Mobile Hotspots vs Internet Connection Mode

[Tacoman]

I am a New Smart Phone/Verizon/Thunderbolt user and I am a little (maybe a lot) confused. If I understand the situation correctly, the Mobile Hotspot feature on the TB requires a separate Mobile Broadband data plan which is billed by the gbyte. If I use the USB cable and the Internet Connection Mode is that billed the same as a Mobile hotspot under the Mobile Broadband Data Plan or is it considered part of the $29 Unlimited Domestic Data use plan? It will make a big difference in the cost of access.

I could not find this addressed anywhere on the Verizon website or in the TB manual. I feel awful stupid having to ask a question like this. It is just not clear on the website. I got the Internet Connection mode going and it is real fast if Speedtest can be believed.

Thanks
John

 

[DroidStang]

another guy asked about this, I am not in a 4g area so cannot test, but I can tell you mobile hotspot free until 15 may, you just set it up on the phone, basically you are making your phone a router cause the modem already there, so once you setup with name and pass code you search for it from your laptop just like a mcdonalds out there....here is a article about the internet connection mode, where says they were 4g,

The ThunderBolt has a feature called Internet Connection Mode, where you can connect the phone to your PC via a USB cable and use the 4G data network as the PC’s internet source. When doing this, we were able to use our FireFox web browser and run the regular SpeedTest.net web site. In doing so, we got a download speed of 11.53 Mbps and an upload speed of 6.50 Mbps with the ThunderBolt. We then removed it and used the LG VL600 modem, which gave us a download speed of 10.61 Mbps and an upload speed of 6.48 Mbps.

 

[wctaylor79]

Hotspot will cost more come May 15th , but not a per GB charge. What I mean is yes Verizon will charge you I think $20 a month to use mobile hotspot on your TB. That allows 8 devices to connect through WiFi as if your TB was a router, or modem. The data that is used with the mobile hotspot is pulled from your unlimited 29.99. So you can use the hot spot with unlimited for $50 a month.. Now.. if you root then you can use several wifi tether apps and have up to 5 devices at one time and just use your unlimited and no extra monthly charge for the hotspot.

In regards to the connecting with the USB and using through CPU.. idk.. I would think that they could not charge you since you are using stock software, and the reason they charge for the hotspot is to give 8 devices a wifi connection compared to one connected with a USB cable..

 

[Tacoman]

A little more information

I called Verizon a couple of times and finally talked to a lady who seemed familiar with the terms (Mobile Hotspot and Internet Connection Mode). She said that they were both modes were billed to the Mobile Broadband Connect account. After looking it up she also said it free up until May 15. I did notice that the time I spent using the ICM has not been recorded on MyVerizon Broadband. It could be that they will not record Broadband data use before May 15. More than likely she is like most Verizon reps and does not know WTF she is talking about.

Anyway my experience with the ICM is very good. It is really fast (>10mps download). If they can keep the charges reasonable (like wctaylor79 thinks will happen) I will drop Clearwire (horrible system, unreliable, slow, between 1 and 3mps) and use the phone as a Hotspot or ICM. If not I will probably root it, clean the bloat, tether it (as suggested), oc it and drop Clearwire. Option 2 may be the long term best answer regardless.

Thanks for the help. As always, it is appreciated.

 

[wctaylor79]

Beware if you want to run a house on wifi tether though..

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-general-discussions/136848-4g-vs-cable-modem.html

This is a thread I started after I metered my home as I was thinking about switching to nothing but 4G. Come to find out my house uses over 100 GB a month of data. Now I don't know your sistuation, but that would be $1000 a month for data charges based on Verizon billing structure, right now. Of course that could change.. If you are simply running your laptop and want easy access to 4G wifi tether on a rooted TB would be a great idea and free.

 

[DroidStang]

I am not a heavy data user but if i dont need to download 600 mb files regularly what is wrong with one paid apps that maybe in 15 mins

Sent from my ADR6400L using DroidForums App

 

[Johnw]

Here in San Diego, the "Internet Connection Mode" via USB worked on the launch day of TB. Since then, when I connect via USB with "Internet Connection Mode" on my TB, I immediately lose data connection (4G or 3G). The only way to bring back the data connection is to reboot the TB.

http://www.droidforums.net/forum/ht...ternet-connection-mode-no-longer-working.html

I'm surprised ICM is working for others because in my thread here, it seems that some others have experienced loss of data connectivity as well.

 

[Tacoman]

In Seattle, ICM seems pretty reliable. I have not used it for a period of days just hours. I did not see the loss of contact events that were reported. I did have one loss of contact with 4g but that was using the internet from the phone not the ICM. It was funny because the status bar at the top still showed a connection. Tried a couple of things but ended up with a reboot. I will take a look at Johnw's tread.

Also I download 30 to 40 gigs a month. If its is metered at anything similar to the current Verizon rates it will be way too expensive (~$10/gig).

 

[dajogejr]

Hotspot will cost more come May 15th , but not a per GB charge. What I mean is yes Verizon will charge you I think $20 a month to use mobile hotspot on your TB. That allows 8 devices to connect through WiFi as if your TB was a router, or modem. The data that is used with the mobile hotspot is pulled from your unlimited 29.99. So you can use the hot spot with unlimited for $50 a month..

Do you have any facts or sources to back that up?

Everything I've read said after May 15th it's 20 per month for up to 2GB of data.
It is separate from your 29.99 a month unlimited.

If 20 a month gets me unlimited hot spot...sign me up!!!

 

[Laurendroid]

can someone tell me if ICM works with mac? and/or 3g? i'm in a transition area and i get mostly 3g, when i plug in ICM the internet on the phone disappears completely. when i switch back to charge only on the TB, 3g is active again.

the data connection on my phone is unstable at best but it's no coincidence that when i start ICM it dies completely. thanks!!!!!:icon_ banana:

 

[46hemi]

Am I the only one who thinks paying for hotspot should almost be illegal? Its almost like someone needs to try it in a courtroom or something.

I do not understand how its ok to charge me a different price for the same product (data) depending on how I use it. Its baffling.

Lets say gas is 4 dollars a gallon. So I go to the gas station and I tell the attendant I want 10 gallons of fuel ($40), I hand him the 40 and I am now good to start pumping. I put 5 gallons in my station wagon, then when I go to put the remaining 5 gallons in my sports car he tells me the price per gallon goes up? It makes no sense at all. If I go over my 10 gallons of course I should pay an overage but to charge me "extra" for what I already paid for, depending on how I consume it, just seems ridiculous.

ok..rant over.

 

[DroidStang]

Yeah you are right and if they know we are using 3rd party software to get around it just give to us we pay them already

Sent from my Thunderbolt