was four years old.
This year I will upgrade the iPhone and price plan to 5G.

While having 20 client connections in your home with huge file sizes is a perfectly valid use case, it isn’t one that contributes much to a discussion about domestic users saving a little money by sharing a phone’s hotspot is it?

 

[jlc1978]

The problem is that when originally introduced, the carriers did not qualify the word 'unlimited'. People were left to their own definitions and they (like anyone would) assumed in their favor.

People assumed unlimited meant just that. Unlimited data, with unlimited speeds and unlimited use. Because unlimited literally means 'no limits'.

The entire industry had to walk back what they meant. Had they originally stated what they actually meant 'unlimited data on a device after using 'x' amount of high speed data' this wouldn't have gone the way it did.

Yea, people think something means what they want it to, not what it actually means.

I don't know about the others, but TMobile is pretty generous with unlimited data and doesn't automatically throttle down unless the network experiences congestion; and tehy specifically state how much high speed hotspot data is included.

No comapny can truly offer unlimited high speed data without some sort of traffic management schme to keep the system working reasonably well for all customers.

But that's not a selling point - and they wanted to sell you a data plan (and a device in a lot of cases). So, the carriers created their own monster and then tried to reign it in.

As the market and usage patterns changed, companies needed to find ways to attract and keep customers.

 

[NeonNights]

It's an interesting experiment and glad it works for OP.

Seems it would only work if you live alone because once you leave the house and take your phone then the rest of the family is without Internet. Unless everyone is hotspotting and switching devices over to whichever hotpot phone is home.

We have dozens of Internet connected devices (Ring, security cameras, NAS, thermostat, PCs, multitude of Apple devices, TVs, streaming devices, smartlocks, garage opener, etc.), tethering all that to my phone, even if unlimited, is not worth the trouble. Plus, I regularly remote into my home cameras or Macs when away so that won't be an option anymore if relying on my phone's hotspot.

I'm in the US with Xfinity/Comcast's 1.2 Gigabit plan for $80/month. I don't consider that too bad for unlimited data and free WiFi 6 gateway router.

 

[I7guy]

Similar to others who have said this we have an almost smart home with many connected devices…lights, alarm, ATV, thermostat, washing machine and dryer and etc. While I don’t have the gigabit plan (which goes to 5 gig) and my current plan is fine for my needs we need 24x7 internet and a hotspot won’t do it.

 

[rocketbuc]

For our home internet, we are using a 5G SIM card with a full fledged router (FRITZ!Box 5G) that has 4 Ethernet ports. Works great with our 2 MacBooks, iMac, several iPads and iPhones plus an Apple TV for streaming.
Speeds vary but are always sufficient for our use case, including video calls. In Switzerland, this SIM costs 35 CHF (38 USD) for unlimited (200-300 GB limit) data but the company often run 50% promotions if you sign up for two years.

 

[_karrol]

My broadband is actually way faster than my 5G (176/25 vs 61/11), so it would not make much sense apart from the obvious reasons - convenience, battery life of the phone etc...

 

[JamesMay82]

I thought about doing this for our work premises to run cctv but I’ve been told hot spot isn’t stable enough for CCTV?

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

Not being snarky, but I genuinely don’t even know how this would work for a family with 3 Macs, 6 iPads, 4 iPhones, 5 Apple TVs, HomePods, Apple Watches, other random devices, grandparents and friends visiting frequently, backyard BBQ’s, etc.

The router is the hub for all of this, and I don’t know if there is any viable solution for all of that.

Would be awesome but don’t know if it will ever be feasible for full home stuff.

 

[eyoungren]

For our home internet, we are using a 5G SIM card with a full fledged router (FRITZ!Box 5G) that has 4 Ethernet ports. Works great with our 2 MacBooks, iMac, several iPads and iPhones plus an Apple TV for streaming.
Speeds vary but are always sufficient for our use case, including video calls. In Switzerland, this SIM costs 35 CHF (38 USD) for unlimited (200-300 GB limit) data but the company often run 50% promotions if you sign up for two years.

I have a Gigabit router (also 4 Ethernet ports) attached to my cable modem. But the thing is, that attached to my router is a 24-port Gigabit switch. There are two other 8-port Gig-E switches elsewhere in the house as well.

Not every port of these switches is filled, but the fact that I need/have room for expansion might indicate how many devices are being run through my home network.

 

[eyoungren]

Not being snarky, but I genuinely don’t even know how this would work for a family with 3 Macs, 6 iPads, 4 iPhones, 5 Apple TVs, HomePods, Apple Watches, other random devices, grandparents and friends visiting frequently, backyard BBQ’s, etc.

The router is the hub for all of this, and I don’t know if there is any viable solution for all of that.

Would be awesome but don’t know if it will ever be feasible for full home stuff.

