Is your iPhone the Primary Source of Internet at Home?

With more and more people subsribing to data plans in Canada, it appears the days of only using your desktop at home for Internet are coming to an end.

A new study by IDC Canada reported 40% of Canadians accessed the Internet using a mobile device in January of 2011. Rogers also reported 45% of connections made to its network in the first quarter of 2011 were via a smartphone (it was 33% a year ago).

With the proliferation of new wireless entrants and affordable smartphones, wireless usage growth continues to accelerate in Canada. Especially with native tethering capabilities (Personal Hotspot) on the iPhone and generous 6GB data plans, it’s possible to eliminate home Internet subscriptions. I’ve had a friend who managed to survive with only his iPhone as his primary source of Internet for almost a year (his Dell laptop had crapped out on him).

Is your iPhone the only source of Internet at home?

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Sean
15 years ago

I use it for my mobile wireless for my ipad,at home i have Optik highspeed turbo

Dorey
Dorey
15 years ago

Yep, has been for about 5 months now.  I have the 6G plan.  I’m careful to monitor usage, especially during the last few days of the billing cycle.  Otherwise it is pretty painless so far. I suspect free tethering will be taken away any day now though.

Stéphane Lachance
15 years ago

I don’t browse much at home and while I do have a home internet connection, I do use my 6GB data plan more often then my home connection. I’d love to give Rogers a second $30/month to up the cap to 12 GB but I doubt they’d let me.

Dorey
Dorey
15 years ago

Sigh. “… have been …” NOT  “has been”. 

Positronmchappy
Positronmchappy
15 years ago

For the past 4 months, yes. I access shared WiFi that works 60% of the time, but also use my 6GB plan & am careful to not give Rogers an extra dime. I debated an iPad, but prefer having one device that fits in my pocket; though SeV may be purchased one day. 🙂

SeV: ScotteVest.

Steve Lam
Steve Lam
15 years ago

most definitely not.  6 gigs can be downloaded in a single day in my household. as for the iphone itself…i still find safari mobile to be a little too slow overall.

Senators24
15 years ago

Affordable smart phones my ass lol. 

It is my only source of internet, but not my only device. I tether to my Macbook Pro.

Senators24
15 years ago

Look! It’s the grammer police!

Gary
15 years ago

I’ve owned one of the original SeV jackets–they are awesome. One of the
essential tools for travel!

Chrome262
15 years ago

The data plans aren’t big enough for that, i have 95 gig plan a month with rogers and use at least half of that every month. While the 3G speeds are faster here in Canada (close to 4mb/s) so I really don’t care about LTE, its way faster on my home lines. while i may not use my desktop as much, i do use my MBAir and with up to 6 wireless devices online on any give day at my house i cant see me just using my data plan for sometime.

Leadergo
Leadergo
15 years ago

Here in NAIT in Edmonton AB, they have a blacklist on some sites that I visit, so sometimes I tether to my MacBook and I find it extremely convenient. I have a 2GB data plan, and I never do exceed 1GB. However when I sign up for a new 3yr term for the iPhone 5, I will take good advantage and have the 6GB promotional data plan on my account. Then I probably can tether for the rest of my schooling.

Positronmchappy
Positronmchappy
15 years ago

I rarely travel, but will eventually buy one of his products just for my non-driving lifestyle. I also despise man purses. lol

Sparky
Sparky
15 years ago

It’s the only Internet I pay for. When I use my desktop (becoming less often as time passes), I tether my iPhone 4. I do access free wifi as well on my laptop. I’d say it’s about 85% iPhone and 15% wifi.

Anonymous
Anonymous
15 years ago

I use my iPhone regularly for internet (well 3G connection that is) when Shaw is being stupid. Which is a pretty common occurrence in my community!

Yvrnurse
Yvrnurse
15 years ago

Absolutely not. I have a desktop, iPhone and and netbook  and a wireless router at home on Shaw.  My iPhone is with Telus and home internet is with Shaw. My partner has his own home business and he uses Telus and his ISP and the iPad and I use Shaw for everything else.

Hmiphone22
Hmiphone22
15 years ago

if only you knew …… it is simply my internet…. for my imac, my xbox and the phone itself ….. of curse i have the unlimited internet glicht  ….. i use easily about 30 gbs of data a month 😀 i added this image so u guys see its not BS …… have a great 1 

Anonymous
Anonymous
15 years ago

I regularly tether when out of the house, often streaming
but if I’m downloading files, I’ll use wifi at home

Anonymous
Anonymous
15 years ago

I’ve been tethering off my 6gig plan for over a year … I would continue this except my first child is on the way and my wife will need Internet while on leave … But I can assure you I will not sign with the big 3 … I’ll be signing up on teksavvys cable plan … 300gigs/month at 10mbps and Netflix!

Guybrown
Guybrown
15 years ago

The wife has iPhone 3GS and I the 4. I can’t remember the last time we. Used
our computer

MrAnonymous
MrAnonymous
15 years ago

Main source of internet on a tiny 3.5″ screen?  Hell no!  I have a dual 27″ display desktop, and a 55″ HDTV for that.  Use the iPhone at home mainly for quick email and FB checks, but that’s it.

Drocass
Drocass
15 years ago

My iPhone is not my only source, but it is one of my most commonly used connection to the internet.
I could said my internet use is 70% iPhone/Android  and 30% MacBook Pro.
I just prefer popping out my phone, looking up when ever i wanted to check out without sitting at my computer desk, or while im out. 

MrAnonymous
MrAnonymous
15 years ago

Don’t worry.  We’ll get Gary to report your IP, and I’m sure your service provider will have that fixed for you in a jiffy.

Gary
15 years ago

Busted! 😉

Kirk Armstrong
Kirk Armstrong
15 years ago

Nah, I got to much other devices to rely on just data from my iPhone. Its a nice feature tho!

Kirk Armstrong
Kirk Armstrong
15 years ago

Nah, I got to much other devices to rely on just data from my iPhone. Its a nice feature tho!

Kirk Armstrong
Kirk Armstrong
15 years ago

Nah, I got to much other devices to rely on just data from my iPhone. Its a nice feature tho!

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