Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

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

G

geepondy

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 5, 2013
67
19
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?
 
  • Like
Reactions: rjedoaks
jcp007 said:
We are on the unlimited 5G plan and have 40GB hotspot on AT&T.
Click to expand...
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 said:
Is this the same plan that results from having wireless and Directv?
Click to expand...
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
now i see it said:
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
Click to expand...

They throttle you before you hit your data limit?
 
jk73 said:
They throttle you before you hit your data limit?
Click to expand...

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.
 
rui no onna said:
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.
Click to expand...

Thanks. How much is the “basic unlimited prepaid plan”?
 
jk73 said:
Thanks. How much is the “basic unlimited prepaid plan”?
Click to expand...
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.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jk73
now i see it said:
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.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I’m out of the U.S. for months at a time, so I might go this route moving forward.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back