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Introduction to enabling mobile broadband (MB) experiences using portable hotspot devices

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The topics in this section provide information about portable Wi-Fi hotspots for Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. It provides guidelines for device manufacturers to offer experiences on a Wi-Fi hotspot that is backed by mobile broadband (including a mobile phone), that are similar to experiences that Windows offers on a native mobile broadband connection.

Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 modify operating system behavior for metered networks and provides cost information to applications so they can do the same. However, without input from the carrier, the default assumptions are that mobile broadband is metered and that Wi-Fi and Ethernet are unrestricted. Because Windows cannot detect the second-hop media type, the operating system cannot provide defaults that account for mobile broadband-backed Wi-Fi networks.

By leveraging the features that are described in this topic, a device manufacturer can provide the appropriate feedback to Windows about the second hop and thereby enable these features to function correctly when the mobile broadband interface is not directly attached to the computer.

In collaboration with the operator, a manufacturer can optionally offer a UWP mobile broadband app that allows the user to reference their account, including data usage.

The following topics are available in this section:

Overview of mobile broadband