AT&T Enables Wireless Mobile Hotspot for iOS 4.3 Users

[MacRumors]

Photo from @reeldigitalpro

One of the distinguishing features of the Verizon iPhone was the new ability for iPhones to act as a mobile wireless hotspot for other devices. This allowed customers to use their iPhone's data connection to share internet with up to 5 Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as your laptop or iPad.

While AT&T hasn't publicly committed yet to providing the same wireless hotspot functionality to iOS users, we've known that iOS 4.3 (currently in beta) adds this functionality to the OS. It's simply up to each individual carrier to decide to support it. AT&T did announce support for such a mobile hotspot for other smartphones starting on February 13th, opening the door for iOS support soon behind.

One report today claimed that AT&T was just starting to offer this specifically, but many iOS 4.3 beta users are reporting that the mobile wireless hotspot simply started working with their existing tethering plans. This sort of transparent upgrade for existing tethering customers would make sense as the fees for AT&T's mobile hotspot service are identical to the tethering plans ($20/month, 2GB additional data).

iOS 4.3 hasn't yet been released to the public. It was originally expected to be released already, but now most signs point to late February.

Article Link: AT&T Activating Wireless Mobile Hotspot for iOS 4.3 Users?

 

[Fresh1]

Sharing your connection on EDGE? Is that... right?

 

[Aquaporin]

I hate that I pay for 2GB of bandwidth already, and I cannot use that for tethering. The device is capable, and the throughput is the same. 4.3 is not a good upgrade.

 

[RonHC]

yet 4GB isn't enough....

 

[Foxer]

More evidence that competition in market benefits everyone.

It would be nice if this would be available without having to have a tethering contract, but I doubt that will happen.

 

[eff pc]

Sharing your connection on EDGE? Is that... right?

Yes...seems kinda pointless. Now instead of draining just your phone battery you can drain your laptop battery too.

 

[DeLoMan]

I set up my Mobile Hotspot on AT&T the day that iOS 4.3 beta 3 was released. Been working fine for me for weeks...not sure why this is "news."

 

[wordoflife]

It would be surprising if AT&T didn't do this.

 

[Mr. Gates]

They need to make this free.

Otherwise,....Well I'm not stupid with my money.

I'm sure it will attract quite a few that are, and those sheeple can easily be convinced something else is better ,...Like Verizon.

AT&T needs to give Unlimited Data to those who paid for it and have a contract for it.

Stop with the Bu11$#iT

 

[crisss1205]

Um, I have been using this for a while.

Here is proof.

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/11715887/

 

[TheyCallMeSaint]

They need to make this free.

Otherwise,....Well I'm not stupid with my money.

I'm sure it will attract quite a few that are, and those sheeple can easily be convinced something else is better ,...Like Verizon.

AT&T needs to give Unlimited Data to those who paid for it and have a contract for it.

Stop with the Bu11$#iT

While I won't circumvent their rules via JB (sigh...stupid conscience), I am of agreement that this is messed up, especially for tiered data plans. If I purchase 2GB of data, what difference does it make to AT&T whether I use it via laptop or phone? If anything, they should encourage me to tether because I use more data which I will pay for.

 

[Michael07]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F5166b Safari/6533.18.5)

Can you connect your iPad to the mobile hot spot?

 

[crisss1205]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F5166b Safari/6533.18.5)

Can you connect your iPad to the mobile hot spot?

Yes

 

[DeLoMan]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8F5166b Safari/6533.18.5)

Can you connect your iPad to the mobile hot spot?

Yes, been doing it for weeks.

 

[Warbrain]

I set up my Mobile Hotspot on AT&T the day that iOS 4.3 beta 3 was released. Been working fine for me for weeks...not sure why this is "news."

Came here to say this.

This isn't news, this has been expected and known. It's just that no one was stupid enough to think that no one else knew.

Then again, these are probably the same people who think they know how antennas work.

 

[Moyank24]

Would only be worth it if they let us keep our unlimited data. No way am I downgrading my plan for it.

 

[Warbrain]

Would only be worth it if they let us keep our unlimited data. No way am I downgrading my plan for it.

How often do you come close to 4 GB?

 

[Mattsasa]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_6 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8E200 Safari/6533.18.5)

Yea it's not close!

 

[bradyloveland]

Working for me...

I have Apple's Developer Program and have been able to use AT&T's tethering over Mobile HotSpot since installing iOS 4.3 beta 3 without any problems. It seems to work great and is much nicer than having to use USB or Bluetooth. Also, I received a confirmation from AT&T for the 4GB data instead of the alloted 2gb as well as getting the free 1000 roll over minutes and switching to the Mobile to AnyMobile. I think AT&T is really trying hard to keep their iPhone users from moving.

 

[Warbrain]

I have Apple's Developer Program and have been able to use AT&T's tethering over Mobile HotSpot since installing iOS 4.3 beta 3 without any problems. It seems to work great and is much nicer than having to use USB or Bluetooth. Also, I received a confirmation from AT&T for the 4GB data instead of the alloted 2gb as well as getting the free 1000 roll over minutes and switching to the Mobile to AnyMobile. I think AT&T is really trying hard to keep their iPhone users from moving.

It's a given that they're trying to keep their existing customers. They know longer have you locked up.

 

[zorinlynx]

Is personal hotspot a separately configured feature from tethering itself?

That would be stupid if it were. Apple should have just added it without carrier approval. What is AT&T going to do, stop supporting the iPhone? That'd be the end of them.

Apple no longer has to give into AT&T's insistence on controlling features on the phone.

 

[Mattsasa]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_6 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8E200 Safari/6533.18.5)

I use about 4gb in a week

 

[Warbrain]

Is personal hotspot a separately configured feature from tethering itself?

That would be stupid if it were. Apple should have just added it without carrier approval. What is AT&T going to do, stop supporting the iPhone? That'd be the end of them.

Apple no longer has to give into AT&T's insistence on controlling features on the phone.

The tethering section has been renamed to Personal Hotspot. There is nothing to be separately configured outside of your carrier allowing it and having it activated on the carrier file. Add tethering from AT&T and you have Personal Hotspot. Seems that a carrier has to support it or not. They can't piecemeal how you tether with the iPhone.

 

[Warbrain]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_6 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8E200 Safari/6533.18.5)

I use about 4gb in a week

If you use 4 GB of data in a week you're doing something wrong or against AT&T's ToS.

 

[Moyank24]

How often do you come close to 4 GB?

I can come pretty close watching Yankees games every night at work using the MLB app during baseball season. And that's just my phone. Forget about using the hotspot for my iPad at work.