What is "tethering"?

[gamecube117]

So, I know that "tethering" means you can use your iPhone's internet on your Wifi iPad. Then why do people buy 3G iPad's when they could just "tether" from their iPhone (assuming they are iPhone users)?

And is it free to tether?

 

[-aggie-]

You answered your own first question.

No, it is not free to tether, unless you're jailbroken.

 

[gamecube117]

You answered your own first question.

No, it is not free to tether, unless you're jailbroken.

Thanks, so my description was accurate.

And how much is it to tether or is it an application? And even if it's not free, why not buy a Wifi iPad, pay the extra bucks to tether instead of paying an extra HUNDRED bucks AND a plan on top of that?

And if it's "jailbroken", is the connection fast?

 

[Aspasia]

I went with 3G because it's cheaper to buy the plan when I'm traveling and need it. WiFi covers the home area. Rather pay $30 every few months than be tied to a yearly contract.

With AT&T, you have to get the $50 monthly plan if you want a mobile hotspot or tethering. Don't know what other companies charge.

 

[xxcysxx]

Well, the 3g iPad model has a gps built in as well. It not just a plain old 3G module for another $130 bucks. So even if you wouldn't be using 3G, you still have gps operation.
And by the way, tether is free as long as you are not caught tethering. AT&T iPhones has their software that track your data usage including tether. So if you tether your device to your laptop to hog their bandwidth. They will know it. You solution is just get an unbranded phone or iPhone, like an faxtory unlocked iPhone or any other phone, it would not report back if you tether, and you wouldn't be caught.

 

[CNeufeld]

Cost depends on where you are, and what kind of plan you have. Up here with Telus, it's free to use the "Personal Hotspot" feature on my iPhone to connect a number of devices, and I've got a 5GB data plan, so I'm pretty good.

So why did I order a 4G iPad? First of all, the iPad uses LTE, and it should be a considerably faster connection than my iPhone has. Second, the LTE models have a "proper" GPS chip in them. Third, using my iPhone as a personal hotspot eats the battery like a fat kid eating candy. Oh, and fourth, I can set up a "flex plan" for my iPad that ranges from $5 to $35 per month, depending on how much data I use that month. The cell company's are finally cluing in a bit, even though I'd prefer they adjusted their tiers a bit with regards to the cost bump-ups.

C

 

[Cyberskier]

The 4G iPad gives me hotspot capability for as little as $20 a month for light usage, compared with $50 for the cheapest plan on Verizon for something like a MiFi card even if I'm hardly going to use it.

Why not tether on my phone? I can tether on my Android phone illegitimately if I want (I'm running a custom ROM), but that's something I would want to use sparingly. Getting legitimate tethering on the phone isn't an option for me since it is a company unlimited plan (no tethering on unlimited plans), and I can't force our IT guy to switch us from unlimited to a tethering plan. Plus, the phone is not 4G, and it is on AT&T, which has crappy coverage in some places to which I have travel.