Hi, AT&T? Loyal customer here. Really been digging the iPhone the last few years, and was pretty excited to find out I can use it as a hotspot in March. That is, if you let us. And you really should.
I know, change is hard. But that didn’t stop you from enabling tethering when iOS 4.0 came along, and that worked out just fine! Besides, just think about how many people you can kick off of those pesky grandfathered-in unlimited plans. And not only will their data be capped now, they’ll be paying for up to five devices’ worth of downloads. I haven’t run the exact numbers, but I’m pretty sure that’ll net you about 58 kajillion dollars (EBITDA).
And honestly – should I even be telling you this? – it’s not like we don’t already use our iPhones as hotspots. The jailbreakers among us have been using MyWi for ages. It’s compatible with any iPhone (even 2G!) and iPad iOS 3.1.2 or later. And it’s just 20 bucks. That’s $US20 that’s going to a Cydia app instead of your coffers. Galling, right? Doesn’t have to be!
Besides, at this point mobile hotspot is pretty much table stakes for high-end smartphones. At least, your competitors certainly seem to think so. It’s been built into Android since May, for goodness sake! T-Mobile’s Nexus S, Sprint’s Evo 4G and Epic 4G, Verizon’s, uh, iPhone 4. The omission’s starting to be a glaring one, AT&T.
Is it the network you’re worried about? It’s true, you do have a tough enough time as it is. But what better way to prove that all that backhaul work and cell site activation hasn’t just been a desperate attempt to keep your head above water? That you’re actually ready for the future? Most of all, that we shouldn’t abandon ship?
Look, you’ve got some time. A couple of months, at most, to decide whether you’re going to offer a fully functional iPhone or an idiot step-brother. I think we both know what makes.
Oh, and don’t hold out until iPhone 5 so we all have to upgrade. That’s just obnoxious.