Tethering, HotSpot, or Neither?

[Trailblazer03]

I am getting my own place and I am looking at options for internet service. Most of the TV watching I do is done online so I would prefer not to have pay a cable or satellite bill. I have unlimited data on my thunderbolt, and used the WiFi hotspot when it was free last spring and loved it.

My question is should I pay for the WiFi hot spot service? How much does it cost?

or

Can I tether my laptop to my phone and get internet access that way? Are there apps that may help me?
(Not Rooted FYI)

or

Should I just bite the bullet and get the minimum cable internet package?

 

[jimmyco2008]

haha *pay* for tethering.... There's a reason landline ISPs don't charge extra to send the same data connection to multiple devices anymore- it's unconstitutional. Nevermind statements that might spark an argument though, root the thing, and tether with Barnacle or something like that. Unfortunately, 4G phone owners haven't had much luck with tethering on ROMs that aren't stock, so if you plan to tether as primary means for internet, I would stay on a stock - but rooted- ROM. Some (maybe all?) root methods for the TB put it on a stock rooted ROM, and that ROM should be the firmware before Verizon made the Mobile Hotspot app verify account info before allowing tethering. In that case, you could use the stock Mobile Hotspot app on the stock ROM. But again, if you updated your phone any time past July 2011, you would need to downgrade, I wish you could tell you the exact firmware you'd need.... Best of luck!