AT&T Confirms Personal Hotspot Support Alongside March 11th iOS 4.3 Launch

[scirica]

Even if I were considering going back to unjailbroken on iOS 4.3, this one feature would drive me to jailbreak. I'm sure the dev of TetherMe will unlock this for us and we will get to use our grandfathered unlimited data plans. After all, we've been customers for a long time or we wouldn't be grandfathered.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

MyWi looks nice, but Im one of those people that would rather not jailbreak my phone. With my luck Id brick the damn thing no matter how easy it is.

Its really not that hard. The devs that work the JB really go overboard with the detailed instructions they give for JBing the iPhone. The whole process takes just a couple of minutes and as long as you don't install too many tweaks to the SB you won't see any hit in performance.

I JB my phone for four programs and that is all. I use SBSettings, LockInfo, Quick Dismiss, and MyWi and that is it. I don't do any theme tweaks or new lock screens. I like the look of iOS, but I need the added functionality. This does the job and, outside of the Cydia app in one of my folders, there are really no signs that my iPhone is jailbroken.

 

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Yup, tethering plans are an even bigger scam than text messaging plans.

Rage, rage, rage. As was said above, it is a fee to flip a 0 to a 1, but even if I'm one of the only voices saying this, there are added costs associated with this for a wireless carrier. Customers who use tethering are going to use far more data than customers who use only their phone—and that applies doubly so to many among the vocal audience here, I'll wager—and that means added costs and strain on AT&T's already taxed network. They are well within their rights to charge for this service.

Charge as much as they do? That's definitely debatable, and definitely trying to make a tidy profit from these plans. As much a ripoff as text messages? Rubbish. Text messaging is probably the most overpriced service offered by wireless carries by far.

 

[gramirez2012]

Ripoff.

 

[foiden]

It's precisely the reason I see no reason to do At&ts tethering. It's double dipping, plain and simple. They just mask the extra 2GB into it because they want to force you to pay extra. It's still trying to make you pay more for the bandwidth you already purchased. More of a shame because these companies can't even be competitive with MiFi devices with at least as many features with less hassle.

Whether I tether or not, I'm still going to use a decent amount of 2GB each month, I just would like a choice of which device I do it with. All iPhone 4 users have access to netflix, stanza, and YouTube. They're already going to use much of the bandwidth they already paid for. Unlike many other phones, it's too late to worry about how much they use when enough services already use it just the same.

 

[Small White Car]

Tethering fees should be criminal. Should the water company charge me extra for every faucet I have in my house? Should the power company charge me for every outlet?

If I'm sitting at the airport and I'd rather view the data I'm paying for on a 10" screen instead of a 4" screen, why should I have to pay extra for that?

Rubbish.

Are you prepared for the basic plan to go from $25 to $40?

They based that $25 price on the fact that most people use less than 1 GB of their 2 GB. Turn on tethering and EVERYONE will start using all 2 GB. So, of course, the price will go up.

Me? I prefer to have a cheaper plan available for those who don't need tethering. You'd force everyone to pay for it.

I say 'no thanks' to that idea. Everyone who wants "tethering to be free" is really just asking me to pay more. Screw that, I'm not interested in paying more so you can tether.

 

[Michael CM1]

2gb?!?!!?

That will get me absolutely no where. I would not even be able to stream a single HD movie on my iPad, with my iPhone as a hotspot. Lets try oh I dont know 20gb to start!

If you're talking about through Netflix, you might wanna recheck that. First, I doubt Netflix will stream HD to an iPad. Second, I streamed a video to my iPhone a couple of times this month, and the data usage was 100MB or 200MB for about an hour or so. Streaming videos aren't nearly as big as ones you download. If they were, nobody would be able to use the Internet during peak Netflix usage hours.

 

[bbplayer5]

when is the FCC going to step in and stop these companies from raping us?

 

[DFierce]

It is amazing that majority of people still don't understand for things like this that pricing is based on what people will actually use and not what is available.

With hotspot usage, the average user will use significantly more bandwidth, thus AT&T's costs will go up significantly. Thus they charge more money for it. It is pretty simple, but this concept has befuddled most people here forever and I am not sure why.

What? Based on what exactly?

