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T-Mobile G2 WiFi calling and tethering update begins rolling out today?
Get ready G2 owners because it looks like an OTA update will begin distribution on November 3rd (yes, that's today) to flip the switch on WiFi tethering and T-Mobile's WiFi Calling for Android feature. The anticipated update lets G2 owners make voices calls and send SMS messages from WiFi networks without a femtocell thus conserving their monthly contractual network allotments -- something that could prove very beneficial at home. It also includes WiFi hotspot tethering (a native part of the Android 2.2 Froyo OS) although T-Mobile won't have data plans ready at the same time. In other words, enjoy your free WiFi tethering while it lasts.
T-Mobile offering unlimited tethering 'this holiday season' as $15 add-on
This one comes as no surprise, but T-Mobile has announced today that the availability of tethering and WiFi hotspot capabilities for "select smartphones" in its lineup in time for the holidays -- and as is often the case with Big Magenta, they're offering the service at a much more aggressive price point than its larger competitors: $14.99 a month on top of your $30 unlimited data plan buys you unlimited tethering on T-Mobile's glorious HSPA+ network (and in its non-HSPA+ areas as well, of course). We still don't know whether this'll start to roll out on November 3rd as was rumored, but that'd be a nice way to get into the holiday spirit, wouldn't it? Don't get us wrong -- we'd prefer if they offered it for free as part of your $30 package, but in our post-apocalyptic world of streaming video and incessant browsing on the go, that just wasn't gonna happen. Separately, T-Mobile is also announcing an alternative to that $30 smartphone data: a new 200MB plan clocking in at $10 on a new two-year deal or $15 a month without a contract extension. As you might imagine, tethering isn't available with this one -- we suspect it's just an answer to the new fad adopted by AT&T and Verizon of offering a tiny-bucket data plan alongside your regular gluttonous-bucket package.
T-Mobile launching data tethering / wireless hotspot plan on Nov. 3rd for $14.99?
T-Mobile said it was "working to deliver" hotspot support to T-Mobile G2 users, and now we might know the reason for the delay -- an allegedly leaked document details Magenta's scheme to offer a comprehensive data tethering plan for a $14.99 monthly fee. According to the convincingly worded internal memo, the new feature will let you tether over WiFi, Bluetooth or a physical USB cable at both 3G and HSPA+ speeds, though only on a $20 or higher unlimited data plan -- so if you've got just 200MB, you'll have to spend them on the small screen. The doc also says it's subject to T-Mobile's recent throttling efforts, so don't expect to enjoy HSPA+ on your tethered tablet for long: "Customers who purchase a T-Mobile mobile broadband product like the upcoming Galaxy Tab should activate with a webConnect plan to ensure the best experience," the document specifically suggests. The plan's apparently coming November 3rd, a date which is associated with another likely rumor, too -- TmoNews has a leaked email of its own suggesting the new myTouch will hit November 3rd as well. With Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all already charging for connection sharing, we suppose the writing was on the wall. The days of ambiguous wireless freedom are just about over, folks.
Clearwire's Rover service goes live, offers $5/day 4G service
Looks like the prepaid wireless data market is starting to heat up: Clearwire just launched its Rover service, which offers 4G wireless data for as little as $5 a day -- with two free days included when you first sign up. That's not bad if you just need a quick hit here or there, although you need to pony up $150 for that Rover Puck WiFi hotspot we saw at the FCC last month or $100 for a USB stick, and anything more than a day quickly becomes less of a deal at $20/week and $50/month. Oh, and it's 4G-only, so if you're not living or working in a WiMAX city you're out of luck. Still, those prices aren't terribly out of line with the competition, although we might be more inclined to choose Virgin's $40/mo prepaid MiFi and settle for 3G speeds while getting more coverage. Decisions, decisions -- what a wonderful problem to have. PR after the break.
Vodafone launches R201 mobile WiFi hotspot in the UK, Three shrugs
Vodafone's no stranger to the mobile broadband scene, but until now, British road warriors have had to rely on Three for a mobile WiFi hotspot solution. Enter the R201 modem -- just as we heard in our exclusive leak last month, said device from Huawei can host a party of up to five WiFi devices, and it'll do HSDPA 7.2 Mbps plus HSUPA 5.76 Mbps for up to four hours on a single charge. Sadly, there's no pay-and-go option just yet, so buyers will have to live under Vodafone's roof for 18 months with a choice of three room sizes: £15 ($23.51), £20 ($31.34) or £25 ($39.18) for 3GB, 4GB and 5GB (with free device) of monthly bandwidth, respectively. It sure is a fair bit of investment here, so before you hit the buy button, be sure to keep an eye out for our forthcoming review later this week.
