The reason you would want to do this is two-fold: First, you will save money if you have the unlimited data plan from AT&T by using your iPhone as a WiFi hot spot at home, work, on the road, or anywhere there is an AT&T signal. (AT&T no longer offers an unlimited data plan, but allowed those of us who had it to keep it once they discontinued it, so we are grandfathered in). Second, you will gain much functionality over the limitations of the Apple operating system, which is limited only because AT&T's network could not withstand the demands on its bandwidth if all iPhone users had access to the same functionality, since AT&T did not ensure its network capabilities were adequate to make use of all of the functions the iPhone is able to provide for all users on its network, so many functions are programmed to be blocked from using the AT&T network and thus require WiFi access. To put it in proper perspective, it would be like DirecTV or Dish Network charging you for service, but telling you that if you want to watch certain shows, you also have to have Comcast service. Enter redundant services and unnecessary charges.
Here is a CONSERVATIVE breakdown of potential savings by using your jail-broken iPhone with an unlimited data plan and the MyWi app:
- NO separate wireless internet monthly fee: $59.99 or more/month
- NO iPhone tethering fee from AT&T required to use internet for computer: $20/month
- NO home internet service needed: $29.99 per month or more
- NO home phone needed: $19.99 per month or more
- NO premium cable channels needed: $29.99 per month or more
This is a CONSERVATIVE estimate, and the total in potential savings is $159.96 per month for the above services. That's $1,919.52 per year, which is about the same amount of money I have spent on fuel this year driving a minivan 20,000+ miles! My iPhone is literally paying for my gas!
Also, if you have one iPhone, it only costs about $50 per month more to add additional iPhones to a family plan and this includes unlimited texts for all phones on the plan. Three iPhones on one account with unlimited text, unlimited night and weekend calling, and 700 shared ANYTIME minutes runs about $215 per month. One iPhone by itself is $109 + tax per month, so the third one costs no more per month than if you only had two! (Even with three phones on my family plan, I never run out of minutes, and usually end up banking several hundred rollover minutes each month.)
There are other ways that the iPhone saves time and money that can't even be calculated. Since the total bill for an iPhone with the options I have (unlimited texting family plan, unlimited data plan, 700 shared minutes per month) is only $109.00 + tax or thereabouts, I'm actually coming out ahead by having an iPhone. People who think that the iPhone is an extravagance should rethink things. If you are struggling and on the low end of the income spectrum and need these services to do your job, NOT having an iPhone can cost you!
Also, if you have one iPhone, it only costs about $50 per month more to add additional iPhones to a family plan and this includes unlimited texts for all phones on the plan. Three iPhones on one account with unlimited text, unlimited night and weekend calling, and 700 shared ANYTIME minutes runs about $215 per month. One iPhone by itself is $109 + tax per month, so the third one costs no more per month than if you only had two! (Even with three phones on my family plan, I never run out of minutes, and usually end up banking several hundred rollover minutes each month.)
There are other ways that the iPhone saves time and money that can't even be calculated. Since the total bill for an iPhone with the options I have (unlimited texting family plan, unlimited data plan, 700 shared minutes per month) is only $109.00 + tax or thereabouts, I'm actually coming out ahead by having an iPhone. People who think that the iPhone is an extravagance should rethink things. If you are struggling and on the low end of the income spectrum and need these services to do your job, NOT having an iPhone can cost you!
Why don't I need premium cable channels? Because with NetFlix for $8.99 per month plus tax, I can view unlimited movies, television shows, etc. either on my iPhone or on my television (with iPhone hooked up to the television using the NetFlix app.)! This means I can watch the movies or shows instantly ANYWHERE, not just at home, and on any digital television, not just on my iPhone!
Legality: Many people have concerns over whether it is legal to "jailbreak" an iPhone. (Gotta love the term.) The short answer is: yes. It is completely legal. The slightly longer answer is: Despite Apple's attempts to limit your freedom to do what you wish and install whatever software you wish on your device that you have paid for with your hard-earned money, and despite the fact that it was never illegal to begin with, the federal government, in a rare occurrence of doing something intelligent that actually promotes freedom instead of restricting it, has now legalized jail-breaking your phone, which means essentially that they have merely affirmed what was already your right to begin with. (For the details of the laws that recently went into effect, click here.)
