“America’s Hat†getting iPhone tethering before America?
Rogers says iPhone customers can tether their iPhones starting in October… so how are they going to do it?
There has been some speculation in the US as to whether or not AT&T will allow for a new iPhone data plan which allows for “tethering” laptops to the iPhone. Tethering allows iPhone users to share their internet connection via EDGE or 3G with their computers for those times they are on the road and away from Wi-Fi hotspots. The NetShare application which appeared briefly on the iTunes store did just that before it was yanked by Apple at the request of AT&T. However, it appears that AT&T is not necessary against iPhone tethering, just “free” iPhone tethering (if $30 a month can be considered “free”). Recently an alleged e-mail from Steve Jobs has surfaced in which tells a tether-hungry customer Apple is currently “discussing it [a tethering plan] with ATT”.
Canada first to legally tether?
Well, it would appear that although Apple/AT&T negotiations are moving along slowly, it looks like Apple/Rogers talks have advanced quite a bit further. Rogers has announced that starting in October, all Canadian iPhone data plans will allow for tethering.
So the question is, how will they do it?
I was lucky enough to purchase NetShare before it was pulled from iTunes, and while I CAN get it to work, it isn’t exactly pretty. I realize if NetShare were left alone to thrive and receive updates things might have ended up different, but the version 1.0 I am left with isn’t quite as seamless as I had hoped. Very often I found my settings would not stick in either my iPhone, laptop, or both, and when they DID stick, I often had to fiddle with my connection in order to get it to register. Inevitably I am able to get it to work, but I am anxious to see a better solution.
Apple to the rescue?
Assuming that alleged correspondence from Steve Jobs is legit, then I am hoping that means Apple itself will be the ones coming up with an integrated tethering solution and not leave it to each individual mobile carrier to “roll their own” tethering app.
Of course assuming that an iPhone tethering plan from AT&T will cost an extra $30 a month on top of the current $30 (as it does with RIM devices) , odds are I will be sticking with my quirky NetShare connection for some time.
“America’s Hat” getting a better deal?
Given how much the Canadians have bitched about Rogers, I’m a little upset that they seem to be offering a more reasonable tethering option than AT&T likely will. Granted, they do not have official “unlimited” data, but even their $25 a month data plan will sport tethering. Given that I have to constantly restore my iPhones I can’t tell exactly how much data I use (and I assume with my constant last.fm and Pandora use it might be up there) but I think Roger’s $30 1GB/month data plan with “free” tethering would work pretty damn well for me.
Well, at least when the next US draft starts I can use the excuse “I moved to Canada for the free iPhone tethering” as an excuse to tell my kids to help me save face. Given how into tech they already are, I’m sure they’ll understand.
Speaking as one of those rare Canadians who actually has an iPhone (I gave up TV for the little bugger) let me just say: Booyah!
well i enjoy the sound of a positive step forward in the canadian cell phone industry, as i am canadian. I don’t exactly think this is a good thing for customers.
currently the highest plan you can purchase is 6 GB, so you could quickly go over that limit
Small correction: the data plan offered by Rogers is $30/month for 6GB of data.
nonfanboi: The current plan offered by Rogers is $30/month for 6 GB of data – it’s going away at the end of September. The plan they’re going to start offering in October is $30/month for 1 GB, which is what I assume is being referred to.