[Edward Kirk]

Apple rumor site MacBlogz is claiming to have details on the iPhone tethering plans that were announced by AT&T CEO Ralph De La Vega last week. Not surprisingly, the plans for the iPhone are in line with the data plans they offer for other 3G devices.

• GB Data Cap (just like Blackberry users) - AT&T will automatically turn off your tethering connection if you use too much bandwidth. Of note, the 5GB cap might get sliced for all users, not just iPhone users, in order to accommodate all new tethering plan customers (bandwidth demand).


• Initial connection through iTunes? (not sure if this is every time you connect, or just for initial setup)


• Expected speeds: GPRS: 30k - dialup speeds / EDGE: 110k - ISDN speeds / 3G: 1000k - slow broadband.


• You’ll want to disable auto-updates for everything, so as to not go over usage limitations.


• Will be +$30/month, new iPhone plans may be rolled out with tethering rolled in.


• Do not pro-rate tethering/bandwidth, it can become a nightmare, instead wait until new billing cycle.


• For unlimited bandwidth, AT&T will tell you to get a wireless PC card.


• No idea on a launch date.

[via MacBlogz]

[imagine engine]

Why not just scrap the so called "unlimited data plan" and charge $30.00 for one Smartphone data plan that allows 5 GB with overage fees if the user exceeds that? The user would first get a SMS alert if they are nearing their 5 GB limit. If it continues then AT&T could provide a team of consultants for unusually high data usage to contact the customer alerting them of the usage and recommend rightsizing to the next data plan. This is something Rogers does for their customers here in Canada and we're allowed to tether on all Smartphone data plans. With Rogers method iPhone 3G users enjoy on average 2 Mbps over HSPA Nationwide.