[rbenjami]

Tmobile has usually been really good about teathering in the past - never charged me a cent to teather my laptop to my 9700 via bluetooth. I do that all the time all across the country. I use a LOT of data that way.

I just had a "chat" with a T-mobile rep who confirmed, in no uncertain terms, that teathering the PlayBook to my 9700 would require a $14.99 teathering plan. It would not work at all without the plan in place. It is not one of those things where you would get a massive bill and go - OOPS!

The person on the "chat" knew all about the PlayBook and seemed to be well prepared to answer the question - as if they had been given a specific Q&A sheet.

Sorry I was unable to cut and paste the chat. For whatever reason my browser wouldn't let me.

This is terrible news.

NOTE: To avoid a massive cluster ___, this is only for teathering, not using the bridge. The rep was clear on that.

[Fubaz]

a lot of carriers are moving to this option, and the playbook is perfect timing to add tethering to their current fees and charges.

[lnichols]

Still cheaper than buying a separate data plan for a device with the radio built into it.

[howarmat]

not surprising, 15 isnt bad. is your data plan unlimited?

[rbenjami]

Still cheaper than buying a separate data plan for a device with the radio built into it.

Not to go off topic, but I think that is debatable. Take a look at the iPad plans. It all depends on how much data you use. If you are a huge data hog, the $15 from tmo makes sense. However, if you only use it in periodic bursts - ie. a few business trips a month, Verizon's $20 per 1GB might make sense. 1GB is a LOT of mobile data. ATT is also in the same range.

Some people might like the idea of having different carriers on their bberry and PB, so they have a better chance of always getting a signal.

It's not that cut and dry. The more data you use, the better Tmo's $15 all you can eat plan is.

However, I have been teathering on Tmo for over five years for free (and a Tmo, really voicestream, customer for over a decade). Thus, this is very disappointing news. Not paying for teathering was a big advantage the PB might have had over the iPad.

The only thing I really don't understand is why they are treating teathering a PB ($15/mo) differently from teathering a laptop (still free).

[kb5zht]

Just wait until the folks that made Tether make a version for the playbook and then it will be free just like blackberry handhelds.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[MarketRide]

The only thing I really don't understand is why they are treating teathering a PB ($15/mo) differently from teathering a laptop (still free).

How would they tell the difference between a laptop and a PB? This would either mean they are going to charge for all tethering or only charge Blackberrys for tethering.

[mandony]

Not all CS are aware of tethering for PB. My conversation with a CS rep today said that there is a $9.95 PC tether charge. This is old business. In fact unless someone uses high bandwidth, TM rarely enforces this charge. Also, if you have an old BB plan that gives unlimited Internet with no tethering charge they might not force you to pay the extra charge

[contender]

How would they tell the difference between a laptop and a PB? This would either mean they are going to charge for all tethering or only charge Blackberrys for tethering.

I agree, they won't be able to tell the difference between a pb and laptop tethering. They already charge for laptop tethering, but never enforce it. I have been tethering free for the past two years and I'm a heavy user. They never charged me once so far (knock on wood). I doubt they'll enforce it on pb either. Especially since the merging going between at&t and tmobile. You'll be able to find a loophole to avoid charges if you ever get charged.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[bulls2213]

Is that why I pay absolutely nothing to successfully tether with my 9700? Of course they're going to tell you that. As long as you don't abuse it you'll be fine.

[iN8ter]

Not to go off topic, but I think that is debatable. Take a look at the iPad plans. It all depends on how much data you use. If you are a huge data hog, the $15 from tmo makes sense. However, if you only use it in periodic bursts - ie. a few business trips a month, Verizon's $20 per 1GB might make sense. 1GB is a LOT of mobile data. ATT is also in the same range.

You can turn the tethering on and off whenever you need it in your account, so you don't have to have the plan active when you aren't using it or don't need it.

There is no situation where that Verizon or AT&T pricing is better than T-Mobile's pricing.

None whatsoever.

I don't even know how you managed to come to that conclusion...

T-mobile shares a 5GB (Throttled with no Overages) when you have a tethering plan.

AT&T gives you something like 2GB to tether? Verizon I think is similar, but CDMA 3G (LTE is not widely deployed enough to depend on it) is so slow that I'd probably switch to AT&T or T-Mobile if I wanted to tether a tablet or laptop to my phone...

That's on top of an already significantly cheaper plan (~30% cheaper than AT&T/Verizon for two lines for us).

[iN8ter]

How would they tell the difference between a laptop and a PB? This would either mean they are going to charge for all tethering or only charge Blackberrys for tethering.

Tethering a laptop is not free.

T-Mobile started shutting down tethering for people who aren't paying (even using apps that typically allowed them to do it for free) MONTHs ago. MONTHS before AT&T started sending out their emails, in fact. ****, it was so long ago it probably was 2010 when they started doing it (search XDA for the first reports of it there).

This is why when they updated their Galaxy S phone to FroYo they let Samsung put the MobileAP back in the Firmware (Superior wireless tethering app to Stock and 3rd party apps). They know how to shut you down, so they don't need to rip those apps out anymore.

They've been doing it for months. Laptop, Tablet, whatever...

This information was posted on all the tech blogs, etc. so I'm surprised the OP didn't know about it. Consider following Engadget, Gizmodo, Techcrunch on Twitter or Liking them on Facebook.

[c0rinne]

Not all CS are aware of tethering for PB. My conversation with a CS rep today said that there is a $9.95 PC tether charge. This is old business. In fact unless someone uses high bandwidth, TM rarely enforces this charge. Also, if you have an old BB plan that gives unlimited Internet with no tethering charge they might not force you to pay the extra charge

This is what I have. I have the 19.99 unlimited plan. Just won a playbook, so I'm really hoping I can tether for free. I can tether my laptop for free.

T-Mobile started shutting down tethering for people who aren't paying (even using apps that typically allowed them to do it for free) MONTHs ago. MONTHS before AT&T started sending out their emails, in fact. ****, it was so long ago it probably was 2010 when they started doing it (search XDA for the first reports of it there).

I've still been able to tether. Even when I used my iphone with my bb plan.

Is that why I pay absolutely nothing to successfully tether with my 9700? Of course they're going to tell you that. As long as you don't abuse it you'll be fine.

Right. It's rare that I need to tether, I'm usually able to use wifi, but sometimes my internet goes down for a couple hours so I need the backup.
Even with my playbook, I don't foresee myself really needing to tether much, if at all. I just want the option.

[stranger99]

Tethering a laptop is not free.

T-Mobile started shutting down tethering for people who aren't paying (even using apps that typically allowed them to do it for free) MONTHs ago. MONTHS before AT&T started sending out their emails, in fact. ****, it was so long ago it probably was 2010 when they started doing it (search XDA for the first reports of it there).

This is why when they updated their Galaxy S phone to FroYo they let Samsung put the MobileAP back in the Firmware (Superior wireless tethering app to Stock and 3rd party apps). They know how to shut you down, so they don't need to rip those apps out anymore.

They've been doing it for months. Laptop, Tablet, whatever...

This information was posted on all the tech blogs, etc. so I'm surprised the OP didn't know about it. Consider following Engadget, Gizmodo, Techcrunch on Twitter or Liking them on Facebook.

I tether my laptop with T-Mobile using my son's G2 all the time...for free. I'm doing it right now.