AT&T to Eventually Offer Tethering in the U.S.

[str1f3]

I hate AT&T, did you guys hear people laugh at AT&T in the Keynote lol

Phil Schiller was even making jokes about AT&T at the end of the keynote. You could also tell Scott Forstall was pissed after he said that att would come out with MMS later this year. Add that to AT&T not allowing customers to re-up for subsidized prices and att charging unsubsidized prices for phones with moisture issues.

You can tell apple can't wait to get out of it's contract soon enough.

 

[Arielnyc2006]

ATT has become too arrogant.

That is why monopolies are a bad idea, ATT to "eventually" offer tethering... They also said they will offer a no contract iphone, I am still waiting.

 

[manu chao]

France

In France, tethering for the iPhone will cost you $40/month extra for unlimited or $14/month for 200 MB/month.
In Germany, I pay $14/month for 250 MB/month using a USB dongle (+$7/month to pay off the subsidized hardware cost, they are at least transparent enough to show you how much you actually pay for the hardware. I paid, I think, $70 for the hardware at the time of purchase + 24*$7, so, in total $238.)

 

[jellomizer]

AT&T should be embarrassed.

Man AT&T really dropped the ball here. They have the opportunity and the timeing to really change things up for their advantage and they just wast it on delaying the feature (which worked on their older phones, I use to tether my Samsung Sync with AT&T for no additional cost).

This is not just a whiny I don't want to pay for it hippy talk either.

Lets look at the trends. We are in a recession right now, this is the first ressession where people are more apt to drop Lan lines then their cell phones. Most people have internet access too and are paying $30-$40 a month. Their current plan is roughly $20 a month for internet, which is fast enough for most people. Well if people are keeping their cell phones then, if they allowed tethering at no additional cost then people would drop their Cable/DSL lines and some of the dialups who are still there can finally get high speed connection for their computers.

So you can use the Internet on your PC or you Phone but carry around your internet connection in your pocket. People are moving away from Desktops and going to laptops, and some even netbooks. So this could have created some excellent growth for AT&T. However they decided for the quick term and price themselves out of the market. Sure some people will use it but not the mass market. They could have cornered the internet market but they wasted it.

 

[Anuba]

In France, tethering for the iPhone will cost you $40/month extra for unlimited or $14/month for 200 MB/month.
In Germany, I pay $14/month for 250 MB/month using a USB dongle (+$7/month to pay off the subsidized hardware cost, they are at least transparent enough to show you how much you actually pay for the hardware. I paid, I think, $70 for the hardware at the time of purchase + 24*$7, so, in total $238.)

I don't understand why tethering would cost extra at all...? You're just using the data plan you already had, what business is it of the carrier's whether the iPhone is using the bandwidth for itself or on behalf of a tethered computer? I don't see any mention of tethering costing extra on TeliaSonera's (the Scandinavian iPhone carrier) info pages and I very much doubt they'll charge extra for it. If they do intend on doing so, I'll just get a twin card for the 3G data plan I already have for the iPhone. I pay 159 SEK ($21/month) for unlimited data w/ up to 10 Mbit speed. The twin card is another $4/month, so for a total of $25/month I'll have unlimited data on the iPhone and my laptop simultaneously, without the tethering draining the battery.

 

[rednano74]

$40 for tethering. Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame.

Technology regression thanks to US Corporate greed. Can't wait until this Apple / AT&T Cabal is finished.

It is lame but guess what...stop supporting BIG FASCIST governments like the one we have now that causes the cost of goods and services to be 22% HIGHER because of government taxes on companies.

Things wouldn't cost so much...and you wouldn't bitch either.

 

[Roller]

Before I got my iPhone, I had Verizon. Reception was good, but their customer service was horrible. I couldn't wait to drop them. Now I feel the same way about AT&T, except the reception isn't quite as good. I don't know how Sprint is these days, but I used them before Verizon, and their customer service wasn't any better. Overall, cell phone service in the U.S. isn't competitive enough. Want an iPhone? You're stuck with AT&T. Want a Pre? You're stuck with Sprint (for now).

But AT&T should be embarrassed by yesterday's announcements that they won't support tethering or MMS at the outset. I don't know how active Steve Jobs has been over the past few months. But, I suspect that if he could, he'd be on his iPhone to the CEO of AT&T telling them what they could do with their cell towers (assuming he got a signal).

 

[djpic]

Whatever happened to the "partnership" that AT&T and Apple so well defined as beneficial to the iPhone. AT&T should have been the first one in line to offer tethering and MMS for the iPhone. Although if you remember correctly, it orginally was not AT&T, it was cingular. AT&T just became the carrier after purchasing cingular. I am sure if it was still cingular, it would be a whole different game. Cingular would have focused more on offering competive pricing for iPhone. AT&T is just too big.

