TB to S3 - Will my "free" hotspot come with me?

[SMD]

We made the switch! My wife (Fascinate) and I (Thunderbolt) pre-ordered 2 Galaxy S3's on day one of its availability on Verizon. VERY excited. When I bought my Thunderbolt on day one of it's existence last year it came with a promo free hotspot. A couple months later the phone received an update which should have killed the free promo...but it didn't. Now, almost 1.5 years later, I still have a free Hotspot on my TBolt. My plan doesn't show it, but it works on my phone and I don't get charged. That alone has kept me from switching to a new phone (since technically I could have a while ago since I had a one year contract).

My question is...I really value this free mobile Hotspot tied to my unlimited data. I don't use it all the time but its been REALLY helpful on many occasions and I never get charged for any of its usage. So..Do you think its somehow tied in to that phone, or is a quirk in my contract and it may carry over onto my upcoming S3?

If its the phone I'll keep my TB just for when I need a hotspot. If it also works at no charge on the S3, then I'll gladly sell my TB. It was a great phone...never had the issues others had UNTIL I downloaded the 3rd OTA update and then all of a sudden I had all those issues they were trying to fix with others. Ugh.

Curious.

 

[thirsy1258]

Roooot it

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[VicVinegar]

I'd have to say no. I have a free hotspot right now with my old Palm phone but believe it is just for certain models as a promo. I never used it because I didn't want to establish a pattern of use for when I got another phone and had to root/jailbreak to do the same thing. Luckily WebOS had FreeTether, so I just used that.

 

[thirsy1258]

I use an app called foxfi to do the same thing. Works fairly well.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[PJnc284]

One of the early updates for the Thunderbolt should've disabled the free hotspot. It launched with the free hotspot but then they pushed out an update after a month or two that disabled it.

 

[SMD]

One of the early updates for the Thunderbolt should've disabled the free hotspot. It launched with the free hotspot but then they pushed out an update after a month or two that disabled it.

Yes, but for some reason it didn't disable it on my phone. I wasn't about to call Verizon and complain though So I've quietly used it from time to time since and it works great. If I look at my Verizon account online it says I don't have a hotspot enabled so I'm guessing its just the phone.

I've heard of foxfi, but is it as reliable as the regular LTE hotspot? I have used the hotspot to stream things live (I work in video production) and it's worked great with no dropouts. Would love to have that option as well on the S3 that's arriving soon.

 

[thirsy1258]

Not sure how it compared to the stock hotspot. I always got about 12 mbs down

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[g1toevo678]

Yes, but for some reason it didn't disable it on my phone. I wasn't about to call Verizon and complain though So I've quietly used it from time to time since and it works great. If I look at my Verizon account online it says I don't have a hotspot enabled so I'm guessing its just the phone.

If you know your hotspot on the TB is an anomaly, it's probably safe to bet it won't carry over.

 

[cyrylthewolf]

I've heard of foxfi, but is it as reliable as the regular LTE hotspot? I have used the hotspot to stream things live (I work in video production) and it's worked great with no dropouts. Would love to have that option as well on the S3 that's arriving soon.

Absolutely reliable. As a matter of fact, it has code from PDAnet built into it.

It is even capable of creating an internal web proxy to absolutely hide the MAC address of any devices you have connected to your FoxFi hotspot. But you do have to enter the IP of the hotspot as the proxy IP into the laptop/device you're connecting to it. (Usually done in per-software settings in many cases.)

I had FoxFi up and running on my Verizon S3 on day 1. Works a charm and they're none the wiser.

Although I hear that hotspot is included with that new family sharing plan... I haven't confirmed this as of yet, though. Besides... The idiot employee (she annoyed the hell out of me with her impatient "I-just-want-to-make-the-sale-and-get-rid-of-this-guy" attitude...) told me I should just keep my unlimited data plan... (I honestly don't think she knew WTF she was talking about but I wasn't going to argue with THAT. )

Either way... Why give them cause? I wouldn't use Verizon's bloatware for ANYTHING. FoxFi is brilliant software. I was able to find it in the Play market with ease.

Just go that route but don't use so much data that it piques anyone's suspicions. Y'know?

 

[SMD]

Good to know! Oh, and by the way...my free hotspot (with unlimited data) carried over to my new S3!!! Totally didn't expect it to. Just to be sure, I tested my wife's new S3 and she gets the "you have to sign up/pay for this feature message" Not me...it works. For free. So no need for Foxfi right now and I'm not about to complain to VZW. It doesn't show on my online account that I have this feature enabled...but it just works. Love it!

And I don't plan to use it THAT much. I use it when I need it which is every so often but its definitely nice to have.

 

[chrstphrs]

Checking to see if the free mobile hotspot from ur grandfathered unlimited plan on Thunderbolt to S3 is still working. I am in the same exact position. Been told I shouldn't have free hotbot, but I do. Wondered if it was phone or contract. If ur migration stayed the same by only activating the S3 I can assume mine will too. Please verify.

 

[Bond32]

Highly doubt the mishap would carry over. If you get an S3 without getting it via subsidiary and keeping the unlimited data, you can just install a toggle widget to activate the hotspot. Toggle widget bypasses the check to see if you paid for it or not.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[mesocyclonic]

It likely won't. My guess is from VZW's perspective, you have no hotspot plan, free or otherwise as indicated by your monthly bill lacking any note of your "free hotspot"; you are just flying under the radar like the other people who tether without a plan. If you get the S3 and use a toggle widget/FoxFi with the same amount of data, it'll be like nothing happened.