Potential Consequences: Jail-breaking your phone will void your warranty, but in order for that to be a problem, they (at Apple) have to know that it has been jail-broken. If you experience any problems on your phone, the best thing to do would be to do a clean restore from backup before taking it in for service. There is no way for them to know that the phone has been jail-broken once you have restored from backup. (Make sure you backup your phone with iTunes before jail-breaking it.) Problem solved.
Functional Issues: The only problems I have experienced after jail-breaking my phone are that occasionally it will crash and need to be rebooted, although it seems to happen with less frequency now than it did before I jail-broke the phone. Otherwise, the phone and its software looks and functions 100% the same way it always did. (I have read that there are some apps. available in the App Store that will not work on a jail-broken iPhone, but have not yet encountered any personally.)
Service Issues: If you are going to also unlock your phone, you will need to make sure that you are aware of the following issues with any provider other than AT&T:
- While you will have the ability to use data on any network as well as voice services, you will NOT have 3G data service with ANY other carrier than AT&T and will have to be satisfied with EDGE or similarly slower communication speeds. This is because of the frequency the phone itself operates on, and has nothing to do with software.
- You will NOT be able to talk on the phone and simultaneously use data services like internet, text, etc. on any other network but AT&T, because other networks are not set up to allow this function, nor would the slower EDGE network speed accommodate it well even if it were possible.
- If you ONLY jailbreak your phone (which allows you to download non-Apple apps from Cydia via the Cydia App Store application) and do NOT unlock your phone, or even if you DO unlock your iPhone but stay with AT&T, you will still have all of the same service features with AT&T as before, but would also be able to switch S.I.M. cards to use other networks when desired.
Here is the link to a YouTube video demonstrating how to jailbreak your phone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l4EGvt_9vA
I know it's scary the first time you do it, but once you're no longer a jailbreak virgin, you'll be proud of the fact that you're legally breaking the rules! And remember, you can easily restore from backup in iTunes in order to "un-jailbreak" your iPhone at any time.
To unlock your iPhone after jail-breaking it, which will enable you to insert a S.I.M. card from any other carrier such as T-Mobile or Verizon and use your iPhone on their network, I recommend checking YouTube for the latest instructions, as they change and improve regularly. (Just do a search for "Unlock iPhone 4.1 Firmware" once you get to YouTube.)
Instructions for turning your iPhone into a portable WiFi hotspot:
First, download Cydia by opening the limera1n App that will automatically be installed on your phone after a successful jailbreak. Then, open the Cydia app and select MyWi 4.0 - it does cost $19.99 for the app, but that is a ONE-TIME fee and is NOT a recurring charge. Also, you will save far more than that by not having to have a separate contract for wireless internet and home internet, and may even be able to use the MyWi app. for all of your internet needs if your situation is similar to mine. (If you do not have an unlimited data plan, you will need to be mindful of the fact that you will be charged for the amount of data bandwidth you use on your phone. This may or may not save you money in that case, depending on how much bandwidth you normally use.) You will also not have to pay the $20 tethering fee each month from AT&T if you use the MyWi app. which is a savings of $240 per year.
Follow the instructions for making payment on the screen. (They do accept PayPal or Amazon payments.) Once you have purchased and downloaded MyWi, simply tap on the app to open it and slide the WiFi tethering option to the right to turn it on. That's it! Your phone is now broadcasting a WiFi signal that can be used by any device in range. You can even decrease or increase the range of the broadcast signal by adjusting the settings. It's a very simple app. to use. It DOES use a lot of battery power, so you will want to make sure you have your vehicle and wall chargers with you at all times, which is easy to do since they are very small and easily fit in a pocket or purse.
Cydia also has for $3.99 an app that will trick your apps into thinking you are on WiFi even when you are on 3G, which will allow you to use the iPhone 4's "FaceTime" video feature during phone calls even when you do NOT have access to WiFi! You can also watch high-definition videos on YouTube without a WiFi connection and complete higher-bandwidth downloads, etc. (Again, this is not recommended if you do not have an unlimited data plan.)
I'd love to hear from you if you find this useful and if you have any questions, just post a comment and I'll respond when I can!
A.
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