It's almost criminal for Apple/AT&T to charge more for what should otherwise be free. You've paid for the hardware (iPhone) with your 2 year ball-and-chain contract and you are forking over an absolutely outrageous $70 per freaking month fee for the access. (I pay less than $60 per month for 100Mbps Fiber internet, for crying out loud.) You therefore have the right to use that hardware and access as you see fit. To make exceptions is wrong, and I would therefore encourage the innovative hacker community to do whatever it takes to see justice served in this matter. An additional $30 or even $10 a month for what otherwise should be FREE is little more than legalized crime. Is there any wonder some are now crying abuse by a monopoly power against Apple? No matter how you look at it, this is just plain wrong. And this remains true even if you wish to argue that AT&T is ultimately to blame for tacking on a "tethering" fee (as Apple agreed to the terms when it exclusively selected AT&T as the carrier).
Forcing people to pay for the so-called "tethering" is no different from my GM car dealer telling me I cannot drive my new GM truck down the highway or I cannot attached a trailer to my truck, even though the new truck has the mechanical ability to do so, unless I pay extra money to GM and my dealer. To contend that it is different is the same as closing one's eyes to the truck, and forking over your extra $30 a month as a mindless drone -- whom you will remember were the audience in the 1984 commercial. Ironic, isn't it?
Just plug a usb cable up the cellphone's undersides and the other end to the PC and bingo.
What the heck is this drama about charges and the rest ?
I am paying for the device, I am paying for the net - why pay extra for using the net I am paying for already ?
This is like saying - "Oh, you have comcast high speed internet, you can't use your wireless PC with it - that will be $45 extra".
Morons.
And to top it off, their network is nothing but crap.
I'd rather by an AirCard from Verizon for the same prize and have better coverage.
Aside, why does the iphone not have a bluetooth based syncing or OBEX yet ?
EXACTLY!! I'll do a Verizon card first also!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande
Today people whine at the prospect of paying an extra chunk of money for tethering, down the road they will whine that AT&T's network is continuing to struggle with its load. $30 is a perfectly reasonable data plan as it is equivalent to that of other smart phones--and iPhone users are using more data than anyone else. If we get tethering through AT&T, it will probably also be at a competitive monthly rate. There is absolutely no reason why an iPhone user should expect special treatment in these regards.
You're an idiot. I'm already paying for data on my iPhone, why do i need to pay extra to use it elsewhere? I understand not having it network the entire office, but to tether onto a laptop?? C'mon, any further charge is ridicules.
Expect that you are NOT paying an EXTRA fee to tether you phone to your laptop. That is what this discussion is about.
T-Mobile doesn't have tethering fees.
Well technically you don't have fees on att's network either but its against their terms and I'm not sure if its the same on t-mobile's. When I go on vacation or what not I will turn on unlimited internet on my samsung sync and usb tether it to my macbook pro. I haven't gotten in trouble for doing it but I do know its against att's terms.
You're an idiot. I'm already paying for data on my iPhone, why do i need to pay extra to use it elsewhere? I understand not having it network the entire office, but to tether onto a laptop?? C'mon, any further charge is ridicules.
The reason they charge an extra $30 for the tethering option is because unlimited internet on their laptop cards is $60 a month. So yea they are just adding on that extra $30 to equal the laptop card price. I don't agree with at all, they should give you a discount if you have their dsl and wireless service already (which I do)
It is the same Internet and the same web page or email regardless of being retrieved via the iPhone or the laptop.
Since I got my iPhone 3G about a month ago, I hardly use my laptop except for editing documents, so I do not see how I would use more bandwidth just because my laptop is tethered. Same web page, same RSS, no extra images, no difference.
There is much more to the internet than just looking at web pages and reading / sending email, and the iPhone and many other phones only offer limited options to take advantage of it. If web browsing and email is all you do, then I think you're missing out on quite a bit of the potential of the internet. Heck, a round of software updates from Apple can easily pass half a gig every other month. It's a lot tougher to use half a gig of data on the iPhone, my cellular data use is currently 16MB, a single audio podcast episode easily blows that out of the water. Then there's copious other media download options to be had, software to buy and so on, only a tiny fraction of those options are available on the iPhone. Playing video optimized for a phone vs. video optimized for a larger screen has a big difference in bandwidth use too.
It is the same Internet and the same web page or email regardless of being retrieved via the iPhone or the laptop.
Since I got my iPhone 3G about a month ago, I hardly use my laptop except for editing documents, so I do not see how I would use more bandwidth just because my laptop is tethered. Same web page, same RSS, no extra images, no difference.