I find the whole thing astounding. I have tethering on my HTC. It runs through the typical data on my phone. It's not using any different type of service, so I don't see why there should be an extra charge!

 

[caccamolle]

Yup, tethering plans are an even bigger scam than text messaging plans.

or cable TV !!!

Indeed these are huge scams, traps and an insult to our intelligence.

Problem is: people continue to buy buy buy buy.

I gor rid of cable now 2 years ago, one of the best decisions ever.

How much do we really really need to text ? especially considering we are paying for data anyway and could use email.

So yes, all scams, but if people don't start saying no....

 

[slffl]

Awesome! Now I have to decide whether to get the 3G iPad 2 or go this route.

 

[grmatt]

Tethering fees should be criminal. Should the water company charge me extra for every faucet I have in my house? Should the power company charge me for every outlet?

If I'm sitting at the airport and I'd rather view the data I'm paying for on a 10" screen instead of a 4" screen, why should I have to pay extra for that?

Rubbish.

Yep.

 

[seamuskrat]

Legacy unlimited Plan

I called AT&T and they cannot answer this.

Anyone have a valid source that clarifies if I have the exisiting unlimited data plan (as iPhone first gen user who upgraded) and add a tether plan I can keep the grandfathered unlimited data?

At present I am clocking in a bit over 2 gigs, so a cap would be costly. Yet I would love the opportunity to tether/hotspot.


More importantly, can the iPhone 4 hotspot feature be used without a plan to make a small local wifi adhoc network? i.e. a simple group for a wifi game matchup at lunch. Will it make a local ad hoc network and not need 3G at all?

 

[Cynicalone]

When AT&T started offering tethering, I was able to drop my laptop connect card and add tethering.

Last month after the Verizon iPhone launched they doubled my data limit to 4GB. Now they are adding Mobile Hot Spot at no additional charge. I don't see how this is a bad thing. More features for the same price.

My AT&T bill went down 60 dollars a month when I was able to drop my laptop card. To me AT&T has done a lot to stay competitive with Verizon.

 

[LagunaSol]

They based that $25 price on the fact that most people use less than 1 GB of their 2 GB. Turn on tethering and EVERYONE will start using all 2 GB. So, of course, the price will go up.

Based on what evidence exactly? I only use one device at a time. I use my iPad in lieu of my iPhone when I can, not in addition to.

The amount of data streaming to my 4" device is exactly the same as the amount of data streaming to my 10" device. It's just being displayed on a larger screen.

And to argue that AT&T would have to charge extra just because everyone would use "all 2 GB" they are already paying for is absurd.

"Here's 2 GB of data for $25/month. Oh wait, you're actually going to use all 2 GB? Then that will be $45/month."

 

[canyonblue737]

For $45 I can get unlimited from Clear.

But you can't get the iPhone can you?

 

[Cynicalone]

I called AT&T and they cannot answer this.

Anyone have a valid source that clarifies if I have the exisiting unlimited data plan (as iPhone first gen user who upgraded) and add a tether plan I can keep the grandfathered unlimited data?

At present I am clocking in a bit over 2 gigs, so a cap would be costly. Yet I would love the opportunity to tether/hotspot.


More importantly, can the iPhone 4 hotspot feature be used without a plan to make a small local wifi adhoc network? i.e. a simple group for a wifi game matchup at lunch. Will it make a local ad hoc network and not need 3G at all?

No you have to drop the Unlimited plan and go to the Data Pro Plan. When you add tethering your cap goes up to 4GB.

 

[CylonGlitch]

It is amazing that majority of people still don't understand for things like this that pricing is based on what people will actually use and not what is available.

With hotspot usage, the average user will use significantly more bandwidth, thus AT&T's costs will go up significantly. Thus they charge more money for it. It is pretty simple, but this concept has befuddled most people here forever and I am not sure why.

Except if you are playing for 2GB of data, but only using 200mb per month, they don't credit you for the data you didn't use. Thus it should be your choice if you want to use up that 2GB or not and if you want to do so using tethering, then you should be allowed to; you paid for it. If you use MORE then your plan will allow, then you should have to pay the overages (and yes, they should be steep to encourage you to either not do that or move to a higher plan).

