Only one major US carrier currently offers an explicit unlimited hotspot plan: Verizon. AT&T and T-Mobile, based on their official support pages retrieved for this query, document capped hotspot data allowances, not an unlimited option.
Which carriers have an unlimited hotspot plan?
Verizon is the only carrier among the three major US providers that explicitly sells an add-on called Unlimited Mobile Hotspot on eligible unlimited phone plans. Sprint (now part of T-Mobile) also offers unlimited plans with hotspot capabilities. AT&T and T-Mobile support pages retrieved here show capped hotspot data allowances on their current plans, not an unlimited hotspot plan.
Verizon’s Unlimited Mobile Hotspot perk
Verizon’s Unlimited Mobile Hotspot add-on costs $20 per month per line, plus taxes and fees where applicable. One offer per line per billing cycle. It is available on these eligible phone plans: Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, Unlimited, BYOD plan, or Simplicity. Lines on Welcome 1.0 are not eligible. The perk includes a 200 GB high-speed threshold; after 200 GB of mobile hotspot data in a billing cycle, speeds are reduced to up to 4 Mbps on 5G Ultra Wideband and 600 Kbps on 5G or 4G LTE for the rest of the cycle. Billing begins when you enroll, and access starts when the perk is activated. You can cancel the perk in My Verizon Online or the My Verizon App, and hotspot access continues until the end of the current billing cycle. The perk is stackable with existing plan allowances.
AT&T hotspot allowances are capped
The retrieved AT&T support page documents hotspot data caps for its current plans, not an unlimited hotspot plan. The documented limits are: AT&T Premium 2.0 includes 100 GB of hotspot data, AT&T Extra 2.0 includes 50 GB, and AT&T Value 2.0 includes 3 GB. The page notes that hotspot use is available through a device’s settings, but the exact iPhone or Android menu path was not shown in the retrieved snippet.
T-Mobile hotspot data is not unlimited
No exact limits or device menu paths were present in the surfaced snippets.
What is a mobile hotspot?
A mobile hotspot is a feature on your mobile device that allows you to create a wireless internet connection by using the cellular data network. This connection can be shared with other devices, such as laptops, tablets, or other smartphones, to access the internet. When you enable the hotspot feature, your device acts as a wireless router, using your cellular data connection to create a Wi-Fi network that other devices can join.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hotspot?
A hotspot is a feature that lets your smartphone or tablet share its cellular data connection with other devices, creating a Wi-Fi network they can connect to. It turns your device into a portable internet source. Unlimited hotspot availability may vary depending on your carrier and type of device.
How does a hotspot work?
When you enable the hotspot feature, your device uses its cellular data to create a Wi-Fi network. Other devices can then find and connect to that network, using your device’s data plan for internet access. Some older or budget devices may have limitations or require additional fees for hotspot usage.
What happens after I use 200 GB on Verizon’s unlimited hotspot perk?
After you use 200 GB of mobile hotspot data in a billing cycle, Verizon reduces your hotspot speeds. On 5G Ultra Wideband, speeds drop to up to 4 Mbps, and on 5G or 4G LTE, speeds drop to up to 600 Kbps for the rest of that billing cycle. Limitations can include reduced speeds after a certain threshold of data usage, network congestion in certain areas, or restrictions on specific activities like streaming or gaming.
Can I use Verizon’s unlimited hotspot perk on any plan?
No. Lines on Welcome 1.0 are not eligible.
Does AT&T or T-Mobile offer an unlimited hotspot plan?
Based on the official support pages retrieved for this query, neither AT&T nor T-Mobile documents an unlimited hotspot plan. Both carriers show capped hotspot data allowances on their current plans.
