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UK Networks Tethering Policies
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dskies
06-03-2013
Hi,

I use tethering a bit and am thinking about changing networks, but am finding it very tough to find accurate info on what the respective networks policies and offers are.

Here is what I have gleaned so far; please feel free to copy and paste the template to a reply with additional and corrected information.

DS


Tethering:

3

One Plan - Only tariff to include tethering - unlimited tethering.
Other tariffs - Possible reports of an add-on

Vodafone

Not included in tariffs
£10 add-on = 1.5gb of tethering
£15 add-on = 3gb
+ £5 for every 500mb thereafter

EE

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

TMobile

Some reports there is a tethering add-on, but no details.

Orange

??

O2

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

Virgin

??

Giffgaff

??
jabbamk1
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by dskies:
“Hi,

I use tethering a bit and am thinking about changing networks, but am finding it very tough to find accurate info on what the respective networks policies and offers are.

Here is what I have gleaned so far; please feel free to copy and paste the template to a reply with additional and corrected information.

DS


Tethering:

3

One Plan - Only tariff to include tethering - unlimited tethering.
Other tariffs - £5 add on for 1GB tethering

Vodafone

Not included in tariffs
£10 add-on = 1.5gb of tethering
£15 add-on = 3gb
+ £5 for every 500mb thereafter

EE

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

TMobile

No tethering on full monty
Tethering add on for other plans

Orange

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance

O2

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

Virgin

Tethering not allowed on any plan, no add on.

Giffgaff

Tethering not allowed on unlimited plans
Only allowed on limited plans e.g 1GB.
”

Added in the missing stuff/made a few corrections
FortKnox
06-03-2013
Virgin will no longer allow tethering on any plan from the 28th March 2013.

Giffgaff are confirmed to only allow tethering on the 1GB £10 plan.

Regarding Three, even though they allow tethering once 3pm comes along there TrafficSense system makes there data internet virtually unusable until 12am. YouTube wont work, Web pages load like dial up. This is at least my experience with Three the past couple of weeks I dunno if its different for everyone else. But if it is the same for other people then Tethering on Three is kinda made redundant.
legends wear 7
06-03-2013
Your info is not right on Vodafone.

all Vodafone tariffs allow tethering, but you can buy more data on addition to your tariff allowance
Lex Diamonds
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by FortKnox:
“Virgin will no longer allow tethering on any plan from the 28th March 2013.

Giffgaff are confirmed to only allow tethering on the 1GB £10 plan.

Regarding Three, even though they allow tethering once 3pm comes along there TrafficSense system makes there data internet virtually unusable until 12am. YouTube wont work, Web pages load like dial up. This is at least my experience with Three the past couple of weeks I dunno if its different for everyone else. But if it is the same for other people then Tethering on Three is kinda made redundant.”

There are no restrictuins for tethering on the One Plan

I don't know where you got the above info.
scooby1970
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by FortKnox:
“Regarding Three, even though they allow tethering once 3pm comes along there TrafficSense system makes there data internet virtually unusable until 12am. YouTube wont work, Web pages load like dial up. This is at least my experience with Three the past couple of weeks I dunno if its different for everyone else. But if it is the same for other people then Tethering on Three is kinda made redundant.”

Rubbish, I teather on Three at least a couple of hours a day and my speeds never change are consistantly high no matter what time in the morning, afternoon or evening.

Mark
thedrewser
06-03-2013
I've not had any issues with tethering on Three. Works fine, in fact it probably gives me better quality and speed than using my home wifi which has atrociously small bandwidth so I suffer buffering all the time.
jabbamk1
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by FortKnox:
“Virgin will no longer allow tethering on any plan from the 28th March 2013.

Giffgaff are confirmed to only allow tethering on the 1GB £10 plan.

Regarding Three, even though they allow tethering once 3pm comes along there TrafficSense system makes there data internet virtually unusable until 12am. YouTube wont work, Web pages load like dial up. This is at least my experience with Three the past couple of weeks I dunno if its different for everyone else. But if it is the same for other people then Tethering on Three is kinda made redundant.”

