iPhone 3G as Bluetooth-Modem?

Apple told the developer that the app removal was in error and that it will return to the app store soon. Apple says it takes 5 days to get it back up for some reason. I don't believe the reason but whatever as long as they plan to return it.

AT&T does allow tethering on their phones. They even have online tutorials to teach you how to do it with most phones. But they do require the $60 "tethered" plan for you to be permitteded to do so (same plan for modems.) They just don't offer the plan of iPhone (yet) for some odd reason.
Apple should just support tethering directly and AT&T should just offer a tethered plan for iPhone like they already do for all other phones they sell.

ok 🙂 I rephrase my question how many other GSM/3G based network providers in the world charges extra for using tethering? Especially when the network is not a Turbo3G!

Sprint charges extra for tethering. They call it a "Phone as Modem" plan for $50/month on top of your existing voice plan. If you just want Internet access from the phone itself, you only have to pay $20/month extra.

http://www.nextel.com/en/solutions/mobilebroadband/phone_asmodem.shtml

Yeah right, use EVDO like Sprint and Verizon and be part of the type of network only deployed in 3rd world countries. While the rest of the western hemisphere using HSDPA. That is the reason why I bought iPhone 3G, it is a pity that no one in the US is 10 years after Europe when it comes to most mobile technology.

Vodaphone here in New Zealand (and Australia) allows tethering, but says they don't support it; if the phone can be configured then it's fine. So far Netshare is not available in NZ iTunes store however.

Just like thousands of others. I thought tethering would be possible. It is a shame considering all the business and value it would generate.

At least offer free WiFi ATT, with the data plan if you're worried about bandwidth.

As reported earlier, I had the same advice from Optus in Australia (you can actually buy extra data allowance with some of their iPhone plans).

It seems the best way forward (at least in Australia and New Zealand) it to resist the temptation to buy the iPhone and make it clear to the retailers that you are waiting for tethering to be supported.

There is another discussion about the Netshare iPhone app that enables tethering (where the service provider permits it). Netshare appears intermittently on the iTunes Store Apps list. Hopefully those of us outside the USA (ie not tied to ATT) will be able to buy that app soon.
The other discussion is at:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7820148&#7820148

Apple, AT&T, we are already paying for UNLIMITED DATA, the blackberry can do this, the phone and the mac are capable of doing this, please let us do this. There is no business reason to prevent this.

This is entirely correct. I'd go on to say that there are business reasons that this functionality has to be "switched on", namely that the thousands of customers (me included) who bought the phone assuming some sort of teathering functionality would be available are incredulous that they have signed up to expensive and long "unlimited data" packages, that effectively only allow them to use the limited browser and mail and entertainment services. We are told iPhone is a standards concious project. Why does the iPhone even have bluetooth? It certainly doesn't seem be able to do anything useful with it.

Why is netshare no longer available on the app store? I'd be very upset if I'd bought into the iPhone dev programme only to find out my app has been pulled.

Admittedly I'm posting from an iPhone but only because I can't teather it to my laptop. I'm working abroad with only access to an edge network. I can't believe apple have left this one out. Safari on the iPhone is ok but I need web access for my laptop, since nearly every other data enabled mobile device supports teathering and many networks either allow or even support it, then surely the iPhone can as well?

The lack of this feature along with very poor intgration between apps (not even copy and paste, let alone sending contacts) makes the iPhone a bit of a White elephant.

I have just purchased a iPhone 3G in SA, we don't have providers lik AT&T.

We have to pay for our own connectivity per mb, it is true that we can not use the iPhone as a modem? (With out Hacking it of couse)

Does Apple have a application we can use to enable using the phone as a modem, even better a bluetooth modem?

Further more, the phone does not allow for mms? does not allow Personalized ringtones? iTunes isn't supported in South Africa, I can't even download a personlized ringtone.

I mean theses are major flaws, and this is coming from a person in a third world country.

Some feedback on thes matters would be great!

Hi
Agree with the above. Apple needs to come up with a solution - it's got to be possible.
I have always connected to the net using my phones 3g capability. Had i known that the iPhone could not act as a modem, perhaps i would have thought twice about the purchase. I also live in South Africa. I bought a 2GB plan from my service provider.

I wish that America was not so insular.

The 3G is sold all over the world and we are not in the slightest bit interested in AT&T - If I go to the States I will make sure that I do not use them!

I have a phone which does allow data. The sim card I use will permit me to access the internet up to 1GB per month at 3G rates, and the same card works fine in a dongle. The phone has not been jailbroken but was unlocked by Apple!

It also works fine in a Nokia N95. and that can be used as a modem to my apple laptop. So why not the Apple 3G?

I think we need a proper fair reply which does not fob us off like most of those here have been.

There was an app available but it was quickly withdrawn. I think it used the phone as a wi-fi source.

So it CAN be done - so WHY NOT Apple??

zimmerf wrote:
Does Apple have a application we can use to enable using the phone as a modem, even better a bluetooth modem?

No, they do not unless you can find something in the App Store. Bluetooth is limited to headsets and hands free devices at this time.

Further more, the phone does not allow for mms?

The iPhone uses email in place of MMS.

does not allow Personalized ringtones?

You can create ringtones in Garageband on a Mac and you will need to Google on how to create ringtones in Windows.

The Pom is 100% right. I have a Nokia 6280 - great tethered 3g (3 Australia) modem. At work I use a Blackberry Bold as a DUN modem on Telstra's NextG network. everything without exception I have seen written here is spin about why Apple has failed to provide something most cellular carriers are promoting here in Aus. Yeah, you can buy a datacard, USB dongle, or use your phone as a modem. Better details on the datacards mostly, but you can buy plans that allow sufficient for a laptop.
The KEY is we are paying for it, we don't care about AT&T, and we know the 'experience' isn't as good as being on WiFi at MIMO speeds. BUT WE DON'T CARE. We are going backwards in functionality. It's like the omission of voice dialing! Virtually any first world country prohibits the use of mobiles without headsets or handsfree, and Apple omits this. Thanks. Glad 'Say Who' has come to Apple's rescue - and my driving licenses.
Put the functionality back, or it ceases to be something special. Can I watch flash movies in web pages with my iPhone? No, but I can on my MacBook.