Hi phantom1999!
You can root the MF3 version, but there is no recovery for it right now. So if you were to damage the files now, you cannot self recover. (Of course you can always go to Best Buy and the Samsung techs/Geeks will reset your phone -many have done that without issue for folks who have hacked at MF3 unsuccessfully, but that's not a great option).
Anyway, there is another option. Look on XDA and you will see that developer Hashcode has created a Safestrap program that works for our AT&T S4. Safestrap doesn't replace anything, it bypasses everything and allows you to add additional roms and boot into them --while not touching the original rom! So, you CAN root, and Install Safestrap and then load one of about a dozen different roms that allow tethering. That gets you where you want to be. . . But. . .
Using custom roms to tether is not a guaranteed solution anymore. Many folks who tethered without a plan have never been bothered by AT&T or other carriers (me!). However, others have tethered via custom roms and then been "caught." They have received emails from their carrier stating that they need to add a tethering package (or stop).
These days I have added devices and added tethering so the issue is moot for me. However, my recommendation is that if you do seek "individual" tethering, it should not be robust streaming or attention-getting large bandwidth type. My two cents is that they don't care if you slip in email checking or light web browsing while in some remote location on the road; but if you're watching videos, streaming music or that heavy use pattern, they can "see" it no matter how you are accessing their portal/apns.
Please let me add one more point: This is a big change from IOS where jailbreaking is a one-click experience, or at least simpler than the whole root thing. Rooting is not hard, just tedious and you have to do it exactly right or you do muck up your phone -especially MF3 no recovery option S4s. While Android does provide more options for things like quietly tethering than IOS (in general), that's not a really strong reason to root and change (because it is a tenuous solution that may not last or work for long). There are many good reasons to root and use other roms. I do, but don't do it too quickly or in haste. Please go read about rooting here -or look on XDA for our device or even GalaxyS4root.com (Which "cool" android users love to hate, but which really provides a very nice starting point for folks who want to get familiar with what's what in rooting etc.) But still take it slow --first try changing launchers, and things like that. . .they really make a difference in the look/feel and do no damage to the phone!
Good Luck
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