Vodafone mobile hotspot issues

paddyirish23

hi all,
I'm hoping someone might be able to help here. I've been a PAYG for yrs now had an s8 phone and recently swapped to the s20 plus. Had no issues using the mobile hotspot on the old phone but unable to get Internet on the new one.
It'll connect but says no Internet. I've done everything I found online to try fix it. Yesterday I factory reset the phone and still no Internet on hotspot. Can use the 4g on the phone no problem.
I contacted vodafone and they tell me that there's a charge for using it even though my wife (on iphone) and me are in the same bundle she doesn't get charged.
Anyway they said because hotspot is chargeable when changing settings on my phone data settings like APN and some phones automatically change settings. Can someone explain why the APN is changing settings even though I'm using the default vodafone set up??

Ten Pin

Vodafone are using a command that Google included in Android that allows them (VF) to reroute data through a chargeable APN. Older Android <8 were easier to tether without any surcharge as APNs were editable and the chargeable APN could be deleted.

Unusual that the iPhone has no issues with hotpot as that's where APN control first appeared.

Check if APNs are editable and delete the HS APN leaving only live.Vodafone.com

If tethering to a laptop then there's a straightforward fix that involves changing a registry setting in Windows (TTL is generally what networks use to detect tethering).

There are various other things to try that can be found online (search "s20 tether bypass/block/workaround").

Some posts about it...
https://www.boards.ie/search/submit/?sort=newest&date_to=&date_from=&query=Tethering+vodafone

Here's a reddit thread to give an idea what might be involved...
https://www.reddit.com/r/lgv20/comments/745i0b/tethering_hotspot_on_an_unlocked_att_phone_on/.compact

Vodafone are the only ones that do this (apart from possibly exO2 customers on 3) and they are possibly contravening net neutrality regulations but that's something for Comreg to enforce and they are a bit toothless on enforcement of a lot of rules. Once Vodafone make it clear in terms then Comreg just smile and say nothing.

It's not as if VF are in the lower price range for their plans, this sneaky charging for data is fairly miserly on VFs part.

paddyirish23

Thanks for the reply, really appreciate any help. I've deleted the hs APN and so far no issues will give it a few days and let you know. Ya I never had an issue on my old phone. They wanted me to switch to bill pay and an extra 15euros a month!
It's just for use on a samsung tablet for the kids while we out and about.
Is the hs for the hotspot? I probably should've copped that🀣

nc6000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/114175042#Comment_114175042

Thanks! This just worked for me also when we couldn't get the hotspot working on a new phone. Much appreciated.