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A WiFi hotspot is a place where anyone can connect and enjoy broadband-quality internet in public places.
Many businesses and venues offer free WiFi to draw in customers.
By connecting to a WiFi hotspot, you can use the internet without worrying about your mobile data allowance.
O2 deliver many hotspots around the country and they’re free for anyone to use. If you’re an O2 customer, simply input your phone number when connecting. Everyone else will need to register on the O2 website to start accessing free WiFi.
All network operators offer free WiFi on the London Underground with Virgin Media’s hotspots.
Virgin Mobile plans give access to all of Virgin Media’s WiFi – over 250,000 hotspots around the country.
EE and Vodafone offer plans that use BT Openzone hotspots. If you know you’re often in range of one, it could be worth paying more for a hotspot plan to keep your data usage down.
Every few years mobile technology improves and these leaps in capability are called ‘generations’ – that’s what the ‘G’ in 3G and 4G stands for.
So 3G is the third generation of mobile networks. It was the first widely-available technology that allowed us to connect to the internet through our phones.
4G is the fourth generation of network. It delivers internet like 3G, but gives significantly faster speeds and better connections. This means tasks like streaming HD video and downloading apps happen much quicker than with a 3G connection.
The availability of 4G is limited but constantly increasing. By 2020, 5G will start rolling out – delivering even faster speeds than 4G.
If your phone can use 4G networks, make sure you enable your connection in your phone’s Settings menu.
Data tethering is a way to share your phone’s internet connection with other devices, like your laptop or tablet. This is a great way to get mobile internet when devices can’t access 3G or 4G networks themselves.
Almost all modern phones can utilise data tethering (sometimes called a personal hotspot or mobile hotspot) in just a few simple steps.
Samsung’s Galaxy S series allows up to 10 devices to connect to your phone’s internet connection, but other models may vary. iPhone models 4 and up can usually handle up to five extra connections.
Be careful, though, because tethering can dramatically increase your data consumption and you can go over your phone’s limit without realising it.
How to:
1. Turn on data tethering in your settings menu. (This is normally under General or Network Settings.)
2. Set a WiFi password. (Your phone may automatically generate one for you).
3. Connect to your phone’s WiFi with another device and enter the password you just set up.
You’re now tethered and can use your phone’s internet on any other device. Computers tend to use a lot more bandwidth than phones so be careful not to burn through all of your data allowance too quickly.
The size of SIM card you need depends entirely on your phone.
Very few modern phones use the standard size, so you’re probably going to need a micro or nano SIM. If you know the make and model of your phone, a quick Google search should tell you what size you need.
If you do have the wrong size SIM, there’s no need to fret.
A SIM that’s too small will fit into a bigger socket with the use of an inexpensive adapter (these can cost as little as £1).
A SIM that’s too big can be fixed with a pair of scissors by simply cutting away the extra plastic. If you’re confident, you can trim a SIM card down yourself by using instructions and templates which can be found online.
Otherwise, take your SIM card to your local phone shop where a professional can cut it down for you.