Do iPhones have a separate hidden APN setting for "hotspot" traffic?

[DMZ]

I've seen some screenshots of the iPhone APN settings screen which have three sections: Internet, MMS and Hotspot. My iPhone (running iOS 9.3.5) only shows the first two. I'm on the UK cellular network Three (on a contract with unlimited internet and 30GB tethering). My device was never network-locked.

Is the "Hotspot" section hidden due to a policy on my SIM card? If I use a program like Apple Configurator 2 to set APN settings via a configuration profile, which APN setting does that affect? There's only one set of input fields on that program that I'm aware of, but more settings on the device.

Google isn't helping me out much. The search results are mainly for if the hotspot option itself is missing, rather than if the hotspot APN settings are missing.

 

[Swifty55]

Hotspot just uses your 3G/4G in which you can share with other Wi-Fi devices...

So the APN will be the same as your 3G/4G.

 

[DMZ]

...the APN will be the same as your 3G/4G.

I think that conclusion might be premature. Here are some screenshots that someone uploaded of their APN settings page on iOS9:

 

[DMZ]

The research is accumulating. I've found an article which talks about changing the "Tethering APN" to match the "Data APN" on iOS7 by editing and restoring an iPhone backup on a PC. The technique no-longer works, but the takeaway is that there is a "Tethering APN" and sometimes it is hidden.

In addition this page from Virgin Media talks about updating your "Hotspot APN" to fix hotspot functionality in iOS10. To me that indicates that Virgin Media doesn't hide the Hotspot APN setting and Three does.

 

[DMZ]

This thread is getting quite a lot of views. If anyone is reading and they can see their Hotspot APN settings, and they're on a UK network, please can you comment and let me know which network/plan you are on. Thanks.

APN settings are in: Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > Mobile Data Network. Then scroll right to the bottom and look for "Hotspot APN". Cheers.

 

[englishpremier]

Got one here on giffgaff.

APN is giffgaff.com

Personal Hotspot APN is giffgaff.com

What's the benefit of being able to change the personal hotspot APN?

 

[Feek]

I'm on EE with an iPhone 7plus supplied directly from Apple. SIM only pay monthly contract, unlimited texts/calls and 16Gb data. iOS 10.2

I go to Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options

Then all I have is Enable 4G (set to Voice & Data) and Data Roaming.

No sign of Mobile Data Network in that screen.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

I've seen some screenshots of the iPhone APN settings screen which have three sections: Internet, MMS and Hotspot. My iPhone (running iOS 9.3.5) only shows the first two. I'm on the UK cellular network Three (on a contract with unlimited internet and 30GB tethering). My device was never network-locked.

Is the "Hotspot" section hidden due to a policy on my SIM card? If I use a program like Apple Configurator 2 to set APN settings via a configuration profile, which APN setting does that affect? There's only one set of input fields on that program that I'm aware of, but more settings on the device.

Google isn't helping me out much. The search results are mainly for if the hotspot option itself is missing, rather than if the hotspot APN settings are missing.

iPhones read the SIM and see what network operator it belongs to. It then loads the associated Carrier Bundle. The Carrier Bundle sets the options agreed between the network operator and Apple.

Some operators use different APN for different traffic classes as it's the simplest way of giving different Quality of Service (QoS) for different services.

Often, the operator hides these settings as 99% of users don't have the slightest idea what an APN is anyway.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

This thread is getting quite a lot of views. If anyone is reading and they can see their Hotspot APN settings, and they're on a UK network, please can you comment and let me know which network/plan you are on. Thanks.

APN settings are in: Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > Mobile Data Network. Then scroll right to the bottom and look for "Hotspot APN". Cheers.

EE with iPhone 7+ running iOS 10.2.1.

Corporate/ Business plan.

No APN settings or information shown.

 

[Rannoch]

Running iPhone 7 on 10.2.1 Vodafone pay monthly

APN wap.vodafone.co.uk

 

[ED209]

Tesco mobile, IPhone 5, contract, 10.2.1

In mobile data I have the following.

Mobile Data

APN - Prepay.tesco-mobile.com

MMS

APN - Prepay.tesco-mobile.com

this is all I have on mine, my sim originally came with Nokia 300 but got a unlocked IPhone 5 from a family member who upgraded who was on O2.

 

[deko]

Might be stating the obvious but the carrier bundle update controls the available options available inside the settings app, by the fact that today the Wi-fi calling option showed up under the phone settings for the first time after a carrier setting update.

 

[englishpremier]

Still no-one has said why it matters. What are you going to change the Hotspot APN to and still have it work?

 

[Barry Smalley]

I would suggest that the Hotspot APN option is there for operators who use a different APN for tethering purposes. As you can see different carriers allow different settings to be available and from my experience there are many different configurations depending on what network you are on. I can see what you are trying to do, but I don't think it's going to happen.

 

[DMZ]

Yeah this is proving to be too difficult. I'm gonna need to find another solution.

Thanks to everyone who provided info.

 

[englishpremier]

How is it going to help you changing the hotspot apn for carriers that use a different apn for tethering and normal cell traffic (noting that most don't)? Traffic is still likely to be shaped and monitored.

 

[englishpremier]

Can't you just create a new APN and use that instead rather than the default APN?