Mobile data hotspots can be a quick and effective way to provide internet connectivity to a household or location that doesn’t have broadband service available through a traditional cable or telephony Internet Service Provider (ISP) or through an alternative municipal network.
However, there are factors to be aware of when selecting this option.
Advantages
- No need for physical infrastructure from ISP
- Mobility is a critical factor for those with transient housing
Disadvantages
- Requires adequate mobile network connection (not available in all areas)
- Data caps may serve as a barrier to meeting the broadband needs of the user
This page delves into details regarding this second issue, particularly in the context of education and web-based school curricula.
Much of our broadband need in these days of COVID-19 if for telepresence – video connections with teachers, co-workers, and health care providers. Telepresence is quite bandwidth/data-intensive.
School districts should avoid locking themselves into having data caps that don’t allow students to participate in online learning. Estimates for a baseline college load is 100+ GB per month. Primary school could be triple that amount. Add in a second or third child and data caps quickly make little sense.
ISPs should be urged and encouraged to waive data caps, but until they are, in school districts where hotspots are being used (or anywhere limits to broadband speed or capacity are imposed), strategies are needed to minimize the data usage requirements for students to videoconference.
Instructors should allow students to dial into meetings via telephone. Distribute slides before the class. Students should not need to be on video during the entire class session. The following graphic gives useful advice on video class best practices: https://elm.umaryland.edu/
Students using Verizon can track data usage with this guide: https://www.verizon.com/
Students with data caps should try to do as much uploading and downloading at any site that offers free wifi, such as libraries. See the NDIA lists of state resouces and local government resources for public WiFi offerings near you.