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Please don't ruin our DATA PLANS!

It's funny to see people seemingly giddy and waiting for those already tethering to get caught and pay a ludicrous amount in data usage bills.

These are also the same people that don't realize that the APN used in the mobileconfigs and .ipcc's that are floating around here and being used to tether are the same settings used for normal data usage. That's right. They're one and the same. Wanna know how AT&T will make tethering "available?" They'll release a carrier bundle, and the APN settings will use the pay-per-kb "isp.cingular" gateway instead of the standard "wap.cingular" gateway.

I should know, I tethered in the past unconventionally. I stuck my iPhone 3G sim card into an AT&T Sierra Wireless aircard and plugged in the same "wap.cingular" settings so that my iPhone data plan is used, not the pay-per-kb one. This is the same method being used for tethering right now on 3.0. People really need to quit it with the "AT&T can tell and they're going to catch you and wah wah wah!" They're not. With this method, the data usage on your bill appears exactly the same as normal iPhone data usage. And as been said here for the umpteenth time, if you stay under the cap, AT&T's not going to have a reason to flag your account. Plain and simple.
 
jcde7ago said:
These are also the same people that don't realize that the APN used in the mobileconfigs and .ipcc's that are floating around here and being used to tether are the same settings used for normal data usage. That's right. They're one and the same. Wanna know how AT&T will make tethering "available?" They'll release a carrier bundle, and the APN settings will use the pay-per-kb "isp.cingular" gateway instead of the standard "wap.cingular" gateway.
Click to expand...

It's interesting you say that, because I noticed under my data usage the "wap.cingular" description has been changed to "phone" for the past two days.

I don't tether because I don't have a need to, but they seem to be making changes to tracking things.
 
LOL...this is all the same crap that went on with t-mobile and WinMo phones years ago. And will probably end with the same result, that being "who cares?". AT&T isn't going to "slow to a crawl" because of people tethering and repeating that it will doesn't mean it's true. If it was that big of a deal, AT&T would be catching and "fining" people right and left for doing it "illegally". But they don't. Know why? Because it doesn't really matter and they don't really care. End of story.
 
Okay... I completely understand where people are coming from, and those that choose to abuse the tethering should be caught.

But for example, at my work the only way I can have internet is tethering my iPhone to my computer, I for one do not see why is makes ANY difference whatsoever how I use my 5gb of a data per month, if I use them tethering or use them surfing on my iPhone, it should NOT matter, the only time it should matter is if you go over that 5gb a month cap, then you should have to pay for it, but if I can stay within my 5gb cap (which I can/do very easily) per month between tethering and my iPhone, it's no ones business.
 
O now I'm in saint maarten... SXM

Here is warning text from at and t.

AT&T Free Msg: International data rate of $19.97/MB applies. Unlimited domestic data rate plan does NOT apply outside the U.S. Details: att.com/global

That's 20 bucks per mb!

Kevin
 
The General said:
Hello,

We pay $30/mo for unlimited data. When we tether, we are using the same radio to connect to the same cell towers to use the same bandwidth as we would by using Safari on or iPhones.

The speed at which we are capable of downloading and uploading is the same as that of on the iPhone. That's because it is the same exact data connection.

This myth that somehow tethering uses more bandwidth than using the internet on the iPhone needs to stop. If I watch YouTube videos all day long on my iPhone, that will use more data than me surfing the web for half an hour while I wait for the next train.

Tethering doesn't strain the network any more than using your iPhone to surf the web. We are only able to download at a certain rate, because we are limited by the iPhone's hardware and the network's speed. Since we have unlimited data, it doesn't matter how much of it we use.

We are not "stealing" anything. We are merely routing the traffic to our computers so that we may view websites on a bigger screen.

Ted
Click to expand...

I also think AT&T should allow tethering immediately, with no added cost, so that they can make having an iphone even more attractive. All it can do is increase sales and isn't that what they want?
 
iphone.aggie said:
I also think AT&T should allow tethering immediately, with no added cost, so that they can make having an iphone even more attractive. All it can do is increase sales and isn't that what they want?
Click to expand...

No they want to increase their revenue... the could give a crap about sales
 
Maclver said:
I agree...... they need to stop calling it unlimited!
Click to expand...

I haven't read through this whole thread, but what's this about 5 GB being the "cap" for "unlimited." I always thought "unlimited" meant "unlimited." Am I missing something? We are talking about the U.S., correct? AT&T? Is "unlimited" not "unlimited"?
 
poky said:
I think if we all use tethering to "steal" data, it will create a need, and AT&T will start to think about upgrade or add more data towers to fit our need, as a result, more affordable data plan, faster connection will become true in the future.
Click to expand...

This makes ZERO sense. AT&T will spend a LARGE amount of money to beef up infrastructure, and instead of passing the cost off to the customer (logical), they're going to DROP prices on data plans?

Please explain your logic; I don't follow you.
 
iphone.aggie said:
Perhaps thats why Apple and AT&T aren't getting along so well, lately, according to all the rumors.
Click to expand...

Apple's kidding themselves if they think that any other provider would care more for longer than it takes to get Apple's products in their catalog.

And as far as tethering goes -- everyone with a service agreement signed their names to the terms, which include a "no tethering" provision. You can whine and moan all you want about "fairness," but you had a choice and you decided to sign your name to an agreement that included those terms to get the phone you wanted. No one forced you to buy a phone or use a provider that prohibited tethering. Honor your agreement and stop behaving like children who can't have what they want.

Contrary to popular belief here, lack of perceived fairness does NOT give one the right to violate the terms of a contract.
 
I've been using around 30g a month while tethering with a smartphone while using a media max plan that's not supposed to be used on a smartphone or used to tether, so I aint saying nothin! :D
 
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