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Unlimited Canada-US Plan
I am planning to go to the US next month, and I was wondering if I can use my phone as a mobile hotspot for my friends without incurring any fees?
Update: Just wanted to say thank you to the Telus Support Team for answering my questions and helping me fix my billing issues. I have tried speaking to customer service on the phone twice before, and both agents have given me wrong information about my plan. I'm impressed by the quick response time and action this Telus Support Team has shown.
TELUS_Support
Official Support Team
Official Support TeamGreat question! The short answer is yes, you can absolutely use your phone as a mobile hotspot for your friends while in the U.S. and it won't cost you anything extra. Since you're on the Unlimited Canada-US Plan, the U.S. is essentially treated like an extension of your home. When you turn your Personal Hotspot on in the U.S. your phone will register on one of our American partner networks, but since all incoming/outgoing data is covered by your plan, regardless of if it's on your phone or tethered out to your friends, you should be good to go.
However, since you're traveling with people possibly relying on your connection, there are a few technical nuances worth keeping in mind.
1. While there is no dollar overage, remember your Unlimited plan is still subject to a high speed data cap (i.e. 50Gb, 100Gb, etc.) and any data your friends consume via your hotspot eats directly out of that total. Pass that data cap, and for the rest of the trip your speed will be much slower. Just something to keep in mind.
2. Beware the 'Update Trap'. If possible, tell your friends when in the U.S. to turn off 'Low Data Mode' overrides or background app updates on their phones while tethering to yours. There's a chance their phones will think they're on a standard Wi-Fi network at home and might start downloading massive app updates in the background, quickly burning through your data allotment.
Have a great trip!
