It is no surprise to anyone that users do not appreciate having to pay for the same service twice – and that is what mobile phone networks are getting people to do by charging for mobile phone tethering. If you pay for 2GB data in your mobile plan, then surely you should be able to use those 2GB through your mobile phone’s connection, you should not have to pay for an additional subscription to make use of your own data plan.
A couple of days ago, an app called QuasiDisk got past the App Store moderators with a function that allowed users to tether their iPhones – allowing users to use the modem in their iPhone to connect to the internet with their laptop or other device without incurring extra fees. Once news of this hidden feature spread – the app suddenly became very popular but it wasn’t long before Apple pulled the plug. This is not the first time such an app has slipped through the net and appeared on Apple’s App Store with the hidden feature, and you can be pretty sure it won’t be the last.
Some phone networks have been listening to users, however, and started to include tethering support for free with their monthly tariffs. O2 in the UK announced nearly a year ago that they were starting to include tethering as part of their monthly plans – but it is about time the others started following suit!