Internet Service Expanding

Our world is one that increasingly demands we be connected. While some folks can get away without an Internet service at home, the fact of the matter is that many peoples’ professions require them to be able to access the Internet on a moment’s notice. There are a couple of different ways you can get Internet service via your cell phone, each with its own benefits and problems.

Native Internet access

If you have a smartphone like a Blackberry, iPhone or Android, you have a built-in way to access the Internet. You can probably use a web browser, as well as email and maybe even some other applications. This is a good option for folks that need access to a limited amount of Internet services, and don’t need to do things like create files and share them via the Internet from their cell phone.

Tethering

If you need to be able to do more than just sort of basic email and web browsing, however, you need another option. You need to be able to connect your laptop to the Internet via your cell phone, for those instances in which WiFi is unavailable. This is known as “tethering.”

Tethering lets you use your cell phone as a modem for your laptop, and taps into the broadband service on your cell phone. This lets you do a number of things that you can’t do with the smartphone alone. It allows you, for example, to be able to share documents, send files and run other applications that you can’t on your smartphone.

Tethering can also be more secure than when you’re using a WiFi connection. WiFi connections, if they are unsecured connections, can create a situation in which someone could, in theory, hack into your laptop. With tethering, you’re connected right to your phone provider’s network.

Depending on whether you have 3G or 4G network access, you may find that the tethered application is slower than WiFi, however. If you need to use streaming video or if you need to use some other application that’s data-intensive, you might consider not using tethering.

Usually, your cell phone carrier will charge you an additional monthly fee if you choose to use Internet service via tethering.