Tethering and Mifi

Terry98

I am trying to understand why the mobile providers don't like tethering. Is it because they hope to sell you a separate contract for the device you would want to tether to?

Don't they allow tethering from Mifi's which defeats the above objective?

Frozen_up_north

The networks want us all to be nice boys and girls and pay them money each month without them having to offer much in return. Examples include some who blocking tethering and voice over IP (VOIP) such as Skype.

Skype allows those with a data allowance on their phone to bypass the astronomical charges from the network to phone overseas and to call other Skype users for free. Something the networks would like to stop you doing.

In the case of MiFi, they are potentially selling you a phone SIM service and in addition a data SIM service for the MiFi. Clearly if you tether from the phone you probably wouldn't need a MiFi, as a phone can do the same as a MiFi.

Until recently, Three were offering their "One Plan" on SIM only at £15 per month (12 month contract) which had both unlimited data and unlimited tethering, including use for VOIP/Skype and 4G, in addition to 2000 "any network" minutes. Which even undercut land line networks, such as BT who charge £15.99 per month and that's without broadband. The One Plan provided pretty much everything you would need, including data speeds to around 20 Mb/s on 3G at off peak times, even avoiding the need for a land line or broadband at home in many cases. Unfortunately, Three recently ceased offering their One Plan, although existing contracts continue to run at the old price.

It's a crazy market place out there and the networks just want to part you from your money!

Terry98

Frozen_up_north wrote: »

In the case of MiFi, they are potentially selling you a phone SIM service and in addition a data SIM service for the MiFi. Clearly if you tether from the phone you probably wouldn't need a MiFi, as a phone can do the same as a MiFi.

Does that mean you cannot buy the Sim and the MiFi seperately?

If you could you would be tethering which they don't want you to do.

ZhugeEX

Terry98 wrote: »

I am trying to understand why the mobile providers don't like tethering. Is it because they hope to sell you a separate contract for the device you would want to tether to?

Don't they allow tethering from Mifi's which defeats the above objective?

All the MNO's allow tethering.

When it comes to unlimited data though it's pretty obvious why they don't allow unlimited tethering as well. It can cause an adverse effect on the network for everyone else when a small amount of people are tethering 24/7 and using 100's GB's of data each.

Frozen_up_north

Terry98 wrote: »

Does that mean you cannot buy the Sim and the MiFi seperately?

If you could you would be tethering which they don't want you to do.

You can buy a MiFi on pay as you go and use a separate SIM if you wish. However, if you are thinking about using your phone SIM in one, it probably won't work in place of a data SIM in a MiFi or USB dongle (it doesn't work with a 3 PAYG phone SIM in a 3 USB dongle).

Sometimes there are good offers on pre-loaded data SIMs, for example there have been Three data SIMs on eBay which were valid for 3 months. The usual arrangement with Three is for you to buy a top up every month, even if you don't use all the data. However, recently these offers seem to have dried up, or at least they are not as cheap as they used to be.

As ZhugeEX mentioned, plenty of deals include tethering. Although the networks dislike the idea of customers dragging their networks down by using a lot of data, usually caused by tethering at peak times. Which is why they try and limit tethering.

This is typed using a laptop tethered to an iPhone on Three, I am using their old One Plan...