iPhone can be used as a free mobile broadband dongle thanks to a hack

The costs that are applied by mobile providers to use either the Apple iPhone 3G or the new iPhone 3G S phone as a mobile broadband dongle can be easily circumvented with a single piece of software.

Users are currently able to change their iPhone into a wireless broadband modem with a 3GB data allowance, but in order to enable this ‘tethering’ option user are charged £14.68 by mobile provider O2.

A small piece of software that activates this tethering cabability at absolutely no cost is, however, available from the website of iPhone enthusiast site benm.at for downloading.

As the only mobile network provider of iPhones in the UK, O2 are currently ready to enjoy the massive sales that are due to come from the release of the new iPhone 3GS and this latest revelation could possibly cause serious problems for the provider.

The tethering of the iPhone without paying O2 is prohibited under its terms of service according to O2 so it looks likely that it will be taking legal action to get this stopped.

The huge popularity of the iPhone and the ability to create new and unique applications for this device means that although this software application may eventually be banned the sheer volume of new applications that are being created for the iPhone means that there is a good chance that many more applications will be created that could breach the rules laid down be O2 in the future.

The iPhone Apps store is strictly regulated to ensure that no application is allowed through that is considered to be detrimental to either other users or the provider itself but the new wave of iPhone enthusiast sites that are not regulated could soon become a thorn in O2’s side.

Source – www.techwatch.co.uk