Connecting to a mobile hotspot can be very useful, but can you use your smartphone to replace your entire home’s Internet? While the short answer is yes, the effectiveness of your connection varies depending on your carrier and where you live. As with basic call receiving, the strength of a mobile hotspot depends on your location, but your network provider also plays a role in whether or not you should use your phone’s mobile hotspot for home Internet.
With advances in 5G now taking hold in most major U.S. cities, those living in the urban sprawl may find it’s faster than their home connection. However, those who live in rural areas will likely find that the cellular connection simply isn’t good enough to properly use their phone, much less as a mobile hotspot. Hotspots rely on a constant signal, and the lower it goes, the worse it will be.
You’ll also need to double-check your carrier’s permissions for hosting a hotspot, as some networks will limit the number of devices and amount of data. For example, Verizon’s device limit is five, while most carriers have tiered data limits starting at 5GB per month. Your particular device may also play a role in your decision, but generally speaking, it’s pretty easy to enable your phone’s mobile hotspot, especially if you’re an Android user.
You don’t just have to think about 5G connections
Of course, there are other limitations to using a phone’s mobile hotspot to replace your home Internet connection, and your home itself could be a key factor. The size of the house can also affect the effectiveness of your phone’s hotspot for other devices. Even though hotspots on newer phones cover a wider range, the connection can be weakened if there are too many obstacles, like walls and furniture.
Another obstacle when relying on your phone to provide internet service to your entire home is the battery. Turning your phone into a tiny router could be added to the list of habits that drain your phone’s battery, especially older models with weaker batteries. Even if it is plugged in and charging while in use, this can potentially lead to overheating situations since the phone does not sit idle with the hotspot enabled.
Rather than using your phone’s hotspot, it’s probably better to use USB tethering or look into 5G or 4G routers. These use a SIM card subscribed to a network and essentially act as a hotspot without requiring a phone. If you already have an active SIM card, this can also be used. Looking at the networks that already offer this, Verizon, for example, now offers a 5G home internet plan that you can take advantage of.