AT&T Cracking Down on Unauthorized Tethering

[err404]

Your making them separate, At&t and Tmobile will be the same company soon and completely in 12 months.

My post was about the the unique fiscal and technical challenges faced by each company and why it effected policy.

So my question is what will happen.

I did answer that...

As for the merger, it's hard to say. The TMobile 3G spectrum is probably going to be taken out of service and redeployed as 4G spectrum. The efficiency gain and shifting load may be enough to allow TMobile customers to retain existing plans. Frankly it's too early to tell.

Ethics, At&t over charges knowingly and signs shady contracts at times.

The public has a right to self help at times. Jeesh it's not some game
At&t doesn't get to just do what ever they want because they can transmit the US people own the airwaves not at&t that is what the FCC is for.

I'm not interested in debating the ethics of the TOS other then to say your view of ethics are not compatible with the current limitations of the technology.

 

[pdjudd]

I'm not interested in debating the ethics of the TOS

I'm not either and I am sure that AT&T doesn't care either. Their concerns are not about ethics, it's about legality and maximizing profits. Contacts with business don't have to be morally ethical. They have to be legal. Not to mention that I am sure that AT&T is not interested in the fact that their services are viewed as a ripoff and that people (even their customers) view them as the devil incarnate. They care about their bottom line and how to maximize it simply because that's what their shareholders want. Their biggest concern is doing this legally and that's why they spell this stuff out in the contract - so they have grounds to legally do what they want to.

If you (g) have a problem with this, take it up with the courts. That's what they are therefore. The issue at hand has nothing to do with ethics, it's an issue of contract violation.

 

[rkahl]

The people who are catching the unauthorized tethering are very lucky people! I would love to send that message to everyone who doesn't believe their usage has no effect on other's! I would love to have their job for the day.

 

[Doc750]

Congrats, you sound like a 4 year old kid throwing a tantrum

thank you!

 

[err404]

If you (g) have a problem with this, take it up with the courts. That's what they are therefore. The issue at hand has nothing to do with ethics, it's an issue of contract violation.

Agreed, I fully support this going to the courts.
That said, if the courts did rule in favor of the customer, AT&T is still left with the task of managing spectrum. Perhaps they will severely throttle users like VZ is proposing. Maybe terminating the contracts of high demand users like Sprint did a few years ago. Either way, the belt is going to tighten one way or another.

 

[JeffLebowski41]

The people who are catching the unauthorized tethering are very lucky people! I would love to send that message to everyone who doesn't believe their usage has no effect on other's! I would love to have their job for the day.

I'm sure you could volunteer as a hall monitor at a local school if it really interests you that much. They might even give you a badge if you really want to feel important.

 

[pdjudd]

Agreed, I fully support this going to the courts.
That said, if the courts did rule in favor of the customer, AT&T is still left with the task of managing spectrum. Perhaps they will severely throttle users like VZ is proposing. Maybe terminating the contracts of high demand users like Sprint did a few years ago. Either way, the belt is going to tighten one way or another.

I agree. The best outcome for consumers would be viewed as a push - The contract gets voided. I just don't see an out that would allow consumers to legally tether so long as AT&T provides the gateway. THe best case is that the contract gets nullified giving either party an out. Any "in" to AT&T's network is going to require another contract and you better believe that it's going to be termed so that you aren't going to get tethering for free.

The only way that AT&T and other carriers are going to make tethering free si if they are forced to by the government. Given that they haven't done this with SMS (and that is a ripoff amongst ripoffs), they aren't going to do it to tethering anytime soon.

 

[Hobbes.]

While I don't tether illegallly or legally for that matter my data usage ranges from to about 4-5 GB a month for 2 iphones on a unlimited family plan. We got the first iPhone before they were subsidized and had to pay like $500 for them.

I would love to pay a little more, maybe $15 bucks to tether 5GB on top of my unlimited plan but you will have to pry the iphone from my cold dead fingers before you revoke a plan that I helped create.

I was an early adopter, how dare you try and say I can't keep my plan to get new features that FRANKLY were not possible without my purchase of the original iphone.

