AT&T confirmed yesterday that they will be supporting the Personal Hotspot feature that already is available to Verizon iPhone 4 customers with the release of the iOS 4.3 software on March 11th. To enable this feature you will need to subscribe to the DataPro Hotspot/Tethering plan which carries a $45 per month fee. For that you will get 4GB of data to share between your normal data usage, tethering, and the Hotspot feature.
At least AT&T did not make you wait for this feature as they did with tethering feature that made it's debut around the word with iOS 3.0. So how many of you will are will to fork over some extra hard earned cash for this feature? And for those of you with grandfathered into unlimited iPhone data, are you willing to give that up?
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Personal Hotspot with iOS 4.3 coming to AT&T on March 11th
This is my grill. I love it. Take a close look at it and note the thoughtfulness of the design. Weber's team could probably work for Apple.
Ok I spoke to AT&T and I was told if you have UNLIMITED data, then this service is FREE! So I guess we will find out March 11.
Cancel my last post, I spoke to a manager and he said You have to choose to keep your unlimited data or get $45 hotspot plan which gives you only 4GB
Stick with unlimited and PDAnet. Was just in the hospital with crappy wifi. Used my ip4 to connect xbox to live and netflix. 10gb over 4 days.
I will never surrender my grandfathered unlimited data. NEVER...unless they come out with a deal better than unlimited....
:lol:
I don't want to jailbreak... And I'm not giving up my unlimited data, either. I wish they have a pay as you need it type of plan. I'll be using the wifi mostly, but I want the comfort of knowing that I have the 3g avail if needed. sighs
I understand. You've been institutionalized as you think you wouldn't be able to function effectively beyond the jailed confines of Apple's iOS prison. You like being told what to do and how to do it as well as being limited with your choices. I truly understand. Lemmings will always be lemmings, afterall. ;)
I might consider paying a monthly fee to add tethering/hotspot to my unlimited plan. I will never pay for tethering/hotspot on a limited plan, since I am already paying for the data stream - they just want me to pay an additional amount to tell me how I can use the data stream.
MyWi for the win. Although AT&T does have a point about the airports. Most are fine but the wifi at the Phoenix Arizona airport is almost as slow as EDGE... Maybe they have improved it but when I was there in November MyWi saved my life haha.
As already said. No way. Mywi for the win. Not gonna pay att for less data.
Has Verizon made their iPad plans available yet? If they really want to stick it to AT&T they should offer an unlimited plan for the iPad. There's no bragging that you can do data and voice on a data only device.
I have a wifi only iPad and had hoped to use it with iPhone tethering on the rare occassions I am out wifi range. To me losing unlimited Data is not worth it. At this point, I am seriously considering a switch to Verizon when my plan comes up in June. The only thing I would miss would be the rollover. I am also considering a Verizon Hotspot. The service is a little pricey but I would have to worry about killing the battery in the iPhone.
In addition to MiWi, check out TetherMe. Much, much cheaper & same result.
Maybe I should look into trying to get a Rogers plan from the US? They off it free...
So I have an iPhone 4. I want to get the 3g version. Can I use the tethering function on my iPhone and just get the WiFi version of the Ipad. I realize I would have a total capacity of 4gb to use for the month for 45 correct?
I think I got this right
Qucik clarification. I want to get the 3g iPad version. Maybe there is no point if I get the tethering option?
Thats BS....i don't see many people giving up their UNLIMITED data plan for a 4GB data plan!
I'm so sick and tired of these communication co's looking for ways to rip us off! It's just a matter of time before AT&T and Verizon start looking for new ways to steal each others customers.
Apple would do their customers a huge favor by bringing Sprint into the mix. Long live competition.
Give up my unlimited? Hell to tha no.
I am paying 30 dollars for unlimited data and have a hard time paying more for less data. Maybe the iphone will go to T-Mobile where I would get unlimited data even with tethering.
Putting aside issues of having to give up unlimited to get a tethering plan, I don't like that you have to pay an additional charge for tethering. That said, I suppose that if they allowed tethering on the $25 plan and you went over 3GB you'd be paying the same $45, anyway. So what this pricing does is to get extra $ from those people who want to occasionally tether and don't really need the 4GB package. Rogers (in Canada) has a better approach, just offer tethering as a feature of the existing data package.
