AT&T just isn’t going to take it anymore. The Internet was abuzz after Appmodo claimed to have inside information regarding AT&T’s future tethering plan. They claimed that an inside source had told them AT&T would be launching a tethering plan for the iPhone in July and that the plan would cost $55 per month on top of the unlimited data plan cost. Today, AT&T decided to squash that nasty rumor.
AT&T issued a statement on their Facebook page stating that the rumors are completely untrue:
“There are a lot of reports out there, but wanted you guys to know that rumors of $55 tethering plan on top of an unlimited data plan are false,” says the AT&T statement. “We’ll have more news to share when the iPhone tethering option is closer to launch.”
That’s all they had to say, but at least they squashed the rumor bug. We still don’t know how much tethering is going to cost, or if it will cost anything extra at all. All we know is that it will be available near “the end of summer.” At least it’s something.
[via The Loop]
Yes, I’m here to confirm that the $55 rumors are indeed false. But the $70 rumors are 100% true…
…maybe not, but I wouldn’t put it past them.
I remember the rumors were rampant on the initial iPhone launch in ‘07 and everyone was pleasantly surprised to see a $20 data fee for the iphone.
Would not surprise me if the tethering fee is nominal or nothing at all. I think there decision will be based on sales of the 3g s and their new newer hispeed 3G this summer.
Honestly, if it costs too much. I’ll cancel my new iPhone 3gs plan (pay the cancelation fee). Buy a MiFi and use Skype or TruPhone on the iPhone WiFi side (or my Touch) and probably be way ahead of the game in the end.
I on the fence about Tethering. Its not a must have for me. For one my office has given me an AirCard and unlimited dataplan. BUT I also know this is only for a limited time (I have to turn it in next year).
Still…here’s the rub. ATT offering a higher rate for iPhone Tethering is really an unfair targeting of a market segment. here’s why I think so: Blackberry users pay $20 for tethering. I also know that Treo users pay $0 for tethering…at least I did and several of my friends and business associates do. So where is the justification in targeting iPhone users? And the higher use thing isn’t enough. I have seen my AirCard bill and data use. i don’t come close with either iPhone nor AirCard to justify the cost.
So where is the sense in charging at all? Already we know, or maybe some don’t, that SMS literally costs nothing to the cell companies. It requires nothing on their part to do or make happen. MMS may be different due to the size of media files, but simple SMS? Nope. So even charging is merely for the convience of using SMS…not high adventure in technology.
In the end though ATT is merely doing what all cell companies do. I doubt that things would be different if the first contract went to Verizon. Its just such a phenomenon that I believe its steam rolled them all and they don’t know how to deal the increase network use or the desire for one simple device.
This rant seems completely incoherent for some reason. ahh well…