Tuesday, 11 November 2008

iPhone Can Soon Be Used As a Cellular Modem

In an interview with blogger Michael Arrington at the Web 2.0 Summit, AT&T Mobility President and CEO Ralph De La Vega said AT&T is working closely with Apple to come up with a way for iPhone users to use the device as an ad hoc cellular modem to connect their laptops to the Web while they're on the road.

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." In response Jobs said “we agree, and are discussing it with AT&T.”

To make a tethering application in iPhone’s current form, the phone has to be jail-broken and there could be repercussions from AT&T. Tethering an iPhone to a laptop is a relatively easy process. On a jail-broken iPhone one simply need the right combination of applications. Once those are downloaded, you set up a wireless network on the laptop, join it with the iPhone and then use those downloaded applications to start surfing AT&T's 3G.