If you look on the box of a Straight Talk phone look for CDMA-V which will be a Verizon phone. Also not all 4GLTE phones on Straight Talk are on Verizon. If it says LTE alone on the phone code like the CDMA-V you may be getting an ATT or TMobile LTE phone and service.
Also - tethering by cable or wifi is prohibited by Straight Talk - it is in the agreement. If you tether and they figure it out by data usage they will come back at you.
My wife has Straight Talk with Verizon service and is very happy with it. She does not use much internet on the phone so I cannot comment on how good it is, but she does only have 3G on the phone she has which is a Blackberry. She is on the $45 unlimited plan.
