Katie MarsalDe La Vega made the comments during an interview with TechCrunch operator Michael Arrington during this week's Web 2.0 Summit, though he reportedly stopped short of providing any form of pricing information.
The executive's remarks confirm rumors of an official AT&T tethering solution dating back to August. At the time, an iPhone 3G owner fired off an email to Apple chief executive Steve Jobs arguing that it was "ludicrous" that a tethering option is not offered alongside "such an advanced device."
He pointed out that AT&T offers a tethering solution to users of Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones for an additional $30 per month, and said he'd be willing to shell out the extra change each month for the same luxury.
In a response, Jobs reportedly wrote back saying, "We agree, and are discussing it with AT&T."
A $10 application called NetShare by NullRiver briefly enabled tethering for the iPhone earlier this year.
The application was quickly plucked from the App Store, however, and later banned permanently by Apple after AT&T expressed concern that iPhone users would exploit its capabilities to tax the carrier's 3G network without forking over additional data fees.
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35 Comments
This would be a great option. I use to tether all the time with my old WM phone. I'm hoping that the price is no higher than 30 bucks a month. I don't mind paying the 30 because I tether a lot. Not sure many others will be to happy about that price point.
AT&T Mobility chief executive Ralph De La Vega has disclosed that a carrier-sanctioned method of using the iPhone as a 3G modem for notebooks will be announced "soon."
Hey, this is fantastic news for all of us out in the rural areas with
nothing but super-slow dial-up and very expensive satellite access
to choose from!
Oh, wait. Those are the same areas that are horribly under-served
and ignored by AT&T's "America's largest 3G network".
And that price (although only mentioned by a random customer,
not anyone official) is ridiculously high. I already pay a fortune
for the iPhone data package and get to enjoy it trudging along on
EDGE. Don't even pretend you're gonna offer me tethering for
$30 more.
This would saver me $30 a month over my current AT&T 3G plan, but I'd have a $150 cancelation fee.
Keep it.
What about the Google phone? Tethering available on T-mo?