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How to tether your iPhone for internet access with OS 3.0 on AT&T Networks

June 22nd, 2009 Leave a comment Go to comments

With so many Windows Mobile phones and Crackberries on the market that natively support internet tethering, it has always been a mystery to me why Apple & AT&T would lock this feature down.  I’ve heard theories of AT&T being unable to support the flood of traffic and others of marketing conspiracy.

At any rate, this has topped my nag list about the iPhone since I first got one last summer.  I was excited to read that OS 3.0 would support tethering.  Like other nerds, I counted the days until the release of OS 3.0 when such features as internet tethering, cut/copy/paste (about time Apple) and MMS (REALLY about time Apple & AT&T) would be available.  As the date approached, I heard dirty rumors that while the phone would support the technology, AT&T would not allow tethering and MMS wouldn’t be available until late summer.  I cried a little that day.

Then I came across this little article. THANK YOU AARON KRILL!

Aaron details how to enable internet tethering on iPhone OS 3.0 using AT&T’s network.  I tested it.  It works.  Es bueno. Here is a clip from his blog:

DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING STEPS MAY VOID YOUR IPHONE WARRANTY OR VIOLATE YOUR AT&T TERMS OF SERVICE! BY EXECUTING THIS WALKTHROUGH YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU AND ONLY YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ILL SIDE EFFECTS!

First, let’s enable IPCC updates on iTunes 8.2.
Mac OS X:
  1. Close iTunes if it is open
  2. Start Terminal (Applications > Utilities)
  3. Run the following command: defaults write com.apple.iTunes carrier-testing -bool TRUE
Windows 2000/XP/Vista (32-bit):
  1. Go to Start -> Run (
  2. type in “command” and hit enter
  3. Type/copy+paste this into the command console that comes up: “C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt carrier-testing 1
  4. Hit enter
Windows XP/Vista (64-bit):

  1. Go to Start -> Run (
  2. type in “command” and hit enter
  3. Type/copy+paste this into the command console that comes up: “C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunes.exe” /setPrefInt carrier-testing 1
  4. Hit enter

There, now you can update IPCC files as you were able to in 8.1. Now, let’s go get us some AT&T Carrier Bundle goodness. You can download the modified bundle right here. To install this, follow these steps.

  1. Download the file to some location on your computer
  2. Plug in your iPhone
  3. Start iTunes
  4. Click on your iPhone in the device listing in iTunes
  5. Alt-Click the “Update” button (Shift-click in Windows)
  6. Browse to where you saved the IPCC you downloaded
  7. Select this file and click Choose
  8. Wait…
  9. Rejoice
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  1. hpg
    June 23rd, 2009 at 13:55 | #1
    Reply | Quote

    Well MJ, I find the problem with tethering is simple: the service providers/carriers do not want to share, they want all the business to themselves. They want to force you to use a certain product whether it is the iPhone and AT&T, the Google phone and Verizon, or the Zune and Windows OS. As in most things, I believe this is about market share as it can be done with the iPhone but AT&T and Apple have a strong alliance to work with each other and no one else. it’s always about the money- it’s busine$$, and that is never best for the consumer/end user.

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