Apple

[robwheatley]

I've tethered my iPhone to my Mac a number of times over the last few months, but I've only just realised that I'm getting charged £5 every time I do it!!! I had no idea this was happening. In fact the only reason I know now is because I saw some odd charge on my bill so I googled what it was. It's not at all obvious from the bill. I'd always assumed that tethering data was included in my data bundle.

I see this as a total rip off. If I had any other phone and I was using it as a modem it would be included in the usual bundle. More worrying is the fact that it's essentially a hidden charge. 

Not happy at all.

I'm going to see if I can change the settings in my iPhone so that tethering uses the normal APN rather than the tethering one so that I can circumvent this charge. When I sort it, I'll post the details........

[markb]

.......Good luck with the settings change. I'll look forward to that one.

Incidentally, the information is not hidden, it's clearly stated had you chosen to research rather than assume.

http://shop.vodafone.co.uk/iphone/tethering.html

[robwheatley]

Why would I research it? I've never seen this situation before for any other phone I've ever had. I've always used my phone to connect to the web from a PC and never come across this new way of screwing money out out me before. No one mentioned this in the shop when I bought the phone, not even to try and sell me a tethering bundle which would have been an obvious clue that I was about to be ripped off. 

Also, if the charge was marked as 'tether' or something like that on the bill rather than ACCINT it would be a lot more obvious what was going on. ACCINT is a fairly meaningless marker to use on the bill and why this was chosen when this is essentially some free text the billing system fills in baffles me. I found out what it means by googling as the bill doesnt tell you what it means and Vodafone's web site is next to useless.

Anyway, I've sorted it all now. I've created a new carrier profile on my iPhone which uses the regular internet APN when tethering. I assume that if I post here how to do it the post will be removed by the forum administrators, but a little googling will give you the answer. The obvious way to do it would be to edit the Vodafone profile that's loaded via iTunes, but the actual data is encrypted and I couldnt be bothered to sort that out (it didn't look like more than a 15 min job). Creating a new profile from scratch is just as easy, just less obvious that  you are using the right one when you actually come to use it.

Rob. 

[James5566]

Yep, It's a massive rip off. Vodafone were charging me in a similar situation not long ago. I managed to have the charges credited back.

I bought the £15 a month 3GB Internet pack which I was told in store could be used to browse the web from my iPhone as I don't think 1GB is enough.

Then every month when I went over 1GB I was charged £5 for every 500MB I used from the phone. I was told that the 3GB add-on can only be used while tethering the iPhone to a laptop. I have absolutely NO IDEA why it matters if you're using it to tether a laptop or browsing direct from the phone.

I was told there are no additional Internet plans for the iPhone and if I go over 1GB I'll be charged. As you can imagine, I cancelled this add-on. From now on, if I get near my usage limit, I'll just wait until I get home to use WiFi.

So Vodafone don't get an extra £15/pm out of me because they offer no additional usage plans. Seems like a business fail if you ask me.

And you're right, you can change the APN the iPhone accesses. I wouldn't post how to do it here but a simple Google search will do the trick.

[jonathanang]

I just discovered this today at well - not happy at all! Especially when I was told explicitly by Carphone Warehouse staff (where I bought my iPhone) that this was going to be okay. And I think Vodafone should be clear about this in their price plan descriptions. Any way you've managed to get around this problem so far?

[pmcmillan]

I first moved to Vodafone at the end of 2007 with the Nokia N95 8GB. My contract was initially for 50Mbytes of internet usage, what was obviously too low so I was very pleased when Vodafone decided to go unlimited with a Fair Use Policy.

At that time, there was nothing to stop tethering and I often used it to both for work and play, but always careful to adhere to the fair use policy. I also used to to get traffic information to my Tom Tom SatNav.

I chose to stay with Vodafone when I moved to the iPhone 4 in June 2010, primarily because the data allowance (sadly no longer unlimited) was the best on offer at the time, with Orange, O2 and 3 just offering 500Mbytes as opposed to Vodafone's 1Gbyte.

I had hoped that Vodafone would realise that data is data, no matter whether it is the actual device or a connected device. This tethering charge is simply something I don't want to pay, so when my current contract comes to an end, it is off to the 3 network I go. Sad to leave Vodafone, but I want to use the data allowance I pay for, in the way I want.

Luckily, I now have a car with built in SatNat that uses it's own 2G network connection for traffic info.

There is no point in having a contract offering 1 Gbyte of data, only using 100 Mbytes on the device, then paying £5 per 500 Mbytes to access data on connected devices. My home broadband provider doesn't charge separately for using data on computers, gaming consoles, IPTV boxes or mobile phone connections.

It is the wrong direction Vodafone should be taking. If it wants to retain customers and attract new ones, it would consider;

 - including data used via tethering in the normal data allowance.

 - Send a text when you are approaching the limit of any allowance or add-on charge.

 - Take the lead, and allow Facetime over 3G, but using your voice minutes instead of data allowance.

 - Allow customers to 'trade' voice minutes for data allowance during the month so that any underused allowances can be consumed.

It's not difficult to construct a business model that relies on more customers to increase revenue, rather than squeeze existing customers until they walk to a rival network.

7 months to go!!

Phil

[Woody]

Hi pmcmillan,

I'm sorry to hear that you feel this way.

Both the way that tethering connections are made, that make them different to a normal connection and only being able to your Facetime over WiFi, are choices that are out of our control, due to the way Apple have designed the handset.