While I could be convinced to pay 10 more a month, all I can say is NO WAY JOSE to more than that. There is no extra cost to AT&T.
Just because it has become common for customers to get raped by the providers, does not make it right. The least they can do is kiss me first.
Well, I do see where tethering would result in greater usage. But I do see your argument too, that you already are allowed the data on one device - so I would assume you'd be for them charging for data in [reasonable greater than 1KB preferably 100MB+] allotments instead of the flat rate and dropping this idiotic device-centric nonsense?
* I know I for one would be for their, at the very least, admitting that 5GB isn't so "unlimited"
I'll see if I can cancel the credit card transaction where I paid $10 for NetShare. If we all did this, perhaps heavy handed marketing people at AT&T would get the hint that WE pay their salaries.
Well, you should raise the issue with your credit card provider, and say that this transaction was fraudulently charged. You were sold something which then was taken back, or perhaps disabled.
Time for AT&T to stop this old school self-destructive behaviour. The solution is not to add on bits and pieces to scrape whatever additional dimes they can... It is to deliver a compelling, efficient and simple to use service, which people are willing to pay for.
One problem that I have not seen mentioned here is that VoIP solutions on the PC will be accessible now using the iPhone as the GSM connection. I have used Skype on my Mac while using my Nokia N82 as the connection. It does work as well with my iPhone using NetShare. AT&T is probably trying to stop this.
The article above states the "possibility" if the iphone is tri-band...it is, so in theory urban areas should be able to use T-MOBILE(urban-2100Mhz). One question though, where does t-mob even have good coverage for data and voice in the US? In the state of Florida, Alltel(VZW soon) even has better quality. The T-MOBILE stores are dead with employees being the majority every time I have passed by or gone into one , excluding the smallest city of MSA Jacksonville(1.3m), while Tampa/Orlando/St. Pete(8 million) and South Florida(6 million) seem to be dominated by Verizon and AT&T...and the cheap carriers are Alltel, Virgin, and MetroPCS(if you can call this a cell phone company and not a half functioning walkie-talkie service)
Is there a legitimate reason for the $30 charge or are they simply dreaming up arbitrary reasons to charge people money?
How much of this thread did you read? It doesn't look like very much if any at all.
Quote:
Would there be any way to set the connection up so that AT&T couldn't distinguish if a data request originated from the iphone or a tethered computer?
If they see a protocol that's not supported by the device itself, maybe FTP, bittorrent. If you use a web browser that's not not for a mobile phone. Opera or Safari for a phone identify themselves differently to the outside world than the computer versions do. It's easy to fake a user agent string, but I wonder how many people that tether would think to do that.
Well, I do see where tethering would result in greater usage. But I do see your argument too, that you already are allowed the data on one device - so I would assume you'd be for them charging for data in [reasonable greater than 1KB preferably 100MB+] allotments instead of the flat rate and dropping this idiotic device-centric nonsense?
I suppose. It doesn't even look like I would use more than the first 100MB of your hypothetical plan.
Device centric makes sense because different types of devices encourage different levels of use, so they can price plans that cover the typical user of that kind of device. A typical Razr user isn't going to use as much data as a smartphone user, and a typical smartphone user isn't going to use as much data as a typical notebook user. There are reasons for that, and it makes no sense for the Razr user to pay the same as a notebook computer user, and the same still is true for smartphones. There may be some people that would still do the exact same things regardless of the device, but I am very skeptical that is very common. Heck, with the very tight small screens, it's either going to cut-down sites like with Razr and even some sites for iPhone, or spending more time zooming and panning around a page to do the same thing. I end up flipping through a lot more pages a lot faster on a computer than I do on an iPhone.
Quote:
* I know I for one would be for their, at the very least, admitting that 5GB isn't so "unlimited"
First of all, do you think that once a deal is made, Apple will give us an update (or use the kill site) to make NetShare useless to those of us lucky enough to be doing this for free?
Now, I understand the additional charges, but it think its crap. So this is my proposed solution:
Make tethering FREE to all enterprise data users, and not available at all to standard users.
This would put ATT only $15 short of their standard laptop connect fees, something completely reasonable since you wont actually be getting as much total data (bluetooth bottleneck vs usb).
Second, its really the road warriors (who probably already have ent data) that will be wanting the feature. Everyone else, who want it just for play, would then be encouraged to shell out an extra $15 bucks for the feature.
Third, the iPhone data isnt really "unlimited." Theres a soft-limit at 5 GB/mo. If someone were to break that tethering, then charge them an extra $15 (so $60 total for data) and then you would be up to par with the standard laptop services.
