To tether or not to tether?

[HubCityPC]

Hey everyone,

I'm in need of some opinions from US AT&T iPhone users.

I am debating whether I should add tethering to my data plan which will negate my current unlimited plan. I use under 1GB per month on my phone so I guess losing the unlimited plan is not a big deal (if I were to revert back I would get 3GB). Or, should I just get a separate wireless card/dongle for my laptop? Also, my Ford Explorer has a built in access point. So if I went that route, I could use my vehicle to provide access to any device in or around my vehicle.

Fees:

AT&T with tethering - $50/mo 5GB of data (currently paying $30 for unlimited but no tethering). $10 per GB after initial 5GB.

Most wireless cards - $50/mo 4-5GB of data. If I go over, Verizon charges .05/MB and AT&T rapes you for .49/MB. Yes, that's $501.76 per additional GB!

Anyone currently tethering using an iPhone and AT&T? I have a iPhone 4 so I won't get 4G speeds right now but I will be upgrading when the next iPhone comes out.

It looks to me like tethering is the way to go but I'd like some feedback from those of you that have experience. How is the performance, reliability, etc. Also do you eat up a lot of data? More than 5GB?

Thanks!

 

[Frick]

I was in your exact situation last fall: ATT, iPhone, unlimited data plan - but wanted to tether. Yeah I could have gone down the jailbreak path, but I don't like to break contractual rules with anything concerning my business.

I ended up going with the plan allowing tethering, and forfeiting my unlimited plan. My logic was my data needs are not extreme as I don't use my phone to stream media. If I ever did go over the cap then I know it's a flat $10 per GB.

My need / want to tether was to use my tablet and PCRT on calls (I am fully mobile). I have been completely happy with my decision. The feature works well, and but the method to enable it when needed in iOS gets annoying. I wish Apple allowed shortcuts to edit system settings. I have since moved to an Android phone and love having a widget to toggle it on and off, but that is going off topic

 

[krtechsolutions]

Just jail break your phone and use pdanet or mywifi

 

[rjg.tech]

Just jail break your phone and use pdanet or mywifi

I jailbroke and used mywi for a while until At&T started sending warning text and then a text that threatened to add tethering to my plan on the next bill. I would have lost my unlimited data and I didn't want to so I quit

I am not sure if they can tell you are tethering with pdanet but they can with mywi, unless an update has come out beyond version 5.

 

[hacknscan]

If you need it go with the new plan. They are dropping your bandwidth drastically once you hit 2 or 3 gb/month anyways to the point of it being unusable. I just got the 5gb with tethering a couple weeks ago for $40/month and it works so much better. It took me a while to accept that my unlimited plan was the most limited plan they have.

 

[ReinforcedPanda]

I have Verizon and an iPhone 4. I always go the jailbreak route since there are some awesome tweaks you can get for the phone that I love, but also recently decided to get TetherMe, a tweak that allows me to use the built in tethering system on the phone without the extra plan. Never once been warned, or disabled because of it.

 

[HubCityPC]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I don't really want to jailbreak so I may go ahead with the tethering plan. I'm 100% mobile as well and I'm finding that more and more I have a need for internet access that my iPhone just isn't the best device to do what I need to do. And, I don't want to have to drive around looking for free WiFi.

 

[anglian]

Can't you get a pay as you go dongle for internet access on your laptop, then keep unlimited plan on your phone.
I do that here in the UK and it works out cheaper for me here

 

[Cornerstone Technologies]

Can't you get a pay as you go dongle for internet access on your laptop, then keep unlimited plan on your phone.
I do that here in the UK and it works out cheaper for me here

I have to agree with this idea. I have ATT and have the old unlimited data plan. I did the numbers and calculated that my bill would increase about $70 a month, based on my usage habits at the time when I was mobile. I settled on a Sprint mifi device for around $45 a month.

One of the things I found when being mobile, it was fairly rare to encounter a client location where they didnt have wireless or where I had no access to the Internet. I still have an el cheapo DLink router that I can plug into the occassional network to get wireless while I am onsite. It is essentially an access point and works great. I have a few rural customers, but I always insist on assessing the issue onsite, but doing what needs done back at the shop.

Also, my wife and I went on a trip awhile ago and rented one of those Chrysler minivans that also has a built in access point. Basically, the signal is best in the vehicle, and was pretty weak 10 feet away, and non-existent in 20 feet. I wonder how useful that would be to you and your Explorer in reality and in practice. I suspect that even if the vehicle was right next to where you are working, the quality would depend on many factors and make for a lackluster experience, if not frustrating.

 

[MikeLierman]

Get your Android phone rooted or iPhone jailbroken and then you don't have to pay for an extra plan. Tethering has been a feature in the Android and iPhone fan community far before carriers decided to market it and make an extra buck. I was using it right when the Og Droid came out on Verizon. Carriers didn't start marketing it until about 4-5 months after the big boom of Android.

It's your phone. You bought it. Carriers shouldn't tell you what features of your phone you can and can't use. It's not like music licenses. You actually own your phone.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

It's your phone. You bought it. Carriers shouldn't tell you what features of your phone you can and can't use. It's not like music licenses. You actually own your phone.

You own the phone but you pay for their connectivity service. They are not obligated to give you service for free. I own my house but I still have to pay for propane and electricity.

For those that are "mobile" and need internet from out on the road....consider MiFi devices if connection speed and throughput is important to you. Of course this depends on which phone you have...as not all phones are equal in performance. Generally though, I have seen the MiFi units outperform "most" phones.

 

[SprinterTech-WI]

Get your Android phone rooted or iPhone jailbroken and then you don't have to pay for an extra plan. Tethering has been a feature in the Android and iPhone fan community far before carriers decided to market it and make an extra buck. I was using it right when the Og Droid came out on Verizon. Carriers didn't start marketing it until about 4-5 months after the big boom of Android.

It's your phone. You bought it. Carriers shouldn't tell you what features of your phone you can and can't use. It's not like music licenses. You actually own your phone.

Check your contract.... most "own" the phone until your 2yr contract is up.... it's how they can put a lien on it (mark your SN as bad) so it can't be used by anyone else etc.....

 

[angry_geek]

Get your Android phone rooted or iPhone jailbroken and then you don't have to pay for an extra plan. Tethering has been a feature in the Android and iPhone fan community far before carriers decided to market it and make an extra buck. I was using it right when the Og Droid came out on Verizon. Carriers didn't start marketing it until about 4-5 months after the big boom of Android.

It's your phone. You bought it. Carriers shouldn't tell you what features of your phone you can and can't use. It's not like music licenses. You actually own your phone.

Actually, the blackberry and palm phones had this capability long before there was an iPhone or Android. The carriers charged for it as a premium service then too.

I don't like that it's a premium service anymore than you, but I still pay the fee for mobile hotspot on my bionic. Why? Because I don't like the idea of stealing. I've been watching this thread and am amazed. The same people that jump on other threads screaming about pirating windows and office are jumping in here telling others to steal service. Simply stunning.

My bionic is rooted, and I still pay for hotspot. The bottom line is it's the right thing to do.

 

[StableSolutions]

I'm with Verizon and Im using a Droid 3, I've got unlimited data on my plan and I use PDA-Net 3.50 with Fox-Fi (Wifi hotspot app) it works great for me and don't have any problems, Iphone however? Not entirely sure.