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

[startergo]

There actually is true unlimited in the states.

Vague statement. We are talking about SIM plans not home internet.

 

[rocketbuc]

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

Using Salt with their “Surf Unlimited”. Current offer is lifelong 50% saving, so 17.50 CHF (19.3 USD) per month.

Before signing up, I used a Prepaid SIM in a mobile router in our home to test it for a few hours. Haven’t looked back… the 5G hardware offers much more bandwidth than the 4G SIM router we used before. Speeds today: 100 Mbps down, 51 Mbps up.

 

[rocketbuc]

Additional remark: The provider Salt actually encourages the use of this SIM in mobile or fixed routers. If you have a phone plan with them, you can add another such data SIM for an additional device (router, iPad, etc.) for only 5 CHF (5.5 USD).

 

[eyoungren]

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.

Not in my area.

CenturyLink, previously Qwest and US West before that is the worst. Their record of uptime is very bad and their ability to screw the customer over is legendary.

Cox is not the best, but among my choices in Phoenix they are the best of the lot. I've been with them since 2004 and they are reliable and have very few outages. Every time I call to reduce my price they've always given me a discount and reduced my bill.

Whatever your experience with Cox, it's not mine.

 

[techfreak23]

Obviously it’s not going to work for you, 20+ computers, but for your average user like myself, it’s more than adequate

lol “average user…” you’re not an “average user” if you only use 1-2 connected devices total. Most people don’t have 20+ desktops or laptops, but they do have streaming devices, phones, smart appliances, etc.. Those are all technically computers that connect to the network and do things… Having all of those connect to your phone is a ridiculous suggestion. Some of those devices are only connecting on the local network to function. Why tax your phone’s hardware unnecessarily?

 

[techfreak23]

I just don't see one device surviving all the throughput of data, plus everything else from the rest of my family.

Exactly. Phones aren’t designed to be used as permanent routers. People think they are saving money by trying to go this route, but you’re going to be going through your hardware faster. Some people could probably get away with it if they only have 2-3 devices, but that’s not the case for most. Most people have 10-20 devices in their homes. A smartphone as your connection for that many devices is not feasible.

 

[saber32au]

Good stuff OP!

I used an older phone (iphone 7 usually, but I also have an SE1) as a temporary hotspot using Vodafone's network (3 has rubbish reception where I live). I ended up using this setup for multiple weeks whilst I got my home internet sorted...

Whilst only on "4G", I still averaged over 80Mbps DL/40Mbps UP, which for 6 or so connected devices (phones, TV, laptop, tablet etc) works perfect fine. If it weren't for the fact that Hyperoptic offered the equivalent of 150/150Mbps plan for £21/month, I'd probably have kept using the hotspot for a while longer...

As the iphone 7 is no longer supported, and the battery's health is in the low 80's, I wasn't concerned about ruining the battery. It's already at the stage of needing replacement (let alone the fact the phone is no longer supports the latest and greatest iOS version).

 

[16”]

Just thought I would share my experience regarding this. I decided to cancel my broadband provider full stop and I have been using my iPhone 14 Pro as a hotspot through mobile 5G.

I used to be with TalkTalk and their max download speed was 65MB, whereas my mobile provider on 5G, I usually get 500+MB download speeds. I’m with Three. I’m on an unlimited data, £17 a month.

TalkTalk was £25 a month. So that’s a nice bit of saving there.

Here are some stats: View attachment 2207466 View attachment 2207467

what about the battery son my phone used to heat and dies

 

[StoneJack]

I use my iPhone max 13 as a hotspot when outside, for macbook air m2. Fast and secure too. No need for dubious free wifi.
Works mostly fine though hotspot wifi does disconnect after a while if not used. But in general surprisingly reliable.

 

[WishyWashyUK]

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 hotpotting 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.

Yeah my thoughts exactly - home cameras/doorbells etc need to be connected all the time and specifically need to be accessed when you’re not home, so in that case at best you’d need a second dedicated phone/line to hotspot from the whole time anyway. Handy if it works for OP but not viable in my case.

