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Topic: AT&T

AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

Summary: When iOS 4.3 finally rolls out on March 11, it will bring a mobile hotspot to the iPhone 4. But, as always, there will be a catch.

Rachel King

By for The ToyBox |

When iOS 4.3 finally rolls out on March 11, it will bring a mobile hotspot to the iPhone 4. But, as always, there will be a catch.

A leaked slide, which may or may not be authentic, reveals that the AT&T Mobile Hotspot (a.k.a. Personal Hotspot) for the iPhone 4 will be limited to three devices.

This comes as a bit of a surprise given that most other carriers that offer mobile hotspots with their smartphones (ahem, Verizon) allow connectivity for up to five gadgets. While this probably won't stop anyone from buying an iPhone, it might influence a decision about which carrier to pick. It doesn't seem entirely wise on AT&T's part given how competitive and heated things have become in the mobile provider market.

Again, this could turn out to be false, so we'll know more for sure by next Friday.

[Image via Engadget]

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Topics: AT&T, iPhone, Mobility, Wi-Fi

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11 comments
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  • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

    From Apple IOS Page (http://www.apple.com/ios/)
    "Personal Hotspot requires a supporting hotspot tethering plan from your carrier and works with up to three devices over Wi-Fi, three devices over Bluetooth, and one device over USB."

    Please update the article to the effect. Its not AT&T issue.
    1773
    Reply Vote

    • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

      @1773
      Correct. It is actually Apple's no matter of who is your carrier.
      Ram U
      Reply Vote

  • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

    C'mon! This is an iOS limitation - not AT&T... Verizon will have the same restriction. The iPhone supports three wi-fi devices while the other two devices must be Bluetooth and USB. Kudos to AT&T for advertising the three wi-fi devices only so as not to disappoint customers who don't read the fine print.<br><br>I understand that spending 10 minutes to check some facts may result in another website being first to break the story, but your readership will appreciate the accuracy of your stories and won't be embarrassed when they break one of your stories to their friends.
    spammyman
    Reply Vote

  • Everyone so quick to slam AT&T

    they forget to check the facts as stated by people above that iOS 4.3 no matter what network is limited to 3 devices. So unless you jailbreak it you are limited.
    bobiroc
    Reply Vote

  • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

    What they said... reporting on a leaked slide that may or may not be genuine and actually is factually incorrect whether is is genuine or not is poor practice.
    Get with the program.
    ALISON SMOCK
    Reply Vote

  • SO if you have the iPhone 4...

    This means there is no need to get the WiFi + 3G version of the iPad 2 right? I mean, I always have my phone with me and the iPad should work great over the hotspot connection.... Can anyone give me a good reason to pony up for the higer priced unit?
    BillVentiger
    Reply Vote

    • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

      @BillVentiger - GPS Chip is the thing you'll miss on a non-3G iPad. And the hotspot plan may or may not work for your uses. But if you are sure you'll never be wanting for gps enabled apps, the wifi only would be fine
      jondrew
      Reply Vote

    • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

      @BillVentiger <br><br>The GPS is placed on the chip giving you access to the 3G net. But as far as I know it is not necessary to have a SIM card in the iPad to use the GPS.<br><br>BTW, I don't see why the carrier should have extra money for allowing tethering. They get money for the data plan, not for how the customer uses it. In my own country, Denmark, it costs nothing extra to use tethering or the phone as a Personal WiFi Hotspot. And I pay less than $15 for my data plan for the iPhone 4, 25% VAT included. The iPhone was bought directly from Apple without carrier discounts ...<br><br>But of course, competition works here and all four major carriers have the iPhone. Their daughter companies too.<br><br>As for the of number of devices in need of getting access to the internet through my iPhone, I would maximum need two. My MacBook and my iPad 2 when i get it. My iPad for reading and commenting stuff and my MacBook for producing stuff with products like Mathematica and LaTeX.
      perronne
      Reply Vote

  • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

    I think support for three devices is reasonable, at least for my situation (iPhone4, a laptop computer and a future tablet device such as an iPAD2).
    jla1
    Reply Vote

  • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

    The actual "catch" is that AT&T (and other carriers) are charging a tethering fee or hotspot fee for using data that one is already paying for with an iPhone, Blackberry, Android, or WP7...

    But yes it is an iOS limitation for the three devices not an AT&T one.
    athynz
    Reply Vote

    • RE: AT&T likely to limit iPhone 4 mobile hotspot to three devices

      @athynz The other catch is that most likely just like with when tethering was made available if you add it to your plan and you currently have AT&T's unlimited plan you lose it. It costs me less to keep my unlimited plan and carry an additional 4G hotspot. I would prefer to simply use my phone as a hotspot but it becomes more costly for lower speeds.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote
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