Using smart phone as a hot spot

[camper_ron]

Using smart phone as a hot spot

I am getting ready to dump Sprint and go to Verizon with a Galaxy 7 for a hot spot, eliminating the need for my curing Spring hot spot and cell phone. I was reedy to do the transfer when a Verizon representative informed me this was not a good idea and that using the Galaxy 7 with a non-replaceable battery was not good and that I should use a separate device for a hotspot. I am so confused over this as I have never owned a smart phone. Any help would be appreciated.

r0n….

[bighatnohorse]

I have Verizon. DW has a Galaxy 7 and mine is an older Galaxy 6
The Galaxy 6 battery can be removed and replaced. The Galaxy 7 battery cannot be removed.
When my battery goes south, I can get a replacement. DW with her Galaxy 7 will need a replacement phone.

And, I make calls all the time while the hotspot is on and I'm connected to the internet. I use PDAnet.

[Jayco-noslide]

OK but how do I use it as a hot spot, exactly. I have a Samsung with Android. The phone is only about 3 months old but was not the most expensive one through Cricket wireless. Do I connect my laptop to th phone or what?

[AsheGuy]

I have the Google Nexus 5 on a Verizon account with wi-fi hotspot and it works great. As others have said, battery use goes up when using the hotspot but it has been no problem to manage.

I had a Galaxy smart phone before moving to a Google Nexus and would never go back. No Verizon or Samsung apps that cannot be removed, it is pure Android. I love it. Check them out here

When you get your Nexus phone, you just go into a Verizon agent and they activate it for your Verizon account with no problem.

[Ivylog]

Iphone 6/Version works well as a hot spot.

[wrgrs50s]

Mifi is just a gimmick for phone company's to generate more revenue with more monthly fees.

Your cell will work flawlessly and save you the $15 per month fee for the Mifi.

I have one of the cheapest smart phones and use mine as a hot spot all the time. I can accept calls while using it and I have not noticed that much battery usage either. If concerned with battery use just hook up to your charger.

Also, make sure you have enough data on your plan as to not incur overage charges. I have 3 gigs with ATT and they doubled that for a total of 6 gigs with rollover at no extra charge. I pay $103 per month for 2 cells and unlimited talk, text, and 6 gigs of data. It's hard to beat that.

[netaq]

I have a galaxy tab 4 7.0 from att and it does great in hotspot mode.

[Trackrig]

Also check this. On our one year old Verizon Samsung phones, they works great as hot spots, BUT while using them as a hot spot, you can't make a call on it. Say, that you're using your laptop with a phone aas a hot spot looking at RV camp grounds and you want to call one. On our phones you can't do it unless you shut down the hot spot or use a second phone to make the call.

Bill

[K_Charles]

I have an AT&T smart phone that use as pay as you go. I only got the smart phone because the screen was big enough for me to see.
Last fall we were going where there was my WiFi and I went to AT&T to ask about a hot spot. They took my phone and showed me how to turn on the hotspot and said I just needed to buy data. $45 a month ($40 with a contract) and all is good. I used it 2 months last fall and turned it off. This spring I paid the $45 and when the month was out I paid the $45 again and the unused data carried over. It works for me plus the wife can play words with friends with her kindle while we are on the road.

[sch911]

Well Verizon wants to sell you a MiFi device right? Yes the hotspot will use additional power on any smartphone. So you need to adopt power saving and charging strategies. When at home or in the RV leave it plugged in all the time, etc. Very doable.

[lynndiwagon]

I use my Galaxy S5 for a hot spot all the time. Battery will last almost all day. S7 has bigger battery and should last longer. I'm on AT&T so maybe Sprint uses more battery? Doubtful.