Yeah that is an issue for using it as a mobile modem. Unless it will let you tether, and you happen to have a WiFi connection. You will have to check the connections settings on the phone and see if the tether option works while plugged into your USB. Linux should auto see it and use it if the tether feature comes on for you.
I’ll check into that tethering- but setting up a wifi hotspot though had me flummoxed- I’m also not sure how far away a wifi hotspot will transmit to- as i can’t be too far away from our home wifi to connect to it- i know there are extenders, but again its all kinda too far above my paygrade to set up i think. I’d rather hook into our own wifi connection, as it’d be safer I think, but i just didn’t udnerstand how to set it up