Carrier AT&T Grandfathered Unlimited Plan: What Are My Tethering Options?

[thriii]

I recently got an iphone 5s and I'm on AT&T with a grandfathered unlimited plan. The other day my my internet went out and I thought it would be a good time to test out tethering to my computer but of course it didn't work out since i see something about needing a tethering plan.

What options do I have as far as tethering goes if I have this old Nations Unlimited plan?

 

[cnotes2019]

AT&T Grandfathered Unlimited Plan: What Are My Tethering Options?

I recently got an iphone 5s and I'm on AT&T with a grandfathered unlimited plan. The other day my my internet went out and I thought it would be a good time to test out tethering to my computer but of course it didn't work out since i see something about needing a tethering plan.

What options do I have as far as tethering goes if I have this old Nations Unlimited plan?

You can Jailbreak your iphone and use Pdanet to mask your tethering. I haven't tried that feature myself but I do use Pdanet


Edit: it is updated for iOS 7 but I don't believe it is yet for 5s. My mistake if true.

 

[Applejuiced]

Only if you JB.
Then you can install tetherme or MyWi from cydia to tether for free.

 

[thriii]

I haven't JBed my device in years.. does it slow it down considerably? I have until the 14th to decide if I want to stay with AT&T or switch to T-Mobile and from what I understand PDANet is the best option for tethering but its not available on ios7..

 

[powerstrokin]

I haven't JBed my device in years.. does it slow it down considerably? I have until the 14th to decide if I want to stay with AT&T or switch to T-Mobile and from what I understand PDANet is the best option for tethering but its not available on ios7..

Every time I've jailbroken a phone, it hasn't slowed down at all.

I'm on iOS 7.0.4 on my iPhone 5 and use TetherMe. I have Sprint service (unlimited data) and occasionally drive into town where there's LTE to tether for downloading a large file or update computer software etc, so I can tell you without at doubt TetherMe works on iOS 7. I have had no problem with it and Sprint hasn't said anything to me about excessive data. Mind you, I don't tether as a replacement for internet service at home like some do.

If you're grandfathered in with unlimited data and you're happy with your service with AT&T, then I'd suggest you stick with them, JB your phone and install TetherMe.

 

[blarivee]

Didn't some posters said that AT&T caught them jb tether and sent them a text to sign up for plans that support tethering? I think if you tether once in a while you can slide undetected, but if you use it as your primary internet you'll get flagged in their system.

 

[powerstrokin]

Didn't some posters said that AT&T caught them jb tether and sent them a text to sign up for plans that support tethering? I think if you tether once in a while you can slide undetected, but if you use it as your primary internet you'll get flagged in their system.

Regarding what I've highlighted- you're absolutely right. Even though the good tether apps "hide" the fact that you're tethering by making it look like it's data being used by only your phone, the consumption rate is the dead giveaway. People just need to be smart about their usage. You're not going to use 50 GB in a month with a phone that isn't sharing its connection. Not even close to that.

 

[thriii]

from what I've read, PDANet doesnt get detected like tetherme and the others.. but its not available for ios7 yet. I have until the 14th since I renewed my contract on the 1st so I have to figure out if I will stay with ATT or go with Tmobile which does offer unlimited but I don't know how their coverage is.. I'm in New York City which shoudl be covered well but I hear even parts of jersey are still on edge.. not an easy decision to make..

 

[blarivee]

from what I've read, PDANet doesnt get detected like tetherme and the others.. but its not available for ios7 yet. I have until the 14th since I renewed my contract on the 1st so I have to figure out if I will stay with ATT or go with Tmobile which does offer unlimited but I don't know how their coverage is.. I'm in New York City which shoudl be covered well but I hear even parts of jersey are still on edge.. not an easy decision to make..

Keep in mind since you are in NYC, once you hit the 5GB limit you will get throttled, even if your tethering is less likely to get detected.

 

[thriii]

Keep in mind since you are in NYC, once you hit the 5GB limit you will get throttled, even if your tethering is less likely to get detected.

Hmm.. I'm really thinking about switching to Tmobile but I just dont know their coverage is or how much the building penetration will improve after they bought some of Verizons Spectrum..

 

[blarivee]

Hmm.. I'm really thinking about switching to Tmobile but I just dont know their coverage is or how much the building penetration will improve after they bought some of Verizons Spectrum..

It will be a while before they start using the newly purchased spectrum. Carriers allow you to try out their service for 14 days, so you could sign up for a new line with T-Mobile (don't port your number or close AT&T yet in case T-Mobile doesn't work cause you can never get back your unlimited data once you close your account) and try them out. Only thing you pay is the service for 2 weeks. Also don't get any new device with T-Mobile, because they charge you restocking fee to return the phone.

Also you mentioned that you recently got an iPhone 5S. If you signed up for a new contract, you will have to pay the ETF. T-Mobile's newest uncarrier only pays for family plans of 3 or more lines ETF.

 

[Applejuiced]

from what I've read, PDANet doesnt get detected like tetherme and the others.. but its not available for ios7 yet. I have until the 14th since I renewed my contract on the 1st so I have to figure out if I will stay with ATT or go with Tmobile which does offer unlimited but I don't know how their coverage is.. I'm in New York City which shoudl be covered well but I hear even parts of jersey are still on edge.. not an easy decision to make..

