Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

AT&T details how iOS 4.3 Personal Hotspot feature will work for iPhone users

Adam Rosenberg
By

Yesterday, AT&T revealed a new post-paid data plan option for tablet users, which allows people to pay for their data usage at the end of the month rather than at the beginning. So if you’ve got a 3G-equipped iPad or Galaxy Tab and you suddenly find yourself in desperate need of an Internet connection with no accessible Wi-Fi network in sight, there’s no longer any need to worry.

Alternatively, iPhone owners could instead opt to make use of AT&T’s re-confirmed support for the iOS 4.3 update’s Personal Hotspot feature, which will be released alongside the iPad 2 on March 11. The wireless carrier has previously said that it would make use of the new feature — really, the company has to, what with Verizon’s iPhone confirmed from the start to support it — and now the details of how it will all work have been revealed.

Recommended Videos

“AT&T plans to support the iOS 4.3 mobile hotspot feature when it’s released March 11,” the company told AppleInsider. “To utilize this feature, customers will need to subscribe to the DataPro 4GB/$45 tethering data plan.”

Related

Which is really just confirmation of what we already learned after AT&T dropped its unlimited data plans last summer in favor of a tiered pricing structure. At the time, the carrier also announced that tethering would be available to customers pending an iOS update for an addition $20 per month. So to use the Personal Hotspot feature in iOs 4.3, customers will need the 4GB Data Pro plan ($25/month) plus tethering ($20/month). $45.

Frankly, this is outlandishly expensive. And a completely unattractive option if you are one of the many users who opted to hang onto your unlimited data plan following last year’s service change. That will have to go if you want tethering. Unless you’re okay with a jailbreak.

In truth, a Wi-Fi hotspot feature has been available on iPhones for quite awhile now. Jailbreak app MyWi delivers the feature for a one-time cost of $19.99. If you happen to also still have your unlimited data plan, then there’s not even any danger of a data overage.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Adam Rosenberg
Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
When will Apple release iOS 18? Here’s what we know
An iPhone 14 laying face-down on a wood table.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will start on Monday, June 10. During the conference keynote, the company is expected to unveil new software updates for its major products, including iOS 18 for iPhones.

iOS 18 is expected to be a major iPhone update, likely ushering in a new design and AI features. If you are wondering when you can get your hands on the latest software version, here's everything you need to know about iOS 18's release date.
When will the iOS 18 beta be released?

Read more
The 7 biggest features we expect to see in iOS 18
The home screen on the Apple iPhone 15 Plus.

Apple revealed that its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place on June 10. This is when we expect to see the next iteration of software across all of Apple’s products, including iOS 18.

From the sounds of it, we’re in for a big update with iOS 18, rumored to be one of the “biggest updates” yet. Here’s what we expect from Apple's next major iPhone update with iOS 18.
A more customizable home screen

Read more
This could be our first look at iOS 18’s huge redesign
An iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro standing upright on a desk.

While iOS 17 fell short on a visual overhaul, Apple is rumored to be working on an updated identity for its next iOS version. Previous reports have claimed that the upcoming iOS 18 will feature visionOS-like elements introduced on the Apple Vision Pro. A new report confirms this with a leaked image of the iOS 18 Camera app.

According to a report from MacRumors, the next version of the Camera app could feature visionOS-style design elements. It is based on an iPhone frame template that the publication received from an anonymous source who claimed to have received it from an iOS engineer. It is said to have been included as part of the Apple Design Resources for iOS 18.

Read more