What's the difference: Wi-Fi hotspot and phone tethering

Today’s business is conducted on the go. Teams are increasingly exploring remote working options. Engineers need to be on site to direct contractors and suppliers. Sales, services and support teams often travel to customer sites.

Marketing teams generate leads at trade shows and conferences. Small businesses need an affordable, flexible connectivity solution. Pop-up stores open up new markets on the fly. Impromptu meetings pop up in the local coffee shop. All need fast, reliable and secure Internet connectivity wherever business takes them.

A common belief that all internet connections are safe and reliable is not the case. Should employees just log on to a guest network, connect to public Wi-Fi® or tether off someone’s personal phone? Not a good idea, and we will tell you the best, most reliable options for your company.

It may seem like there’s always a way to connect, but each of these options have their downsides and risks. For ultimate flexibility and reliability, your business can bring high-speed wireless network to employees, with the AT&T high speed wireless data network.

AT&T Wireless Broadband provides the fastest wireless Internet for today’s mobile workforce—up to 50 Mbps in selected coverage areas.

Wireless broadband services are delivered through the AT&T wireless broadband network directly to a business mobile device or through a portable Wi-Fi hotspot device (small, fully-mobile hubs that generate a Wi-Fi signal to connect up to 20 devices at once to our high-speed data network).

The service will be forward-compatible with 5G when it is available in your area, making wireless broadband ideal for organizations that want to be ready today for tomorrow’s digital revolution.

Phone tethering allows a business to share an Internet connection from an employee’s phone to their laptop, tablet, or other device through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or or a USB cable.

This provides convenient access to the internet for the secondary device, with an optional plan add-on. Tethering via cables can be cumbersome and difficult to implement, while tethering via a wireless option can quickly consume a phone’s battery.

A portable hotspot device allows a business to connect multiple laptops and mobile devices to the Internet wherever business-needs arise.

Portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices are single purpose devices that are designed specifically to connect a group of people to the Internet when and where it’s needed. The devices have are small and portable, pack a big antenna for optimal reception and a large battery for long life.

Phones, on the other hand, are multi-purpose devices that have features and functionality which may distract from the core mission of connectivity - delivering wireless broadband services. Phone tethering could work in a pinch, but portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices are designed to best connect businesses to the internet.

Most importantly, wireless broadband delivered through a portable Wi-Fi hotspot device provides faster, more reliable connections with higher data limits due to prioritized network access on the AT&T wireless broadband network.

AT&T Wireless Broadband is often used as a complement to AT&T Business Fiber or AT&T Internet Air for Business—allowing businesses to take their high-speed Internet services on the go. Wireless broadband can also be used as a backup or failover Internet connection in case wired connections are lost or overloaded, or added as a second network for visitors, customers or separate business units.

• Phone tethering and wireless broadband are both good options for sharing Internet connections with your workforce. Each one has its ideal business cases.
• Tethering may be ideal when business demands a simple connection through a single device.
• AT&T wireless broadband delivered through a portable Wi-Fi hotspot device ensures fast, reliable and secure Internet connections for your company — allowing teams to work productively wherever business take them.

See how ultra-fast, reliable fiber, protected by built-in security, and 5G connectivity give you a new level of confidence in the possibilities of your network. Let our experts work with you to solve your challenges and accelerate outcomes. Your business deserves the AT&T Business difference—a new standard for networking.