This is if they decide to charge at all. I can set up call forwarding on my phone for no additional fees, it just takes off my minutes.
So if I can use my home phone to take calls for no additional charge, why shouldnt I be able to use my laptop to receive data for no additional charge? Isnt tethering the "data equivalent" of call forwarding?
Comments
Forcing people to pay for the so-called "tethering" is no different from my GM car dealer telling me I cannot drive my new GM truck down the highway or I cannot attached a trailer to my truck, even though the new truck has the mechanical ability to do so, unless I pay extra money to GM and my dealer. To contend that it is different is the same as closing one's eyes to the truck, and forking over your extra $30 a month as a mindless drone -- whom you will remember were the audience in the 1984 commercial. Ironic, isn't it?
Just plug a usb cable up the cellphone's undersides and the other end to the PC and bingo.
What the heck is this drama about charges and the rest ?
I am paying for the device, I am paying for the net - why pay extra for using the net I am paying for already ?
This is like saying - "Oh, you have comcast high speed internet, you can't use your wireless PC with it - that will be $45 extra".
Morons.
And to top it off, their network is nothing but crap.
I'd rather by an AirCard from Verizon for the same prize and have better coverage.
Aside, why does the iphone not have a bluetooth based syncing or OBEX yet ?
EXACTLY!! I'll do a Verizon card first also!
Today people whine at the prospect of paying an extra chunk of money for tethering, down the road they will whine that AT&T's network is continuing to struggle with its load. $30 is a perfectly reasonable data plan as it is equivalent to that of other smart phones--and iPhone users are using more data than anyone else. If we get tethering through AT&T, it will probably also be at a competitive monthly rate. There is absolutely no reason why an iPhone user should expect special treatment in these regards.
You're an idiot. I'm already paying for data on my iPhone, why do i need to pay extra to use it elsewhere? I understand not having it network the entire office, but to tether onto a laptop?? C'mon, any further charge is ridicules.
Expect that you are NOT paying an EXTRA fee to tether you phone to your laptop. That is what this discussion is about.
T-Mobile doesn't have tethering fees.
Well technically you don't have fees on att's network either but its against their terms and I'm not sure if its the same on t-mobile's. When I go on vacation or what not I will turn on unlimited internet on my samsung sync and usb tether it to my macbook pro. I haven't gotten in trouble for doing it but I do know its against att's terms.
EXACTLY!! I'll do a Verizon card first also!
You're an idiot. I'm already paying for data on my iPhone, why do i need to pay extra to use it elsewhere? I understand not having it network the entire office, but to tether onto a laptop?? C'mon, any further charge is ridicules.
The reason they charge an extra $30 for the tethering option is because unlimited internet on their laptop cards is $60 a month. So yea they are just adding on that extra $30 to equal the laptop card price. I don't agree with at all, they should give you a discount if you have their dsl and wireless service already (which I do)
It is the same Internet and the same web page or email regardless of being retrieved via the iPhone or the laptop.
Since I got my iPhone 3G about a month ago, I hardly use my laptop except for editing documents, so I do not see how I would use more bandwidth just because my laptop is tethered. Same web page, same RSS, no extra images, no difference.
There is much more to the internet than just looking at web pages and reading / sending email, and the iPhone and many other phones only offer limited options to take advantage of it. If web browsing and email is all you do, then I think you're missing out on quite a bit of the potential of the internet. Heck, a round of software updates from Apple can easily pass half a gig every other month. It's a lot tougher to use half a gig of data on the iPhone, my cellular data use is currently 16MB, a single audio podcast episode easily blows that out of the water. Then there's copious other media download options to be had, software to buy and so on, only a tiny fraction of those options are available on the iPhone. Playing video optimized for a phone vs. video optimized for a larger screen has a big difference in bandwidth use too.
Have you read the blogs?
Do not all carriers charge extra in some form or other for tethering?
Are not most of the comments above demanding free tethering?
Does not the article suggest that there are movements toward providing a tethering plan?
Did you not read what I said?
1. I'm FOR shelling out extra, beyond the existing extra $30.
2. No, they are not. Most are for an extra fee.
3. Yes, it does - what does that have to do with my response to the other guy?
It is the same Internet and the same web page or email regardless of being retrieved via the iPhone or the laptop.
Since I got my iPhone 3G about a month ago, I hardly use my laptop except for editing documents, so I do not see how I would use more bandwidth just because my laptop is tethered. Same web page, same RSS, no extra images, no difference.
