Tethering on unlimited data plan

[katashaha]

I got the unlimited plan on ee in order to use on my laptop and iPad as the phone is too small to view videos or do anything else, however I have now found out that I can only tether 100.5 gb which comes out of the gifting so the tethering is counted as gifting even though I am not giving it to anybody else and only use it on my own devices, so I think it is very disingenuous of ee to sell unlimited plan when I could have paid less for a 100gb plan which is really all I can use, since I never use the data on the phone.

[Chris_B]

@katashaha  tethering data is not the same as gifting as you’re still using it on the same device that it’s allocated to.  Gifting data is moving the data from your tariff onto another tariff it’s on your account for that device to use it.     

you can go past 100 gig on a 4G contract for 120 gig on a 5G contract as that is the gift double allowance that you can give to another device on your account.  If you use that data first then you will get a text message saying you would use your giftable data but this is still from your unlimited allowance that you can still tether from if you so choose and can continuing tethering if you go past this as it still your data allowance. 

[James_B]

Hi @katashaha,

As mentioned earlier in the thread, using your hotspot is not classed as gifting data.

Data gifting is moving part of your unused data allowance from one mobile number on your account to another.

James

[katashaha]

Hi James, I'm just repeating what 8 different EE people have told me on the phone and now several to my husband who is now escalating a complaint with them saying that this was not disclosed to him that tethering is viewed as data gifting.  They are categorically saying that it is.  If you call into EE, I am sure they will tell you the same thing.  I agree with you that it should not be the same thing and I have argued this with them but they say they view it as such.  I did tell them that on the Forum I was advised otherwise and they said that the Forum is not official EE and it is just a community and they are giving their opinion.  Anyway, don't shoot the messenger - I have been having this argument with them for months as you can see from the date of the first post!  I just have to wait until the contract runs out and then change providers.

[EssexBoyEE]

Once you have used the first 100gb of data every month on your own unlimited plan then you can no longer gift data to another family member as you have used up all your giftable allowance.

The word tethering is just a red herring it doesn't matter if you tether,  hotspot put the SIM in a router, tablets or MiFI Device or just use it on your own phone etc, you are basically using your own data from your UL plan

[James_B]

Hi @katashaha,

It's most likely the people you have spoken to are referring to the data gifting limits applied to unlimited plans, where you can only gift the first 100GB or 120GB (depending on your plan type) of your allowance. Using your hotspot will be deducted from your 'giftable' data, but you can still continue to use it as usual after you can no longer gift data to other numbers on your account.

I'm sorry for any confusion this has caused.

James

[Chris_B]

@katashaha  This forum is an official EE website/forum.  There are EE staff members on here, it can not get any more official than this forum.  

[RedZulu]

Hi @James_B I am personally experiencing what @katashaha mentioned about data gifting linked to tethering. I am on a 5G Unlimited Plan and hence have a 120gb. Logically when you tether, you using it for your own personal use and NOT gifting to other users hence it should not come out of the 120gb gifting allowance. Yet, when hotspotting to my Mac, I was surprised to see a message saying “Hi from EE: You've used 80% of the data you can gift. Don't worry, this doesn't affect your unlimited data allowance.” And just now got a “Hi from EE: You've now used all of the data you can gift. You'll get more next month but, in the meantime, you can continue to enjoy using your unlimited data allowance.” even though I have NOT gifted to anyone. (I have a second number that I gift too once in a while which is my mobile EE router yet I have not gifted to that number at all in this instance). The minute I got the message above, I am unable to use any more data/internet via the tethered Mac. I can still use data on my mobile phone as I haven’t reach my FUP limit yet. (I still think unlimited should mean unlimited and NOT subjected to a 600gb limits!)  I think this (unlimited/tethering=gifting) is a very gross misleading advertisement by EE as it is not indicated anywhere about this limit nor is it a clear that tethering is linked to gifting. Obviously as @katashaha mentioned the tech support knows about this limit from prob practical experience or insiders info that suspiciously sounds like ee is trying to cover this fact up. Can someone official from EE please address this as I pay over 130 GBP for my plan and yet I can’t tether unlimited or even up to FUP whereas on Three on my daughters phone she could.

[EssexBoyEE]

This will be the 3rd time I have basically said the same thing in the same Tread but here we go again.

Tethering is not linked to Data Gifting.

What is linked to Data Gifting is your own Data Use for each SIM in the Family Account, which as each SIM gets used on Data then the Gifting Alliance reduces.

On UL Data Plans it works the same way as any other plan, it's just on UL it gets used up first as your never going to run out of Data for personal use.

If you have Family Plan and you need to get around the UL / 100 or 120gb Gifting Policy the just gift All of your UL Data Gift Allowance to another SIM within the Family Plan on the first Refresh Date and if need be you can use that data to gift to another SIM later within the Month.

[chistery]

@EssexBoyEE You can keep repeating it, but it doesn't help answer the question on why tethering data has stopped working for @RedZulu, as soon as giftable data runs out.

Personally, I'd raise a complaint, @RedZulu  and get it looked at properly. If EE is counting tethering as gifting (which whilst we all say they don't, but they appear to be from your experience) then they need to explain that on their web site.

[James_B]

Hi @RedZulu,

Tethering/using your hotspot is not classed as gifting data. Please get in touch with Customer Care so our Tech Gurus can investigate.

Thanks

James