Unlimited use of mobile hotspots - with the right cell phone plan

Public Wi-Fi access is the ideal solution for accessing the Internet with a laptop while on the move. This is not always available, especially outside of large cities, and many users are also put off by security concerns. A trustworthy and encrypted hotspot is the alternative, but it can be expensive depending on the provider and region. With the right smartphone tariff, the problem can be easily solved at no extra cost.

WLAN in public spaces often problematic

When choosing a suitable cell phone tariff, free access to hotspots from providers such as EDEKA smart is increasingly coming to the fore. It is true that fast Internet via WLAN is now the standard in hotels, restaurants and other public facilities. Here you can connect with your laptop with Windows 10 or an older operating system within seconds and benefit from a free or encrypted connection. If this offer is missing or offers little security as a free network, many users shy away from hotspots.

For security reasons, it is never advisable to connect to a public network without a VPN. Especially if you send and receive sensitive data in public spaces, a secure network is essential. And this becomes a problem, especially in rural areas. If a hotel or restaurant doesn't offer Wi-Fi at all, the only option is the network of public and private hotspots. Dialing in here costs money and is disproportionately expensive, depending on the provider and tariff.

Use and limits of public hotspots

The basic principle of public hotspots from providers such as Deutsche Telekom or Unitymedia is fundamentally attractive. Instead of free access, a secure and password-protected connection is guaranteed. The data volume of the connection can be adapted to your own needs, as can the duration of use depending on the tariff model. The only hurdle is the price, which can be reduced to zero euros. The key here is the smartphone, which can also be used as a mobile hotspot.

The smartphone as a sensible alternative

For the free use of hotspots, you need a smartphone tariff that guarantees you as a user the availability of hotspots from a network provider free of charge. Offers of this kind have recently become increasingly common on the mobile phone market and serve to differentiate them from competing tariff offers.

The tariff extra is initially used to use the Wi-Fi networks of the respective provider free of charge with the cell phone. Ultimately, this also conserves the data volume, which is limited to a few GB per month depending on the cell phone tariff. However, as the smartphone can also act as a Wi-Fi hotspot, it can be used as an intermediate device for a laptop or tablet. In this case, the cell phone takes over the function of the router, which you can find in the list of your displayed Wi-Fi networks. Once dialed in here, the smartphone will dial into a nearby hotspot and ensure fast and wireless Internet.

Recognizing the limits of functionality

The unlimited and free use of hotspots solves the problem of free Internet access, especially in rural areas. The model still has two pitfalls. Firstly, the security aspect is still relevant. A secure and encrypted connection between cell phone and hotspots does not yet ensure a local, secure connection between laptop and smartphone. Here, separate consideration should be given to how secure data transmission can be established.

On the other hand, access to hotspots does not solve the problem of availability in every region. In principle, one or more routers from providers such as Deutsche Telekom are likely to be found even in rural regions with just a few houses per square kilometer. There is no security for this in the no man's land of our republic, so that even with this tariff extra, fast WLAN must be dispensed with.

Also powerful on the move in the mobile network

The practical advantage of free hotspot use via cell phone should not overshadow the other benefits of the cell phone tariff. When choosing the right tariff, mobile phone services are still key. This applies, for example, to the monthly data volume provided for mobile Internet use if no Wi-Fi network is actually available.

In the specific case of EDEKA smart, all three tariffs guarantee the free availability of Deutsche Telekom's hotspots. The regular data volume is up to 5.0 gigabytes per month, and the provider also offers its customers an additional quota for gradual consumption. Depending on which of the three tariffs is selected, this quota amounts to between 20 and 50 GB. Even if there is a lack of fast Wi-Fi access in between, users can continue to use the mobile Internet with this extra.