That's a myth.
Many people using PDAnet got caught by AT&T also.
There's no full proof method to tether without chancing of getting caught.
Its a risk if you decide to take it.

 

[thriii]

That's a myth.
Many people using PDAnet got caught by AT&T also.
There's no full proof method to tether without chancing of getting caught.
Its a risk if you decide to take it.

Ok thanks! I think what im going to do is downgrade back to my other iphone since im within 14 days and then test out tmobile and see how it goes in mya rea

 

[monkey28rb]

Jailbreak and use TetherMe.

 

[goobot]

FYI jailbreaking doesn't slow down your phone. Things you install can but that's software 101. Apple adding new features slows down your phone.

 

[blarivee]

Ok thanks! I think what im going to do is downgrade back to my other iphone since im within 14 days and then test out tmobile and see how it goes in mya rea

Another thing to also consider, while T-Mobile does not throttle at this point there is no guarantee they will not do so in the future when their network capacity gets congested. AT&T didn't throttle unlimited users in the beginning either. It was when their network got congested that they started implementing data caps and throttling.

 

[ugcop]

Another thing to also consider, while T-Mobile does not throttle at this point there is no guarantee they will not do so in the future when their network capacity gets congested. AT&T didn't throttle unlimited users in the beginning either. It was when their network got congested that they started implementing data caps and throttling.

Can't really blame ATT or anybody else for putting caps on unlimited plans. Far too many people took unlimited to mean "cut the cable and run the house on cell data".

 

[blarivee]

Can't really blame ATT or anybody else for putting caps on unlimited plans. Far too many people took unlimited to mean "cut the cable and run the house on cell data".

That is true.

 

[CopyPasta]

Can't really blame ATT or anybody else for putting caps on unlimited plans. Far too many people took unlimited to mean "cut the cable and run the house on cell data".

That is true.

That is horse ****. You actually think that "far too many people" know how to jailbreak their iPhones and "run the house on cell data"? You're a fool to think that, and everyone else who believes that is full of it too. AT&T puts caps on their plans because they see the pattern in increasing usage of data across the board with individual, and especially family plans, and they are milking it for all those customers are worth because those customers don't know any better.

 

[JoshGlzBrk]

Honestly you don't really have any options. I used to have an AT&T unlimited plan and used PDANet occasionally and I still received nastygrams from them.

That's the main reason I took over a friend's Verizon unlimited line back in June. So I could have unlimited tethering without any issues in situations such as OP's.

Also you mentioned that you recently got an iPhone 5S. If you signed up for a new contract, you will have to pay the ETF. T-Mobile's newest uncarrier only pays for family plans of 3 or more lines ETF.

This isn't true. It pays for 1 to 5 lines.

 

[I7guy]

Honestly you don't really have any options. I used to have an AT&T unlimited plan and used PDANet occasionally and I still received nastygrams from them.

That's the main reason I took over a friend's Verizon unlimited line back in June. So I could have unlimited tethering without any issues in situations such as OP's.



This isn't true. It pays for 1 to 5 lines.

What makes you think verizon isn't going to crack down? Do you pay the 30 bucks?

 

[maflynn]

What makes you think verizon isn't going to crack down? Do you pay the 30 bucks?

I don't have an unlimited data plan from VZW, so maybe that is different but they allow me to tehter, I'd say they'd rather want me too, because if that pushes up my usage, they'll want to bump me up to the next tier

I think both carriers are looking at ways to get people off the unlimited plans, as time goes on, it will be increasingly difficult to hang on to them imo

 

[ugcop]

That is horse ****. You actually think that "far too many people" know how to jailbreak their iPhones and "run the house on cell data"? You're a fool to think that, and everyone else who believes that is full of it too. AT&T puts caps on their plans because they see the pattern in increasing usage of data across the board with individual, and especially family plans, and they are milking it for all those customers are worth because those customers don't know any better.

It only takes a few bad apples to ruin a barrel and yes, there are enough people that will push the envelope and ruin what could have been a nice perk for the rest. By the way we are not talking about family plans. The conversation was about individual unlimited data plans for iPhones. Without illegal tethering you can't see the amount of data usage some of the worst accounts were consuming.
Without a cap rule change there wasn't a way for ATT to curtail it. The plan was developed for data to be used by one smartphone otherwise the pricing structure would have been calculated to reflect more data consumption.

 

[blarivee]

Honestly you don't really have any options. I used to have an AT&T unlimited plan and used PDANet occasionally and I still received nastygrams from them.

That's the main reason I took over a friend's Verizon unlimited line back in June. So I could have unlimited tethering without any issues in situations such as OP's.



This isn't true. It pays for 1 to 5 lines.

My mistake. I may have misread it with all the announcements, opinions and comments. Even so, you will have to turn in your phone to T-Mobile to get the ETF paid by them.

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That is horse ****. You actually think that "far too many people" know how to jailbreak their iPhones and "run the house on cell data"? You're a fool to think that, and everyone else who believes that is full of it too. AT&T puts caps on their plans because they see the pattern in increasing usage of data across the board with individual, and especially family plans, and they are milking it for all those customers are worth because those customers don't know any better.

While not everyone knows how to jailbreak, I am pretty sure they know someone who knows how to. All you need is one person in the office to advertise free tethering on their phone to get everyone else to go "Can you do it for me?". Besides I never said that was the only reason tiered data was implemented. It was one of the reason.

 

[Kendo]

How about iTether?

http://tether.com/iphone