To tell you that if you have an iPhone and an ipad (iPad without 3G) it is possible to get 3G on the iPad without sim card or contract

[Shaky]

My brother in law has informed me of this fab bit of news today. Apparently you can pair your iPad and iPhone to share 3G so you can access the Internet when you are not connected to wifi. Basically, anywhere you can get 3G on your phone, you can get it on your iPad.

instructions are here

It's really easy to do, it did it today and it works! It involves creating a personal hotspot and pairing using Bluetooth, sounds complex but the instructions are really easy to follow.

Apparently, you can also do it with the hudl, kindle etc.

However, beware if you are on pay as you go on your smartphone, it may cost you a fortune. If you have unlimited data in your monthly contract you are landed!

Hope this helps anyone at all.

Yes, you can, but only if your 'phone provider allows it, eg: Giffgaff won't let you, but T Mobile does.

DDs do it all the time with a kindle fire, nexus and two iPods. dD was reading fan fiction on her nexus 7 all the way up the motorway last night while I was MNing.

You do need to check you have a contract that has unlimited data and allows tethering or it may get expensive.

We do this on long train journeys, it's excellent. Very nice of you to share!

I only found this out yesterday and felt the need to spread the news.

Mines a £32 a month 3 contract, not cheap, but effective.

You can probably do it for less if you have a 3G android phone rather than an iPhone.

I do this regularly but I have to pay my phone provider for the hotspot functionality to be switched on. You can also connect a laptop.

Sometimes it's faster than the wifi on offer.

You can do it for considerably less with an Android phone!

I have a MiFi, didn't know about this though will come in handy ( if It works) when MiFi runs out of charge.

It's not exclusive to iPhones. I tether my ipad and kindle to my android phone regularly

We ran our laptops off our phone hotspots when a certain Internet provider cut us off for 6 weeks.

Uses your phone battery up fast, though, so plan for that if you are on a long journey.

O2 let's you do it (on my contract anyway) but I'm going to downgrade now it's up for renewal to SIM only with less data (there's a analysis I found that shows you whether you are on the right contract for your useage), I just don't need the data allowance etc, only time I tether the phone to the ipad is if I'm on hol with no wifi but I can do without that for the annual savings on my contract.

Thank you! I didn't know that. I have only done the phone part at the moment, but will do the iPad bit tonight. Looking forward to using it on long car journeys over Easter!

I think GiffGaff let you on some bundles.

Orange let you, have been doing it for years with an android phone.

Thank you OP. I must try this.

I do this on my tenner a month t-mobile contract.

I don't see the point of getting a more expensive ipad (it was £100 extra when I got mine) and paying for a separate data service for a second device, unless you either have more money than sense or need to internet on your ipad loads and loads.

Thank you!

Yep, I tether them together all the time! Have also tethered my laptop to my mobile, when our work internet connection went.

Does this work for an Itouch? Sorry if this has already been asked!

Just be aware it drains your iPhone battery much faster than being on standby.

Both the DDs' touches teather to my iPhone at the same time and still let me MN.

Yes it eats batteries, when we were camping we had a constant round of iPhone and iPods being plugged into the car to charge.

However, when the rain is hammering on a very small tent (we were visiting relatives and only had sleeping and breakfast making space) and keeping people awake it was very welcome.

nanny I don't know, sorry.

You are all very welcome. I will certainly be using this when on holidays.

Very true about draining your batteries fast.

I have an unlimited plan with three for £15 amonth (no handset) that allows tethering.

I'm on the three 15quid plan (huge allowances for everything) and tether a lot.

I can download media faster by tethering than through my very slow home broadband but have broadband as tethering kills my phone battery.