Three ways: (1) Either the phone/device is dedicated, the hotspot always being on and every device remembering the credentials. (2) The device is connected via USB to a router that can use its hotspot as internet. Or, (3) A dedicated router that uses a SIM card for cellular service (they exist).

One and two runs ALL your traffic through the phone. Dead battery fast unless plugged in and it's going to run hot. Short lifespan for the device. Three tends to be expensive and difficult to find and the carriers try to prevent you from using their SIM cards in them.

All the way around, not really viable solutions here in the US.

 

[waquzy]

So I mentioned earlier I use my iPhone 14 pro as a tethering hotspot. I did use it that last year and the previous year with an iPhone 12. Now I purchased a 5G router and I pop in my SIM card.

Is truly unlimited stuff with Three (UK) and it works extremely well and I can watch 4K content without issue while downloading PlayStation games in very shorts amounts of time. Is actually really good stuff. I amass TB of internet used each month.

I think Three also has the fastest 5G network in the UK.

 

[cousintim]

Three ways: (1) Either the phone/device is dedicated, the hotspot always being on and every device remembering the credentials. (2) The device is connected via USB to a router that can use its hotspot as internet. Or, (3) A dedicated router that uses a SIM card for cellular service (they exist).

One and two runs ALL your traffic through the phone. Dead battery fast unless plugged in and it's going to run hot. Short lifespan for the device. Three tends to be expensive and difficult to find and the carriers try to prevent you from using their SIM cards in them.

All the way around, not really viable solutions here in the US.

(4) Sign up for 5G home internet (in the US). In my area, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all offer it.

 

[eyoungren]

(4) Sign up for 5G home internet (in the US). In my area, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all offer it.

Yes they do. In my case, it's not going to work well for me. I have poor cell service at home and I'm running 20+ devices at 1.5TB of data use a month. The user I quoted is similar to me, although they didn't say anything about their current cell service.

Finally, does 5G do Gigabit speeds? That's what I'm paying my current ISP for.

 

[NeonNights]

(4) Sign up for 5G home internet (in the US). In my area, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon all offer it.

Folks in our area reported the $25 Verizon 5G home internet only gets 40mbps despite advertising 85-300mbps speeds. I am a happy Verizon cell phone user with 10 lines on my family plan but the 5G home internet option is a no-go and poor value compared to my $80 1.2 Gigabit Comcast Internet service.

 

[max2]

Yeaahhhh…

I've had it since 2018. They are offering 2GB speeds now, but I have no networking equipment or computers that natively support speeds about 1GB.

Cox is the worst ISP company ever. We use to have it because it was the only option. So happy we left Cox 4 years ago.

 

[max2]

That is what is offered in the states. There is no true unlimited.

There actually is true unlimited in the states.

 

[max2]

It's people like you in the US that caused US carriers to discontinue true unlimited hotspoting. 5% of the users were using 9o% of the bandwidth so here in the US the made unlimited not really.

 

[max2]

View attachment 2207770

View attachment 2207771
The comparison between 5G network (above) and the home internet - it’s always the upload speed.

Indeed.

 

[max2]

Similar to others who have said this we have an almost smart home with many connected devices…lights, alarm, ATV, thermostat, washing machine and dryer and etc. While I don’t have the gigabit plan (which goes to 5 gig) and my current plan is fine for my needs we need 24x7 internet and a hotspot won’t do it.

You on AT&T Fiber right?

 

[max2]

I would love to test a UK cellular provider data speeds vs a US cellular provider data speeds.

To bad that won't be easy

 

[one more]

I would love to test a UK cellular provider data speeds vs a US cellular provider data speeds.

To bad that won't be easy

Speedtest to the rescue!

US average = 80.38 Mbps

UK average = 43.33 Mbps

This will depend on your area and provider, of course, as I have 202 Mbps here in France over my 4G plan, while the country’s average for France is listed at 73.04 Mbps.

Speedtest Global Index – Internet Speed around the world – Speedtest Global Index

Find out which countries have the fastest internet speeds in the world. View global monthly comparisons of fixed and mobile internet speeds.

www.speedtest.net

 

[Robert.Walter]

It's people like you in the US that caused US carriers to discontinue true unlimited hotspoting. 5% of the users were using 9o% of the bandwidth so here in the US the made unlimited not really.

👎

 

[Robert.Walter]

For our home internet, we are using a 5G SIM card with a full fledged router (FRITZ!Box 5G) that has 4 Ethernet ports. Works great with our 2 MacBooks, iMac, several iPads and iPhones plus an Apple TV for streaming.
Speeds vary but are always sufficient for our use case, including video calls. In Switzerland, this SIM costs 35 CHF (38 USD) for unlimited (200-300 GB limit) data but the company often run 50% promotions if you sign up for two years.

In Switzerland here too. Please, which carrier do you use?