the wifi on the phone runs off the wifi signal. the programs available like joiku can turn your wifi signal the other way around, so your laptop can connect to yout phone, like a dsl modem. The phone then uses its 3G signal, if you pay for the data plan, to access the net. So, you wont have to pay to use wifi, and you can surf the web on your phone like that just fine (and faster than 3G), but if you dont have a wifi signal, then you have the option of using the 3G cell signal for internet connection, for a monthly fee.
Another option is to get a decent phone, cheap but with some basic features you like (wifi, good camera, etc) without breaking the bank, then use another device like
Nokia N810 Internet Tablet PDA reviews - CNET Reviews for internet browsing, car integration (stereo, GPS, etc). An iphone can do all this as well, so well, the options are certainly out there!
