Nowadays, smartphones and access to the internet are undeniably necessary since it has changed the way we work, learn, and interact with others. That is why today we want to introduce you to a commonly forgotten device: the Mobile Hotspot. Indeed, this useful device allows you to access the internet at any time, anywhere! But before getting one, there are still some important things you need to know first. Let’s find out what they are below.

What’s a mobile hotspot and how does it work?

When you are away from home and have no internet connection, a Mobile Hotspot is a must item that converts an LTE connection into a Wi-Fi signal. This portable gadget is capable of finding a connection to the internet almost everywhere you go and its provided network is usually very fast and stable. Most importantly, it works well with any device, whether it be a computer, a tablet, laptop, or a smartphone.

Can you use a phone as a mobile hotspot?

As an alternative choice, you can use your phone as a Mobile Hotspot as well since they use the same types of data networks. Moreover, the best point is that the 4G or 5G mobile hotspots have the ability to provide a high-speed connection that can compete with some home wired internet.

What are popular types of mobile data connections on the market?

There are various types of wireless mobile data connection technologies these days, but the most common ones are 4G, 4G LTE, and recently, 5G. Let’s see the differences between these three options:

1. The fourth-generation network (4G) is the most common among all networks. Compared to the 3G connection, it is twice the speed. Besides, it also covers a larger area than 3G.
2. 4G LTE network, or “4G Long Term Evolution”, is significantly faster than the standard 4G. This is the reason why in recent years the 4G LTE has become the most reliable mobile data connection in the United States.
3. 5G network is the next generation of mobile network technologies. Thanks to better use of the radio spectrum, it can offer the fastest internet connection ever created to date. Nevertheless, the 5G is only available for some newly launched portable devices.

How much does a Mobile Hotspot cost?

A mobile hotspot might be less expensive than you think. Normally, the basic hardware costs less than $150 which generally comes with a monthly plan. On the market, there are several offers with different prices varying from one provider to another. Below are 3 main different types of payment plan you may consider:

1. Monthly plan with limited data usage
   With this plan, you should check for the number of gigabytes per month and choose the one corresponding with your data utilization. Furthermore, avoid going over your data limit, otherwise, you’ll have to pay extra charges.
2. Unlimited plan
   If you don’t want to be worried about data usage, we recommend unlimited plans. There is no restriction on the amount of usage, but there is however a limit on the data speed instead. In most cases, the providers usually throttle your speed limit once you reach a certain amount of gigabytes of data during the current month.
3. Pay-as-you-go wireless plans
   A temporary plan, also called the pay-as-you-go wireless plan, is a perfect choice in case you need to use the mobile hotspots just for a short period of time, during your vacation for example. Nevertheless, it usually costs a little more than the monthly plan.

How to estimate the data usage per month?

As we mentioned above, to choose the right data plan, you have to consider how much internet you use per month. So, we have listed some suggestions on how to calculate your monthly data usage below:

How many emails do you send monthly?

Normally a regular email is around 25 kilobytes while one with attachments would be approximately 500 kilobytes. If you get a 2-Gigabytes data plan, you will be able to send around 84,000 text emails or 4,000 emails with attachments.

How many websites do you visit per month?

One mobile web page uses 1-megabyte of data in general. For a 2-gigabytes data plan, you can visit approx. 2,000 web pages a month.

How many photos do you post on social media?

On average, a post with a photo on Facebook uses approximately 400-kilobytes, so you can publish about 5,200 photos per month if you pay for a 2 GB plan.

How much time do you spend listening to streaming music?

As 25 megabytes of data will generally be spent for 1 hour of streaming music, with a 2-gigabyte monthly plan, for instance, you can listen to music for 82 hours.

How much time do you spend watching online videos?

The average standard video stream uses 2 megabytes per minute, while an HD video uses 5 megabytes per minute.

How many apps and songs do you download per month?

An application, a simple game, or a song is around 4-megabytes on average. It means you can download 500 items per month with a 2-gigabyte plan as an example.

With this handy device, you will not need to rely on the slow and unstable public Wi-Fi anymore. Now you know everything about mobile hotspots, so stop hesitating and bring the internet with you, wherever you go!