I have a family plan with 4 iPhones. Now, if I could add unlimited tethering to all 4 iPhone for $40 a month, I am so there! But $40/mo for just one, does seem a little steap. But if I remember, didn't AT&T drop the price of the iPhone plan $10 recently? I wouldn't know being on the family plan.

 

[manu chao]

I don't understand why tethering would cost extra at all...? You're just using the data plan you already had, what business is it of the carrier's whether the iPhone is using the bandwidth for itself or on behalf of a tethered computer?

Very obviously because the typical iPhone user does not use more than 200 MB/month. When I use a 3G USB modem with my Mac, I easily use more than 200 MB per day. It would be fairer though if you could split your monthly allowance between iPhone usage and tethering. The problem however is what to do when you hit your limit. If they charge their standard rates of $1 per 10 MB, people will cry murder because it is pretty difficult to precisely control your data usage on an iPhone. If they cut you off, people will be equally pissed. In Germany they, at least they claim so, reduce your speed to GRPS levels. Annoying but one does not loose complete access to simply things like e-mail, GPS positioning etc.

 

[fratboy]

anyone wanting to tether just freaking Jailbreak .. for real.. you can tether for a ONE time 30$ fee with PDAnet which works great compaired to 40$ a month... its a no brainer

 

[blovedc]

ATT has blown a once in a lifetime opportunity

With the iPhone exclusivity contract ATT has had a chance to create extreme customer loyalty. Instead, ATT has looked at the exclusivity contract as a gold rush and is gouging its customers for as much as it can before the exclusivity contract runs out. As soon as the iPhone is not exclusive I am breaking my contract with ATT and moving carriers because ATT has give me no reason to be loyal to its service or brand other than carrying the phone that I want to use for business and pleasure. In 10 years or less business students will be reading case studies on how ATT blew it with the apple opportunity.

 

[mspman]

I'm sorry guys, I gotta lay some of the blame on Apple for this one. I think they should have set the expectation right up front that MMS and tethering were part of the iPhone and let AT&T figure it out. It's clear that AT&T's network was completely unprepared for the iPhone, and it still struggles to keep up. Apple should have been keeping closer tabs on this, and they should have the balls to cancel the contract when AT&T is not living up to its end.

 

[manu chao]

anyone wanting to tether just freaking Jailbreak .. for real.. you can tether for a ONE time 30$ fee with PDAnet which works great compaired to 40$ a month... its a no brainer

Except that you are breaching your contract with your MSP. Assume you wanted to use the build-in tethering functionality. Your MSP will block the use of it unless you pay them extra. Now you fiddle with your iPhone and circumvent their prevention. How is that not breaching the contract.

 

[shen]

It is lame but guess what...stop supporting BIG FASCIST governments like the one we have now that causes the cost of goods and services to be 22% HIGHER because of government taxes on companies.

Things wouldn't cost so much...and you wouldn't bitch either.

congrats on your epic fail of understanding in the fields of reality, government, and economics. you have earned a facepalm, and your stupidity skill has increased....

 

[jlseattle]

AT&T burning bridges with customers

It will be interesting (once AT&T isn't the sole US provider) what will happen with AT&T customers. I don't like the cell phone monopoly that AT&T has. If the iPhone was available through any cell company there would be cheaper prices for plans for customers and tethering would be included. But because AT&T has sole provider-ship they can just bend us over and we will have to take it.

 

[happydude]

this is exactly why the best thing that could happen to iphone users is if apple decides not to renew exclusivity with at&t. every other phone company is jumping to offer the iphone and having different rate plans to choose from would be good for the consumer to drive competition in pricing. as is, at&t can do whatever they want since they effectively have a monopoly on millions of iphone users.

 

[Arielnyc2006]

It will be interesting (once AT&T isn't the sole US provider) what will happen with AT&T customers. I don't like the cell phone monopoly that AT&T has. If the iPhone was available through any cell company there would be cheaper prices for plans for customers and tethering would be included. But because AT&T has sole provider-ship they can just bend us over and we will have to take it.

I remember when the iphone first came out and I heard that ATT would be the sole provider for a few years, I had a bad feeling. I knew that ATT would arrogantly gouge the customer. Even ATT knows that customers and even Apple are not too happy with them, that's why ATT is desperate to extend the exclusivity. Tmobile may be spotty in rural areas, but in major cities they are on par with ATT, things will be very different once more than one carrier offers the iphone in the US.

