Tethering Smartphone to Laptop for Home Internet instead of ADSL Broadband?

Space_Cat

Hi, first post!!! 🙂

I live alone and have Plusnet ADSL home internet for £18.99/mth (with a £75 cash back card) and a Lebara 3Gb SIM for £5/mth.

As I live alone I was thinking of ditching both the Plusnet and Lebara and instead buying a 12mth SIM unlimited data and tethering my laptop to the phone for web browsing, Netflix, YouTube, etc. 

ADSL I get between 4-5mb/s and on the THREE network indoors at home I get about 15mb/s.

The THREE SIM is not only cheaper than the Plusnet + Lebara, but it's a faster internet connection than ADSL.

What do you think? Am I missing something? Are there any downsides?

I realise that if I exit the Plusnet contract early there would be penalty fees.

But ignoring that how reliable is TETHERING for HOME INTERNET?

This the deal I'm thinking of going with

Cos I'm a newbie it won't allow me to post links, gawd knows why 🙄.

dub u dub u dub u dot fonehouse.co.uk/basket?source=mse&awc=6224_1625658647_6ec5bc373633d6ef2e15782441b63aa5&utm_source=Money+Saving+Expert&utm_medium=AWIN&utm_campaign=moneysavingexpert

JJ_Egan

Many posts on this subject on the forum ,

Worth trying while you are still in PN contract . in case not suitable and to avoid reconnection charges .

Your link is just returning >>>https://www.fonehouse.co.uk/

Newbies and links is due to spammers .

Would you qualify for BT low cost ??

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6264892/mse-news-bt-to-launch-15-mth-fibre-broadband-plan-for-millions-on-low-incomes#latest

coffeehound

I've been tethering for the past few days.  It has proved tedious to re-establish the link after a period of disuse, (wired connection seems to persist better), and occasionally the data speed slows for some reason.  So as said above, worth trialling it before comitting.

pbartlett

i have done this with three for many years with no.problems. If you are worried, try it for a month before ditching your landline.

Space_Cat

Thanks folks, much appreciated 👍

I think I might get a THREE mobile PAYG SIM and load it with £5 or £10. I know it will eat through the balance quickly but might give me an idea whether it will work 24/7.

JJ - yes I think I might qualify for BT low cost as my household income is less than £16k. I currently qualify and receive the Warm Home Energy discount so hopefully I might qualify for the BT BB, I shall look into it. Thanks for the link 👍
This option sounds like it might be better than tethering.

pbartlett

just check payg allows tethering

flashg67

Using the sim in a mi-fi unit or 4g router will mean everything else stays connected if your laptop is off

MiserlyMartin

It will save you money but it depends on how congested the Three mast is where you are. In many areas mobile internet including three slows to a crawl at peak hours. The mast will boot you off after so long too. Too many users at once. Try it and see but don't expect a great connection all the time. Your ping and latency will be much higher than on home BB

clearancer

I was in the EE shop last week buying a new iPhone and iPad. Salesman told me to get a monthly sim for both devices. I said I'd be cheaper with one sim and tethering.  He said tethering uses TWICE the data. So I bought two monthly sims. Was I conned?

pbartlett

tethering uses twice the data? not sure what this means but downloading eg a web page uses the same amount of data on tethering as it does on a land line or mobile data direct.

you were conned