Does true unlimited data exist?

[Svenn]

I mean no restrictions on tethering, no high-speed rationing, and not grandfathered? I use verizon and once tethered my phone to my laptop to watch netflix for a month and my bill came out to $600 that month.  

I'm willing to pay a higher price than some but not that much

 

[phillipaaron]

I don't think there is an unlimited plan that includes tethering.

 

[vanman2300]

First, Verizon and any other companies are not supposed to charge a single red cent for using the hotspo feature on your phone. They were in the past but the courts ruled it was double billing for the service. However, if you stream video then your data usage skyrockets and BAM 600 bucks.

Verizon might try to sneak a hotspot usage fee in but don't let them get away with it. As far as any unlimited data packages I only know you would have a hard time finding one and then you would probably need unlimited money to pay for it

 

[jimindenver]

It depends on how you look at it and what you need it for.

http://www.unlimitedville.com/plans/

Pretty pricy if you ask me.

 

[phillipaaron]

It depends on how you look at it and what you need it for.

http://www.unlimitedville.com/plans/

Pretty pricy if you ask me.

Interesting. Thanks for posting. Now to see if I can talk my boss into it

 

[NeedAnEscape]

It depends on how you look at it and what you need it for.

http://www.unlimitedville.com/plans/

Pretty pricy if you ask me.

I wonder if their AT&T plan is them renting out the $30/month unlimited iPad plan that I have. I'm using it in the same model hotspot they sell with it.

Speeds are great on the iPad plan with the Unite Pro hotspot connected to a computer over USB:

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I used to have a program in my phone that let me tether it with out Sprint knowing I was tethering. Don't know much about it, my brother is into all that tech stuff and set it up for me. Used it for six months all over the US never got billed more than my $79 unlimited plan. Back in sticks and bricks since being sick and have comcast so wasn't an issue when I got my new phone, never had him add the feature back on or know if its even still possible. I'll ask him.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

There's ways around the tether blocks on most phones. While it's against the phone provider's TOS, if you are using a prepaid plan there's not much the phone provider can do other than terminate your plan.

Currently available, unlimited phone plans, listed by cost:

Boost Mobile - $55 with autopay, Sprint network
MetroPCS - $60, T-Mobile network, 8GB tethering included
Cricket - $65 with autopay, AT&T network with 8mbps speed cap

The hardest tethering method for a carrier to detect from an Android phone is to run a VPN app on the phone, then use PDANet's USB tethering. PDANet's USB tethering is one of the few tether methods I have found that routes tethered traffic through a VPN that's running on the phone. It's better to run the VPN on the phone because it insures no tethered traffic leaks around the VPN before it connects. I tethered 30-60gb a month on MetroPCS this way without being detected for over 6 months before I got my unlimited AT&T hotspot.

 

[vagari]

There are no truly unlimited plans. Networks would jam up and carriers go out of business. There is no free lunch in life.

I don't believe carriers charge for tethering anymore, but you are still bound by your plan. So if your plan says 10GB then tethering or not its 10GB. If your plan says $10 per GB after then tethering or not its $10 per GB after.

I use Verizon prepaid which is same cost, same data and same network as contract plans without the contract. No extra cost for tethering. It cuts off when I reach my limit so I don't get massive bills. I can add extra GB any time I needed it. I just bought a new android phone for $35. Pull out sim card from old phone, put in new phone and done

 

[BradKW]

I don't believe carriers charge for tethering anymore, but you are still bound by your plan. So if your plan says 10GB then tethering or not its 10GB. 

That's actually not true in many plans, especially the unlimited ones. For just one example, Metro's $60/month unlimited plan provides, in fact, unlimited 4G data through you phone. But there's a 8GB limit on tethering...thus the recent discussions on ways to spoof a vpn and hide the tethering usage...

 

[vagari]

That's actually not true in many plans, especially the unlimited ones. For just one example, Metro's $60/month unlimited plan provides, in fact, unlimited 4G data through you phone. But there's a 8GB limit on tethering...thus the recent discussions on ways to spoof a vpn and hide the tethering usage...

