Need some help from you phone experts regarding hotspots

Hey guys I'm hoping someone can help me to find something that fits my needs.

I'm looking for a prepaid cell plan with a phone that is capable of being a mobile hotspot. I currently have virgin mobile which I've been happy with, and they offer phones with a mobile hotspot plan at a good price but only in select test markets, of which I'm not lucky enough to be a part.

They also offer an actual stand alone hotspot device but I'd really prefer to have the hotspot and the phone be the same device as carrying around a bunch of different devices and paying for several different plans isn't going to work. I've been looking around at other carriers and I've been getting very mixed reviews as far as what works and what doesn't.

So I guess the basic question is, are there any prepaid phone plans which also function as mobile hotspots? I'd prefer to stay with an android powered phone.

Thanks guys!

Most samsung phones can be used as a hotspot .. its in settings under the wifi settings - tethering ..

originally posted by: Expat888
Most samsung phones can be used as a hotspot .. its in settings under the wifi settings - tethering ..

I found out that they do, but some of the prepaid services prohibit tethering, or only offer a single day of that service at a high cost. Looking at the popular carriers websites about their plans doesn't seem to be much help as they don't really mention tethering specifically so I'm kind of at a loss.

To illustrate why this seems to be so difficult to find, I read several articles about how AT&T was offering tethering on their gophone plans earlier this year, then I spent a long time talking to customer service asking them, and they basically said they didn't know what I was talking about. They had no explanation as to why AT&T would announce offering tethering in April of this year, and now at the end of the year they don't mention it in their plan details and their customer service knows nothing about it.

Seems odd heh.

Ahh .. they do it different over there .. here all you need is mobile data active .. they dont charge us extra to tether .. also most areas here in recent years getting free wi-fi as governments in asia are encouraging people to become IT savvy .. they always were behind the curve on mobile tech over there ..

I have a prepaid windows phone (Nokia Lumia 520) on AT&T. for 60 bucks a month they give you unlimited talk/text and 2 GB high speed 3/4g data. I received a text a few days ago that said they are going to give me unlimited data at a reduced speed.

I'm not sure if that was a thing for their current customers or for everyone. Maybe something to check out.

a reply to: James1982

I've got AT&T and I don't know if you know.. .what you're talking about. ?

All my prepaid phones have WiFi and those phones owners manuals instruct how to use hotspots with them.. .and use that.. .as an internet connection.

AT&T has plans with various high speed data amounts until it runs out and then switches to aver speed so you will have internet without interuption for the rest of your month. ..and all my prepaids, links me to all hotspots anywhere. ..so then I save data.. ..which can be really minimal if all you use is WiFi at home or hotspots.

So I don't really know what you don't get.. .yes I can use my prepaid...at hotspots....to run my laptop, tablets. ..whatever. ..

Doesn't matter which phone or company.. .soooo. ...??? What don't you get? ***

***Wifes prepaid smartphone was about $59 dollars and mine was $150...$35 a month prepaid...unlimited minutes, unlimited text...internet any and every-where running all her devices off the phone or hotspot wihout restrictions...

Because they all can...Im missing the same thing your service reps are...a lot od cheap plans for the above...doesn't matter too much what kind and which company...choose any by your personal preference....

Your best bet is going with a proper cell phone carrier. I myself go with T-Mobile because their no contract phone selection is the largest I have seen. As long as you really don't care about apps or web browsing on the phone itself then pick something in the 200 dollar range with nothing less than 3g.

But again it will not matter which phone carrier you choose, what will matter is your choice of phone from their current selection. And the bigger the selection the more chances of finding what you need. If data speed is what you need then pick something in the 400 and above range. Anything below 200 will seriously be crippled, and out right annoy you.

That's an odd problem, I thought tethering and hotspot was built into Android.

*looks at his Nexus 5*

Yup, built into it.

*looks at his old Nexus 1*

Yup, there too!

It's crazy how carriers get these options deleted like that! Anyway, try this link cause every country, carrier is different...

www.pcworld.com...

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: James1982

I've got AT&T and I don't know if you know.. .what you're talking about. ?

All my prepaid phones have WiFi and those phones owners manuals instruct how to use hotspots with them.. .and use that.. .as an internet connection.

AT&T has plans with various high speed data amounts until it runs out and then switches to aver speed so you will have internet without interuption for the rest of your month. ..and all my prepaids, links me to all hotspots anywhere. ..so then I save data.. ..which can be really minimal if all you use is WiFi at home or hotspots.

So I don't really know what you don't get.. .yes I can use my prepaid...at hotspots....to run my laptop, tablets. ..whatever. ..

Doesn't matter which phone or company.. .soooo. ...??? What don't you get? ***

***Wifes prepaid smartphone was about $59 dollars and mine was $150...$35 a month prepaid...unlimited minutes, unlimited text...internet any and every-where running all her devices off the phone or hotspot wihout restrictions...

Because they all can...Im missing the same thing your service reps are...a lot od cheap plans for the above...doesn't matter too much what kind and which company...choose any by your personal preference....

Yeah I don't know much about mobile phones, I've always tried to keep everything as basic as possible so now I'm behind the times.

So just to be clear, I'm not looking for a phone that can use wifi hotspots, I'm looking for a phone that IS a wifi hotspot. I asked them "do your prepaid plans offer tethering" an they said "No, only the share plan offers tethering" They understood my question, they just didn't know anything about tethering being offered on prepaid.

originally posted by: shaneslaughta
I have a prepaid windows phone (Nokia Lumia 520) on AT&T. for 60 bucks a month they give you unlimited talk/text and 2 GB high speed 3/4g data. I received a text a few days ago that said they are going to give me unlimited data at a reduced speed.

I'm not sure if that was a thing for their current customers or for everyone. Maybe something to check out.

Can your phone provide an internet connection for your laptop/tablet? I already have a smartphone with a data plan but I'm looking for one that can supply wifi for tablets and what not.

a reply to: James1982

Hi James: Ok..I think I get it. I too asked once the same question. And they said (ATT) "Yes. It's $$$ to set it up one time, and so much a month to get and use it as one anywhere."

So, yes there is a way. But then, I realized its just easier to use wifi's wherever, and data sevice when I cant. The cost has been minimal for data usage....and everything (devices I own) can get or link to online everywhere.

But yes...with a installation usb initial cost and drive-plug in, and so much a month...yes you can be a hot-spot yourself.

I hope this helps you some?

Cyanogenmod might be what you are looking for.

originally posted by: mysterioustranger
a reply to: James1982

Hi James: Ok..I think I get it. I too asked once the same question. And they said (ATT) "Yes. It's $$$ to set it up one time, and so much a month to get and use it as one anywhere."

So, yes there is a way. But then, I realized its just easier to use wifi's wherever, and data sevice when I cant. The cost has been minimal for data usage....and everything (devices I own) can get or link to online everywhere.

But yes...with a installation usb initial cost and drive-plug in, and so much a month...yes you can be a hot-spot yourself.

I hope this helps you some?

Yeah I appreciate it, I'll probably be able to find access to free wifi most of the time but figured if it wasn't too much more to add to my cell I'd just get a mobile hotspot

Maybe I'll just see how often I actually NEED a mobile hotspot before I buy any new plans or anything.

Thanks guys!

a reply to: James1982

Yes, it comes factory with a hotspot option. It might be just what your looking for. Now mind you streaming media and games will eat up your data quite fast.