iPhone owners woke up to a stern warning from UK network operator O2 this morning, with warnings that unofficial iPhone tethering will result in a fine or disconnection from the carrier.
The statement came after one site offered a file to download to the handset that enabled tethering without using O2’s tethering bolt-on plan.
“Internet rumours suggest that some customers have modified their iPhone to enable Internet Tethering without the purchase of the Internet Tethering Bolt On. Any use of this particular feature without the purchase of the Bolt on is specifically prohibited under our terms of service."
It seems fair enough that O2 is less than pleased about its users circumventing the chargeable service to use the iPhone as a modem, but many commentators are complaining that if the bolt-on wasn’t so expensive in the first place then find a way around it wouldn’t be necessary.
The main bone of contention seems to be the charges for the 3GB or 10GB of tethering data that are priced at £14.68 and £29.36 per month respectively - understandably irksome for a contract that includes "unlimited data".
Quite how O2 will be able to tell the difference between tethered data usage and non-tethered is unclear, although presumably the basis for it will be pure usage amounts.
For those of you interested in taking the condoned tethering route the new data plans will be on sale from tomorrow.