We do however already send customers SMS notifications when they are nearing their limit, to let them know of their options.

We do also include roaming data of up to 25Mb per day inclusively on some of our price plans.

Woody

eForum Team

[le_bouch]

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Incidentally, the information is not hidden, it's clearly stated had you chosen to research rather than assume.

What a monumentally patronising reply, Mr Perfect! The OP is right. You can't defend the indefensible, unless you work for Vodafone. Or do you...?

Just six months to go before I can ditch this shower and go back  to O2 - inclusive tethering, MMS, Visual Voicemail, etc.

My iPad, my son's iPhone 3GS and my partner's iPhone 4 are all on O2 - I can speak with confidence when I say that Vodafone are NOT the network to be on with an iPhone. Their breathtaking head-in-the-sand arrogance, as repeated by their Mod on this very thread, will ultimately be their undoing.

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[savio27]

It's a shame you hate Vodafone so much, and I partly agree it's a bit annoying you have to pay extra to tether rather than the data coming from your monthly allowance.  However, VF have always charged for iphone tethering since they got the iphone over a year ago as this was then something set by apple .  I believe O2 and 3 allow free tethering however this is only a recent move by O2.  Also, by charging you extra VF is trying to prevent people downloading massive files to their PCs and using larger bandwidths (which is what people would be inclined to do with tethering) compared to others who just want to check the odd email or website which is included in their price plan.  

Again ever since VF got the iphone they stated that visual voicemail was not available - was all over the eforum last year.  Hence it surprises me why you went with VF in the first place if they aren't offering the things you need.  As for carphone warehouse - can't believe people still listen to their advice and buy handsets from them and phones4u (they're like used car salesmen) - you always get better deals by going direct to VF (esp through their twitter/eforum teams).

[le_bouch]

Don't worry on my behalf - I don't _hate_ Vodafone - life's too short!

I don't agree that tethering would significantly increase user bandwidth as the overall amount would still be capped. You're not going to download large files if you know your data amount would be exhausted in one go, are you?

If charging was imposed by Apple then Voda should look after their customers and lift it now that Apple have relented.

Where do Vodafone make clear ANYWHERE that Visual Voicemail is not supported? Apart from these forums, and I think you'll find that all THAT discussion started after the cat was out of the bag and people were into their inflexible, locked-down contracts. I certainly don't remember any glossy advertising stating that, or being told by sales staff when I got the phone on launch day. Should I have asked, just to be sure? And then checked that the camera worked too? And MMS?

Coming from O2 I kind of assumed that "THE network for the iPhone" would just work..

[le_bouch]

And if you think I feel strongly about the tethering rip-off you should see how vodafone.ie customers feel..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056199191

[le_bouch]

Both the way that tethering connections are made, that make them different to a normal connection and only being able to your Facetime over WiFi, are choices that are out of our control, due to the way Apple have designed the handset.

Woody,

Are you saying that Vodafone double-charge for tethering because of the way Apple designed the iPhone? I assume not because that's not true. What point are you making there?

[Woody]

Hi le_bouch,

The tethering connection on the iPhone differs from that on other devices, as it connects over a different access point than the standard "internet" connection. This is down to the design of the phone.

We also don't double charge for the connection as it is separate to your internet usage and will come out of a separate allowance.

Woody

eForum Team

[le_bouch]

So how do O2 do it then? It's not down to the design of the phone - it's down to the Vodafone carrier file which you install!

And yes you DO double-charge. I already pay for 1 GB data per month, which I never get near to. If I want to use some of that data allowance (data is data is data) to tether then that should be MY choice, not yours.

[Wayne]

Hi le_bouch

Thanks for your post here.

There is no Vodafone branding present on iPhones. The reason why you get charged for this is that tethering requires the use of a different APN to the normal one. That is why it is charged seperately.

Thanks

Wayne

eForum Team

[le_bouch]

Wayne - what on earth are you talking about?! I never said there was branding on the phone. You do know what a carrier file is, right?
I'll ask the question again - how do O2 (and 3, for that matter) do it?

[savio27]

Perhaps it's in Vodafone's contract with Apple to charge for tethering?  Anyway vodafone have always charged for iphone tethering and I guess if enough people are willing to pay for it, they'll keep charging for it. Simples. 

[le_bouch]

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savio27 wrote:

Perhaps it's in Vodafone's contract with Apple.... if enough people are willing to pay for it, they'll keep charging for it.

I'd be amazed if it's in their contract with Apple - if it was I'm sure the Mods would tell us 'cos it takes the fire away from them. Vodafone will relent eventually - they'll have to.

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[le_bouch]

Wayne?

[parish_chap]

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Woody wrote:

The tethering connection on the iPhone differs from that on other devices, as it connects over a different access point than the standard "internet" connection. This is down to the design of the phone.

Woody, I know that the iPhone uses different APNs for phone and tethering data but what I've never seen is a satisfactory explanation as to why that means we can't use our 1GB of data for tethering. Your billing system links both APNs to the same account - i.e. I get charged - so why is there a problem?

If it is because the data used when tethering can't be deducted from the 1GB allowance then surely that is just a bit of basic programming for your software engineers...

data_remaining = data_allowance - phone_data_used - tether_data_used

It does seem to me that the different APNs are being used as an excuse by VF to charge us more.

The daft thing is that I still have my old k810i so I could just take the SIM out of my iPhone (3GS, so full-sized SIM), pop it in the k810i and hook it up to my laptop and tether for "free"