
Here's how to get tethering on any iPhone right now, no jailbreak, for free - tortilla
http://www.9to5mac.com/9to5mac-tether-iPhone-hack
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axod
When I heard that the new iPhone would have tethering, I was seriously
psyched. I get free unlimited data, so that's cool.

Then O2 email me, and tell me it's going to cost money to use that data from
my laptop????? Do they think I'm completely crazy? Why would I pay them more
money just to use the data I've already paid for.

When will big companies stop treating consumers like total idiots. It's like
Sony thinking everyone will buy movies on DVD, _THEN_ buy exactly the same
movie on UMD just so they can watch it on their PSP :/

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jonknee
> Why would I pay them more money just to use the data I've already paid for.

Because you'll use much more of it on your laptop or desktop than you would
just your phone.

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axod
Not really, I mainly use webapps etc on both. If I tried, I could easily make
a webapp to max out an iphones connection.

Either it's unlimited, eg use as much as you want - really! or it's not - only
use basic web/email stuff on your iphone.

If it's limited (Which is what you're saying), then they should not market it
as unlimited data.

~~~
jonknee
Statistically speaking you will use more bandwidth on your laptop than on your
phone. Quite simply because it's easier.

"Unlimited" data isn't really unlimited just like your unlimited cable modem
at home isn't really unlimited. The carrier reserves a right to dump you as a
customer and you will be dumped if you start losing them money (which is what
you'd be doing if you saturated their network 24/7).

So I hear what you're saying, but this has been argued 1000 times before and
you're not going to make AT&T change. It's much cheaper for them to take the
PR hit and fire you.

While iPhone users consume a lot more bandwidth than other users, AT&T can
sort of keep it in check thanks to the tight restrictions on the AppStore.
Once they turn on tethering those restrictions go away and they'll have people
using it as their main connection and all that comes with it (BitTorrent comes
to mind).

Personally I'd rather pay by the megabyte--I don't want to pay $30 a month for
data so I can have an iPhone. I just want to SMS and from time to time check a
map. I'll let people like you subsidize their network build out.

~~~
encoderer
Statistically speaking what statistics are you referring to?

More on point, though, because it's "been argued 1000 times before" are you
suggesting that it's best for consumers to just shut up and take it? How about
you speak out when you're unhappy and encourage others to do the same. Whether
or not you're going to change an AT&T policy is not the point. There are other
ends that are just as good. If apple felt that more iPhones would be sold, and
at a higher margin, if they opened it up to an alternative carrier in the US
market, they'd do it in a second once their initial AT&T contract expires.

Further, you can buy a data card for your laptop. It's not like nobody is
using their networks to connect to the network. And my point is that they're
doing it right now, this very moment, and they're blocking BT and restricting
other traffic.

Their policies make it very clear that they don't intend their laptop connect
cards as a users primary connection, even if their marketing doesn't.

~~~
jonknee
The carriers state that tethering increases data usage, that's the logic
behind preventing users from doing it without permission.

O2 stated as much in plain english recently.
<http://twitter.com/o2/statuses/2088467994>

That's why tethering plans are commonly sold with a GB limit and phone only
plans are not. But really it's common sense, you're much more likely to
consume bandwidth heavy stuff on your computer. Also many of the same services
will use more bytes on your laptop. YouTube on the iPhone is low-quality and
low-bandwidth, visit on your computer tethered to your iPhone and you're using
way more bytes.

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unfletch
Note that "any iPhone" should have read "any 3G iPhone." This won't work for a
first-generation iPhone.

~~~
spudlyo
Check out pTerm from the app store. I supports tunneling and port forwarding.

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quizbiz
Question: Does anyone here feel that their iPhone has payed for itself? That
it has saved you and/or earned you so much money that it outweighs the cost?
Cost being the difference in price between an iPhone and its service bills and
a basic phone that comes free with a service package.

~~~
feverishaaron
Yes. The iPhone is unquestionably more useful to me than my Blackberry was,
just because the app support and mobile browser is so good. I find myself
using the data about 10x more often than I did with the Blackberry.

I haven't had a regular "free" phone since 2003, so it is hard to compare.
Having constant access to email and the internets seems so essential now, I
don't think I could rationally compare the value to of the iPhone to a phone
that doesn't have a data plan.

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mcav
This disables visual voicemail. It did for me at least -- i had a backlog of
messages I never saw until I realized what the problem was.

~~~
tortilla
When you do a restore, it'll temporary go away. It returns eventually. At
least it did for me. About 30 minutes later.

edit:: Also make sure you're on Edge/3G, not wifi.

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treyp
If someone has a Windows solution, I'd be honored. :)

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jrockway
Take your iPhone to an Apple store and use their computer to install the
"update"?

Incidentally, the open-ness of Windows Mobile has meant that WinMo phones on
ATT have had unlimited tethering forever. It doesn't have a really pretty
icon, though...

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mrtron
Tethering has very little to do with the platform, and much to do with the
carrier.

Carriers want to be able to charge for it regardless of which phone you own.

As for the 'pretty icons'... Apple/RIM/Google are realizing that users are
beginning to care less about what hardware their phone has, and more about
what they can do on their phone. All 3 are focusing on providing app driven
platforms, and Apple did well to grab the early lead.

I don't see a future for winMo in that ecosystem.

~~~
encoderer
Carrier restrictions are enforced at the platform level, though. If you have a
data plan and the OS lets you push bits from your PC thru your phone, it all
looks the same to your carrier.

