RUMOR: Apple and AT&T to announce iPhone-as-modem tethering plans

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 · 9:23 am · 10 Comments

“We’ve been told by a trusted source that the long-awaited AT&T iPhone-as-modem tethering plans (preliminary details in MacBlogz’ post from November: 5 GB data cap, $30/month supplementary cost) may be ready for prime time during Macworld Expo,” Michael Rose reports for TUAW.

“While $30 is a steep charge on top of an iPhone data plan, it’s still cheaper than the $60 you’d pay for an EV-DO or HSDPA card plan for mobile data; for some users it may make more sense than a standalone device,” Rose reports.

Full article here.

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10 Comments

CYxodus

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:30 am · Reply

I hope it’s possible to connect my DS and PSP to an iPhone. That would be cool.

MacintoshSoftwareList.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:30 am · Reply

Didn’t we hear this two months ago?

MacintoshSoftwareList.com

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:32 am · Reply

We already pay for data, I WILL NOT PAY MORE FOR THE SAME THING>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Cheap B*stard

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:33 am · Reply

I won’t pay them another dollar. I already pay for unlimited data.

Matt

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:38 am · Reply

Free market and all, so AT&T;could charge for the number of times you swipe to unlock the phone. But. I think charging for tethering is double-dipping.

Macintosh

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:55 am · Reply

I’m so bummed I didn’t get Nullriver’s Netshare app when it came out. Procrastination got the best of me on that one.

Does anyone know if it still works?

Predrag

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:55 am · Reply

We will need to wait and see how popular this will be. I’m sure some business executives will pay without blinking (it’s only company money anyway), but I bet AT&T’s expectations are higher than that.

As MacintoshSoftwareList and Cheap B’Stard have already said, the first $30 dollars of every iPhone plan is ALREADY for unlimited data. With all other cellphones, I could see how they would want a bit more if one were to tether that cellphone. After all, how much data do these other phones use when not tethered.

However, with iPhone, I’m doubtful there’ll be any meaningful difference between data trafic on the iPhone and that on a tethered computer. Vast majority of tethering users are mainly doing web and e-mail, which is virtually the same on the iPhone. Ironically, tethering plans for ordinary phones are cheaper, yet the difference in data usage is greater. Apparently, AT&T is charging the exorbitant iPod tax.

AT&T is clearly showing immense greed here. Apple should have put their foot down on this, since they’ll be found greedy as well, by association.

PC Apologist

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 10:57 am · Reply

Coming, as this rumor does, in the middle of a rolling AT&T;data network outage here on the east coast, I must snicker. These clowns are NOT keeping up. Here’s praying the exclusivity deal is done and we can move to another carrier SOON!

MW: Methods, as in I had no methods for checking my email all morning.

jocknerd

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 11:56 am · Reply

@PC Apologist,

What carrier do you want to go with? They all suck big time. As long as the FCC allows the owners of the “lines” to be the service providers, consumers will lose. Until the FCC allows real competition the way we had back in the 90′s with ISP’s over dial-up, nothing will get better.

Tilted sideways

Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 12:01 pm · Reply

I have Netshare – and yes it still works. I wish I could’ve gotten an update, though, as I’m sure there was room for improvement. My 1st Gen iPhone gets very hot after only several minutes of use. I won’t be paying AT&T;’s exorbitant tethering fees.