The new iPhone 15
remylayne's profile

Tutor

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4 Messages

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 8:06 PM

Will setting up the Personal WiFi Hotspot use my data?

I am on the 4gb data plan and have the iPhone 4S. Using AT&T hotspots are super slow and my phone is rarely able to connect to them...so if I use my phone as a personal hotspot for my laptop, will it count as data useage on my account?

Accepted Solution

Official Solution

Guru

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659 Messages

12 years ago


@remylayne wrote:

I am on the 4gb data plan and have the iPhone 4S. Using AT&T hotspots are super slow and my phone is rarely able to connect to them...so if I use my phone as a personal hotspot for my laptop, will it count as data useage on my account?


Yes, the AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot feature will count agiasnt your $45 4GB data plan, but you'll be able to achieve fast HSPA+ speeds with your iPhone and your internet-enabled device, a feature and speed regular AT&T Hotspots may not offer.

ACE - Master

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10.3K Messages

12 years ago

Yes, you are using the phone's cell data connection when you use it as a hotspot for other devices. As far as the data is concerned, it's the same as if you are using the data on your phone, instead of using it on a device connected to the phone.

Tutor

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4 Messages

12 years ago

Well, that news just sucks...as a kid struggling between a full time job and school, it's easier to do homework and work on research papers in a public location instead of sitting on my bed waiting for the next distraction at home...oh well. Guess I know where I'll be. lol. Thanks for the info guys.

Guru

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659 Messages

12 years ago


@remylayne wrote:

Well, that news just sucks...as a kid struggling between a full time job and school, it's easier to do homework and work on research papers in a public location instead of sitting on my bed waiting for the next distraction at home...oh well. Guess I know where I'll be. lol. Thanks for the info guys.


You can use AT&T's public Wi-Fi Hotspots for free of charge.

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago

I have got to ask you why you thought using data to feed your personal hotspot would not count as data?

Tutor

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4 Messages

12 years ago

Because I honestly didn't know. Didn't realize there was an entrance exam to ask a forum question...I'll make sure I take that class next.

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago


@remylayne wrote:

Because I honestly didn't know. Didn't realize there was an entrance exam to ask a forum question...I'll make sure I take that class next.

Question was not meant to be taken the way you did.........

Tutor

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4 Messages

12 years ago

my apologies, I took it the way it was written.

Guru

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682 Messages

12 years ago

Keep this in mind - any time your phone isn't on wi-fi (whether your own or someone else's), you're using data against your data allocation. It's really that simple. 

Guru

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659 Messages

12 years ago


@remylayne wrote:

Because I honestly didn't know. Didn't realize there was an entrance exam to ask a forum question...I'll make sure I take that class next.


Yeah, basically anytime you use AT&T's E, 3G or 4G networks to access the internet, it'll count against your data usage. The only times it won't is when you use a public AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot or you use another Wi-Fi network of some sort. Anything on the cellular network that's not a phone call or a message counts against your data plan. I can see why that's confusing though. But with a $45 4GB data plan, I'd go ahead and use the feature anyway. Just be aware of your usage and only use the amount of data you need. Make a compromise between going out and staying in to access the internet. If you don't think you'll use it, I'd downgrade to the $30 3GB data plan to save money. The $45 4-5GB data plan was created with the Hotspot feature in-mind.

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