Verizon FiveSpot CDMA / GSM mobile WiFi hotspot leaks out
Looks like Verizon's about to take its mobile data game worldwide -- we just got this snap of the "FiveSpot," a "global ready" mobile WiFi hotspot . That certainly sounds like a hybrid CDMA / UMTS mobile hotspot to us, which makes sense -- Verizon already sells a bunch of world phones with dual CDMA and GSM radios, so a globetrotting riff on the MiFi fits right in. Based on the name, we'd guess this supports five simultaneous users, but that's a guess. No idea when this will hit or how much it might cost, but we'll keep our eyes open -- check the box shot after the break. [Thanks, RWN]
Android 2.2 'Froyo' to include USB tethering, WiFi hotspot functionality
And the good Froyo news just keep flowing in. TechCrunch have flexed their exclusive muscle this morning in revealing their discovery that Android 2.2 will come with built-in tethering and WiFi hotspot support. That means you'll be able to use your phone's 3G internet connection to hook your laptop up to the worldwide webosphere, with a choice of wired or wireless methods. Of course, this dreamy scenario will be subject to the big bad network operators permitting -- or at least not forbidding -- you to do such awesome things with your hardware, but at least we know the goods are being baked into this forthcoming release from Google. Frozen yogurt for all!
McDonald's starts dishing out free WiFi at most of its U.S. restaurants
McDonald's promised that it would be make its in-restaurant WiFi service available for free in "mid-January" and, right on cue, it's now kicked things open to everyone with a laptop and a fast food craving starting today, January 15th. That service previously cost customers $2.95 for two hours of use, and it's already available at 11,500 of the company's 14,000 locations. Incidentally, that also makes McDonald's one of the largest providers of WiFi hotspots (free or otherwise) in the United States, with the company itself claiming that no less than 16% of reported WiFi hotspots in the U.S. are located at McDonald's.
AT&T to offer 'incentives' to customers willing to limit data usage
AT&T exec #1: You know, our network's really getting slammed with all these people using their unlimited data plans to download things and do stuff online all the time. Any ideas how we can fix it? AT&T exec #2: We could put out more WiFi hotspots. People seem to use those. Sometimes. AT&T exec #1: Sure, but that's not going to make a dent in places like New York City. I mean, have you used an iPhone there? AT&T exec #2: We have these things called MicroCells that people can use at home, if they live in North Carolina. Maybe more people could use those? AT&T exec #1: Yeah, that's good. But people like to use their cellphones outside their house too. What happens then? AT&T exec #2: Well, what if we offered customers incentives to use less data? AT&T exec #1: Now you're talking! What sort of incentives could get them to do that? AT&T exec #2: Hmm.... Well, readers, are there any incentives that would get you to use less data? Feel free to offer your suggestions for AT&T in the comments below. And don't worry about actually paying more for data (yet, anyway), as AT&T 's Ralph de la Vega is now saying that "we have not made any decision to implement tiered pricing," which is a slight backtrack from previous hints to the contrary.
Unfinished Windows 7 feature exploited for virtual WiFi hotspots
It wasn't all that long ago that Microsoft was talking up the Virtual WiFi feature developed by Microsoft Research and set for inclusion in Windows 7, but something got lost along the road to release day, and the functionality never officially made it into the OS. As you might expect with anything as big and complicated as an operating system though, some of that code did make it into the final release, and there was apparently enough of it for the folks at Nomadio to exploit into a full fledged feature. That's now become Connectify, a free application from the company that effectively turns any Windows 7 computer into a virtual WiFi hotspot -- letting you, for instance, wirelessly tether a number of devices to your laptop at location where only an Ethernet jack is available, or even tether a number of laptops together at a coffee shop that chargers for WiFi. Intrigued? Hit up the link below to grab the beta.
Barnes & Noble switches to free WiFi, just the thing for your e-book reader
Barnes & Noble and AT&T already went ahead and offered free WiFi to iPhone users (and everyone else, albeit inadvertently) last year, and it's now finally gone and given up on those pesky subscription fees altogether. As the pair of companies jointly announced today, that new and welcome change is now already in place at all Barnes & Noble stores in the US that offer WiFi, and the bookstore is not-at-all-coincidentally taking advantage of the opportunity to promote its recently launched eBookstore, to say nothing of its forthcoming e-book reader. Last we heard, they still have actual books and stuff there, too.
UK ATMs set to offer WiFi access, free for BT and iPhone users
BT Broadband customers and O2 iPhone owners, rejoice -- some 2,500 ATM machines near you will soon be converted to serve as free WiFi hotspots, courtesy of BT Openzone and Cashbox, perhaps the most mismatched pair of commercial metaphors ever put together. The initial rollout starts with 10 machines this week and numbers are expected to steadily increase. Non-BT users and iPhone heretics wanting to join in the fun will have to shell out £5.88 ($10) for 90 minutes or a more reasonable £9.79 ($16) for 24 hours.[Via Tech Digest]
