How to Bypass T-Mobile's Tethering Limit for Free

How to Bypass T-Mobile's Tethering Limit for Free

T-Mobile's "Uncarrier" initiative has done wonders for my wallet and my data usage. Before I had to deal with being throttled down to 2G speeds after passing my data limit, but thanks to their unlimited data plans, I'm free to use as much LTE data as I possibly can. The only downside is, when sharing data through a mobile hotspot (tethering), T-Mobile imposes a 5 GB limit (which was recently upped to 7 GB for some).

Of course, you can pay up to increase this limit, but why not get it for free? With a simple edit to your device's APN, or access point name, you can skirt the limit and no one will be the wiser. If you tend to stream a lot of videos on your phone, this should make a helluva difference.

Step 1: Finding Your Network Settings

The APN is what's presented to your carrier when your smartphone tries to establish a data connection, so by adding a new entry into it, you'll be able to bypass the tethering restriction.

Your phone's APN settings can be changed from the Mobile Networks section in your Settings app. Most manufacturers have their settings apps themed and reorganized, but there should be a section clearly marked for configuring your mobile network.

Step 3: Create APN (Optional)

If you can't edit APNs, you will have to create a new one by tapping the + icon at the top of the screen.

Use the settings listed below to create the proper hotspot-hacked-APN for T-Mobile:

There will be additional fields available when creating a new APN, but just leave those blank. You may also need to reboot your device for the new APN to take effect, but then you'll be set to tether to your heart's content.

Were you able to get past your tethering limit with this trick, or do you have a different method to bypass it?