 

[rkahl]

I'm sure you could volunteer as a hall monitor at a local school if it really interests you that much. They might even give you a badge if you really want to feel important.

Kids can get away with things, but grown losers need to be shown!

 

[err404]

I was an early adopter, how dare you try and say I can't keep my plan to get new features that FRANKLY were not possible without my purchase of the original iphone.

What are you going on about? Tethering is not an Apple only feature. It has been available for far longer then the iPhone has been around. Even my old RAZR supported tethering (BT).
As for your plan... your contract is well past expired. That means EITHER party can decide to terminate the relationship. They can drop your contract any time they want. No company can be expected to support a plan indefinitely w/o the right to re-evaluate the terms.

 

[manman]

I'm sure you could volunteer as a hall monitor at a local school if it really interests you that much. They might even give you a badge if you really want to feel important.

I know, right?! That kid has been cracking me up for this whole thread. He wants to swoop down in a cape for great justice and catch all the evildoers engaging in unauthorized tethering and running in the hallway. Bring AT&T a shiny apple and they will pat you on the head and tell you you're a good boy

 

[rkahl]

I know, right?! That kid has been cracking me up for this whole thread. He wants to swoop down in a cape for great justice and catch all the evildoers engaging in unauthorized tethering and running in the hallway. Bring AT&T a shiny apple and they will pat you on the head and tell you you're a good boy

Man on Man, that's absolutely correct! I just wish I had the super powers to be there when you get your notice!

 

[manman]

Man on Man, that's absolutely correct! I just wish I had the super powers to be there when you get your notice!

Man on man?! Ugh, I don't want you being anywhere around me regardless of what's happening...you can wish it all you want

 

[rkahl]

Man on man?! Ugh, I don't want you being anywhere around me regardless of what's happening...you can wish it all you want

Ooops, auto correct gets me everytime. I meant manman, not Man on Man.

 

[Hobbes.]

What are you going on about? Tethering is not an Apple only feature. It has been available for far longer then the iPhone has been around. Even my old RAZR supported tethering (BT).
As for your plan... your contract is well past expired. That means EITHER party can decide to terminate the relationship. They can drop your contract any time they want. No company can be expected to support a plan indefinitely w/o the right to re-evaluate the terms.

I never said it was an apple only feature. I just simply said AT&T wouldn't be offering tethering plans that directly break the unlimited data original iPhone plan without the early adopters making the iPhone a success paying $500+ for an unsubsidized phone.

Also, you are wrong, my contract is not expired, until 2012. I plan on renewing and keeping my data plan because I am grandfathered in, and if they terminated me it would be a breach of contract for they have no reason. As I stated, I DO NOT TETHER illegally.

 

[wpotere]

Also, you are wrong, my contract is not expired, until 2012. I plan on renewing and keeping my data plan because I am grandfathered in, and if they terminated me it would be a breach of contract for they have no reason. As I stated, I DO NOT TETHER illegally.

Wait, you are saying that they would be breaching the contract if they cancel you but you tethering on a unlimited iPhone plan in which the contract states you won't tether is not a breach? Sorry, but I am not following your logic.

 

[err404]

I never said it was an apple only feature. I just simply said AT&T wouldn't be offering tethering plans that directly break the unlimited data original iPhone plan without the early adopters making the iPhone a success paying $500+ for an unsubsidized phone.

I'm not following where you are getting this relationship. The tethering plans are structured the same way for every handset AT&T sells. The only way that iPhone users have contributed to the current situation, is in the growth of the AT&T user base outstripping the tower capacity. The original iPhone at it's unsubsidized price, was the lowest selling model that was made (largely because of the up front price). The outstripping success really began after the subsidized models were launched.
You seem to be suggesting that AT&T "owes" you a debt for having purchased and unsubsidized iPhone, but you are not factoring in that they did reduce the cost of the data plan to compensate (Most smartphone data plans were $30, where as the iPhone was originally $20). The total cost of the iPhone 2G was about the same as the 3G when viewed over the life of the contract.

 

[pdjudd]

You seem to be suggesting that AT&T "owes" you a debt for having purchased and unsubsidized iPhone,

Even if that was true, it certainly doesn't justify a contract violation. Any "dept" would be totally separate.

