WiFi or USB tethering

This is a new area for me, using my mobile (cell) phone for my laptop to have Internet access.

I was going to get Optus prepaid, however, it seems that things are not so simple. According to this site, Optus prepaid does not support tethering:
https://community.optus.com.au/t5/Mobile/No-WiFi-tethering-on-Optus-Prepaid/td-p/35110

...though, it is unclear whether that is only WiFi tethering that is dis-allowed. Hmmm, it seems not:
https://community.optus.com.au/t5/Mobile/Prepaid-plan-using-tethering/td-p/4141

...Woolworths have a nice prepaid deal, $29 per 45 days, with $250 calls and 5GB data, but strangely disallow tethering -- they use the Optus network.

Optus has this info for USB tethering for the Sony Xperia Z (more advanced model than my SP):
https://devicehelp.optus.com.au/web/sony-xperia-z/functions/connectivity/using-tethering-on-my-mobile-phone/

...apparently, from a hardware perspective, the SP also allows USB tethering.

I didn't really want to go to a post-paid plan. Prepaid, with longer expiry time than 30-days and high data allowance, and cheap, is hard to find!

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Comments

USB tethering for Xperia SP
Username: BarryK
USB tethering for SP: http://deviceguides.vodafone.ie/web/sony-xperia-sp/customise/connecting-phone-and-computer/use-tethering/ ...same instructions as for the Xperia Z.

To tether or not to tether.
Username: GCMartin
"Most every Telco "DISALLOWS" tethering since as long as I can remember. But, citizens across the world have/do use tethering regardless of what the Telcos say. And, I do not know of anyone who has lost their plan because of tethering. Noone. This is NOT a request for you to do something you feel may be wrong. But, it is a note to indicate something I have not seen occur. Most every tether'er, too, start by doing the wired USB, years ago. But, everyone I know, today, uses Wifi. But, its probably good to know both procedures (even though I dont, personally). FYI

Telcos and tethering
Username: BarryK
"I have been researching this -- the major telcos in Australia, Vodafone, Optus and Telstra -- do allow tethering. Except Optus does not allow it on their prepaid plans.

Use Aldi = Telstra
Username: cthisbear
" Go Aldi Has a New user policy https://www.aldimobile.com.au/ Whirlpool >> Aldi forum http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2157374&p=-1&#bottom """"""""" " 5. ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE SERVICE 5.1. The Service is provided for personal use; it is not designed to replace your home Internet connection and is not suitable for business use, excessive usage or continuous connections. 5.2. We will monitor your usage on a rolling 30 day basis. The following is deemed to be unacceptab use where your service is used to do any of the following over a 30 day period: i) make more than 2,500 minutes of voice calls; ii) send more than 2,000 SMS; iii) send more than 500 MMS; iiii) download or upload more than 400MB of data on your 2GB data bolt-on on a single day three or more occasions. We will attempt to contact you and give you warning notifications to let you know when you are clos breaching these limits. 5.3. We will monitor your usage on a daily basis. The following is deemed to be unacceptable use an severe breach of this Policy where your service is used to do any of the following per day: i. make more than 480 minutes of voice calls; ii. send more than 500 SMS; iii. send more than 100 MMS; iiii. download or upload more than 1000MB of data 5.4. We may also monitor your usage in other ways and may deem the following usage to be unacceptable where your service is used to do any of the following over three consecutive days: i. make more than 300 minutes of voice calls per day; ii. send more than 300 SMS per day; iii. download or upload more than 400MB of data per day 5.5. We consider the use of a service to be unacceptable if you make or receive calls on our Network

Tethering
Username: FeodorF
" nice info right there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethering Regards

android emulation
Username: L 18 L
"hello world posting this from ANDROID 4.2 (x86 Emulation) really nice exercise from desktop wide screen (no phone, no tablet), just www.android-x86.org

Mobile speed
Username: BarryK
"vicmz, The speed should be the same as any other 3G or 4G connection, I would have thought. The Sony Xperia SP (model C5303) supports 4G, which is very fast.

Planner for data use
Username: GCMartin
"[url=http://www.att.com/esupport/internet/usage.jsp#fbid=-KnUv4wcWYX][b]This may be useful for any data services that would be consumed via any Internet plan you use.[/b]

Tags: general