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Hot spot coming to AT&T iPhone 4

Though Apple announced today that iOS 4.3 would offer GSM iPhone owners the hot-spot feature that debuted on the Verizon iPhone, AT&T won't confirm availability or pricing.

Kent German Former senior managing editor / features
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
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Kent German
Though the hot-spot feature appeared on an AT&T iPhone 4 with the beta version of iOS 4.3, the carrier isn't offering service details.

After it unveiled the new iPad 2 today in San Francisco, Apple also announced that iOS 4.3, the latest software version for the iPad and GSM iPhones, will be available for download March 11.

Compared with iOS 4.2 the update doesn't bring a lot of new features, but it offers all iPhone 4 owners the personal hot-spot feature that debuted on the Verizon iPhone 4. We've expected as much since we saw the beta release of 4.3 in January, and AT&T has yet to confirmed that it will support the feature on its iPhone 4.

When CNET first reached out to AT&T to confirm pricing and availability for the feature, spokesman Mark Siegel said that he'd get back to us. As of this afternoon, however, Siegel replied that iPhone users will pay the same $20-per-month fee that the carrier now charges wireless hot-spot users (keep in mind that's in addition to the $25-per month Data Pro plan). Also, iPhone users will be subject to the same 4GB data cap.

Updated at 3:16 p.m. PT with AT&T's response.

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