3.1.3 released, Telecom tethering possible?

Forums › Apple iOS and devices › 3.1.3 released, Telecom tethering possible?

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614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#296693 7-Feb-2010 02:57

nzbullet: Can you direct me somewhere that explains what changes to the custom ipcc are required to enable tethering? I'm maintaining a custom ipcc for an Aussie carrier and would like to enable tethering within the ipcc now that I'm on 3.1.3...

LennonNZ

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Uber Geek

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#296696 7-Feb-2010 07:12

If you download the file and unzip it you'll see the major change in the carrier.plist

a large bit after and including

MandatoryVerify

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#296858 7-Feb-2010 19:08

Thanks for the info. It seems that this won't work for me, as I'm with a MVNO (Crazy John's in AU), and my SIM card's MCC/MNC is the same as a Vodafone SIM (50503, which is in the MandatoryVerify list)...

LennonNZ

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#296863 7-Feb-2010 19:15

Yes.. this is true.. Same problem with MNVO's in NZ as well via Vodafone..

ashtonaut

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Ultimate Geek

#296867 7-Feb-2010 19:24

It's interesting that Wikipedia lists my carrier as having a unique MNC (i.e. different from Vodafone's), but when I check my SIM it's actually the same as Vodafone's. I guess this must be the same situation as in NZ (MVNOs share their MNC with their 'parent' network).

LennonNZ

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#296869 7-Feb-2010 19:27

Sayhing that.. if you check Settings.. General, About...

Network will be be your Parent MNVO, but "Line" will be your Actual company..

I guess Apple will have to be "pushed" to change how they work out if they use the unknown or known carrier file.

Thanks

ashtonaut

614 posts

Ultimate Geek

#296871 7-Feb-2010 19:31

Yeah, correct, 'Network' and 'Line' are as described (but 'Line' is whatever I set the name to in the ipcc). I'm not sure if Apple could do anything about it (while protecting their official carriers), it would make more sense to me that MVNO's SIM cards have a unique MNC (though I guess this might hinder them connecting to the parent network).

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Plasmaglows

54 posts

Master Geek

#296882 7-Feb-2010 20:01

iPhonewzealand have managed to create a custom carrier bundle with tethering for XT and 2degrees.

www.iphonewzealand.co.nz

LennonNZ

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#296887 7-Feb-2010 20:33

Plasmaglows: yes.. true.. but MNVO's which go thru official iPhone Carriers if they change the APN for data (which is usualyl different than the parent company) tethering gets disabled so its not possible ...

Plasmaglows

54 posts

Master Geek

#296901 7-Feb-2010 21:05

Hence I said for XT and 2degrees it is working again. If your operator is an MNVO tough luck. Basically the three main carriers can now be tethered with carrier bundles, Vodafone via the official ipcc and XT and 2degrees via the custom ipcc's from iPhonewzealand.

corksta

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#299397 16-Feb-2010 07:55

Now that we're back on with tethering again I'm considering adding the 2GB plan to my iPhone and sharing that between the phone and my laptop. I got the free MF626 modem, but now that tethering's back there's not too much point for me to keep using it.

I'd qualify for the $10 discount as our home line is with Telecom, but my concern is if the next firmware update (3.2, 4.0, etc) disables it again then I'm either stuck paying $50 a month or paying the disconnection fee. Would anyone in the know like to speculate on how easily/likely it would be for the option to be disabled again in the future?

Behodar

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#299402 16-Feb-2010 08:12

I don't have an iPhone so I can't say for sure, but the impression I got is that Apple has added a new UI option for tethering that wasn't there in the past (I don't believe that there used to be a "tethering APN" setting even in 3.0). If Apple went to the trouble of adding a UI for it then I'd wager that it's deliberate and should stay.

I also had a bug report in, asking Apple to do exactly this and add a UI for it! :)

nzbullet

459 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#299745 17-Feb-2010 13:05

@Behodar The UI for Tethering has been there since 3.0 when Tethering was first made available (for official carriers). Unofficial carriers could only get the option with a custom bundle until the OS 3.1 was released. The official carrier bundles were edited in 3.1 and were signed so that they could not be changed without losing the ability to Tether and so the UI disappeared for those carriers that didn't want tethering enabled and unofficial ones. This feature then came back in 3.1.3 with another update to the official bundles which allows you to edit the APN as long as your carrier is not listed within a "MandatoryVerify" list contained in the "Unknown Bundle". It also enables us to use custom bundles and still have tethering.

@corksta It would be pretty easy for Apple to stop it again, however they have now made it available to all "unofficial carriers" you just need to edit the APN manually. They could stop the custom carrier bundles but I doubt they would remove the ability to change the APN (again).

Cheers
nzbullet
Note: My thoughts and comments are my own and not of anyone else including my employer

corksta

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#299820 17-Feb-2010 15:53

@corksta It would be pretty easy for Apple to stop it again, however they have now made it available to all "unofficial carriers" you just need to edit the APN manually. They could stop the custom carrier bundles but I doubt they would remove the ability to change the APN (again).

So I should be fairly safe to go ahead and add the 2GB plan to use for tethering?

nzbullet

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Ultimate Geek

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#299927 17-Feb-2010 20:33

corksta:
@corksta It would be pretty easy for Apple to stop it again, however they have now made it available to all "unofficial carriers" you just need to edit the APN manually. They could stop the custom carrier bundles but I doubt they would remove the ability to change the APN (again).

So I should be fairly safe to go ahead and add the 2GB plan to use for tethering?

I'd say you would be fairly safe but obviously you are aware of the risk so don't complain should Apple do something to stop it.

Cheers
nzbullet
Note: My thoughts and comments are my own and not of anyone else including my employer

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