AT&T aims to cease unauthorized tethering, says “Stop or pay”

19 March, 2011
We've got some bad news to the iPhone users that found a way around the AT&T no-tethering-without-a-plan policy with a jailbreak. Apparently the carrier has detected the violators of its policy...

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  • V
  • Vylle
  • kaJ
  • 21 Mar 2011

So let me get this straight,AT&T iPhone users cannot use usb or wifi tethering without paying for a plan? wow.. that good sir is epic fail! so glad i chose the evo4g over the iphone 4

    • U
    • UB
    • vFk
    • 21 Mar 2011

    AnonD-4208, 20 Mar 2011Here is the LEGAL case that I would argue against AT&T.... moreNice job there Mr. Armchair Lawyer but...
    I think you'll find that part of the contract you agree to when you sign up to a plan at AT&T requires that:
    -You only use data services with a cell phone.
    -You agree NOT use 'tethering' without paying an extra fee.
    -May even only allow data use by the phone you received as part of your contract.

      • t
      • thegame
      • kxN
      • 21 Mar 2011

      Yup, its true, AT&T bought T-mobile

      New York Times: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/att-to-buy-t-mobile-usa-for-39-billion/

      Yahoo: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/ts_afp/usgermanytelecomcompanymerger

      MSN: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42181927/ns/business-us_business/

      Higher prices, fewer choices, less innovation.

      The beginning of the end is here.

        • v
        • vyis
        • ucw
        • 21 Mar 2011

        i wonder how AT&T come out with all these differentiation? they are selling the data flow volume, and you buy the flow volume. How the end user wanna use the flow volume should be their own choices as long as it's in the range of what user have pay for.

        AT&T should have stop selling these data flow volume at these price if they are unable to provide it, instead using these data plan strategies to charge more out of flow volume that user have pay for!!

          • A
          • Aussie-Dealer
          • PBh
          • 21 Mar 2011

          in australia when you sign up to a contract with 5gb on. the provider could not care less if you want to tether it or if you want to watch movies so on and so on. i thought that all phone providers where like that?

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • sw6
            • 20 Mar 2011

            I ' ve said it before. The things that companies make you do in usa are unheard in europe. Att, apple these companies seem to be over the law. You gave them that power you should take it back. Wake Up americans

              • T
              • Telco.Ombudsman
              • 20 Mar 2011

              This is ridiculous and I hope AT&T go down hill for doing so. Who are they to charge people for how they use the data in which their customers are paying for?

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • q@T
                • 20 Mar 2011

                omg omg omg!!!!!!!!!! at&t bought out t-mobile usa. that's it the world's gonna end! the world has gone down the crapper :(

                  • M
                  • Mat
                  • Mfx
                  • 20 Mar 2011

                  AnonD-388, 19 Mar 2011You, my friend, are being absurd. If I were to use your log... moreVery nice analogy, sir.

                    • m
                    • marc
                    • IXx
                    • 20 Mar 2011

                    In my opinion, it should be like this, if you have a limited data plan, for example 5gb, you should not be limited on how you use it, there should be no charge for tethering, because it doesnt matter how many devices you have, you still just gonna consume only 5gb, but if its unlimited data plan, then yes it is reasonable that they charge additional for tethering, because if you tether, for example to your laptop, you gonna use way more that what you use in your phone alone, thus bigger data traffic for them to handle. It just like buying food, if you buy a meal at mcdonalds, for example 8 dollars, if you share it to your friends they cant charge you more for sharing your food(tethering), but if its all you can eat for 8 dollars(unlimited) you cant share it to your friend, because you both gonna consume way more than what you alone can consume(higher data traffic) so if i were you guys, stop making att rich, say no by not singning a contract with them, go get sprint or t-mobile, you can get unlimited tethering from them legally, and way cheaper than att, the reason why att can do this is a lot of us still signing a contract with them, even though they know that its wrong, just to get the iphone, leave att, forget about the iphone, thats what i did, if everyone does, att will change their rules and pricing, they will make it cheaper, thats for sure

                      • D
                      • AnonD-1188
                      • pVP
                      • 20 Mar 2011

                      I live in Kuwait, which is more expensive than the US.

