[cpgxiii]

Part of it is certainly an issue of volume, but in the consumer space low-cost (or "free" subsidized-by-plan) 3G/LTE mobile hotspots have long been available. Those models are basically the modems and radios of a mid- to high-end smartphone in a cheap plastic enclosure with a battery.

If you want metal enclosures (i.e. actual thermal design for prolonged operation), multiple ethernet ports, better routing support, no limits on number of connected devices, wide input voltages, automotive-grade components, etc, that's a much smaller market.

[jjeaff]

Are any carriers still subsidizing phones? I have only seen buy one get one free with a new line. ATT just has a payment plan but you still pay full price.

[devxpy]

I don't get how this works. Isn't someone down the line earning more profits than they would be in the smartphone industry?

Like Obviously, the sheer resources required to create a router are minuscule compared to a phone, so then who exactly will be pocketing these extra resources that I'm paying for, and why?