Describing a device that is linked to a mobile phone or cellular modem to use its data connection. The link can be physical, via a USB cable, or wireless, via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This setup allows laptops or tablets without built-in cellular radios to access the internet through the mobile network.
Heard on the job
I can't get on the guest Wi-Fi, so I'm just tethered to my phone to send this report.
Related terms
Mobile data
Internet traffic routed over a cellular radio network instead of a local Wi-Fi connection.
Smartphone
A mobile phone equipped with an advanced operating system and computing capabilities.
Cellular
Relating to a network architecture that divides a geographic area into multiple radio coverage zones.