How is Unlimited Data sustainable?

Hello. First time poster, long time lurker.

I recently had to move to a new home during this Covid-19 chaos, and needed to get broadband pretty quickly so I could telework for my job. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the premise for some reason needed a new copper termination port work and therefore DSL wasn’t a simple or quick option given Covid-19.

So, I went online bought a 20 quid Three unlimited SIM and plonked it in an old mobile phone I had and tethered…. Only to be amazed I got 70mbps down and 30mbps up. It’s good enough that I won’t bother ever getting Fibre broadband at all now.

.... but my question is – how the hell is this sustainable for a 4G carrier to provide? There’s only limited bandwidth.

I fully expect the feeds to become 7mbps then 0.7mbps in the coming months, but for now - it's great.

I had three 4G tethering for about a year before i got full fibre and it never went under 50mbps

The top speed i had seen were 120mbps ish.

Edited by epyon (Sun 10-May-20 00:00:01)

I agree completely it is totally unsustainable, especially with the ridiculously small overpriced chunks of spectrum OFCOM is flogging to carriers. The entire mobile sector needs more investment than the fixed line companies IMHO.

Can't see it happening.

Saying that, with like 30-40% unemployment on the way and massive hikes in income tax for everyone (but the ultra wealthy) who's going to be able to afford the luxury of broadband in the future anyway?

Edited by deleted (Sun 10-May-20 10:06:59)

In reply to a post by Anonymous1337:

.... but my question is – how the hell is this sustainable for a 4G carrier to provide? There’s only limited bandwidth.

It is a gamble by the network operators.

Some may remember Three forcing people off their original unlimited price plan ("The One Plan") a few years ago, as there were people at home downloading 24x7 and making the network unusable for others. Now all 4 networks (Three, EE, O2, Vodafone) offer unlimited plans, the load is spread.

However in many countries around the world unlimited plans have arrived, then gone, then come back, then gone. Like a yo-yo.

In reply to a post by jchamier:

However in many countries around the world unlimited plans have arrived, then gone, then come back, then gone. Like a yo-yo.

That's the best explanation of string theory ever.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

That's the best explanation of string theory ever.

Thanks, I think, Physics wasn't my subject!