In order for a device to be able to use the internet with a hotspot, does that require an internet connection?

A hotspot is an internet connection.

@ARE_you_kidding_me ok, thank you. Lol.

Well, the hotspot device needs to have an Internet connection somehow.

So your words could mean one of two situations:

A) If it’s a hotspot device you own and subscribe to a service to keep it receiving Internet, then if they shut down that subscription, it won’t have an Internet connection.

B) If the hotspot is someone else’s hotspot using their Internet connection, and you just connect to it, like at a coffee shop or library or something, then you don’t need to subscribe to anything to use that.

As long as you have internet data access with whatever is providing the hotspot (usually a phone)

@Zaku Well, I don’t see Straight Talk shutting down my subscription in the foreseeable future.

If your hotspot is using your mobile device’s data plan, then you’d just want to make sure you aren’t going to get charged (much) more for using however much data you use via the hotspot. If you have “unlimited data” for a fixed rate, then there may be no worries.