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Jailbroken iPhone
Tethering, if for no other reason, is why you have to jailbreak your iPhone. Quick definition:
Tethering: Using the internet capability of your phone to allow internet access to any other device (computer, iPad, other phones, etc).
Whether you have an iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, or 4… it doesn’t matter. All iPhones are capable of running a version of iOS that has tethering enabled. AT&T is asking for $20/month to give you this option but why pay $240 a year for something you can get for free by jailbreaking your phone?
The option to jailbreak your iPhone has been around since about a week after the original iPhone was released. While it used to be an extremely complicated process (back in the original iPhone days) jailbreaking has become about as easy as it can get. In fact, it’s so easy now even my Dad can do it, and has, literally. All it takes is a quick Google search of “Jailbreak iPhone OS [insert iOS number here]” and you’ll find plenty of step by step instructions complete with download links for the necessary software; all free. Redmond Pie seems to always be the most current.
It is important to note that there is a distinct difference between “jailbreaking” and “unlocking”. Two more quick definitions:
Jailbreaking: Opens up the iPhone so 3rd party Apps not approved by Apple’s app store can be downloaded. There are 3rd party “App stores”, if you will, that let you download these apps. However, the iPhone will still be linked to AT&T and won’t be open to other carriers.
Unlocking: This provides all the same benefits as jailbreaking but goes one step further and allows the owner to use their phone on carriers outside of AT&T.
So why do you need the option to tether? Well once you realize you’ll have access to the internet at any time/place, you’ll understand. You’ll be able to watch shows on the internet while traveling, whether it’s in a bus, train, or car and you won’t be paying any extra. Yes, flash will work on your computer and any other iPhone restrictions won’t apply either. It will be exactly the same as using your computer or other device over WiFi, just slightly slower. Slightly slower is the truth as well, you can stream high quality HULU with a full 3G signal over tethering.
This is truly a case of once you realize what you’ve been missing out on; you won’t believe you went as long as you did with a locked iPhone. While it might not be a feature you use everyday, when you are stuck in the airport because of a delay, going on a long road trip, or in some other situation where you wish you had the option to access the internet… you’ll be very happy you have the ability to tether.
Jailbreaking also opens your phone up to a TON of other applications you wouldn’t have access to on a normal iPhone. I think the biggest plus comes from all of the utility Apps that make the iPhone so much more functional than it is under Apple’s control. Some of my favorites:
BiteSMS: By far my favorite. This app makes SMS the way it should have always been on the iPhone. When you receive an SMS, you have the option to immediately reply without closing or stopping whatever app you are currently in. Additionally, you have the option to instantly send a SMS from any place on your phone with out stopping what you are doing. Whether you are in an app or on the lock screen, it makes texting much much quicker.
SBSettings: This gives you quick access to toggle on/off a lot of features on your phone without digging through the settings menus/submenus. Also, you can toggle these settings without having to exit any app you are currently in or simply from the lock screen. Features include: 2G, 3G, WiFi, Brightness, Alarm, Tethering, and many more.
Lockinfo: Lets you display all pertinent information on your lock screen so it can be viewed without the additional step of unlocking your phone and opening up individual apps. It applies to weather, mail, SMS, notifications, calendar, etc.
Now if you’re worried about your phone not running properly because it is now jailbroken, fret not. Apple maintains their tight control over the iPhone so they can guarantee a “user friendly” experience. While jailbreaking will open you phone up to applications that could affect its performance, if you are only tethering there won’t be any issues. Further, if you decide to venture more into the jailbroken world and install other applications (I’m fully confident you will once you realize what you’ve been missing) just remember this: your iPhone is a computer, if it isn’t functioning the way you want you can just restore it to Apple’s original settings and it won’t be jailbroken anymore. Voila!
So what are you waiting for? Everyone should at least have the option to tether without AT&T’s pointless $20/month charge. Just be careful if you have the new tiered data plans, see my previous post, because tethering will eat up a lot more of your data and you don’t want the overage charges. If you elected to keep your unlimited plan, smart move for obvious reasons, you’ll be in a much more comfortable place. Just try to keep your usage under 5 GB a month because, from what I’ve seen, that is around the level AT&T will flag your account.