 

[waquzy]

Exactly. Phones aren’t designed to be used as permanent routers. People think they are saving money by trying to go this route, but you’re going to be going through your hardware faster. Some people could probably get away with it if they only have 2-3 devices, but that’s not the case for most. Most people have 10-20 devices in their homes. A smartphone as your connection for that many devices is not feasible.

10-20 devices? No they don’t. More like 4-5, depends of the user and size of the household etc. Also I don’t really care about my phones battery, it’s not that important to me.

 

[waquzy]

Yeah my thoughts exactly - home cameras/doorbells etc need to be connected all the time and specifically need to be accessed when you’re not home, so in that case at best you’d need a second dedicated phone/line to hotspot from the whole time anyway. Handy if it works for OP but not viable in my case.

Don’t have any home cameras/doorbells or other unnecessary smart products in my house. There is no need for all of that. Old school user here.

 

[WishyWashyUK]

Don’t have any home cameras/doorbells or other unnecessary smart products in my house. There is no need for all of that. Old school user here.

Yeah, all power to you and it may have inspired others in a similar situation to save some cash. Just saying it wouldn’t work in a lot of cases including mine. I wouldn’t say WiFi home security cameras are “unnecessary smart products” but that’s a different conversation!

 

[mk313]

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.

I think your point was true in the past, but at this point, it's been close to, or maybe over, a decade of unlimited data with the high speed cap, and in every advertisement I've seen for it in as far back as I can remember, it's always mentioned the possibility of deprioritization/ high speed cap. I just looked at the big 3's websites & all 3 prominently display the limits. I don't think anyone who is truly interested is confused at this point. I think people are just upset that the carriers don't offer unlimited high speed data, especially those that know it's available in other areas of the world.

Also to your point of unlimited meaning 'no limits'. While that's true from a semantic standpoint, it's not true in real life. There have always been limits, but people only complain about the high speed one. It is a monthly service, which is a limit of 28-31 days. It excluded roaming data (in most cases), and it's locked to one device at a time. All of those are limits on the unlimited data that people don't complain about.

 

[eyoungren]

I think your point was true in the past, but at this point, it's been close to, or maybe over, a decade of unlimited data with the high speed cap, and in every advertisement I've seen for it in as far back as I can remember, it's always mentioned the possibility of deprioritization/ high speed cap. I just looked at the big 3's websites & all 3 prominently display the limits. I don't think anyone who is truly interested is confused at this point. I think people are just upset that the carriers don't offer unlimited high speed data, especially those that know it's available in other areas of the world.

Also to your point of unlimited meaning 'no limits'. While that's true from a semantic standpoint, it's not true in real life. There have always been limits, but people only complain about the high speed one. It is a monthly service, which is a limit of 28-31 days. It excluded roaming data (in most cases), and it's locked to one device at a time. All of those are limits on the unlimited data that people don't complain about.

Yes, you're right about the past. But that also makes my point. When UD originally launched, the carriers did not consider how it would be perceived by real customers. So, in their backtracking they learned.

Now it's presented as it should have been then. And people have had a decade or more to get used to it. But this used to be a real hot topic on an old Sprint forum I was on - which is why I remember it. That and Sprint always shooting themselves in the foot because they never considered how real customers think whenever they introduced something.

 

[eyoungren]

Also I don’t really care about my phones battery, it’s not that important to me.

Don’t have any home cameras/doorbells or other unnecessary smart products in my house. There is no need for all of that. Old school user here.

And I think those two details would explain why this actually works for you.

A lot of people do care about their battery because their phone is also being used for something other than hotspot. And a lot of people do have smart products, even me. I'm not one to be over the top with it, but I do have a thermostat and a doorbell cam. Those are included in the 20+ computers/devices I keep mentioning.

 

[jlc1978]

what about the battery son my phone used to heat and dies

I used an iPhone 14 Pro Max as a hotspot to stream and surf concurrently with no battery heating fir hours with the phone plugged in. Maybe newer phones have better thermal control?