If you were to look at your data usage the last day of your billing cycle, figure out how much of the 2GB you didn't use, and then go download a video of that length, they wouldn't complain. But you had better not allow your computer to download that same video via your phone because, in some way, that's costs another $45 per month.

Just think of how much more money they would make if they would just enable tethering for ALL data plans (unlimited is gone besides grandfathered people -- and yes, maybe they shouldn't be allowed to tether because at the time of signing the unlimited contract they didn't offer tethering) and then collecting all those overage charges from people who aren't paying attention. Charge something like $5/mb overage; just think of how much that would bring in. Offer the sample plans and maybe a few more, 4gb/month, 8gb/month for additional fees.

 

[whatever]

Complain on Twitter, get #AT&TGorgesiPhone trending!

People if you really want to be heard.

I recommend you start protesting on Twitter.

AT&T is on twitter as @att.

Making AT&T Gorge Customers a trending topic, will get more attention then moaning about it here.

This did wonders for me with Comcast.

Use #AT&TGorgesiPhone in your tweet.

Let's see what happens.

 

[Mark Booth]

Anyone have a valid source that clarifies if I have the exisiting unlimited data plan (as iPhone first gen user who upgraded) and add a tether plan I can keep the grandfathered unlimited data?

If you add tethering to your AT&T plan, you MUST give up unlimited data.

This has been confirmed in the press, in these forums, and in conversations I've personally had with AT&T reps.

Mark

 

[aristobrat]

when is the FCC going to step in and stop these companies from raping us?

When they feel that it's become a legitimate issue.

 

[GLS]

I called AT&T and they cannot answer this.

Anyone have a valid source that clarifies if I have the exisiting unlimited data plan (as iPhone first gen user who upgraded) and add a tether plan I can keep the grandfathered unlimited data?

At present I am clocking in a bit over 2 gigs, so a cap would be costly. Yet I would love the opportunity to tether/hotspot.

I'm in the same boat as well......I don't mind paying the extra $20 per month, but not at the expense of losing my grandfathered unlimited plan....


EDIT:

If you add tethering to your AT&T plan, you MUST give up unlimited data.

This has been confirmed in the press, in these forums, and in conversations I've personally had with AT&T reps.

Mark

****.

 

[caccamolle]

It is amazing that majority of people still don't understand for things like this that pricing is based on what people will actually use and not what is available.

With hotspot usage, the average user will use significantly more bandwidth, thus AT&T's costs will go up significantly. Thus they charge more money for it. It is pretty simple, but this concept has befuddled most people here forever and I am not sure why.

It never stops amazing me how people make assertions without obviousy having a clue of what their talking about.

Hold on, may be you work for AT&T ?

While I see no reason why there should be a substantial increase in bandwidth usage, even if there were it's clearly a scam.

The whole industry is a scam in the US anyway. even in Africa they have better service for less. Ok, you can go to Europe, and the service is infinitely superior and less expensive.

And how much data do we really use anyhow at the pathetic speeds of these 3G networks (well I am speaking for the NYC area, truly a scam how bad it is here) ?

We are paying very significant amounts for network's theoretical performance which in practice we never even get close to, if it works at all. Yet, we pay pay pay, but the service does not at all work work work !!!!

Please be serious, inform yourself.

 

[Mark Booth]

Here's a plan I could get behind 100%:

$50 a month for 10GB of data and let me use it any damn way I want.

I would be willing to give up unlimited data for that plan.

Mark

 

[canyonblue737]

I understand the arguments of not enough data, too high a price etc. but I do want to make a few counterpoints...

1. AT&T's prices are in line with major competitors such as Verizon with either their iPhone or highend smartphones.

2. AT&T now offers an extra 2GB with the data plan which can be used by any device including the phone itself. I could for example do 1GB on the phone, 3GB via tethering or 3GB on the phone, 1GB on tethering.

3. This is a $15.83 savings per month compared to buying a 3G iPad for $130 extra up front plus $25 vs. $20 per month in 3G fees, plus again has the added flexibility of a 4GB pool of data vs. 2GB/2GB split.

Jailbreaking of course solves all of this but if you don't want to jailbreak...