Posted on 03/18/2011 3:24:04 PM PDT by Swordmaker
AT&T has started to issue warnings to customers unofficially tethering their smartphones to its network. In an email to unauthorized tetherers, the company writes, “Our records show that you use this capability, but are not subscribed to our tethering plan.” The correspondence goes on to note that users will be automatically enrolled in the $45 per month “DataPro for Smartphone Tethering” plan if they ignore the warning. “The new plan – whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you – will replace your current smartphone data plan, including if you are on an unlimited data plan,” the email continues. The standard DataPro offering is $25 per month and provides users with 2GB of monthly data, although some users are still clinging to a discontinued, $30 per month 5GB data plan. It is safe to assume that a large portion of the unofficial, tethering populous is jailbroken iPhone users and rooted Android users. “If you discontinue tethering, no changes to your current plan will be required.” A copy of the email tethering-cheaters are receiving is after the break.
Dear [Name of Account Holder],We’ve noticed your service plan may need updating.
Many AT&T customers use their smartphones as a broadband connection for other devices, like laptops, netbooks or other smartphones– a practice commonly known as tethering. Tethering can be an efficient way for our customers to enjoy the benefits of AT&T’s mobile broadband network and use more than one device to stay in touch with important people and information. To take advantage of this feature, we require that in addition to a data plan, you also have a tethering plan.
Our records show that you use this capability, but are not subscribed to our tethering plan.
If you would like to continue tethering, please log into your account online at www.wireless.att.com, or call us at 1-888-860-6789 Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. CST or Saturday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. CST, by March 27, 2011 to sign up for DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering. Here are details on the plan:
DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering
$45 per month (this gives you 4GB in total, combining both your smartphone data plan for $25 and the tethering feature, $20) $10 per each additional GB thereafter, added automatically as needed Mobile Hotspot capabilities are included for compatible Smartphones If we don’t hear from you, we’ll plan to automatically enroll you into DataPro 4GB after March 27, 2011. The new plan – whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you – will replace your current smartphone data plan, including if you are on an unlimited data plan.
If you discontinue tethering, no changes to your current plan will be required.
It’s easy to track your usage throughout the month so there are no bill surprises. For example, we send you free text messages when you reach 65, 90, and 100 percent of your plan’s threshold. If you would like to monitor your account more closely, go to www.att.com/dataplans to learn about other ways to track your data usage.
As a reminder, our smartphone data plans also include unlimited usage of Wi-Fi at no additional charge. AT&T smartphone customers can use Wi-Fi at home or on-the-go at any one of our more than 23,000 U.S. hotspots already included in your data plan.
Thank you for bringing your account up to date. We appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve your mobile broadband needs.
Sincerely, AT&T
they can only tell via the volume.
I would imagine this is for people who download very very large files.
Since this is comming out people are going to learn how to do it.
This is like att not letting people unlock phones they paid for.
My samsung galaxy s has a wifi hotspot on it. I have been using it at no charge so far on US Cellular.
Bummer. I just learned how to do this.
>>>What exactly is, “Tethering?”
basically, you turn your cell phone into a modem - used to be you had to do that with a cable, hence “tethering” - but now, the phones can be a a wifi hotspot - and use the cellular network for sharing the phone’s data connection.
I’ve been seeing reports of the increasing use of smartphones and bandwidth-hungry iThings stressing the wireless networks. Now the squeeze starts. You either pay what they demand for bandwidth, or you’re left with a 600.00 paperweight.
Correct. That’s just using WiFi instead of 3G.
Right, except AT&T doesn't hold a gun to your head; you can always take your business elsewhere.
For my 3000 or so rural customers, it would have cost more to administrate the plans, adjust the speeds, vary the billing, etc..... than we would have made. It was overhead we couldn't afford for the ROI.
We had a solid business plan. We took in more than we spent. We provided a service that customers couldn't get anywhere else. We didn't waste any motion on trying to squeeze the last ounce of blood out of the turnip.
Good gig until we sold out.
/johnny
Same story posted on ModMyi.com. After the dust settles, AT&T doesn’t have an effective mechanism to “know” the data going through a jailbroken iPhone is from teathering, or just heavy data use.
On the above site, at least one source said that they received the same notice, but had never used tethering (but they stream videos and audio hours each day under the grandfathered unlimited data plan.
Further, those with jailbroken phones using MyFi (the Cydia app for mobile hotspot/tethering - their “tethered usage” reading still says “0Mb” as the usage through that hack just shows as standard data.
So - my suspicion - AT&T is monitoring the total data throughput, hoping to catch those getting around the “need a tethering plan” and/or to scam customers who have the old unlimited plan and use a LOT of data...
Thing is - with the current AT&T data plans, even the larger plan gets used up very quickly if you have your email set to check regularly, and maybe stream audio via Pandora.
Watch a few YouTube clips and you start bumping the limits. Go 1kb beyond your package data, and you get charged a whole extra data chunk.
I gather they're also analyzing graphic sizes being requested by the browsers as an indicator. If there is a disparity between the device on contract and it's ability to display the browser requested graphic, that's a strong indicator of tethering.
No, you are not being charged whenever you use WIFI to send data to your device... BUT if you use 3G and use IT as a WIFI hotspot source to feed your other devices such a computer or your HDTV, then they rightly expect you should pay for the use of their 3G bandwidth.
Why would you say that? First of all it's highly unlikely anyone paid the $600 non-contract price. Secondly, even if they stop the tethering it's not a paperweight, it's still a smartphone that makes and receives calls, connects to the Internet, runs apps, and provides useful services.
No, I go with an unlimited data plan with another carrier.
Hyperbole is all the rage.
AT&T loves to punish their customers.
I’m aghast that the voice, internet, and texting data streams are considered “separate” - so that they can charge for each separately.
It’s ALL data.
Yep. They're all ones and zeroes.
101010101001010101010110010100101010100110.
Computers don't care. The billing is a human abstraction.
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