Here's the fine print on Metro at the bottom of their webpage ... it's not unlimited 4G

"Abnormal Usage: Customers who use more than 25 GB of data in a payment cycle will have their data usage de-prioritized compared to other customers for that payment cycle at locations and times when competing network demands occur, resulting in relatively slower speeds."

 

[NeedAnEscape]

Here's the fine print on Metro at the bottom of their webpage ... it's not unlimited 4G

"Abnormal Usage: Customers who use more than 25 GB of data in a payment cycle will have their data usage de-prioritized compared to other customers for that payment cycle at locations and times when competing network demands occur, resulting in relatively slower speeds."

Their de prioritized speeds are still quite fast assuming the tower isn't overloaded. I never saw speeds slower than 5mbps wherever I had LTE even after using 40gb in one month.

 

[ArtW]

I use tethering through my AT&T phone
5gb high speed, then unlimited low speed (maybe 2g) 60 a month no extra fee to tether
not unlimited high speed, but unlimited data

 

[jimindenver]

I was pretty impressed with the unlimited 128k speed of Cricket after the high speed. The only thing I couldn't do is stream video.

 

[beemerchef]

As far as I know and I have called Verizon twice also stopped at one of their store to triple check it does exist. I have been with what was Alltel now Verizon for I think 18 years. This year to Thank me (I guess!) they gave me a new Edge 6 +, kept my grandfathered in unlimited data and added unlimited hot spot data! Of course I am paying for it (a bit above $100 a month) but so much well worth it to use with my tablet and laptop. It pays to stay with the same company.

 

[TMG51]

It pays to stay with the same company.

I'm not sure that's the motto here. Verizon would probably set your grandmother on fire if it'd get that old unlimited plan out of your hands. Of course luck worked out in your favor here, just saying it isn't a case of loyalty to the consumer!

 

[ViaVacavi]

I switched to Cricket a couple of weeks ago - $65 a month with autopay, unlimited data but it's speed capped at 8Mbps (which is still plenty fast for what I do). I'm very happy and impressed with the service, their app and the entire experience so far. Les than two weeks in I'm around 40GB usage, I tether all the time with no issues, and my speed test results are routinely 8.5-9 Mbps

 

[IGBT]

I switched to Cricket a couple of weeks ago - $65 a month with autopay, unlimited data but it's speed capped at 8Mbps (which is still plenty fast for what I do).  I'm very happy and impressed with the service, their app and the entire experience so far.  Les than two weeks in I'm around 40GB usage, I tether all the time with no issues, and my speed test results are routinely 8.5-9 Mbps

What is the coverage with Cricket?

 

[IGBT]

It looks like Cricket does not allow tethering on the unlimited plan.  Perhaps they will shut you down when they catch you?

From the Cricket website:

1. Cricket Mobile Hotspot ("Mobile Hotspot") is a tethering feature available for a $10 monthly recurring charge, taxes and fees included in the price. It allows qualifying Cricket customers to use an eligible smartphone as a portable wireless access point to tether up to six simultaneous devices (including laptops, tablet, smartphones or other connected devices) using a wireless LAN (Wi-Fi) or a physical connection, such as a USB cable.
2. Mobile Hotspot requires a qualifying plan and a compatible device. Mobile Hotspot is available to new and existing Cricket customers only on our $50 and $60 rate plans. Mobile Hotspot is not available on our Talk & Text, $40 Basic, or $70 Unlimited plans. To use Mobile Hotspot you must have a compatible Cricket Branded LTE Device or Apple BYOD Device (model 4s or newer). Mobile Hotspot is not currently available with Andorid or Windows BYOD devices. Please click here for a list of eligible devices.

 

[jimindenver]

Cricket has coverage where ever AT&T has native coverage, no roaming. I would think now that they have the unlimited plan that like on it's big brothers unlimited plan, they will watch for tethering. Then again everywhere I look I see people tethering and saying they get away with it with very few "I got busted" post. (those do happen)

The grandfathered Verizon plans are the cream of the crop with the grandfathered AT&T plans coming in a close second. I drool over them every time I am on ebay.