What exactly is WiFi? Why does accessing the internet on my phone without WiFi cost me data while being on WiFi doesn’t?
In: Technology
Because you’ve made a deal with your telephone company that puts a limit on the data you get through your 4G connection (=wireless communication with some huge antenna nearby, which is owned by the tele company) . If you want more, you have to pay extra. There are actually plans that give you unlimited data just like wifi, they’re just hella expensive and uninteresting for most.
Wifi is also a wireless communication with some antenna nearby, only a much smaller one. Both antennas are connected to internet cables. Twenty years ago, data through a cable from your house was also limited, and if Wifi had been around then, it wouldn’t have been without data limit either.
Wifi antennas are cheap with a short range, so they only service a few people at a time. 4G antennas a bigger, more expensive and have a long range, so they are used by many people at the same time. With unlimited data, it would probably be too much for the antenna to handle. Also, its the latest thing, so people just accept the high fees. When we get 5G, things will probably change.
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