Of course AT&T doesn't owe anybody in that regard.

 

[Hobbes.]

Wait, you are saying that they would be breaching the contract if they cancel you but you tethering on a unlimited iPhone plan in which the contract states you won't tether is not a breach? Sorry, but I am not following your logic.

Follow this logic, for the third post in a row, I DO NOT TETHER.

I only replied to this post because if they try to send me any sort of a letter for something i'm not doing I will be very pissed.

All of of you that can't read, should just get off the internet.

 

[pdjudd]

Follow this logic, for the third post in a row, I DO NOT TETHER.

I only replied to this post because if they try to send me any sort of a letter for something i'm not doing I will be very pissed.

All of of you that can't read, should just get off the internet.

Calm down dude....

I re-read your posts and you said that you do not tether “illegally". Some could take that to mean that you tether “legally” which might raise some eyebrows. It was not 100% clear (even to me) that you did not tether at all period.

There are ways to legally tether, just not with a unlimited 3g iPhone plan unless you got it via another plan type and AT&T dropped the ball somewhere....

If AY&T does send you a letter I would be pissed too - however I doubt that they are using data amounts alone - that would be pretty irresponsible without further proof especially if they were mistaken....

 

[alandail]

Follow this logic, for the third post in a row, I DO NOT TETHER.

I only replied to this post because if they try to send me any sort of a letter for something i'm not doing I will be very pissed.

All of of you that can't read, should just get off the internet.

I'm sure they have better ways to find the people to send the letters to than to read message boards.

 

[wpotere]

Follow this logic, for the third post in a row, I DO NOT TETHER.

In your original post you stated " I do not tether illegally" which implied that you are actually tethering but you felt it was not illegal. My apologies.... If you don't tether then you have nothing to worry about and AT&T will not cancel your plan.

 

[Hobbes.]

In your original post you stated " I do not tether illegally" which implied that you are actually tethering but you felt it was not illegal. My apologies.... If you don't tether then you have nothing to worry about and AT&T will not cancel your plan.

Actually, if you read my first post, I state "While I don't tether illegallly or legally for that matter my data usage ranges from to about 4-5 GB a month for 2 iphones on a unlimited family plan."

Clear as day, saying I don't tether one way or another. I use data and won't be happy to hear from them telling me i'm doing it wrong. I stream pandora pretty much m-f from 9 to 5 for work and it adds up since it's only over 3G (no wifi in the office).

My entire reason for posting is with the slight possibility they accuse me of tethering, I have no way to prove i'm not doing it because as they have said one option is to just stop. I just don't want to get a letter when i'm not breaking the rules.

 

[pdjudd]

Actually, if you read my first post, I state "While I don't tether illegallly or legally for that matter my data usage ranges from to about 4-5 GB a month for 2 iphones on a unlimited family plan."[

Fair enough - I for one missed your first post (something easy to do). All I caught was the part abuot you not illegally tehtering. All you had to say is that you don't tether - adding qulaifiers can confuse people though.

And I wouldn't worry about AT&T sending you a message - your data usages are not out of the ordinary. They are only high if you had an non-unlimited plan (which you don't) and even if you did, they would assume that you just go over your limit and bill you overages.

You have the early unlimited plan. I use more data than that and I haven't gotten a message. Frankly they are probably targeting people using much more more data than you can reasonably use on a normal device.

 

[alandail]

Fair enough - I for one missed your first post (something easy to do). All I caught was the part abuot you not illegally tehtering. All you had to say is that you don't tether - adding qulaifiers can confuse people though.

And I wouldn't worry about AT&T sending you a message - your data usages are not out of the ordinary. They are only high if you had an non-unlimited plan (which you don't) and even if you did, they would assume that you just go over your limit and bill you overages.

You have the early unlimited plan. I use more data than that and I haven't gotten a message. Frankly they are probably targeting people using much more more data than you can reasonably use on a normal device.

or they look at the data and detect the tethering that way. It's not that hard - if a page is being accessed from a desktop version of a web browser, the person is tethering.