How is it an invasion of privacy. Every single other carrier charges for tethering and yet when AT&T does they are the bad guy. I'm glad they are charging for it because if your are consuming more than you should pay more.
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AT&T Confirms Personal Hotspot Support Alongside March 11th iOS 4.3 Launch
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How is it an invasion of privacy. Every single other carrier charges for tethering and yet when AT&T does they are the bad guy. I'm glad they are charging for it because if your are consuming more than you should pay more.
I don't think AT&T has a way to track how much data you use on the phone vs. tethering, which is why they can't just let unlimited users purchase a separate 2 or 4GB tethering add-on. They would have to let you tether for unlimited too, which would result in people using hundreds of GB per month. Everything goes through the same APN.
In fact, if you remove your SIM from your iPhone and insert it into the iPad or a USB modem, data still works.
Maybe CDMA works differently, so Verizon is able to give its users a dedicated 2GB for tethering and track it, but I don't think it's possible on a GSM network.
That said, I agree that if you are going to pay $25 for 2GB, you should be able to use the 2GB however you want. And if someone wants to pay $15 for 200MB and wants to tether for 5 minutes, why not. Just charge them another 200MB if they use too much. Unlimited is intended for use only on the iPhone though.
"Every single other carrier" is also invading people's privacy by telling them who, where, how and when they can use the internet. It's none of their concern how we use the dummy pipe ISPs are providing. It's akin to traffic filtering based on devices plugged into the network.
If I'm paying for 2GB I'll use 2GB as I please.
This would definitely be a reason for me to jailbreak my iPhone. I'm lucky enough to still have the unlimited data plan, and the AT&T 3G service is sadly often faster than my college internet. This would be an awesome feature to have.
So it's not a companies concern to charge what they want for services they provide? That makes no sense. You seem to forget that even thought your a consumer that you have no right to tell a company what is acceptable for pricing. Because i'm sure if you had the capacity to then you would be sitting in a boardroom running AT&T.
Let's agree to disagree because obviously you don't want to pay for consumption you just want something for nothing. But either way complaning on mac rumors will do nothing about forcing AT&T to change their tethering pricing
Yet, in Europe and Asia, they seem able to counter these immutable laws of physics you speak of.
You also fail to mention the extra spectrum carriers purchased in the past few years that was made available up for this very reason. Moreover, you do not make note of the advances in technology that adds speed and capacity as well (e.g. LTE).
Its simple - they have both the extra spectrum and technology to increase capacity.
Lets continue the car analogy. Sure, its like 1920. There are very limited roads and there is a limited capacity for them, However, there is now the ability to increase these roads sizes from 2 lane all the way up to 20 lanes (e.g. added spectrum they now OWN). Also, the road building technology has been enhanced, its now easier to build roads, thereby adding to capacity (e.g. LTE).
They have the ability to make a network that will live up to the promises they have made for a significant number of users. What they are lacking is the willingness to commit the resources to do so.
Tethering is simply not something the carrier needs to support. Sharing the connection is a capability in the phone.
The carriers should not be able to dictate to users if they can tether or not and certainly not charge extra for supporting the feature.
So it's not a companies concern to charge what they want for services they provide? That makes no sense. You seem to forget that even thought your a consumer that you have no right to tell a company what is acceptable for pricing. Because i'm sure if you had the capacity to then you would be sitting in a boardroom running AT&T.
Let's agree to disagree because obviously you don't want to pay for consumption you just want something for nothing. But either way complaning on mac rumors will do nothing about forcing AT&T to change their tethering pricing
Are you retarded? I want 2GB as 2GB. Not 2GB with an extra fee of $20 just because I want to use that 2GB in a different way. Obviously if I'm paying for 2GB I'm not looking to get "something for nothing". I couldn't care less what ISP it is trying to scam customers. None of them should be doing it.
Maybe you didn't get the memo. But your a keyboard warrior on a online forum. Yeah i know you dont want to pay. But AT&T says others so unless you have some power to force them not to charge for the hotspot then you will be paying unless you jailbreak your iPhone.
And i'm glad they are charging if you consume more you need to pay MORE. And you have no choice but to.
It should be free. I expect a LOT (and I mean a WHOLE LOT) for free...especially when it comes to sharing an intangible that I already pay for. If I want to route the data I pay for somewhere else, that should be MY CHOICE.
Ridiculous.
Next thread.
Ridiculous.
Next thread.
Maybe you didn't get the memo. But your a keyboard warrior on a online forum. Yeah i know you dont want to pay. But AT&T says others so unless you have some power to force them not to charge for the hotspot then you will be paying unless you jailbreak your iPhone.
What I think he is saying, and I agree with, is that if you are paying for a 2GB plan, it shouldn't matter HOW you use that 2GB. If he was to download 2GB worth of porn on his iPhone, they won't complain. But he isn't allowed to use that 2GB with his laptop if he happens to have it with him? He paid for 2GB, he should be allowed to use it as he wants.
Go over 2GB, then they should, and will, charge you like crazy. That's the risk he is willing to take.
Sure they are betting that most people don't use 2GB; but guess what, they ALL should be allowed to do so if they want to, that is what they paid for. They didn't pay for a 1GB plan with an option for another 1GB if other people aren't using it.
Now, the consumer only has ONE option to get their voice heard. Either use their service or don't. Sadly for many of use, we want to use the iPhone and up until recently we had no choice at all. If the iPhone was on every carrier things would be very different. I hope, with the vPhone that we may see a tPhone or an sPhone soon, competition is good.
Typical american
I'm glad that i'm not someone who expects a handout all the time.
