What an absolute con! One of the few real benefits of the iPhone announcements last night was that Apple handset customers can now use their little touchscreen darlings to tether with their computers for mobile internet access. In network pricing news this morning, however, O2 has completely stiffed users by charging a premium bolt-on for this new feature that’s already built into the phone anyway.

3GB of tethered data will cost you a stunning £14.68 per month while they charge £29.36 for the 10GB package. You get free tethered access over Wi-Fi in Cloud hotspots but it’s absolutely criminal to charge you twice for the same 3G data that you’re already receiving as part of your deal.

I’m absolutely fuming about this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such blatant profiteering in all my life. This is the best advert for jailbreaking your iPhone I’ve ever seen. Jailbreaking allows you to tether your phone via Bluetooth or USB such that you can use the 3G internet connection on your phone passed on to your laptop effectively giving you mobile broadband.

Already this morning the internet community is up in arms with petitions appearing on Facebook and Twitter for the O2 to charge reasonable prices for tethering and upgrades.

iPhone on O2