iPhone 11 Using Iphone as hotspot question (AT&T)

[geepondy]

Hi, not sure where to post this question but....I'm considering switching to the AT&T basic unlimited plan from my current 9G data plan and one of the features I will lose is the ability to use the iphone as a hot spot. During power outages, from my Ipad, I can select the iphone as the wifi connection and slave off of that for Ipad internet connection. Is this an IOS feature or would this be considered using the iphone as a hotspot and I would lose this feature if changing plans? Thanks.

P.S. on another topic boy, is the Apple phone news app a celluar data hot! I don't spend a lot of time on it when away from wifi but still it consumes more data than listening to Podcasts, Pandora or Apple music. Wonder why it is so horrible that way?

 

[jcp007]

We are on the unlimited 5G plan and have 40GB hotspot on AT&T.

 

[geepondy]

We are on the unlimited 5G plan and have 40GB hotspot on AT&T.

They offer two unlimited plan options (at least to me). The cheaper one which I'm interested in, does not offer hotspot access. Never thought 9G of data would not be enough.

 

[jcp007]

They offer two unlimited plan options (at least to me). The cheaper one which I'm interested in, does not offer hotspot access. Never thought 9G of data would not be enough.

Is this the same plan that results from having wireless and Directv?

 

[geepondy]

Is this the same plan that results from having wireless and Directv?

Not that I'm aware of. One plan was basic unlimited and the other was more advanced and expensive and included HBO Max. As mentioned the cheaper plan did not include hotspot ability and more expensive included 40G hotspot.

 

[now i see it]

If AT&T doesn’t offer hotspot on their fake unlimited service, then the iPhone won’t be able to do it. Impossible. They block it.

I used AT&Ts “basic” unlimited prepaid plan for two years and it’s mostly fake unlimited. You’ll be throttled down to dial up speeds so often that it’s impossible to consume very much data anyway.
With that “horrible” plan, no embedded video on any web page will play because AT&T throttles all video to 480p but the page tries to stream 1080 - so it buffers forever and you essentially can’t watch it - have to go to YouTube app every time.

AT&T’s true unlimited plan is only $10 more/month but is so much better because your connection isn’t throttled

 

[geepondy]

This is discouraging. I pay about $55 for 9gig, a plan I've had for several years and I'm guessing grandfathered in at this point and no longer available. I really would like a plan that offers maybe 15G a month but no data throttling for the allotted data. From the AT&T website at least, I don't see any other plans available, only the two unlimited plans. I have mixed feelings with AT&T. I switched several years ago because it is the only service that gives reliable reception at our workplace. But other than that, overall, I liked Verizon better. I'm sure the Verizon plans are expensive as well.

 

[jk73]

If AT&T doesn’t offer hotspot on their fake unlimited service, then the iPhone won’t be able to do it. Impossible. They block it.

I used AT&Ts “basic” unlimited prepaid plan for two years and it’s mostly fake unlimited. You’ll be throttled down to dial up speeds so often that it’s impossible to consume very much data anyway.
With that “horrible” plan, no embedded video on any web page will play because AT&T throttles all video to 480p but the page tries to stream 1080 - so it buffers forever and you essentially can’t watch it - have to go to YouTube app every time.

AT&T’s true unlimited plan is only $10 more/month but is so much better because your connection isn’t throttled

They throttle you before you hit your data limit?

 

[rui no onna]

They throttle you before you hit your data limit?

There's no hard data limit on the unlimited plans anyway. The more expensive plans just give you a limit where you can get "premium speed" and may throttle speeds to useless once you're past the limit.

The lowest unlimited plans are always susceptible to throttling depending on network conditions.

 

[jk73]

There's no hard data limit on the unlimited plans anyway. The more expensive plans just give you a limit where you can get "premium speed" and may throttle speeds to useless once you're past the limit.

The lowest unlimited plans are always susceptible to throttling depending on network conditions.

Thanks. How much is the “basic unlimited prepaid plan”?

 

[now i see it]

They throttle you before you hit your data limit?

They throttle you any time there’s any network congestion at all. In my town, it was essentially unusable from about 3pm to 9pm. Slow as dialup modem.

 

[now i see it]

Thanks. How much is the “basic unlimited prepaid plan”?

Basic “fake” constantly throttled unlimited is $65
High speed unlimited is $75.

at&t prepaid plans are super easy to switch. If you don’t like the service you’re getting you can easily upgrade to a better one the next month with no penalty. Same with downgrading.

 

[jk73]

They throttle you any time there’s any network congestion at all. In my town, it was essentially unusable from about 3pm to 9pm. Slow as dialup modem.

That’s brutal.

 

[jk73]

Basic “fake” constantly throttled unlimited is $65
High speed unlimited is $75.

at&t prepaid plans are super easy to switch. If you don’t like the service you’re getting you can easily upgrade to a better one the next month with no penalty. Same with downgrading.

Thanks. I’m out of the U.S. for months at a time, so I might go this route moving forward.