 

[max2]

Not in my area.

CenturyLink, previously Qwest and US West before that is the worst. Their record of uptime is very bad and their ability to screw the customer over is legendary.

Cox is not the best, but among my choices in Phoenix they are the best of the lot. I've been with them since 2004 and they are reliable and have very few outages. Every time I call to reduce my price they've always given me a discount and reduced my bill.

Whatever your experience with Cox, it's not mine.

Cox High Speed Internet has a data cap. Enough said.

You have to pay $50 more a month for unlimited data. That is highway robbery and Cox knows it.

Question how much a month do you pay for Cox High Speed Internet?

 

[max2]

@eyoungren good news is AT&T Fiber is coming! Hopefully in a year or two. They really don't have a time table.

 

[eyoungren]

Cox High Speed Internet has a data cap. Enough said.

You have to pay $50 more a month for unlimited data. That is highway robbery and Cox knows it.

Question how much a month do you pay for Cox High Speed Internet?

I pay roughly $134 a month. $80 something plus the $50 for unlimited data you mention.

I do not agree that it is robbery. It's better than being hit with overage fees and I am willing to pay the extra amount to not have to worry about being under my data cap.

We have an unsolvable difference of opinion on this.

CenturyLink also has a data cap. So, do all the other ISPs in my area. As I mentioned, I am choosing the best of the worst.

 

[max2]

I pay roughly $134 a month. $80 something plus the $50 for unlimited data you mention.

I do not agree that it is robbery. It's better than being hit with overage fees and I am willing to pay the extra amount to not have to worry about being under my data cap.

We have an unsolvable difference of opinion on this.

CenturyLink also has a data cap. So, do all the other ISPs in my area. As I mentioned, I am choosing the best of the worst.

Your in luck once AT&T Fiber arrives there is no data cap.

We use to pay over $100 too.

Now we pay $70

 

[eyoungren]

@eyoungren good news is AT&T Fiber is coming! Hopefully in a year or two. They really don't have a time table.

Your in luck once AT&T Fiber arrives there is no data cap.

We use to pay over $100 too.

Now we pay $70

Sorry, not at all excited about this as you seem to be. If and when that happens I may take a look. I'm good with what I have right now.

My experience with CenturyLink is along the same lines as yours with Cox. Therefore, I am not particularly fond of offerings from similar companies.

 

[max2]

Sorry, not at all excited about this as you seem to be. If and when that happens I may take a look. I'm good with what I have right now.

My experience with CenturyLink is along the same lines as yours with Cox. Therefore, I am not particularly fond of offerings from similar companies.

Well hopefully Cox ups their game and offers free unlimited data like they use to.

Plus lower prices.

 

[eyoungren]

Well hopefully Cox ups their game and offers free unlimited data like they use to.

Plus lower prices.

I think that we can agree on.

 

[xxFoxtail]

Just thought I would share my experience regarding this. I decided to cancel my broadband provider full stop and I have been using my iPhone 14 Pro as a hotspot through mobile 5G.

I used to be with TalkTalk and their max download speed was 65MB, whereas my mobile provider on 5G, I usually get 500+MB download speeds. I’m with Three. I’m on an unlimited data, £17 a month.

TalkTalk was £25 a month. So that’s a nice bit of saving there.

Here are some stats: View attachment 2207466 View attachment 2207467

I thought about doing this about five years ago. I had an iPhone 7 Plus and an Apple TV as my main computers. The ATV was rarely used, and the 7 Plus was my phone/mini laptop (I think netbooks were dying out right around this time).

It was a nice setup, the one thing stopping me from canceling my home internet was my cellular coverage was garbage in my apartment complex. One side of my apartment usually had one bar with my carrier, the other side was no service.

I didn’t feel like going through the hassle of changing carriers just to see if I had better service in my basement level apartment. In hindsight, might have been worth it to save $40/month.