Are you on the one plan?
Do you use P2P?
Do you use more than 500GB in a month?
FortKnox
06-03-2013
I am not putting Three down at all. I think its a great service. I can get up to 800kbs with them. But for some reason in my area at 3pm it drops down to an unusable level...speeds of 50kb down if I am lucky which i put down to the TrafficSense system. Is it possible I am getting this problem cause im using the All in One 15 package? and not on the One Plan?

I dont use P2P
I dont even get close to 500GB, only started trying the service last couple of weeks. Mainly testing TVCatchup, SpeedTest, YouTube. Web Browsing. TuneIn. Hardly anything. Just testing believe me I dont think I have even hit 500mb of usage yet.

This is all Mobile Testing, Have not tested tethering yet. Would need to buy the addon. Only topped up a PAYG sim with £15 to test as my Virgin sim has been giving me problems.
jabbamk1
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by FortKnox:
“I am not putting Three down at all. I think its a great service. I can get up to 800kbs with them. But for some reason in my area at 3pm it drops down to an unusable level...speeds of 50kb down if I am lucky which i put down to the TrafficSense system. Is it possible I am getting this problem cause im using the All in One 15 package? and not on the One Plan?

I dont use P2P
I dont even get close to 500GB, only started trying the service last couple of weeks. Mainly testing TVCatchup, SpeedTest, YouTube. Web Browsing. TuneIn. Hardly anything. Just testing believe me I dont think I have even hit 500mb of usage yet.

This is all Mobile Testing, Have not tested tethering yet. Would need to buy the addon. Only topped up a PAYG sim with £15 to test as my Virgin sim has been giving me problems.”

Yes^

it's because pay as you go get the lowest priority. If you're in a high congested area and try and use a lot of data then you get throttled. However on the one plan you don't get any problems at all as there is no throttling/cap. In fact on the ultimate plans you get no issues either (unless you tether)

Only reason i got defensive was because there were a couple of other people on here who complained about Three one time because they were on PAYG and being throttled and when i told them it was because they were on PAYG they just ignored me.... and then complained again. (but they were tethering and dl torrents etc... so of course they were being throttled)
FortKnox
06-03-2013
Ahh I see. So as long as its a Pay Monthly Sim. Speeds will possibly not be an issue?

Ultimate Internet SIM 200 1 month which is £12.90 for example?

Im surprised companies don't publicly tell you this. I cannot find any info on it.
chrisjr
06-03-2013
Tethering on Orange is not included in every tariff data allowance. Only the Panther tariff has it as standard. The other "animal" tariffs charge £1 a day extra for tethering.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...sonal/633003/2
Stuart_h
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by chrisjr:
“Tethering on Orange is not included in every tariff data allowance. Only the Panther tariff has it as standard. The other "animal" tariffs charge £1 a day extra for tethering.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...sonal/633003/2”

beat me to it. it was my reason for going for Panther.
legends wear 7
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by FortKnox:
“Ahh I see. So as long as its a Pay Monthly Sim. Speeds will possibly not be an issue?

Ultimate Internet SIM 200 1 month which is £12.90 for example?

Im surprised companies don't publicly tell you this. I cannot find any info on it.”

only contract plans to include tethering are the one plans, you cant tether on the plan mentioned, without paying extra fir tethering and you get 1GB limit on that tethering
Ultraman1966
06-03-2013
Giff Gaff allows tethering on the £10 goodybag (1GB) but not on the more expensive £12.50 (unlimited).
dskies
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by legends wear 7:
“Your info is not right on Vodafone.

all Vodafone tariffs allow tethering, but you can buy more data on addition to your tariff allowance”

The info I wrote is what 2 salespersons in a Vodafone shop told me. So you think that tethering is included on all plans and comes out of your existing data limit?

Hmm...well at least the extra data packs seem correct..
dskies
06-03-2013
Ok, thanks for all the responses (keep them coming!) I've updated the table with all the info from today so far...


Tethering:

3

One Plan - Only tariff to include tethering - unlimited tethering.
Other tariffs - £5 add on for 1GB tethering
PAYG Plans - TrafficSense may restrict your download speed

Vodafone

Maybe(!) included in tariffs
£10 add-on = 1.5gb of tethering
£15 add-on = 3gb
+ £5 for every 500mb thereafter

EE

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

TMobile

No tethering on full monty
Tethering add on for other plans

Orange
http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...tsrc=Affiliate
Tethering allowed on all recent tariffs, but...
- Panther tariff - comes out of your data allowance, once you've used that up, £1/d for ??mb tethering charge and £1/d internet charge.
- Dolphin, Canary or Racoon (post Sept 2011) - not included but can be used at £1/d, and an extra £1/d if you go over your data allowance.
- Pre Sept 2011 tariffs - Not allowed.