One more thing… for all you potential iPad consumers, if you tether with your iPhone there is NO reason for an iPad 3G. Use WiFi when you’re at home and tether your non-3G iPad when you’re not. Save yourself the $100 up charge and $30/month for service!
AT&T just came out with updated data plans this week, to be effective June 7th which is coincidentally the same day as the new iPhone announcement. If you’re reading this, chances are that you already know about the new data structure and the end of “unlimited” data plans so I won’t get into the details of what has changed (see previous link for that).
You may be astounded that AT&T would even think to do such a thing. After all, anyone with a smart phone has grown accustomed to uninhibited access to the web for virtually the life of their phone; particularly iPhone users. However, according to AT&T, the change should not affect 98% of their customer’s day-to-day phone usage and will only lower their bills. That is because 98% of AT&T customers use less than 2GB/month which soon will be their highest data plan and is $5/month cheaper than the current unlimited plan.
On this point, I completely agree. Aside from my brief foray in jailbroken tethering, I’m a self-proclaimed iPhone power user and can only manage to use 200MB a month on average. Even with the upcoming video conference capabilities of the new iPhone 4G (or iPhone HD), I doubt that 98% of us will ever find ourselves breaking the new 2GB barrier; at least for the near future. If we do, AT&T is kind enough to send three free texts at 65%, 90%, and 100% capacity to inform us of our current data usage.
So all is right in the world now, AT&T did their customer base a favor and decided to cut everyone’s monthly bill, right? WRONG!
Rollover Data
While it’s nice to save on all the unlimited data that 98% of us didn’t need anyway, now we’re all paying for a discrete amount of data per month. Similar to the way we pay for a set amount of minutes a month. Well with minutes, you get to keep the ones you don’t use through the rollover program. Where is the rollover data?!
If AT&T has distinguished itself all of these years by offering rollover minutes, they should be providing the same buffer for data users since, essentially, the same business model now exists for data. I’m very surprised that there has not been more uproar in the media about this point.
Tethering
iPhone users will [finally] be allowed to tether. While the fact that the rest of the world has been able to do this for a year already is another story, it seems deplorable to me that AT&T will charge an additional $20/month just to utilize the option but not provide any more data. $20 more per month and you’re still stuck with 2GB? That is just insane to me because while 98% of customers may not be using more than 2GB with just their smart phones, I can guarantee they will be easily using this once they tether. One 40 minute episode on HULU, high quality, tethered to your phone will burn through ~400MB, that’s almost 25% of your monthly allowance.
iPad
I am very confused about how the revolutionary iPad could be released only a month ago with one of the main selling points being unlimited 3G data access, where as now customers will be confined to 2GB/month. I seriously doubt the 98% statistic AT&T has been touting includes all the new iPad users. Especially if we are all now in the “post-PC” era and tablets will become the new status quo, as Steve Jobs recently predicted. Yes, you can use WiFi while you’re at home, but if you’re ditching your PC for an iPad, why should you need pay for WiFi anymore?
For the most part, the data plan restructuring from AT&T will undoubtedly save a majority their customers’ money. These savings are only a surface view though. Technology is rapidly becoming mobile. For instance, mobile data usage is predicted to grow by 39x by 2014. With these kinds of numbers and increased focus on cloud based storage and streaming content, 2GB looks like a smaller and smaller number. David Pogue of the NYTimes thinks that once all of this technology becomes commonplace new, higher capacity data plans will exist; but I disagree as such technology is on the cusp of being the norm (cloud based iTunes and AppleTV anyone?). I’m sure AT&T won’t be so pro-active in updating there data plans when this time comes. They will be too busy profiting from all the data overages their customers are paying so they can utilize current technology their smart phone plans from the past would have appropriately covered.
All existing AT&T customers will have the option to keep their current unlimited plans, but if you want tethering or a new plan than this option disappears. So with all other mobile carriers expected to soon follow AT&T’s lead, are we all being forced to forever lock ourselves into one carrier from fear of reaching data capacity?
