Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, iPhone
Is it time to drop your iPhone plan and buy a MiFi?
Here at TUAW central, we fell into a debate last night about the merits and tradeoffs of MiFi and the iPhone. If you haven't heard of MiFi, it's a portable EV-DO router from Verizon. For $149 for the equipment (there's a $50 rebate), and for $60/month, you get up to 5GB of WiFi based data that you can tether and share.
The MiFi has a fairly limited WiFi range (about 20-40 feet max) and supports only 802.11b and g. Battery life seems limited to about 4 hours of active use. So why the attraction, and why the debate? After yesterday's slightly disappointing iPhone updates, namely the hefty hardware prices for in-contract customers and lack of AT&T announcements on tethering, I felt that the MiFi might provide a cost effective tethering solution for iPhone, iPods, and laptops.
The reasoning works like this. If you can bear to stick another gadget in your pocket or backpack, both iPods and iPhones can use MiFi's data plan. You can Skype to your heart's content (or, realistically, up to the 5GB monthly limit). This helps especially if your EDGE or 3G coverage is already awful when compared to Verizon's EV-DO network. MiFi gives you the opportunity to dump your entire iPhone plan and replace it with possibly better data. And with no US tethering yet announced for the iPhone, MiFi offers laptop as well as iPhone data; its WiFi connection appears to be platform agnostic.
So are you ready to dump your iPhone data plan? If so, you'll want to consider a phone number for your iPhone. If you've already got an AT&T plan on another phone, just pop in the SIM. If not, consider Pay As You Go. For $100, you can buy a one year credit that charges at either $0.25 a minute or $0.10 a minute with a $1/day minimum. This gives you a phone number for incoming calls, allows you to use Skype for outgoing calls, and should you have problems with MiFi or just aren't carrying it along, you can use those minutes to place normal calls. Obviously normal AT&T plans have better per-minute and SMS rates.
There are drawbacks. Along with convenience (now carrying two gadgets around? Plus your laptop?), you give up Visual Voicemail. It's one of the iPhone's nicer features. Pay As You Go, for example, gives you regular voicemail but it's not quite the same. Plus, the $60/month price? It's okay for what they give you but it's no huge bargain. Here's a quick summary of some of the the pros and cons of this approach.
Pros
- Tethering. Above-board and sharable with a couple of nearby friends.
- Works with iPod touch.
- For that matter, works with iPhone in a laptop-free way that an Express Card does not
- Skype becomes a reasonable communication option
Cons
- Two gadgets to charge, two gadgets to carry
- No Visual Voicemail
- Skype is what it is, lagged audio and all
- For a data-only plan with tethering, pricing is not great but it's pretty much in-line with other plans out there
- Bulkier than express card
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Jon said 1:09PM on 6-09-2009
One major downside would be no push notification.. Once your phone has been sleeping for 5 minutes or so, it disconnects from wifi. Might not be that big of a deal, but it is a con that was missed
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Eric Doherty said 1:20PM on 6-09-2009
I love my iPhone but I've been looking for a way to cut down on the monthly cost. I am still using a 1g phone on the EDGE network. I was thinking of maybe porting my number to a pay as you go plan. The MiFi is a great solution but the monthly price and cap are a bit prohibitive. (more the cap than the price)
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Skoalbandit said 1:14PM on 6-09-2009
Your trying to be serious? MIFI has it uses but getting this to use with an Iphone and dumping your data plan seems like a pain. I thought gadgets were supposed to make things easier. Sign up for: ATT, Skype, and Verizon to save how much money? Then carry and worry about two batteries. Life is too short.
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Scott said 1:37PM on 6-09-2009
I think the price comparison (one of the complaints about AT&T) is going to be moot. figure an average of 2.5 minutes per day incoming calls (which is low, around 100 minutes/month). You're going to end up paying $25/month with AT&T's pay as you go plan with no mention of text messages. Add $8 month for the yearly $100 fee. Verizon's plan is an additional $60/month. Skype costs $2.50/month with their $30/year plan. Add that all up and you've got $95/month.
Compare $95/month and all the juggling one has to do with 3 bills and 2 devices and limited incoming minutes to the iPhone's 2nd level plan (400 minutes). All you're really missing is tethering.
Ryan Trevisol said 1:53PM on 6-09-2009
Only Erica Sadun would advocate a separate wireless service plan, with a clunky battery powered wifi router, all to avoid paying AT&T for a tethering plan.
