Use of cellular data.

[ExSp33db1rd]

We're on holiday with 2 iPads.

Have purchased 1 prepaid 30 day validity cellular data provider SIM card installed in one iPad with the intention of Hotspotting this to the other iPad.

But now ... Mrs. ExS insists that we only use the iPad with the SIM card on the assumption that the action of Hotspotting absorbs some of the pre-purchased data just to provide the Hotspot for the other iPad to connect to ?

I maintain that if we use 2 IPads for 30 mins - one Hotspotted to the other - we will use no more of our prepaid data than if we use the 1 iPad alone for 30 minutes each, i.e. each example will only use a maximum of 1 hour of prepaid data use. ( assuming identical Internet use )

Who is right ? ( answers on a postcard please, a description of the technology not necessary ! )

[Capn Bloggs]

IMO, (I'm not an applefanboy) you could use 1 ipad for 60 minutes, or both ipads (one hotspotted to the other) for 30 minutes. Same data use. The mere act of hotspotting won't use any data, certainly not an Android anyway. Bigger postcard required?

[G0ULI]

Hotspotting just provides a gateway for a second computer, phone, or tablet to connect to the internet. As far as the phone system is concerned it is the same as having two, three, or four windows open on a screen at the same time.

If you have a fixed time connection of 60 minutes, you don't use the time up twice as fast if you have a second device hotspotted to the first one. Both devices can be used during that 60 minutes.

If you have a fixed data allowance, then the data allowance will be used up more quickly with two devices connected because each device will be sucking data from the internet.

The hotspot data transfer is via wifi or bluetooth, so that doesn't count in the calculations, only the data up and downloaded by both devices from the internet, or the total connection time of the device with the SIM card. So you won't use any extra data using one iPad as the hotspot while the other one is actually doing the internet searching, or whatever.

Hope that helps clear things up a bit.

[crablab]

I maintain that if we use 2 IPads for 30 mins - one Hotspotted to the other - we will use no more of our prepaid data than if we use the 1 iPad alone for 30 minutes each, i.e. each example will only use a maximum of 1 hour of prepaid data use. ( assuming identical Internet use)

You are correct in that assumption. Hotspotting or tethering allows one device to share the connection with other devices. If you hotspot two devices and use 20Mb on each, that's the same as just using one and consuming 40Mb in total.

[ExSp33db1rd]

Many thanks guys !

(will adv. Mrs ExS. )

[ExGrunt]

Don't know if this is still in time. You might need to check the SIM Terms & Conditions because some do not allow hotspotting.

EG

[G0ULI]

ExGrunt
How would the service provider know when data is encrypted end to end by many phone systems?

This is a bit of an old wives tale from the days when unlimited data contracts were available but movie streaming was rare or impossible because the mobile data network wasn't fast enough. With 3/4G connections now widely available, the mobile companies would like to restrict the amount of data they have to shift. This is achieved by imposing daily download limits or by throttling internet connection speeds for those of us that still have unlimited data plans.

Nothing to worry about. If your phone or tablet is prevented from acting as a hotspot, that function is disabled via the sim card you have installed. If you can see you have hotspot capability in the setup screens, you can switch it on and use it.

[PDR1]

ExGrunt
How would the service provider know when data is encrypted end to end by many phone systems?


1. By seeing the differing originating IP addresses of packets from the two different devices

2. By inspecting the originating MAC addresses (which will be different)

3. By observing that the TTL ("time to live") values of packets apparently from the same device differ by one or two, indicating an additional downstream TCP/IP transaction has taken place

4. By being told that the device is teathering by the device itself (depends on device - some do and some don't; some actually ask permission before they do)

5. By other methods which they don't generally talk about top make spoofing them harder.

Be advised that whilst the data within the packets are "encrypted end-to-end" the packets are just TCP/IP packets.

PDR

[G0ULI]

All of which apply if you are quite legitimately using VPN for whatever reason. The cellphone companies only care about the bottom line. You pay, they provide a service. They really don't care that much what you do, so long as you are not accessing services for which you haven't paid.

[ExGrunt]

@PDR1 - Thank you for saving me the effort of providing a comprehensive answer.

They really don't care that much what you do, so long as you are not accessing services for which you haven't paid

True - but if you are in breach of the T&Cs overseas, some mobile operators see that as a charging opportunity for a bit more bottom line. It's a risk that can be managed by reading the T&Cs.

EG