O2

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

Virgin

Tethering not allowed on any plan, no add on.

Giffgaff

Tethering only allowed on 1GB £10 plan
Only allowed on limited plans e.g 1GB.
chrisjr
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by dskies:
“The info I wrote is what 2 salespersons in a Vodafone shop told me. So you think that tethering is included on all plans and comes out of your existing data limit?

Hmm...well at least the extra data packs seem correct..”

According to this

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/inter...ne-as-a-modem/

a £10 tethering pack adds an extra 2GB of data allowance. Can't see any mention though of other packs.
BKM
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by dskies:
“3

One Plan - Only tariff to include tethering - unlimited tethering.
Other tariffs - £5 add on for 1GB tethering
PAYG Plans - TrafficSense may restrict your download speed”

Are you not counting specific Mobile Broadband Plans - which obviously WILL include tethering! 3 do a very popular range of these - both PAYG and Contract

For example I run my 3G iPad on "3" 3Gb/3month PAYG Broadband SIMS. These are for sale for £20 from Three themselves - but are cheaper at ~£12 on eBay. When one SIM runs out it is cheaper to buy a new one than to top it up!
legends wear 7
06-03-2013
The two salespeople are wrong then, Vodafone do not block tethering.

you get an allowance you get to use it as you wish.
BKM
06-03-2013
Originally Posted by legends wear 7:
“The two salespeople are wrong then, Vodafone do not block tethering.

you get an allowance you get to use it as you wish.”

As here

http://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/inter...ne-as-a-modem/
jon41
06-03-2013
Although no longer available for new customers, Orange Iphone Extra 51 was the only plan that allowed unlimited data and unlimited tethering both with no fair usage policy, probably why it's no longer for sale but still honoured for existing customers.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...ersonal/699647
Orbitalzone
06-03-2013
On my Tmobile Sim only deal that I started 1 month ago there are some 'boosters' I can add, a couple exist for data that include tethering such as the:

"Super Internet" 5GB /month for £15.83 for internet, email, downloading and using your phone as a modem

"Extra Internet 1.5GB/month for £11.63 for internet, email, downloading and using your phone occasionally as a modem. If added at time of SIM purchase it's £10 extra but you're contracted for 12months.

So these are bolt ons to the SIM only - SIM only starts at £8/m at the moment.

Not sure if the same prices exist for contract phone deals
dskies
07-03-2013
We're getting there now! If anyone has got more up to date details of the add-ons after you've used up your allowance that would be great to add.

Tethering:

3

One Plan - Only tariff to include tethering - unlimited tethering.
Other tariffs - £5 add on for 1GB tethering
PAYG Plans - TrafficSense may restrict your download speed

Vodafone
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/shop/inter...ne-as-a-modem/
Tethering included in tariffs
£10 add-on = 2gb of tethering

EE

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

TMobile
http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/terms...s/pay-monthly/
No tethering on full monty
Tethering allowed on other plans as long as you have 'Extra' or 'Super' data add on.

Orange
http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/su...sonal/633003/2
Tethering allowed on all recent tariffs, but...
- Panther tariff - comes out of your data allowance, once you've used that up, £1/d tethering charge and £1/d internet charge. It's unclear how much you are allowed to use
- Dolphin, Canary or Racoon (post Sept 2011) - not included but can be used at £1/d, and an extra £1/d if you go over your data allowance.
- Pre Sept 2011 tariffs - Not allowed.

O2

Tethering included in all tariffs, comes out of data allowance.

Virgin

Tethering not allowed on any plan, no add on.

Giffgaff

Tethering only allowed on 1GB £10 plan
Only allowed on limited plans e.g 1GB.
jabbamk1
07-03-2013
Basically, Three are the only network to do unlimited data and unlimited tethering with no fair use policy. T&C back this up.

If you only need to tether every now and then/don't have three signal where you use the phone then any other network will do but there will be a cap on the tethering and it will likely cost a bit more than Three's offering just to get 2GB+ data.
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