So i have had OS 3.0 on my phone for a few days and was unable to setup internet tethering because o2 did not offer the service until today. However, yesterday there tethering information page came online along with their prices for the service.
So first of all let me explain to you what Internet Tethering is. It basically allows you to connect your mobile phone to you PC or Laptop via USB or Bluetooth and then allows you to use your iPhone as a modem, providing internet to the device its connected too. Pretty much like a mobile broadband dongle does.
Now, anyone with an iPhone from o2 will be aware that all contracts come with unlimited data over 3G and from WIFI Hotspots, so there is no need to purchase additional internet to use your phone tethered right? wrong!
This is another services in which is provided solely for the provider to make money.
The image to the left shows the prices o2 are charging to use the internet tethering feature on you iPhone. Now the problem with this is that it actually costs o2 or apple NOTHING for us to use Internet Tethering yet they are charging us for more data to use with tethering, when we already have unlimited data plans!
Now, i also have the fortune of owning a Nokia N95 and over the last year, when i have needed an internet connection on my laptop, i have put my Sim card in my Nokia N95, USB connected it to my laptop and launched Nokia PC Suite.
Now Nokia PC Suite comes with a program called “One Touch Access” as seen in the below image. This allows your laptop or PC to connect to the internet using your Nokia N95 as a modem and using your phones 3G or in my case 3.5G connection as the sources.
Now last year i phoned o2 and asked them if my laptop using my iPhones 3G data would cost me anything, to which they replied “No, you have unlimited data plan, you will not be charged for using data”
So, Nokia have provided this feature for years, and now Apple have finally jumped on the bandwagon giving it a new name of “Internet Tethering” and forcing operators to charge for the service… yes, FORCING.
Yesterday i phoned o2 with a few questions, first was why my iPhone would send MMS but not receive them, answer being i have os3.0 early and o2 have not provisioned the MMS receiving yet. when i questioned them about tethering, they said its something they have to charge for as its in their agreement with Apple. So the prices as shown above or just ridiculous, i have unlimited data, yet i have to purchase extra data just to use for tethering, when the data is provided the exact same way! Over 3G, so why should i have to pay extra for it.
Now, like me, many other o2 iPhone customers already spend a minimum of £45 a month on their contract with o2. with the smallest tethering package, that price will jump up to £60 a month and only allowing you 3GIG of internet for tethering!
The iPhone is a great device, but they are starting to annoy me big time with the charging for services which have been free on other devices for years! I really don’t understand how they can justify it or how they can charge you such a high price to use a feature that is absolutely free on other devices.
Slowly backing away from the iPhone, and i can see myself Jail Breaking it now just so i can use the device i paid for how i want to use it, not how Apple force me to use it!
By Martin Holder, 19 June, 2009 at 10:19 am
I fully concur with your assessment. It is a rip off. Why should I pay more to use the internet access I have already paid for. Will be looking for ways to circumvent this.
By Andy Rixon, 19 June, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Wow, are you kidding me, I was hoping to use that when my internet wasn’t working
thats shit… I mean pure shit… lets protest lol
By Andy Rixon, 21 June, 2009 at 7:53 pm
HAHA, my good mate has found a way how to over come the fee, infact I am writing this comment using my iphone for the internet for my laptop :p
By Scott Jones, 28 June, 2009 at 1:37 am
Please enlighten us fella i to was really looking forward to the tethering feature and i am gutted they are gonna try and charge me for it.
By Anthony, 28 June, 2009 at 2:36 am
well theres a site you enter into safari which puts the settings on your phone, but i wouldnt risk it, o2 have announced anyone bypassing there fee’s would be billed or dissconnected.
But hold back a bit longer, theres been complaints sent to Ofcom about the whole o2 thing.
firstly the contract you sign gives you unlimited data plan with the fair use policy, if you ask for a copy of o2′s fair usage policy they cannot provide you with one, because they dont actually have a policy in writing, as such, they cannot charge you for additional data on the same service when you have already purchased a unlimited data plan.
fact is if you get the 10 gig tethering, its delivered the exact same way that your normal data is delivered. So they are actually charging you for something you have already purchased.
o2 are saying tethering uses much more data than when your on the iphone using data, which is not the case, usage has shown to be similar and hardly noticable.
Plus as i mentioned in my article, they do not chage you to tether any other hanset, and the whole iPhone thing appears to be nothing more than a way for them to make some quick money because of the iPhones popularity.
Saying this there tethering plans are exactly the same price as there mobile broadband plans, which is strange, as tethering does not require any additional hardware, where as mobile broadband does.
Hopefully Ofcom will put a stop to o2 and there greedy ways, for me to get the smallest tethering package i’d be paying a 50% premium on my contact for data which i am already paying for an unlimited amout of.
its ridiculous
By Matthew Russell, 15 July, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I gave my iPhone the software to enable internet tethering without going to O2 and have successfully used the internet tethering feature. I am simply wondering until i get my monthly bill is will i be charged for this service even though it is no O2 enabled and what will the charge be at.
Also do American Networks charge for Internet Tethering?
By William, 15 October, 2009 at 7:04 am
Apple sucks