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You think you're paying for 2 GB period, but that's not what your contract says. you're paying for up to 2 gb on a single device, the device for which you signed the contract. It may seem arbitrary to limit the use of that same 2 gb bucket to a single device, but you signed a contract saying that's the deal, not a contract saying you have 2 GB to use on any device. Sure, it would be nice if AT&T changed that language, but they sure don't have to b
pooprscooper said:So it's not a companies concern to charge what they want for services they provide? That makes no sense. You seem to forget that even thought your a consumer that you have no right to tell a company what is acceptable for pricing. Because i'm sure if you had the capacity to then you would be sitting in a boardroom running AT&T.
Let's agree to disagree because obviously you don't want to pay for consumption you just want something for nothing. But either way complaning on mac rumors will do nothing about forcing AT&T to change their tethering pricing
Are you retarded? I want 2GB as 2GB. Not 2GB with an extra fee of $20 just because I want to use that 2GB in a different way. Obviously if I'm paying for 2GB I'm not looking to get "something for nothing". I couldn't care less what ISP it is trying to scam customers. None of them should be doing it.
You think you're paying for 2 GB period, but that's not what your contract says. you're paying for up to 2 gb on a single device, the device for which you signed the contract. It may seem arbitrary to limit the use of that same 2 gb bucket to a single device, but you signed a contract saying that's the deal, not a contract saying you have 2 GB to use on any device. Sure, it would be nice if AT&T changed that language, but they sure don't have to b
Your analogy fails because it isn't all-you-can-eat in terms of data for those with a 200mb or 2gb plan. It is a FIXED amount and we should be able to use it however we want, including tethering. The better analogy is buying a 44oz drink (no free refills) and being told you can only drink it with a stir straw. It is MY drink, I should be able to dump the whole thing on my head if I want!
If AT&T and Verizon are worried about people actually using the data, then they should be charging per data use and offering more plans. Offering just a 200mb/250mb plan (10oz drink) a 2gb plan (44oz drink) and a unlimited (free refills) is too limited. Instead they work a formula to figure out the right number of people to screw in order to subsides others.
You still know people would complain about that though. Its the typical american consumer. "Why is it not free" "You mean there is no free lunch" "Waa" "waa"
I work for a cell phone company that shall remain nameless and i get customers all the time who try to scam the system and refuse to add a data plan and yet expect their paid per use charges for data credited off.
So if that happened i bet he would be complaining about that. I give up on this argument because its already done. AT&t will charge for the tethering and there is nothing that can be done. Who are you guys going to go to Verizon? You will pay there too. So which is the lesser of the 2 Evils?
Except, that you're still using that 2gb on the single device (your phone) even when tethered. The phone consumes the data off the phone network. Once it is received by the phone; how that data is used should be up to the consumer. In this case, they are sending that data to the computer.
If you were to download a 2GB movie and then transfer that movie to the computer via sync cable; no problem. If you were to download the SAME 2GB movie through the phone to your computer directly, you need to pay a lot more for that.
Yes, I understand what it is saying and to an extent I can agree with that. BUT at the same time, from the consumer point of view, they should be allowed to do with the data, once it reaches their phone, any thing they want -- and if that means sending it to their computer (one way or another) so be it.
From the business point of view, I can see it as well. They will say that more people will be closer to the 2GB limit and thus put more strain on the network -- but they paid for those 2GB, they should be allowed to use it. From the business point, I also agree that it should NOT be allowed on unlimited plans [the grandfathered plans] unless there is a special unlimited tethering plan (that would cost a lot). Because that does open the door for abuse. But once you limit how much data they can use, let them use it anyway they want. Then just screw them hard when they go over it (because many will).
Maybe you didn't get the memo. But your a keyboard warrior on a online forum. Yeah i know you dont want to pay. But AT&T says others so unless you have some power to force them not to charge for the hotspot then you will be paying unless you jailbreak your iPhone.
Ok Mr. Jedi... Obviously you lack the ability to comprehend that 2GB still = 2GB no matter how you use it. No one is using "more" because 2GB still = 2GB. Scamming customers by telling them they are only allowed to use that 2GB in a particular way and charging them an extra fee to use it while standing on one leg isn't acceptable.
Obviously we have to Jailbreak our own phone that we paid for in order to use the full functionality of them but that's only because companies are trying to scam us out of more money.
So if that happened i bet he would be complaining about that. I give up on this argument because its already done. AT&t will charge for the tethering and there is nothing that can be done. Who are you guys going to go to Verizon? You will pay there too. So which is the lesser of the 2 Evils?
But I think some one else pinpointed it. On this forum AT&T is evil and if htey do it, it's bad. But Verizon = good so it's ok if they do it (notice there's not a whole thread dedicated to the fact Verizon is doing the same thing
).
Yes, sadly I agree with you 100%. But then we can point the finger at them and laugh saying, "Idiot, what did you expect when you downloaded 50gb of porn?" That puts the fault on the consumers shoulders; and stops the company from looking like they are screwing the customers.
I had a friend who's son ran up a $4000 bill on his cell phone one month because he went WAY over the plan. Guess what, he bitched and complained about it and got it reduced. I say; too bad, pay your bill you big baby. Make the kid work it off (he was 17 at the time), teach him a lesson.
I ran up a $2000+ bill calling China one month because I was dealing with a bad situation there. Guess what, I paid it. I was in college, it hurt, but I knew what I was doing and paid my dues.
I do agree, too many people are always trying to scam the system and avoid their responsibilities. Grow up and deal with the mistakes you make.
I would not mind paying an additional fee to tether, ONLY if I can keep my unlimited data.... If I have to loose unlimited, then I guess I will look into a jailbreak, though I have never had a reason to before this.
And obviously you LACK the ability to understand not everyone is going to share your point of view. You can use your backhanded comments at me all you want. But at the end of the day you will still be paying for what you consume