Yes, I understand there's more speed from Verizon's network, and originally (the rumored $70) AT&T plan would have costed more. Even if that's true, you're saving $10 a month. If you're in need of mobile tethering and connectivity at all times, then $10 a month shouldn't make or break you. However, it wouldn't make sense for AT&T to charge $10 more for the iPhone tethering plan than it would for Blackberry or WinMo. Those are $60 ($65 if you don't have a voice line).
The problem Apple and AT&T face with this is that the original iPhone had a cheaper-than-industry-standard data plan for a smartphone. The iPhone 3G brought the plan pricing UP to the standard ACROSS carriers and platforms for an unlimited smartphone data plan. It's the cost of admission.
The Pros and Cons in this article are laughable. Let's be realistic:
Pros:
- Satisfies your stickittodamaniosis, "frees" you from AT&T
- Possibly better speed than AT&T's 3G which admittedly is not great
- You can use an iPod Touch like an iPhone with Skype
- Maybe your only solution if the Death Star doesn't cover you
Cons:
- You have to lug around a router.
- You still have to have an AT&T voice/sms plan if using an iPhone
- You have to jump through hoops to send SMS if using a Touch
- You have to use Skype for calls if you're using a touch, or bring along your Razr
- You get 4 hours of connectivity
- In order to get all-day use, you have to switch the router off when not using it
- You have to switch the router on and connect each time you want to check your email
- Everyone will ask you what the hell is wrong with you
- If you're turning off the router to save power, nobody can call YOU on Skype
- I'm pretty sure there's no way to turn OFF data services on the iPhone over the Cell network without jailbreaking. This means that if you drop your AT&T plan but still want to use your iphone as a phone/sms (you crazy person you), any accidental data usage (visual voicemail, push notifications on 3.0 checking email) will cost-per-kb
I do feel sorry for people who have crappy (-ier than normal) AT&T service in their area. But Erica, honestly, your posts like this make it sound like everyone should dump their evil iPhone data plan in favor of this or some other hacky and/or complicated solution.
Here's the thing. You might want to sit down for this, but the iPhone has always been an AT&T GSM device. Yes, I know that Verizon has the superior network in the US. Yes, there probably should have been a Verizon version. Yes, if there had been BOTH a GSM and CDMA version of the iPhone, I would have gleefully jumped ship to Verizon.
But there wasn't. And there won't be an EV-DO iPhone. Ever. There will be LTE next year. Everyone with crappy AT&T service or some moral problem with the Death Star have had 3 years to get used to this idea.
If you NEED connectivity that badly everywhere you go, and you live in a Verizon-only area, get one of their mini-notebooks. Carrying one of those around is probably lighter and will give you better productivity than lugging a router and an iphone.
Now I've read TUAW a long time, and this is what I deduce Erica's preferred setup is for her mobile connectivity:
- iPod Touch or iPhone on Pay-as-you-Go Data Only which she obtained by pretending to be deaf
- Mifi Router
- Verizon Voice phone
Honestly, at some point when you have a principled/reception/financial problem with the carrier that has exclusivity on a phone, and you don't really like the phone part of the phone, and you'd need an additional router to make it work for you, you have to wonder if it's the phone for you.
TUAW is one more post like this from being taken off my iGoogle.
SpinThis! said 2:25PM on 6-09-2009
$10/month difference might even be an exaggeration too when you factor in the additional carrier fees and sales tax you'll be forking over with big red's data plan. So, you may be saving $5/month.
rush0 said 2:29PM on 6-09-2009
@Ryan
There are plenty of ways to disable data on the iPhone without jailbreaking. You're jumping to way too much conclusions without any real knowledge of AT&T's tethering plan.
Ryan Trevisol said 2:41PM on 6-09-2009
@rush0: Okay, so name 3 ways to make sure the iPhone cannot use AT&T's 3G for data without removing the SIM card. I'm not talking about turning off Fetch and Push.
Also, the points I make are based on what I know and can/have looked up about Verizon's and AT&T's existing tethering plans.
As far as what I assume about AT&T's _forthcoming_ and _as-yet-unannounced_ iPhone tethering plan, I assume about as much or less than Erica does in her article. I just make my assumptions in a more neutral direction.
We don't know ANYTHING about the iPhone tethering plan, including the price. What we DO know is that almost any tethering plan with a 5gb cap from any carrier, with any kind of phone comes in at or around $60/month.
The entire reason for this article is the assumption that either AT&T's tethering plan will be prohibitively expensive or non-existent and that people will NEED alternatives. I'm just saying that instead of freaking out, running for the hills and protecting your children from AT&T's mean, mean tethering plan, maybe we should see what the details are first.
