AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
Summary: Bad news for anyone tethering jailbroken iPhones to their computers: it's time to pay up.
AT&T is fed up with subscribers jailbreaking their iPhones only to then tether the smartphones to their computers and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices for unlimited data. Obviously, this is costing AT&T a lot of money, so now the wireless provider is turning around and sticking the bill to the culprits.
That bill will come in the form of an automatic transfer to a tiered plan without unlimited data for those who don't quit and are caught. (You might be wondering why unlimited data is even relevant as AT&T nixed that option awhile back. This concerns customers who were grandfathered in with the unlimited data still in tact last year.)
Here's AT&T's official response to 9to5Mac about illegal tethering:
Earlier this year, we began sending letters, emails, and text messages to a small number of smartphone customers who use their devices for tethering but aren’t on our required tethering plan. Our goal here is fairness for all of our customers. (This impacts a only small percentage of our smartphone customer base.)
The letters outline three choices:
1) Stop tethering and keep their current plan (including grandfathered unlimited plan)
2) Proactively call AT&T or visit our stores and move to the required tethering plan
3) Do nothing and we’ll go ahead and add the tethering plan on their behalf — after the dated noted in their customer notification
The rumor, as it stands, is that AT&T will start cracking down officially on August 11. Only time (or AT&T) will tell.
AT&T also recently confirmed that it would begin throttling data speeds for the heaviest users who still have the unlimited data plans, likely in anticipation of more traffic if/when the iPhone 5 drops this fall.
Related:
- AT&T tops competitors for customer loyalty in San Francisco
- AT&T vs. Verizon Wireless: How tiered plans will shake out
- Sprint responds as AT&T files new economic model with FCC
- Verizon, Sprint tops in wireless customer service, survey says
- T-Mobile rolling out new rates for small businesses
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Talkback
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
A simple packet analysis would tell quite easy. For example, traffic coming from IE9 when there is no IE9 available for the iPhone would be proof of tethering.
AT&T is wrong in my opinion
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
No, tethering adds extra traffic, and a lot of traffic at that, to the network. It chokes the ability of other users to use bandwidth. Who's going to pay to expand the network if users that are using extra bandwidth are not paying for that extra bandwidth? Should everyone have to pay because you feel entitled to use all the bandwidth you want? You paid to use data on your phone. You did not pay to use data on your notebook unless you purchased one of those USB devices, or paid for a tethering plan. The network is designed to support the traffic from your phone, not traffic from your phone and everything else you want on the Internet.
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
I don't pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I am a network technician for Ricoh Americas. In addition to being a customer who wants to tether (and do so freely), I also understand how bandwidth works. How many people do you know who tether and actually stay within their allotment of bandwidth usage? 2gigs is not a lot of usage. Stream multimedia and you will eat through that in no time. With little effort one can burn through 2gigs of use in a few hours. I would agree that tethering should be allowed for free if people stayed within their allotment of bandwidth. Unfortunately, enough people who tether do not stay within their allotment and it does add a strain to the network. Adding bandwidth and changing network infrastructure is expensive. It has to be paid for some kind of way. It makes sense to charge the users who want the extra bandwidth to pay for it. It's either that for embed the extra charges into everyone's cost. That's not fair. Then again I'm ignorant. What do I know?
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
Who says tethering is illegal, the FCC or FTC?
They can get away with a lot, including cramming because they are providing services to HomeLand.
Further, AT&T gives congressional leaders a break in services. Thus while congress is kept happy, the rest of us are forced to deal with the monopoly or go through the useless FCC.
Sure consumer can excercise the right to switch. But in the end, AT&T has their greedy hands in everything including providing their services to the competition.
Headline is misleading.
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
on the payroll?
Tethering does not cost AT&T any money. That's like a mugger saying that every person he doesn't attack and rob costs him money.
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
I agree with you on all points. We have personification of a company through a ZD official - not good - obvious bias.
ATT and other carriers are not losing money - just trust that they will ever be good stewards of their bandwith. It is the consumer that is being cheated on the data transfere issue and any other area where the communications giants put their big toe over the line.
A customer coop for data transmission could be the answer on getting fair treatment.
kc4cop
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
How can you say tethering does not cost money? Where does the extra bandwidth come from? Based on your argument I should be able to go home and use all the water I want for a flat rate because 75% of the world's surface is water. It does not cost anyone anything extra for me to use all the water I want.
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
RE: AT&T set to crack down on illegal tethering
LMAO