While I could be convinced to pay 10 more a month, all I can say is NO WAY JOSE to more than that. There is no extra cost to AT&T.
Just because it has become common for customers to get raped by the providers, does not make it right. The least they can do is kiss me first.
Well, I do see where tethering would result in greater usage. But I do see your argument too, that you already are allowed the data on one device - so I would assume you'd be for them charging for data in [reasonable greater than 1KB preferably 100MB+] allotments instead of the flat rate and dropping this idiotic device-centric nonsense?
* I know I for one would be for their, at the very least, admitting that 5GB isn't so "unlimited"
Yeah I'll even take T-Mobile over AT&T
I'll see if I can cancel the credit card transaction where I paid $10 for NetShare. If we all did this, perhaps heavy handed marketing people at AT&T would get the hint that WE pay their salaries.
Well, you should raise the issue with your credit card provider, and say that this transaction was fraudulently charged. You were sold something which then was taken back, or perhaps disabled.
Time for AT&T to stop this old school self-destructive behaviour. The solution is not to add on bits and pieces to scrape whatever additional dimes they can... It is to deliver a compelling, efficient and simple to use service, which people are willing to pay for.
It wouldn't surprise me one bit if this happened AND Apple put 3G chips in the new laptops.
Not this round.
Would there be any way to set the connection up so that AT&T couldn't distinguish if a data request originated from the iphone or a tethered computer?
No, they don't.
But they might charge per MB over a given low limit.
Man... I can't wait till 2010 so I can be the first to drop AT&T once and for all.
Yeah I'll even take T-Mobile over AT&T
Unless a few things change, it really won't work.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/0...n-unlocke.html
But they might charge per MB over a given low limit.
T-Mobile doesn't. That's why they call it "unlimited" and mean it.
Cellular and wireless
* UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz)
* GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
* Wi-Fi (802.11b/g)
* Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR
Is there a legitimate reason for the $30 charge or are they simply dreaming up arbitrary reasons to charge people money?
How much of this thread did you read? It doesn't look like very much if any at all.
Would there be any way to set the connection up so that AT&T couldn't distinguish if a data request originated from the iphone or a tethered computer?
If they see a protocol that's not supported by the device itself, maybe FTP, bittorrent. If you use a web browser that's not not for a mobile phone. Opera or Safari for a phone identify themselves differently to the outside world than the computer versions do. It's easy to fake a user agent string, but I wonder how many people that tether would think to do that.
Well, I do see where tethering would result in greater usage. But I do see your argument too, that you already are allowed the data on one device - so I would assume you'd be for them charging for data in [reasonable greater than 1KB preferably 100MB+] allotments instead of the flat rate and dropping this idiotic device-centric nonsense?
I suppose. It doesn't even look like I would use more than the first 100MB of your hypothetical plan.
Device centric makes sense because different types of devices encourage different levels of use, so they can price plans that cover the typical user of that kind of device. A typical Razr user isn't going to use as much data as a smartphone user, and a typical smartphone user isn't going to use as much data as a typical notebook user. There are reasons for that, and it makes no sense for the Razr user to pay the same as a notebook computer user, and the same still is true for smartphones. There may be some people that would still do the exact same things regardless of the device, but I am very skeptical that is very common. Heck, with the very tight small screens, it's either going to cut-down sites like with Razr and even some sites for iPhone, or spending more time zooming and panning around a page to do the same thing. I end up flipping through a lot more pages a lot faster on a computer than I do on an iPhone.
* I know I for one would be for their, at the very least, admitting that 5GB isn't so "unlimited"
How much cellular data do you use on your phone?
Now, I understand the additional charges, but it think its crap. So this is my proposed solution:
Make tethering FREE to all enterprise data users, and not available at all to standard users.
This would put ATT only $15 short of their standard laptop connect fees, something completely reasonable since you wont actually be getting as much total data (bluetooth bottleneck vs usb).
Second, its really the road warriors (who probably already have ent data) that will be wanting the feature. Everyone else, who want it just for play, would then be encouraged to shell out an extra $15 bucks for the feature.
Third, the iPhone data isnt really "unlimited." Theres a soft-limit at 5 GB/mo. If someone were to break that tethering, then charge them an extra $15 (so $60 total for data) and then you would be up to par with the standard laptop services.
This is if they decide to charge at all. I can set up call forwarding on my phone for no additional fees, it just takes off my minutes.
So if I can use my home phone to take calls for no additional charge, why shouldnt I be able to use my laptop to receive data for no additional charge? Isnt tethering the "data equivalent" of call forwarding?
-PurePower