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gphipps's profile

Scholar

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338 Messages

Monday, May 7th, 2012 6:05 PM

Use 3GS as Wi-fi Hotspot

My family is taking a trip to Florida next month. I was planning on upgrading to the 5GB tethering plan for the trip and allow my kids to tether to my iPhone via wi-fi to avoid using up their 200MB data plans. I figured my wife could use her Kindle Fire that way also.

 

I learned today that AT&T says an iPhone 4 or 4S is required to use the iPhone as a wi-fi hotspot. (They say it can be tethered via USB or Bluetooth.) I have a 3GS running iOs 5.x. The option for wi-fi hotspot is in my settings.

 

My question is, has anyone figured out how to use their 3GS as a hotspot either natively or through an app?

 

 

Expert

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12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@sandblaster wrote:

@youngjm wrote:

@gphipps wrote:

@Laid-Back wrote:

I would keep in mind that if you currently have the 200MB data plan for 15$ and upgrade to the 5GB tethering plan for 50$ you would only be able to downgrade to the 300MB plan for 20$.

 

 


 

Thanks for that info. I didn't think of that. Looks like the kids will just have to be happy with their DVD players.

 

I really wish AT&T would come out with a shared data plan.

 


 


We will have to see, the CEO was recently quoated as saying that offering unlimited data was a big mistake.  With that view, I wonder if they ever would offer a shared plan?  It does have it's advantages in cases like yours.


It has been widely reported that both AT&T and Verizon intend to offer shared family data plans and AT&T's offering may be coming fairly soon according to this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57429659-94/at-t-mobility-ceo-family-data-plan-coming-soon-scoop/?tag=txt;title

 



shared plans will come eventually, but I suspect that peope will be a little shocked at the sticker price and the simple fact that it will not be a blanket unlimited data usage plan, it will either be tiered as the current plans.

Scholar

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338 Messages

12 years ago

I don't mind if it's not unlimited, don't expect it to be. We don't use a whole lot of data. We currently pay $45/month for 200MB on 3 iPhones. I'd gladly pay $50 for 5GB to share among the 3. That would be way more than what we currently use.

Expert

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12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@gphipps wrote:
I don't mind if it's not unlimited, don't expect it to be. We don't use a whole lot of data. We currently pay $45/month for 200MB on 3 iPhones. I'd gladly pay $50 for 5GB to share among the 3. That would be way more than what we currently use.

@suspect that it will be a lot higher then that - would guess 60 - 70 for 8GB, or a base increase off the starting price for ever phone you add - 3GB @ 30.00 for the primary phone, then 10.00 for an additional 1GB for each additional phone on the plan. ROI needs to be maintain for the feature to be profitable for any corporation and pricing a shared plan below a comperable single plan just does not cut it in the profit plan 

Scholar

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338 Messages

12 years ago

One can dream cant he? LOL

Thanks everyone for the replies to my original question. We've kinda gotten off topic now.

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago


@sandblaster wrote:

@youngjm wrote:

@gphipps wrote:

@Laid-Back wrote:

I would keep in mind that if you currently have the 200MB data plan for 15$ and upgrade to the 5GB tethering plan for 50$ you would only be able to downgrade to the 300MB plan for 20$.

 

 


 

Thanks for that info. I didn't think of that. Looks like the kids will just have to be happy with their DVD players.

 

I really wish AT&T would come out with a shared data plan.

 


 


We will have to see, the CEO was recently quoated as saying that offering unlimited data was a big mistake.  With that view, I wonder if they ever would offer a shared plan?  It does have it's advantages in cases like yours.


It has been widely reported that both AT&T and Verizon intend to offer shared family data plans and AT&T's offering may be coming fairly soon according to this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57429659-94/at-t-mobility-ceo-family-data-plan-coming-soon-scoop/?tag=txt;title

 


Off course I wrote my thoughts yesterday and the news that they are looking at shared data comes out today:-)

Expert

 • 

12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@youngjm wrote:

@sandblaster wrote:

@youngjm wrote:

@gphipps wrote:

@Laid-Back wrote:

I would keep in mind that if you currently have the 200MB data plan for 15$ and upgrade to the 5GB tethering plan for 50$ you would only be able to downgrade to the 300MB plan for 20$.

 

 


 

Thanks for that info. I didn't think of that. Looks like the kids will just have to be happy with their DVD players.

 

I really wish AT&T would come out with a shared data plan.

 


 


We will have to see, the CEO was recently quoated as saying that offering unlimited data was a big mistake.  With that view, I wonder if they ever would offer a shared plan?  It does have it's advantages in cases like yours.


It has been widely reported that both AT&T and Verizon intend to offer shared family data plans and AT&T's offering may be coming fairly soon according to this: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57429659-94/at-t-mobility-ceo-family-data-plan-coming-soon-scoop/?tag=txt;title

 


Off course I wrote my thoughts yesterday and the news that they are looking at shared data comes out today:-)



where do you see that? Got a link?

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago

Try this thread and the cnet news site plus all the blogs!

Expert

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12.2K Messages

12 years ago


@youngjm wrote:
Try this thread and the cnet news site plus all the blogs!


Again, they say "coming soon" with no set date listed

 

the linked articles ends with the comment, still see nothing that said it release today as you original comment alluded to

 

"Whether its AT&T or Verizon that launches the plan first is uncertain. But the company clearly won't be alone in embracing the new model."

Master

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7.1K Messages

12 years ago

@wingrider01 I know you love to debate semantics and i am not going to play but if you reread my post, I say they are looking at shared data not that a shared data plan is coming out today.

Enjoy!

Scholar

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121 Messages

12 years ago


@wingrider01 wrote:

@youngjm wrote:
Try this thread and the cnet news site plus all the blogs!


Again, they say "coming soon" with no set date listed

 

the linked articles ends with the comment, still see nothing that said it release today as you original comment alluded to

 

"Whether its AT&T or Verizon that launches the plan first is uncertain. But the company clearly won't be alone in embracing the new model."


Not sure how you managed to interpret youngjm's comment about  "and the news that they are looking at shared data comes out today" as him saying that shared data plans were being released today; guess you must have skipped over the part where he said "the news"...

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