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


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

Comments

  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 7 July 2021 at 3:39PM
    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 ??

  • coffeehound
    coffeehound Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    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
    pbartlett Posts: 1,397 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    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
    Space_Cat Posts: 22 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    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
    pbartlett Posts: 1,397 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    just check payg allows tethering
  • flashg67
    flashg67 Posts: 4,118 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Using the sim in a mi-fi unit or 4g router will mean everything else stays connected if your laptop is off
  • MiserlyMartin
    MiserlyMartin Posts: 2,282 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 7 July 2021 at 8:18PM
    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
    clearancer Posts: 153 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    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
    pbartlett Posts: 1,397 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 8 July 2021 at 3:02PM
    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
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