Though often not as strong as Wi-Fi connectivity signals, mobile hotspots can still be an effective way to surf the internet or use applications on a cell phone. While most phone carriers have an available data plan, using up more than allowed can be costly, so it's a good idea to turn off mobile data when not in use. Also, users need to create a strong password that can't be easily guessed by those around them.
Though using a mobile hotspot is not the same as checking Instagram on your phone, it still uses a considerable amount of data, especially if you're downloading articles with lots of images or streaming video offline. The amount of data that is used varies from usage to usage; 30 minutes of checking e-mail will use less than 1MB of data, while 30 minutes of checking Facebook will use roughly 40MB.
Because of this, cell phone carriers will normally charge an extra fee if you use your phone as a hotspot, since the usage is so much higher than regular data surfing. Some carriers will even designate a certain amount of your data to mobile hotspot while portioning off the rest as simple data. The portions can change between companies, so it's important for each person to check their own mobile plans to confirm usage rates.
Most carriers will have a mobile hotspot allowance of nearly 10GB, and once that is used, the speed greatly diminishes. Fortunately, those people will still be able to use the data without being charged for it as long as they don't mind slower speeds. Still, it's a good idea to verify with the company that speed decrease is the penalty instead of an extra fee.
Related: How much data do I need?
Simply put, a mobile hotspot is a feature that allows other devices (such as laptops and desktops) to harness the data capabilities of a phone in order to surf the internet on their own screens. This is most often utilized in rural settings or where Wi-Fi connectivity is not always accessible.
To set up a mobile hotspot, a user simply goes into the settings catalog on their phone and enables the mobile hotspot option. Then, a screen should appear that gives both the name of the network as well as a password to be used for other devices. Look for that network on the device that the user wants to tether to, and input the password to go online. Since the data can be shared by anyone with that password, it's a good idea to create a unique code that will only be known by the intended user or one that is hard to guess.
You can compare the best unlimited data plans at Wirefly, so you can get enough mobile hotspot data for your needs.
Related: Verizon Hotspot Review
Before we delve deeper, it's important to understand the units of measurement used for data. Data is typically measured in bytes, with larger quantities expressed in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), and terabytes (TB). Here's how they break down:
When we talk about data usage for hotspots, we're usually talking in terms of megabytes and gigabytes.
There are several factors that determine how much data your hotspot uses. These include:
Different online activities use different amounts of data. For example, browsing the web or checking email typically uses less data than streaming video or playing online games. Here's a rough breakdown of how much data common activities use:
The more devices you have connected to your hotspot, the more data you'll use. Each device that's connected to the hotspot is using data from your plan, so if you have multiple devices streaming video, for example, you could use up your data very quickly.
Some devices have settings that can increase the amount of data they use. For example, many streaming apps have a setting that allows you to choose the quality of the stream. Choosing a higher quality will use more data. Similarly, some devices have settings that allow them to download updates automatically, which can also use a significant amount of data.
To give you a better idea of how much data different activities use, let's look at some common applications and their data usage:
Most smartphones and mobile carriers provide ways to check how much data you've used. On an iPhone, you can check your data usage by going to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data. On an Android phone, you can check your data usage by going to Settings > Network & Internet > Data Usage.
You can also check your data usage through your mobile carrier's website or app. Some carriers even send you alerts when you're nearing your data limit.
It's also important to consider background data when thinking about how much data your hotspot uses. Background data is data that your apps use even when you're not actively using them. This can include things like app updates, syncing files to the cloud, or receiving notifications.
Background data can use a significant amount of data without you even realizing it. To reduce background data usage, consider turning off automatic updates and background app refresh on your devices. You can usually find these settings in the settings menu on your device.
If you're concerned about using too much data on your hotspot, there are several things you can do to reduce your data usage:
Using a mobile hotspot can be a convenient way to get online, but it's important to be mindful of how much data you're using. By understanding the factors that affect data usage and taking steps to manage your data, you can avoid unexpected charges and make the most of your mobile data plan. Remember, the type of activity, the number of connected devices, and the settings on your devices all play a role in how much data your hotspot uses. Always monitor your data usage and adjust your activities as necessary to stay within your data limit.
