Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Switching from 2 gb to 4 gb tethering on iPhone 4 (for iPad)

B

blueprint1983

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 4, 2007
299
0
Missouri
I just bought a 64 gb iPad 1 from the AT&T refurb store/premier and I currently have an unlimited plan for my iPhone 4. I plan on downgrading to the iPhone 2 gb plan and use tethering on my iPad 64 wifi/3G for situations where I really need it.

Basically, I want to find out how seamless it is going from the 2 Gig plan to the 4 Gig tethering plan and back to 2 Gig via the ATT iPhone app. I mean, will it take awhile for it to update to the account or is it something that takes a full business day?

The reason I'm asking is because I'd only have to pay the pro-rated 4 Gig tethering plan for when I want to use my iPad for tethering.

If any of this is a bit foggy I can clarify it.

FYI, the most data I've used to date is just under 2 gigs but it'll go up when I use the iPad for tethering.
 
Hmm, this is good to know. I did not realize you could turn the tethering on and off like that, but have always wondered if you could. How do they charge you? Is it pro-rated for only the data you use in a month?
 
ScoutDad said:
Hmm, this is good to know. I did not realize you could turn the tethering on and off like that, but have always wondered if you could. How do they charge you? Is it pro-rated for only the data you use in a month?
Click to expand...

It's pro-rated and comes out to about $0.66 a day ($20 divided by 30 days)
 
saving107 said:
It's pro-rated and comes out to about $0.66 a day ($20 divided by 30 days)
Click to expand...

Wow! That's great. I only need it occasionally on my iPad and like most folks (it seems) I'm only using about 1GB of my unlimited data plan on the iphone 4 a month. Seems like a no brainer and it will be nice to have connectivity with my Wi-Fi iPad when I need it. Thanks of the info.
 
I'm considering the same thing, but don't want to lose my unlimited plan on my iPhone 4. 4gb is plenty for now (my max ever with tethering was 2.2gb), but never know in the future if 4gb will not be enough. Hmmmmm.......
 
Phil-82 said:
From what I know, those unlimited plans are going out soon and are pretty rare. You should keep it, jailbreak your ip4, and ipad 2 (soon) and set up a mywi bluetooth on demand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R0kzsE6O2I
Click to expand...

An even better idea is to simply jailbreak your iPhone, install TetherMe ($5 vs $20 for MyWi) which will unlock the built-in Personal Hotspot feature in IOS 4.3.

All you have to do is pair the iPhone to the (non-jailbroken) iPad, and then on the iphone turn on Personal Hotspot, and select "USB and and Bluetooth only", and on the iPad go to Settings / General / Bluetooth and tap on your iPhone to connect. This works great, the connection never drops (as long as the 2 devices stay within 30' or so), and uses much less battery than creating WI-Fi network with iPhone.

Think twice before you give up your unlimited data plan!
 
Snide said:
An even better idea is to simply jailbreak your iPhone, install TetherMe ($5 vs $20 for MyWi) which will unlock the built-in Personal Hotspot feature in IOS 4.3.

All you have to do is pair the iPhone to the (non-jailbroken) iPad, and then on the iphone turn on Personal Hotspot, and select "USB and and Bluetooth only", and on the iPad go to Settings / General / Bluetooth and tap on your iPhone to connect. This works great, the connection never drops (as long as the 2 devices stay within 30' or so), and uses much less battery than creating WI-Fi network with iPhone.

Think twice before you give up your unlimited data plan!
Click to expand...

yeah, but the thing is, i jailbroke my phone and the ONLY thing I used was MyWii for the jailbreak reason. It's annoying to not update your phone and go through all the loops and hurdles for something that's a measley .66 cents a day. I still have my unlimited but ATT is doing a great job of convincing me why I don't really need it.

-I use a max of 1.5-2 gigs a month, averaging 500 megs over 6 months.
-I don't think i'd go over 4 gigs even with an ipad since I have wifi everywhere.
-Jailbreaking is over-rated and is too much work for me - I only utilize jailbreak features 1-2 a month (tethering).

I switched my sister's unlimited to 2 gigs last night, now it's my turn hah.
 
saving107 said:
It's pro-rated and comes out to about $0.66 a day ($20 divided by 30 days)
Click to expand...

Along with prorating the price, don't they also prorate data? If you switch plans, you could potentially go over your prorated amount of data, even if you're still under your 2 or 4 gb cap for the month.
 
svenn said:
Along with prorating the price, don't they also prorate data? If you switch plans, you could potentially go over your prorated amount of data, even if you're still under your 2 or 4 gb cap for the month.
Click to expand...