                      I have a data-plan around 25$ per month. Unlimited Gigabytes. Now used for a year, and tether from my Nokia N8 and E72 in the past, it's all going good. I think in Europe too they're cheap. But that is a rip off. What AT&T is trying to do.

                        • j
                        • jatnaveenleo
                        • 7tA
                        • 20 Mar 2011

                        seems like AT&T wants to ditch iPhone as well as iPhone users..

                          • J
                          • Jazz
                          • qRj
                          • 20 Mar 2011

                          At&t is a very Greedy company ... that's why I use T-mobile USA it is the best carrier also there plans are awesome versus At&t they charge for touching their stupid Iphones ... they charge to put your ear on the Iphone and if you breath harder on the microphone they charge $50 by the time you pay your individual plan like $140 us dollars Just purely stupid Greedy Company ... they are taking advantage of the Iphone frenzy and stupid Verizon jumped on the same train of greed ..... long lives Tmobile and android

                            • N
                            • Nicholas
                            • IVE
                            • 20 Mar 2011

                            Doesn't realize tethering is something chargeable, I mean, do u care or even have authority on how your customer eat his cake after u sold it to him? Its like saying "eat it alone or else i will charge u for sharing it with other people", is AT&T run by a group of naive children?

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 3Jm
                              • 20 Mar 2011

                              Shimmy, 20 Mar 2011I think it's quite absurd that AT&T is acting this way.... moremight be the same situation we had with picture messaging, used to get it free because ios didnt register it properly for networks sending data so got counted as an sms rather then an mms, guess its same for tethering now, ios is now reporting protocls correctly so the network provider can charge you accordingly

                                • R
                                • Rachitha
                                • tev
                                • 20 Mar 2011

                                Really bad. Also they did not issue a unlock code for iphone 4 also. I don't know what they expect from the public. If AT & T wants to make a market they should treat the buyers well. Seems to me they trying make big profit but definitely these kind of decisions want help them to achieve their goals.

                                  • c
                                  • ck
                                  • IVA
                                  • 20 Mar 2011

                                  carrier in singapore or malaysia won't charge u extra for tethering.
                                  I'm interested to know where else is charging for tethering

                                    • F
                                    • FURY
                                    • Y9j
                                    • 20 Mar 2011

                                    Umair_514, 20 Mar 2011Users in the U.S. need to educate them selves on all aspect... moreWhat Provider??... I know that Quebec has its own set of rules compared to the rest of Canada Bill 60 I think it is. I applaud the Quebec Government for being on the side of the consumer. Quebec will say a in a second to any foolishness, Ontario on the other hand will tell the consumer to spread them and just take it. I wonder what is needed to get Bill 60 in Ontario. The Rest of the country would follow, http://www.mccarthy.ca/article_detail.aspx?id=4884 it's a great thing not the Caveat Emptor.

                                      • p
                                      • pandey
                                      • KFQ
                                      • 20 Mar 2011

                                      mallikarjun, 19 Mar 2011INDIAN operators are great.well, in India such situation persists.If you use airtel/idea unlimited plan on pc using your device as modem then it is not free and you have to pay for it.But the good thing is that its for only selected plans and not for all.

                                        • f
                                        • feen1cks
                                        • mXJ
                                        • 20 Mar 2011

                                        olly, 20 Mar 2011i live in the UK and i pay £45 a month and get 2000 a... moreI'm in the UK too, and i'm on three. And just to let you know, there's no such thing as 'Unlimited' It may say it in their plans, but have you read the small print? It's also the same for every other UK provider. If you used up 10GB in a month, i'm willing to bet that you'll get a letter saying that you're not within the 'fair useage' guideline.
                                        There have been many complaints to Watchdog about this .. people being charged extra even though it says unlimited, when it's clearly not.