Focusing on a different issue... I know a lot of people will consider getting the hotspot on their iPhone and use it to serve up internet to the iPad. On the surface, this seems like it makes a lot of sense... $45 for 4GB rathern than $25 twice for 2 separate 2GB packages (one on phone, one on iPad). BUT - using this approach can have unintended consequences... Once the iPad is on a WiFi system, it won't automatically look for a different one unless the first signal drops. This means that you could be tethered to your cell phone, walk into your house where you have your own WiFi set up, but the iPad will still use the cell phone's WiFi signal, thereby giving you lower speeds AND continuing to drain your bucket. In other words, the only way this doesn't present a problem is if you are proactive in turning on and off the mobile hotspot whenever you need (or don't need) it.
Best solution I've seen is the MyWi hotspot on demand. Uses bluetooth but, more importantly, shuts off if a wifi signal becomes available. The problem, of course, is that you need to JB to use this.
Why wouldn't Apple design something like this into the iPad, seeing as how they've already created a way of marrying the iPhone and iPad?
iPad 2 + iPhone 4 + jailbreak + MyWi = WINNING!!!!
@Jason: Seriously? It costs a lot to maintain and expand a nationwide cellphone infrastructure especially in a country like the US where the population is so spread out and they are a 'for profit' company.
While it would be nice if the tethering fee was a little lower and the limit was a little higher, at least now they are giving you a higher cap in return for the tethering fee as opposed to before, which was definitely daylight robbery. It is also a better deal than Verizon's in my view as the unlimited Verizon plan is for the iPhone only and unless you're heavy on the video streaming (I am not) you're unlikely to download more than 1GB/month. With Verizon tethering the 2GB limit is a separate bucket so that's all you have. As far as I can tell with AT&T, if you only use 0.5GB on your iPhone you get the other 3.5GB for tethering. Since I have never gone over 1GB on my unlimited AT&T data plan I'm considering it for backup and travel purposes.
Is nothing free anymore jeez greedy
The first hit is always free, and once you're hooked the price always goes up.
I think not!! I may consider jailbreaking my iphone 4 when I get the iPad 2. $45 is ridamndiculous!
MyWi and I'll keep my unlimited. Thanks but no thanks AT&T
As many said, I'll just keep my unlimited plan, and get MyWi.
I've only been jailbroken for about 2wks, because I want to "unlock" (i travel to asia a lot...i want to use diff sims in my iphone 4).
I've installed zero "jailbroken" apps... maybe MyWi is a good start, and get rid of my unlimited plan on my iPad 1 (i'm still paying 29.99 a month for that)... what do you think?
and, what are some good jailbroken apps?
No.
By not pricing the the plan as an additional charge, adding a limited amount of hotspot data and capable of being added to an existing unlimited plan, they make this a "No Deal" for me. They also give me no reason to upgrade to the iPhone 4 from the 3GS and actually give me, a long time AT&T customer, a reason to jump to Verizon when my contract ends in June. Bad move AT&T.
I'm mad, I gotta pass. I refuse to lose my grandfathered in unlimited data plan.
this is a major tossup for me
I still have unlimited and it's $45/month (work reimbuses). I have never used more than 900mb/month. the data amount is finally decent at the same price
but when would I actually use it? I'm on wifi at work and home and I rarely take my laptop places. But would I more if I had tethering? If I had a wifi only tablet it would be an easy answer to get internet.
I'll stick with my pay-as-you go Virgin mobile hotspot. Granted I have to carry it with me when I take my iPad on the go but it's as small as a credit card. And this way I only pay for the service when I use it.
Not giving up my unlimited plan for that!
I'll just stick to my unlimited data and wait for a jailbreak for iOS 4.3 and get MyWi...
Pay more to give up my unlimited data plan?? NEVER. When I get my (wifi-only) iPad 2 I will finally jailbreak. Just for MyWi.
this is exactly what I am doing
I am thinking about giving up two grandfathered unlimited plans on two iphones for the 25 dollar plans and adding tethering to one. Neither one of use ever went over 1 gig of data in the 3 years I've had iphones.
Pass. MyWi for the win...
^
This
Agreed completey. MyWi+unlimited data can't be beat.