"We want to extend the benefits of an additional 2GB to smartphone customers on our tethering plan," AT&T Mobility's chief marketing officer, David Christopher, said in a . "This delivers more value today for the price they're already paying -- and that's what our customers want."

Currently, AT&T's iPhone tethering uses a wireless Bluetooth link between the smartphone and a tethered device, or requires that the user plug the iPhone into a laptop's USB port. Personal Hotspot, however, creates a Wi-Fi hotspot that other devices can access.

AT&T will launch Mobile Hotspot Feb. 13 alongside the $100 Android-powered -- AT&T's first smartphone to include the app -- and roll out the additional data allowance the same day.

Assuming Personal Hotspot is built into iOS 4.3, the iPhone upgrade expected next month, AT&T won't have to create a version of the Mobile Hotspot app for the iPhone.

Verizon and Apple will begin taking pre-orders from existing Verizon customers for the CDMA iPhone 4 starting at 3 a.m. ET Thursday, midnight PT. The general public can pre-order a Verizon iPhone from , and retail sales at Apple, Verizon and Best Buy kick off Feb. 10.