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Smartphone with no internet connection sharing capability?

I

i70illinois

Lurker
Hello everyone, I have an unusual question. I am looking for a smartphone that has internal internet access, but can NOT share that connection via tethering or hotspot. I need something *physically incapable* of sharing the internet connection externally, not just a setting on the phone's account that can turn that function on or off. I talked with a few provider reps, and apparently all new cell phones on the market today have this functionality by default.

Are there older phone models that might fit this requirement that will still work on current provider networks? An old flip phone with no internet capability at all would probably work, but I was hoping to find a smartphone for this purpose that would have at least basic internet capabilities internally for email and web browsing.

Thank you very much for any info!
 
Yes, hotspot functionality is prevalent on most smartphones but the actual ability to enable them is based on your chosen carrier. Some carriers include it as part of your base fee, some carriers charge a extra monthly extra fee, some just don't make it available. But when available it's still a matter where you have control on enabling/disabling it for when you need and when you don't. If you don't want to enable tethering/hotspot than just don't. If those 'service provider reps' you conversed with gave you the impression it was an always-on, unavoidable matter, they are wrong.
 
Sorry, should have explained further. I start work at a IT department lab next month where we are not permitted to have any device on the premesis that is capable of providing internet access to the PCs and laptops in the lab. This means the phone has to physically not have the internal hardware to share the internet connection. Being able to turn a setting on and off isn't acceptable - if the phone is *able* to do it, it's not allowed. I know it's weird and I'd never heard of anyone having to do this before, but it's the only way I can have a personal device at work per company policy.

T-Mobile Note5 - am I looking at the right thing here? It has tethering listed in the specs. Thanks again for all the replies!

https://www.t-mobile.com/support/phones-tablets-devices/android/samsung-galaxy-note-5
 
Ahh, thanks for posting that. It does clarify the situation you have to deal with. Yes it does seem a bit draconian but online connectivity with no curation is a very, very vulnerable opening as far as security.

Given the tether/hotspot feature is so prevalent in smartphones, the only thing I can think of is to remove your SIM card before going into the premises every day. No SIM card, no tethering nor hotspoting is possible.
Of course that also means no phone calls or SMS, unless you can work around that using your workplace's WiFi (i.e. if you have a Google Voice number).
 
svim said:
Ahh, thanks for posting that. It does clarify the situation you have to deal with. Yes it does seem a bit draconian but online connectivity with no curation is a very, very vulnerable opening as far as security.

Given the tether/hotspot feature is so prevalent in smartphones, the only thing I can think of is to remove your SIM card before going into the premises every day. No SIM card, no tethering nor hotspoting is possible.
Of course that also means no phone calls or SMS, unless you can work around that using your workplace's WiFi (i.e. if you have a Google Voice number).
Click to expand...
^ ^

All I can quote on svim, he is the best brains for this operation.
 
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