 

[hfletcher]

I don't understand why everyone gets so overworked-up about tethering. You can already get it for free now - PDANet! (well the http trial version anyway)
Jailbreaking is really no big issue. All it does it add another app to your iphone. It's not some big scary monster lurking in the dark....

 

[Arielnyc2006]

I don't understand why everyone gets so overworked-up about tethering. You can already get it for free now - PDANet! (well the http trial version anyway)
Jailbreaking is really no big issue. All it does it add another app to your iphone. It's not some big scary monster lurking in the dark....

Some people may be bothered by the tethering delay, but that is just one issue of many. There is a big scary monster with the mentality of a 3 year old and in its hand is the iphone, that monster is ATT. Maybe ATT is angry that they weren't able to place their software on the phone? On the other hand, can you imagine an iphone with verizon software? shudders...

 

[kas23]

It will be interesting (once AT&T isn't the sole US provider) what will happen with AT&T customers. I don't like the cell phone monopoly that AT&T has. If the iPhone was available through any cell company there would be cheaper prices for plans for customers and tethering would be included. But because AT&T has sole provider-ship they can just bend us over and we will have to take it.

I for one will be switching away from them. I see this as a "bubble", not unlike the housing bubble. People are flocking towardws AT&T right now. But, as soon as they loose exclusivity, people who be flocking away. AT&T had better make plans for a possible exodus because if they make business decisions assuming they will keep all of their current iPhone customers (for good), they will fall big time. Maybe even far enough to even bring the company down.

Some people may be bothered by the tethering delay, but that is just one issue of many. There is a big scary monster with the mentality of a 3 year old and in its hand is the iphone, that monster is ATT. Maybe ATT is angry that they weren't able to place their software on the phone? On the other hand, can you imagine an iphone with verizon software? shudders...

Correct. This is just not tethering, but the lack of 3G video streaming and no MMS. Plus, AT&T has been carrying the attitude that they have a monopoly with the iPhone (which they do) and they can treat us however they please because what are we gonna do about it??

 

[vrillusions]

another thought I just had which may have already been mentioned. Why can't we use our current "unlimited data" (read: 5gb limit) plan for tethering? if people use tethering a lot you can gouge them for going over 5gb and not even mention the $70/mo plan (trying to rationalize this in at$t money greed terms). IF I needed to tether it may be once in a few months when I'm at the car shop and I want to do work on my laptop and still have internet. $40 premium for something I may use 4 times a year isn't worth it. but is still a detriment if I was trying to convince someone to get an iphone.

Also, when reading the boygenious article about it the official wording from att appears to be they need to remove “Opt Out MMS codes”. I never opted out of receiving mms. Also could that mean if I called up att and hound them about it they can remove this "opt out mms code" from my account? I'm sure the answer is "I don't have access to that system" and they'd be unable to pass me to someone that can.

 

[Stately]

$40? Aren't their other tethering plans $30?

AT&T continues to take advantage of iPhone customers where they let customers with other phones off the hook...

Hmm . . I must agree.

 

[Stately]

I for one will be switching away from them. I see this as a "bubble", not unlike the housing bubble. People are flocking towardws AT&T right now. But, as soon as they loose exclusivity, people who be flocking away. AT&T had better make plans for a possible exodus because if they make business decisions assuming they will keep all of their current iPhone customers (for good), they will fall big time. Maybe even far enough to even bring the company down.

I don't know about bringing it down though, as much $$$ as they have milked from iphone customers already, they are pretty much set up to do whatever they want from here on out.

 

[Stately]

I don't understand why everyone gets so overworked-up about tethering. You can already get it for free now - PDANet! (well the http trial version anyway)
Jailbreaking is really no big issue. All it does it add another app to your iphone. It's not some big scary monster lurking in the dark....

It might be for some when they realize they can no longer update their phone.

 

[Anuba]

Very obviously because the typical iPhone user does not use more than 200 MB/month. When I use a 3G USB modem with my Mac, I easily use more than 200 MB per day.

Right, but if you buy an *unlimited* data plan, the understanding is that the plan is, in fact, *unlimited*. You can't sell someone an unlimited data plan and then go "oh, you're actually going to be USING it, well that changes everything".

In Sweden I can buy an iPhone without a data plan, or with a limited one, or an unlimited one. The unlimited one is $21/month. This is the exact same price as for the unlimited data plan for computers. And for another $4/month I get a second SIM card that's attached to the same plan, and pay a total of $25/month. Whether I put these cards in two 3G phones, two computers or one of each is up to me. So logically TeliaSonera couldn't possibly start charging extra for tethering. At least no more than $3/month, since $4/month will give me an extra SIM card that I can put in the computer and skip tethering altogether.