If the assumption is that June 17 will arrive, and we will NEED to start tethering on that day, and won't wait 2-3 months for AT&T to come out with a tethering plan, then you'd be stupid to strap into two years of Verizon's $60/month tethering device just because you couldn't wait.
rush0 said 2:52PM on 6-09-2009
@Ryan
-http://www.unlockit.co.nz
-Considering AT&T's track record since the launch of the first iPhone and their recent SlingPlayer policy, I have no faith that they will provide a competitive Data Plan.
-The mere fact that MMS/Tethering will not be ready for launch makes me want another provider.
They are riding on arrogance, I'm sure Apple is just as disgusted with them as I am.
Ryan Trevisol said 3:31PM on 6-09-2009
- That's interesting. Didn't know that existed. Not as easy as Bossprefs though. :)
- Now who's making assumptions? ;-)
- No argument there. It's pathetic, and part of the reason I'm hesitant to jump on a 3GS is the fact that the network has a lot of catching up to do. But at least in my area, T-Mobile is WAAAAY behind even AT&T.
rush0 said 3:36PM on 6-09-2009
Really? I always wanted to give T-Mobile a shot.
Ryan Trevisol said 4:16PM on 6-09-2009
In southeast Florida, where they are supposed to have 3G, a friend of mine's G1 gets intermittent DATA reception. Not just 3G, but Edge doesn't always work. And the edge is slower than I remember my iPhone 2G being. The 3G cuts in and out and is useless inside buildings (I believe it's the higher frequency HSPA, which doesn't penetrate concrete quite as well).
Call quality (based on talking to friends) is about on par with ATT, maybe a few more dropped calls.
AT&T's not without it's issues, but at least I get 3G inside buildings, and usually have full bars in my area. I still drop calls about once a month, and occasionally have to turn 3G off and back on to get data
They do have a dead zone they refuse to acknowledge. Anyone in Deerfield on ATT knows that if you drive on Hillsboro Boulevard, you better not use your phone. Seriously, just crossing that road at 50mph will drop a call. Lately it seems to have improved, but it was like that for YEARS.
With any network, it varies VASTLY by location. ATT inherited a strong network when it bought Cingular, which was preceded by the venerable Bellsouth Mobility (the de facto monopoly of yesteryear 'round these parts), so the infrastructure was here. Heck we had 3G a year and a half before we had the iPhone Edge.
I know, I'm lucky. :-)
emil said 4:04PM on 6-10-2009
I don't understand why Erica makes such a big stink about the data plan either. It's a smart phone, a data plan isn't such an absurd thing to include.
Joachim Bean said 1:13PM on 6-09-2009
As for me, whenever I need a Wi-Fi network on the go, I just tether my iPhone over Bluetooth (with a modified carrier settings file) to my Mac and create my own Ad-Hoc Wi-Fi network. It's very handy, and does not cost any extra until AT&T one day shuts me down (been doing it for 2.5 months with no problem)
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Dave said 1:17PM on 6-09-2009
I just notified an AT&T representative!
Tom said 8:48PM on 6-09-2009
I didn't think you could use the iPhone to do bluetooth tethering no matter what. Care to share details here?
Randy said 8:50PM on 6-10-2009
@ Joachim Beam
Proof or it didn't happen. You can't tether an iPhone via Bluetooth because it doesn't support the necessary profile(s) to do that. Afaik, not even the JailBreakers have pulled that one off.
Scott said 1:14PM on 6-09-2009
This solution defeats some of the purpose of the iPhone, to integrate all the gadgets I want into one.
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Shahid said 1:21PM on 6-09-2009
I'm using an unlocked iPhone because I live in Montana, where we don't have AT&T yet. The local GSM provider offers fine voice packages, but no data roaming. That's a deal breaker, ladies. I got the Verizon MiFi and have been using it instead of their limited data plan. Its been going well so far. The connection is fast; 1-2 seconds after turning it on, you are set to go. Therefore, I turn it off when I'm not using it. This preserves battery life. Also, with cellular data turned off, I believe my iPhone is getting better battery life.
If AT&T came to Montana, I'd probably give up this solution to avoid carrying two gadgets. But the MiFi is quite small, and for now this seems to work just fine.
By the way, the MiFi is small enough that it might actually be able to fit into a wallet that was specifically designed for it. I would love to buy a wallet designed to carry some cash, credit cards, and the MiFi. Anyone seen anything like this?
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Mark Ross said 1:45PM on 6-09-2009
Hey Shahid, where are you? If you're in the Bozeman area, I'd like to see this in action some time?