AT&T Continues to Delay U.S. iPhone Tethering Due to Concerns About Network Performance

[MacRumors]

Despite including internet tethering as a feature in iPhone 3.0, U.S. AT&T customers have yet to have the feature enabled. Engadget got a comment from AT&T about the absent feature. The response cites high traffic usage that could hamper network performance:

iPhone tethering has the potential to exponentially increase traffic, and we need to ensure that we're able to deliver excellent performance for the feature – over and above the increases in data traffic we're already seeing – before we will offer the feature.

Tethering is the process of using your iPhone as a wireless internet modem for your other devices such as your laptop.

Article Link: AT&T Continues to Delay U.S. iPhone Tethering Due to Concerns About Network Performance

 

[jav6454]

I bet once the network has an updated backhaul it will be allowed, but not now.

 

[og1]

I bet once the network has an updated backhaul it will be allowed, but not now.

i doubt it will ever be free though

 

[GeekLawyer]

This is the biggest black eye for AT&T going. (Certainly not the only - but the biggest.)

i doubt it will ever be free though

I would never expect it to be free. That's not a reasonable expectation.

 

[noservice2001]

someone should tether an iPad to a MacBook... that'd be great...

 

[jav6454]

i doubt it will ever be free though

Almost every carrier that allows it charges for it, why should AT&T not charge for the service?

 

[mikethebigo]

You know, I would gladly pay AT&T for legal tethering. But since they make it impossible, I have to jailbreak and do it over their network anyway, but for free. This does not make sense to me.

 

[kingofwale]

and is AT&T actually actively updating its network to offer this service?

I smell BS all over this.

And I blame Apple, if iPhone were on another network, I will guarantee you AT&T will offer tethering the next day

 

[tomegun]

This is the biggest black eye for AT&T going. (Certainly not the only - but the biggest.)

I disagree. The biggest black eye is when I'm on my way home and have three failed calls on my iPhone. I say fix that, before you allow tethering. Oh, I live in Las Vegas so it isn't a small town and it isn't a town where tall buildings are a reason for dropped/failed calls.

 

[alphaod]

Almost every carrier that allows it charges for it, why should AT&T not charge for the service?

Right now T-Mobile allows tethering and they don't charge extra for it. Of course the US T-Mobile is not an iPhone SP, but for other phones they allow tethering.

 

[jav6454]

Right now T-Mobile allows tethering and they don't charge extra for it. Of course the US T-Mobile is not an iPhone SP, but for other phones they allow tethering.

Ah yes, T-Mobile, only carrier with clean pipes and fast connections. Also, the only budget carrier that isn't sinking. Wish the iPhone would support that 1700 MHz band

 

[ebd.i.am]

Wheres the Verizon iphone already? I'm sure they would allow tethering right off the bat..

 

[gibbz]

Looks like when Ralph De La Vega said tethering was coming "soon", he really meant "not anytime soon."

 

[darbus69]

gladly...

would I pay a REASONABLE fee for a tethering feature, my iPhone should be a hot spot for my other Internet devices. My Clearwire is weak and slow and paying two companies for access is rediculous. Seems no matter how we beg ATT to reach deeper in our pockets, they refuse to step up to the plate...

 

[al256]

iPhone 4.0 will be released and there will be no tethering from AT&T... I'd need a time machine to go back months ago to find the punchline for this joke.

 

[msavwah]

They have until the new iPhone is released for me.

Either they provide a reasonable solution, iPhone goes to carriers that do, or I start shopping around for a new phone and wireless company. Had enough of the exclusive crap.

They have no problem selling additional plans to iPad users, truly unlimited ones.

If they can't handle the iPhone then Apple needs to spread it out across multiple carriers.

Sprint and Verizon have a hot feature with phone as a modem and it is luring a lot of iPad wifi users.
Ironic that people will ditch their iPhone due to their iPad.
Apple has to realize this and do something different.

iPhone on Sprint would be the biggest news of the summer.

 

[LanPhantom]

Just get on with it

We've been waiting long enough. Charge us 10.00 bucks a month, who cares. use the money to beef up your network. Just make it available.

Come On!

 

[louis Fashion]

Verizon?

Right now T-Mobile allows tethering and they don't charge extra for it. Of course the US T-Mobile is not an iPhone SP, but for other phones they allow tethering.

If Verizon gets the iPhone will they have the capacity for tethering? Or is there a technical problem with Verizon system?

 

[goldenlotus]

Tethering will come with 4g. The new network is built to handle it. You can already see the beginning of REAL mobile internet with the MiFi and Sprint Overdrive devices. 3g doesn't have enough bandwidth for a good web experience.

 

[GeekLawyer]

If Verizon gets the iPhone will they have the capacity for tethering? Or is there a technical problem with Verizon system?

The problem would be the same problem for all Verizon data use - you wouldn't be able to tether and talk at the same time. It's a limitation, as I understand it, of the CDMA technology that is used on their cell network. To me this would render tethering useless if you couldn't use data while also talking on the phone.

 

[jav6454]

If Verizon gets the iPhone will they have the capacity for tethering? Or is there a technical problem with Verizon system?

Verizon won't happen anytime soon. So either keep waiting or switch already.

 

[jbuck777]

Rogers doesnt charge any extra

Almost every carrier that allows it charges for it, why should AT&T not charge for the service?

Rogers doesnt charge any extra for tethering...it's included with any data plan 1GB and bigger.

I have the 6GB data plan (they had it for 30 bucks a month). Tethering often, and using many bandwidth intensive web service, I have yet to come within a gig of my cap.

just a question - I have heard that AT&T has a "fine print' cap on the supposed Unlimited data plan. 5 gigs or so was the fair use cap?

 

[Alisstar]

I think AT&T is full of excuses. Will most people who have iPhones use this feature? I think not. I first enabled this feature (via a hack) thinking I would take advantage of it. I proved myself wrong. I used it about two times at the most and only for a really short period of time. I think most users would probably fall in the same category. They'll have it in case one is ever in the need for it, but most will not use use it or abuse it enough to cause considerable haul to their network.

 

[louis Fashion]

Thanks

They have until the new iPhone is released for me.

Either they provide a reasonable solution, iPhone goes to carriers that do, or I start shopping around for a new phone and wireless company. Had enough of the exclusive crap.

They have no problem selling additional plans to iPad users, truly unlimited ones.

If they can't handle the iPhone then Apple needs to spread it out across multiple carriers.

Sprint and Verizon have a hot feature with phone as a modem and it is luring a lot of iPad wifi users.
Ironic that people will ditch their iPhone due to their iPad.
Apple has to realize this and do something different.

iPhone on Sprint would be the biggest news of the summer.

thank you, you answered my question.

 

[jav6454]

Rogers doesnt charge any extra for tethering...it's included with any data plan 1GB and bigger.

I have the 6GB data plan (they had it for 30 bucks a month). Tethering often, and using many bandwidth intensive web service, I have yet to come within a gig of my cap.

just a question - I have heard that AT&T has a "fine print' cap on the supposed Unlimited data plan. 5 gigs or so was the fair use cap?

I said other carriers, not all of them. Also, there is no fine print on the iPhone unlimited plan, it is an unlimited plan with no 5GB limit. The 5GB limit is a cap for Laptop Connect cards or data tethering enabled phones.

Also, Rogers charges much more for that +1GB data plan don't they?

thank you, you answered my question.

Inflated your hopes with falsehood. Sprint isn't getting it either. If any one gets it, is T-Mobile due to them being already GSM.