So basically, 133 megs a day are added if you add tethering for one day.
 
I am guessing that you are looking for tethering for more like trips and such. Verses needing to do it on a day to basis.

For myself, I switched to the 4gb tether plan and kept it there for my iPad 2. I use the tether plan daily during my lunches and such. I would rather keep it than trust switching day in and day out.
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
I am guessing that you are looking for tethering for more like trips and such. Verses needing to do it on a day to basis.

For myself, I switched to the 4gb tether plan and kept it there for my iPad 2. I use the tether plan daily during my lunches and such. I would rather keep it than trust switching day in and day out.
Click to expand...

yeah, pretty much, I still gotta man up and get rid of my unlimited data to get the 4 gig though :(
 
I had thought about doing the same thing but thought about it and decided I rather be safe than sorry.

Another thing to think about is iCloud and how you plan to use it if any. I've recently found the joys of DropBox and sure I'll be using iCloud to move things around. As long as I'm at home it won't be a problem but the times I do travel and stay at a hotel I always tether. I don't use public wifi

I don't tether often with MyWi but decided to wait till I show up on AT&T radar.
 
blueprint1983 said:
So basically, 133 megs a day are added if you add tethering for one day.
Click to expand...

Actually, you're only buying 67mb, as you already have a 2gb plan on your phone. The 133mb is the combination of both your iphone plan and your one-day tethering plan, spread across both devices.

In general it's a nice concept, but linearizing data use is just not practical. 4gb in a month is a lot, but assumes I may use 500mb some days, and little to none others. I don't understand the desire to buy 67mb, with the risk of overages if I decide to download a TV show or something.

Either way, I'll stick to my unlimited iphone and unlimited ipad plans. This just seems like a recipe for problems...
 
Yeah, that's the dilemma I face - give up my unlimited data plan to get the hot spot/tether feature that I'll occasionally use with my iPad or JB my iphone 4? Currently, I am not a heavy data user, but I guess that could change once I start to tether to my iPad. Seems to be many pros and cons to both..........
 
ScoutDad said:
Yeah, that's the dilemma I face - give up my unlimited data plan to get the hot spot/tether feature that I'll occasionally use with my iPad or JB my iphone 4? Currently, I am not a heavy data user, but I guess that could change once I start to tether to my iPad. Seems to be many pros and cons to both..........
Click to expand...

I am going to keep unlimited data for my iphone but I'm going to play this 3G tethering by ear and see how often I'd come across the situations where id' actually use it. There's no reason to jump off the unlimited bandwagon or jailbreak my iphone, i've already jailbroken my iphone and restored it because i only used mywii 5 times during that jailbreak period and that was the only reason i j/b it.
 
blueprint1983 said:
Basically, I want to find out how seamless it is going from the 2 Gig plan to the 4 Gig tethering plan and back to 2 Gig via the ATT iPhone app. I mean, will it take awhile for it to update to the account or is it something that takes a full business day?
Click to expand...

Has anybody tried to swap back and forth between the 200MB and 4GB plan? That is, a two step upgrade: 200MB --> 2GB --> 4GB... and back when you are done.

jdg
 
I also have unlimited data on my iphone 3g and my wife has iphone 4 with 2gb/month and we both are on family plan. Can we use her 2gb/month and tether that plan instead of me giving up my unlimited?

Do I have to call ATT to get into tethering or can I do it through the ATT iPhone app from the iphone itself.

Do I have to go to settings and change anything on the ipad and also the iphone.
 
i-sidd said:
I also have unlimited data on my iphone 3g and my wife has iphone 4 with 2gb/month and we both are on family plan. Can we use her 2gb/month and tether that plan instead of me giving up my unlimited?

Do I have to call ATT to get into tethering or can I do it through the ATT iPhone app from the iphone itself.

Do I have to go to settings and change anything on the ipad and also the iphone.
Click to expand...

Can we use her 2gb/month and tether that plan instead of me giving up my unlimited?

NO. Only on 4 gig plans is tethering allowed, legally.

Do I have to call ATT to get into tethering or can I do it through the ATT iPhone app from the iphone itself.

ATT iPhone app will allow you to do it, nearly instantaneously.
 
Personally I think ATT will use the treat of 'unauthorized' tethering as a way of getting people off the unlimited plan... Come a 4G iPhone I think they will mandate that you have to use a 'tiered' plan or if they are really nice or able to technologically cap you at 3G speeds... Again just my two cents for what it's worth. I believe ios5 may stop 'some' of us using jailbreaks, for me it would be 3G use of FaceTime!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back