AT&T anounces truly unlimited wireless data plan

Sagebrush wrote:

Just mirror the phone to whatever you want.

I don't know what the data difference is between doing that, or using the hotspot and the TV's wifi.

2oldman wrote:

chindog wrote:
I got all excited until I clicked on the link and learned that hotspot data is limited to 40gb per month. Per the article, unlimited hotspot data is a pipe dream.

Yeah, that's always the gotcha. I can't do all my surfing or watch movies on a phone.

Just mirror the phone to whatever you want. I've had the unlimited 4g for years now and I personally was fine with the 100 gigs unthrottled. Now that its unlimited at full speed and 5g I may try higher quality movie downloads. I'm starting to see more 5g available around here and its very fast.

My Samsung phone and tablet can use a USB-C to HDMI cable, that allows you good quality video, works on my 60" fine. Using the HDMI cable for the Television cuts out the need for a Chrome Cast device or Roku ect. for mirroring. I plug into a home theater receiver, so I get the good audio too without needing Bluetooth speakers or the tiny TV speakers. I mostly do HBO Max movies since it comes with the phone service or the Dish watch anywhere app.

The phone produces a better quality picture and sound through the cable without over heating. Most of the Samsung phones I've had will mirror through a cable. The S9, S10, S20 and now the S21+ get the job done. I use the phone to stream live news or music for hours sometimes, I use Spotify and SirusXM.

If this 5g unlimited stays around I'll probably drop the Satellite service and stream everything.

AT&T has tried that before then cut it off before.
Will they do it again???

chindog wrote:
I got all excited until I clicked on the link and learned that hotspot data is limited to 40gb per month. Per the article, unlimited hotspot data is a pipe dream.

Hotspot is unlimited on Verizon Visible 4G/5G. Though only one device can be connected at a time, and limited to 5Mbps down/up speeds.

Haven't noticed any issues at this speed with remote work, or with MS Teams and Zoom meetings using hotspot. Stream HD movies on Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime. Though you can also cast movies to smart TV at full speed, mine running 140Mbps(4G) on my iPhone.

chindog wrote:
I got all excited until I clicked on the link and learned that hotspot data is limited to 40gb per month. Per the article, unlimited hotspot data is a pipe dream.

Yeah, that's always the gotcha. I can't do all my surfing or watch movies on a phone.

Consumer Cellular just doesn't work well here, even though ATT works fine. Same with Cricket, its slow and limited. But the phone side works okay. My friends still use Consumer Cellular and the text messages don't make it though quickly, its really slow. ATT is almost instant even with pictures. They are not offering the same level of service as ATT, especially if you have a 5g phone.

I can't get any Verizon signal where I live now, Sprint and T-Mobile are useless around here. At least the ATT Elite plan works fairly well. I have two lines and I haven't ran out of hot spot data.

I stream to the television by mirroring or a HDMI cable, so technically its unlimited now. The 40 gigs of hot spot has a 128 mbps max after that. Thats $83.99 plus taxes per month.

With the SureCall booster antenna on a 20' pole I can stream movies fairly well. The Elite plan comes with the HBO Max service included. I use Google Chrome casting now, but I'm having trouble with it staying connected. I'm going to try Roku and see if its any better. The sticks have been having over heating issues with HBO Max, so I need to try one that connects with a cable. Maybe that will be better, but I mainly use my phone directly anyway.

I'm thinking about dropping Dish Tv, but it is nice sometimes to watch Sat Tv when you can't get cell signal. But the ATT coverage has improved nicely during the last 5 years where I travel.

I have a now Consumer Cellular under AT&T but can't recall all the different names it has been since 1993 at least three previous to the how AT&T. ,
When we went fulltime we ported our home number to Verizon and I kept the"AT&T number. We have been in areas where AT&T out preformed Verizon.
I switched from AT&T to Consumers Cellular because it was costing me $50 A month and not getting much use and got the same service for2/3 the cost plus Data.

I got all excited until I clicked on the link and learned that hotspot data is limited to 40gb per month. Per the article, unlimited hotspot data is a pipe dream.

Sure, in Arlington VA next to the nations capitol your going to have blazing speeds to impress the politicians. Try it in Podunk Iowa and see what your 5G speeds are, if you can even get a signal.

I keep an AT&T mobile account as backup smartphone. Though it doesn't compare to Verizon Visible service which is also unlimited 4G/5G data, including unlimited one device hotspot limited to 5Mbps for $25. month (on Party Pay). AT&T still has a way to go to compete with Visible.

One recent development I've seen is that 5G mobile is beginning to live up to its claims. That is if you are relatively close to 5G towers, mine about a mile away. The last speed test check on my T-Mobile unlimited 5G/4G home internet:

Finally competing with existing cable operators as many are basically monopolies in my area.