4 ms·

Doesn't tethering (laptop <- wifi -> phone <- 5g -> internet) solve that?

lxgr 2y ago
Largely, but not everyone has unlimited data (especially not when traveling), and my laptop battery is much larger than my phone's too.
- chgs 2y ago
  I’m currently charging my phone from my laptop. And tethering off my phone as the wifi on Amtrak (which could be great if it had a starlink dish on the top) is awful and keeps going back to unauthorised. I haven’t really had much signal problem and I’m not travelling through particularly built up areas (on the New York to Miami train, nearing the GA/FL border)
  - lxgr 2y ago
    That definitely works, but it requires a cable, balancing two devices on a potentially small seatback tray etc. On most trains I've traveled on, Wi-Fi (if available) also works much better since the antenna for that is usually on top of the train, and windows are sometimes coated with a metallic paint to keep out solar radiation.
- moffkalast 2y ago
  Nobody has unlimited data in reality, it's just a marketing term. All providers will throttle you down to nothing at some point sooner or later.
  - lxgr 2y ago
    Throttling or deprioritization is a thing, but it's definitely not "nothing" across the board. How usable a deprioritized connection still is heavily depends on the network and location in question.
- efdee 2y ago
  "(especially not when traveling)" In the EU there are no roaming costs so it's not any different when travelling.
  - cubesnooper 2y ago
    When I travel to Europe, my North America–only cell service doesn’t work at all. I definitely appreciate free Wi‐Fi at my destinations.
    - efdee 2y ago
      When I travel to North America, I get a 6 EUR/day data deal that transfers my EU 5G quota to the US. Demand better from your companies.
      - lxgr 2y ago
        How does one “demand better” from a handful of giant corporations? Did you personally negotiate that plan with your phone operator? Besides that, neither tethering (for reasons other than cost, mentioned above) nor international roaming (increased latency) are a perfect replacement for fast local Wi-Fi at this point.
        efdee 2y ago
        It's that dreaded government intervention thing. (also: increased latency for roaming?)
    - fragmede 2y ago
      fwiw, T-Mobile works internationally, and esim data providers like airalo make it easy to have data at your destination.
  - lxgr 2y ago
    That’s not quite true: There’s a limit to the amount of data usage your provider has to grant you at no additional cost, and mine enforces that. It works out to a 16 or so GB/month limit, on an otherwise >50 GB/month plan.

lxgr 2y ago

Largely, but not everyone has unlimited data (especially not when traveling), and my laptop battery is much larger than my phone's too.

chgs 2y ago
I’m currently charging my phone from my laptop. And tethering off my phone as the wifi on Amtrak (which could be great if it had a starlink dish on the top) is awful and keeps going back to unauthorised. I haven’t really had much signal problem and I’m not travelling through particularly built up areas (on the New York to Miami train, nearing the GA/FL border)
- lxgr 2y ago
  That definitely works, but it requires a cable, balancing two devices on a potentially small seatback tray etc. On most trains I've traveled on, Wi-Fi (if available) also works much better since the antenna for that is usually on top of the train, and windows are sometimes coated with a metallic paint to keep out solar radiation.
moffkalast 2y ago
Nobody has unlimited data in reality, it's just a marketing term. All providers will throttle you down to nothing at some point sooner or later.
- lxgr 2y ago
  Throttling or deprioritization is a thing, but it's definitely not "nothing" across the board. How usable a deprioritized connection still is heavily depends on the network and location in question.
efdee 2y ago
"(especially not when traveling)" In the EU there are no roaming costs so it's not any different when travelling.
- cubesnooper 2y ago
  When I travel to Europe, my North America–only cell service doesn’t work at all. I definitely appreciate free Wi‐Fi at my destinations.
  - efdee 2y ago
    When I travel to North America, I get a 6 EUR/day data deal that transfers my EU 5G quota to the US. Demand better from your companies.
    - lxgr 2y ago
      How does one “demand better” from a handful of giant corporations? Did you personally negotiate that plan with your phone operator? Besides that, neither tethering (for reasons other than cost, mentioned above) nor international roaming (increased latency) are a perfect replacement for fast local Wi-Fi at this point.
      - efdee 2y ago
        It's that dreaded government intervention thing. (also: increased latency for roaming?)
  - fragmede 2y ago
    fwiw, T-Mobile works internationally, and esim data providers like airalo make it easy to have data at your destination.
- lxgr 2y ago
  That’s not quite true: There’s a limit to the amount of data usage your provider has to grant you at no additional cost, and mine enforces that. It works out to a 16 or so GB/month limit, on an otherwise >50 GB/month plan.