Tethering an iPhone

[Arthur Dent]

Dear All,

 

Some help and advice needed.

 

My wife wants to use her laptop out and about to connect to the internet. There are lots of "dongle" contracts out there but the data cap is usually 1GB/mth - possibly as much as 3GB/mth.

 

There are several phone contracts out there that offer unlimited (or "all you can eat") data with phones.

 

The iPhone (which she has) can act as a WiFi Modem using Tethering - but virtually every smartphone conract which has data specifically forbids tethering.

 

I know that technically if your phone is capable of tethering (WiFi hotspot on some devices) there's little the companies can do - but what they can do is throtte your data throughput or charge you an extra fee (because you are going acainst the T&C's of usage)

 

In an EE store on Saturday, a salesman said that (a) yes, tethering wasn't allowed, (b) they couldn't stop you from thehering and © they wouldn't do anything if you did, however, I walked away from that shop because I don't want to fall foul of any T&C's

 

Three (or is it "3") seem to be the only network that specifically allow tethering on their One Plan.

 

So, my question is, are there any other networks that offer tethering (together with a talk allowance of at least 500-1000 x network minutes per month) - ideally with an iPhone 4/4S/5 because her 3GS will only tether via USB (and that's a pain tbh).

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Art

[BankFodder]

No experience of iPhone - but on Android I have found that providers can normally detect if tethering is going on and they present you with a page to buy data before loetting you proceed.

In the end I found an Android app which gets round it by relaying the internet service to the computer by Bluetooth.

It works very well.

 

Maybe there is a similar app for iPhone

[ashmk]

Giff Gaff offer the best PAYG tethering plans out there. I did a lot of research on this some time ago and that is the result I found. No contract and £7.50 for 1 gig in a month.

[Arthur Dent]

Re: Tethering an iPhone

Giff Gaff offer the best PAYG tethering plans out there. I did a lot of research on this some time ago and that is the result I found. No contract and £7.50 for 1 gig in a month.

 

I am aware of GiffGaff who piggyback on the O2 network.

 

On the Tablet PC and Dongle Gigabags for £5/mth you get 500Mb of data, for £7.50/mth you get 1Gb of data and for £12/mth you get 3Gb of data. These plans do not include voice (ie zero min per month).

 

On Phone plans (which give you voice too - and I asked for between 500 and 1000 x-network minutes) a £12/mth goodybag gives you 250 UK minutes, unlimites internet and a £15/mth plan only ups the voice alowance to 400mins.

 

TETHERING however is forbidden on Goodybags (there is some confusion around the £10/mth Goodybag). If GiffGaff spot you tethering they will (at worst) suspend your account so you won't be able to make receive calls let alone use data afaik.

 

So, back to my original question....

 

Art

[queensclose]

why dont you just go with three mobile. you allow to hotspot your phone plus the unlimited data

[Arthur Dent]

Hi queensclose

 

Did you read my OP?

 

So, my question is, are there any other networks that offer tethering (together with a talk allowance of at least 500-1000 x network minutes per month) - ideally with an iPhone 4/4S/5

 

RTWFP

 

Art