A mobile hotspot is a device that turns a cellular internet signal into a standard Wi-Fi network that other devices can connect to. Hotspots can be dedicated devices, but these days most smartphones also have mobile hotspot functionality built in, which enables them to share their internet connection. As with anything, each has its pros and cons.
Hotspots are typically used to provide a portable internet connection, but they can also be used at home—potentially even to replace your home internet entirely.
Phone hotspot vs. a dedicated hotspot device
The main advantage of using your phone’s hotspot is convenience. You likely have your phone with you most of the time, so you don’t have to worry about not having internet access. It’s also one less device to carry.
On the other hand, the hotspot feature can really eat through your phone’s battery, which can be a problem if you’re unable to charge. And, while many phone plans include some hotspot data, it may not be enough for full-time use as a home internet replacement.
Dedicated hotspots, on the other hand, may be able to support multiple devices at once better than your phone, and you won’t have to worry about eating through the battery (or your phone plan’s data allotment). But, of course, it requires you to charge and carry a separate device, and dedicated hotspot plans can be pretty expensive.
Hotspots vs. other internet types
How exactly does using your phone as a primary internet connection compare to other types of home internet? Well, it depends.
- Compared to satellite internet, a phone hotspot isn’t so bad—you may even see better performance, depending on which satellite provider you’re comparing to. Satellite also suffers from similar data limitations, so there’s not much difference there.
- Compared to 5G home internet, a phone hotspot is going to lack data—big time. Most 5G home internet services, such as T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G home internet, are unlimited, so the constraints will definitely be felt. However, performance should be similar.
- Compared to cable and fiber, a phone hotspot (or any hotspot, really) is going to struggle to keep up. Cable, and especially fiber, are the fastest and most cost-effective types of internet. Of course, you probably already have a phone plan, and you may not have a cable or fiber plan, so there’s the added cost to consider.
What are the limitations of using a mobile hotspot?
The main limitation of using a mobile hotspot is the data usage. Anytime you’re using a mobile hotspot from your phone, you need to pay attention to how much data you’re using. Streaming videos, gaming, and transferring large files are all activities that use a lot of data. Unless you want to pay for extra data, you’ll have limited access to these online activities while using a mobile hotspot.
Is mobile hotspot data unlimited?
If you’re wondering if mobile hotspot data is unlimited, the answer is tricky. Data is the biggest obstacle to using a mobile phone for home internet. A lot of people get confused about unlimited data plans, thinking that this means that mobile hotspot data is also unlimited. But, this isn’t the case. Even on cell phone plans with unlimited data, there will be a cap for how much data you can use as a mobile hotspot.
Once you reach that limit, the data will be deprioritized, which basically means your data speed will slow way down until your limit starts over the following month. So, technically, your data is unlimited—even after you hit your limit, you can use as much slow-speed data as you want. But the slower speeds don’t support video streaming or gaming. These slower speeds will support basic email and browsing functions.
How do I know what my mobile hotspot data limit is?
If you’re wondering what your mobile hotspot data limit is, you’ll want to check your cell phone plan, because every plan is different. Some plans don’t allow mobile hotspot at all, while others have limits. There aren’t any mobile plans that offer unlimited, full-speed data for mobile hotspot. If they did, we’d all cancel home internet.
Many cell phone carriers have monthly caps of 5 to 15GB of data per month before they start slowing things down (throttling data) or charging you for data overage. Check out the details of your mobile plan and look for info about mobile hotspot or tethering. The mobile hotspot data limit is different from other data limit amounts. You can check with a customer service representative if you’re having trouble finding out the correct information on your plan.
How do I know how much hotspot data I’ll need?
You can get a rough estimate of how much hotspot data you’ll need each month by using T-Mobile’s Smartphone Mobile Hotspot Data Calculator. For an exact calculation of how much data you use each month at home, log in to your Internet Service Provider account and check your monthly data usage.
As a general guideline, streaming Netflix uses 1–3GB of data per hour, which means that 5–15GB of monthly mobile hotspot data won’t last long if you’re streaming video. Video streaming, file transfers, and gaming use up a lot of data. Sending emails and browsing the internet use very little data by comparison.
How do I know how much speed I need?
Recommended minimum download speed
Capacity | Browsing | Streaming music | Online gaming | Video streaming |
1–3 people | 5Mbps | 5Mbps | 25Mbps | SD Video: 10Mbps
HD Video: 50Mbps
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4–6 people | 10Mbps | 25Mbps | 100Mbps | SD Video: 50Mbps
HD Video: 100+Mbps
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If you want to know how much internet speed you need for your favorite online activities, use the HighSpeedInternet.com recommended internet speed quiz. This will give you an idea of how fast of an internet connection you need for your everyday activities. If you’d rather not take a quiz, the chart below is also a good reference for data speed.
Can a mobile hotspot replace home internet service?
A mobile hotspot can replace home internet service if you’re a light data user. Light data users use the internet at home just to check email, shop occasionally, and browse websites, a mobile hotspot can work for you.
If you like playing games online, streaming videos through YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu, or if you work remotely and transfer large files, a mobile hotspot isn’t the answer. All of these activities use up a lot of data. Due to data caps, heavy-internet users and video streamers may max out data plans in the first few days of the month and end up with data overage fees (expensive) or drastically slowed speeds (very inconvenient), which can kind of ruin the experience.
That said, if you are a light user, or just need a backup service, your phone’s hotspot could be a decent substitute for home internet.