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why do you pay extra to use your phone?

I really don't understand threads like this. People and companies get to enter into any legal contract that is mutually agreeable to them. There's nothing wrong with a company offering to enter into a contract to provide unlimited data only to one device. If you don't want to enter into such a contract, don't. If you do, you can't then argue that you are being cheated out of your rights -- they're clearly spelled out in the contract you yourself signed.
 
thelatinist said:
I really don't understand threads like this. People and companies get to enter into any legal contract that is mutually agreeable to them. There's nothing wrong with a company offering to enter into a contract to provide unlimited data only to one device. If you don't want to enter into such a contract, don't. If you do, you can't then argue that you are being cheated out of your rights -- they're clearly spelled out in the contract you yourself signed.
Click to expand...

There really isn't much choice all of the cell companies screw their customers.
 
yourwiseguy said:
If everyone jailbroke their phone and got tethering would it cause a network meltdown? That would be crazy!
Click to expand...

ATT whined about their network congestion when the 3Gs came out.
Bandwidth bandwidth bandwidth.
But since then they have added MILLIONS of new users with data plans, phones and ipads.

It is my belief one group is whining in the conference rooms while another group is skipping and giggling all the way to the bank.
 
Looon said:
There really isn't much choice all of the cell companies screw their customers.
Click to expand...

There's a big difference between "screwing" a customer and not giving the customer everything he or she wants. It would be wonderful if AT&T gave their services away for free. I'd love that! But even if they don't do it, I'm not being screwed.

"Screwing" a customer would be if a company promised a service and then didn't provide it, or provided it inadequately. Too many dropped calls might constitute screwing a customer. Not giving away tethering, which was never promised and in fact explicitly prohibited in the contract, is by no definition "screwing" anyone.
 
bruinsrme said:
ATT whined about their network congestion when the 3Gs came out.
Bandwidth bandwidth bandwidth.
But since then they have added MILLIONS of new users with data plans, phones and ipads.

It is my belief one group is whining in the conference rooms while another group is skipping and giggling all the way to the bank.
Click to expand...

Bandwidth is everything here. Like I said, the Wireless Spectrum isn't enough for everyone to do HD video at 21Mb/s. You may have a 50Gb/s backhaul at the tower to provide all the bandwidth you need, but the problem is the SPECTRUM isn't enough for everyone. It is really limited and when it gets full someone will get cut-off. So to prevent people from being cut-off we have to become much more imaginative, responsible and careful with how we use the spectrum.

AT&T is taking one approach (the careful kind), albeit not the best one, to help de-congest the their spectrum. That is charging for tethering and introducing data caps. Not the best of ideas, but it works on the short term.
 
people pay for the service because they can and is the official way of doing things. Not everyone wants to be jailbroken and don't mind paying the extra monthly fee... The company charges for it because it can and it also keeps the infrastructure/maintenance costs down, they want to make as much $ as they can, is called Capitalism...
 
Applejuiced said:
That makes sense then.
We're talking about AT&T in this thread, just because you got charged in another country and carrier does not mean US customers will also.
Click to expand...

I know we are talking about AT&T. I am just pointing out that telecom companies can/will know if you tether Mywi. AT&T is not charging now but it could change any day.
 
I agree to an extent. do I agree people should illegally tether and run torrents all day and night? no. but if your using an ipad or just surfing the net then it would be no different then using your phone just on a bigger screen.
 
Looon said:
There really isn't much choice all of the cell companies screw their customers.
Click to expand...

There is a choice; you can not enter into such a contract. Nobody is forcing you to subscribe to a cellular data plan with these conditions, just as nobody can force the cellular providers to offer a data plan with the terms you want. It's called freedom of contract, and it's a basic right that both you and the companies have.

And nobody is getting screwed in this situation. You're getting exactly what you paid and signed for, nothing less.
 
thelatinist said:
There is a choice; you can not enter into such a contract. Nobody is forcing you to subscribe to a cellular data plan with these conditions, just as nobody can force the cellular providers to offer a data plan with the terms you want. It's called freedom of contract, and it's a basic right that both you and the companies have.

And nobody is getting screwed in this situation. You're getting exactly what you paid and signed for, nothing less.
Click to expand...

we all need cell phones
pretty much all cell plans are the same price
=very little choice
 
Looon said:
we all need cell phones
pretty much all cell plans are the same price
=very little choice
Click to expand...

There's some basic truth to this. But would argue that the similarities have more to do with the economics of providing cell coverage than a conspiracy among wireless companies.

That's why I object to using words like "screwed" when all you mean is you wish service was better for less money.
 
Looon said:
we all need cell phones
pretty much all cell plans are the same price
=very little choice
Click to expand...

That is ridiculous. Billions of people live perfectly happy and productive lives without cell phones. Cellular phone service is not a right, but a convenient service we purchase so that we can maintain our lifestyle. This is doubly true of cellular data service. Like all such conveniences, it comes with a price and conditions determined by supply (in this case the limited cellular bandwidth) and demand (which is in this case already nearly exceeds supply, even with high prices and restrictive terms). Since I have seen no suggestion that there is price collusion between the major cellular carriers, I must assume that prices and terms are what the market will bear. In other words, they are the best deal possible.

Our rights in this situation are those every consumer has in a market economy: we can take it or leave it. If we don't like that price, we absolutely have a right not to buy the service; but we don't have a right to get it at a different price or to demand it under different terms than the market determines. You absolutely have the choice not to subscribe to a data plan you don't think is fair. If instead you voluntarily enter into a contract for cellular service, you agree to the terms. And, in my opinion, you also forfeit your right to complain.
 
jav6454 said:
Bandwidth is everything here. Like I said, the Wireless Spectrum isn't enough for everyone to do HD video at 21Mb/s. You may have a 50Gb/s backhaul at the tower to provide all the bandwidth you need, but the problem is the SPECTRUM isn't enough for everyone. It is really limited and when it gets full someone will get cut-off. So to prevent people from being cut-off we have to become much more imaginative, responsible and careful with how we use the spectrum.

AT&T is taking one approach (the careful kind), albeit not the best one, to help de-congest the their spectrum. That is charging for tethering and introducing data caps. Not the best of ideas, but it works on the short term.
Click to expand...

BS. first u say we dont have enough spectrum. but when they charge us more they suddenly do. run along tethering ppl.
 
it's not all about the spectrum... sure, it is finite... but there are certain other models to relieve contention on it by supporting wifimax (in another frequency band) for data on the phones, but cellular companies have not bought in to this model yet
 
the reason they charge more is because (in theory) if you are tethering, you will consume more data at a higher rate than if you are not

so in order to cover the extra strain on their network, they charge you more

you may be paying for unlimited data, but you are paying for it at a smartphone level consumption rate. If you're going to consume it at a computer rate, then you pay extra. Simple
 
hackthatphone said:
Why waste money on that when you can tether for free on tmobile, or just use the commcenter hack with att?
Click to expand...

Who said they wasted money on it? People can get MyWi for free just as they are getting AT&T's tethering service for free.
 
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