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AT&T Notifies Unauthorized Tetherers to Knock It Off

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It's About Time.

Slammer

Mar 18, 2011, 9:20 AM
The operative word used in this article is: "Unofficially"

Those that pay for tethering need not worry. Those that have hacked their devices and are tethering without proper authorization and payment plan, are "Stealing" from the carrier. These are the individuals that need to reset their MO in tethering practices.

I await the other carriers to implement the same direction.

John B.
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marufio

Mar 18, 2011, 10:47 AM
its only stealing if its unlimited.
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xxmxxmxxmxxm

Mar 18, 2011, 1:45 PM
thats the dumbest thing ive ever heard

stealing is stealing

like if you steal a candy bar or a drink you dont take everything you take a lil here and there so you try not to get caught.

but when you do get caught its still stealing
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cwcanty

Mar 18, 2011, 1:59 PM
whats worse? Tethering for free using your data package that is already paid for?

OR

A company like ATT essentially double dipping and trying to control your right to tether. Data is data, whether you are tethering or looking at webpages it doesn't matter. Cell phone companies need to stop nickel and diming consumers and do whats right.

It costs ATT no substantial amount of money to allow for tethering. Charge people for a bucket of data and let them use it how they want. These tethering and hotspot charges are insane!

There should be a one time activation fee to tether, then it should only come out of your data bucket.

My 2 cents...

Chris
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Slammer

Mar 18, 2011, 2:20 PM
---"whats worse? Tethering for free using your data package that is already paid for?"---

Buffets and many banquet establishments offer unlimited. However they charge by the plate or person. I may pay the bill, but that doesn't mean I'm the only one eating. The carrier's position is to keep track of all devices using their data. If their rule is to charge for every device using data, they are well within their right. If they offer an account holder use of multiple devices, then I don't see an issue with them charging an additional fee for the extra use.

I don't like corporate procedures in many cases in the wireless industry, but I think to keep everything in check currently, this is an understandable measure.

I'm actually surpri...
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island4prez

Mar 18, 2011, 3:02 PM
As Americans we want as much as we can get for our $ and we will do that it anyone else's expense. I pay for unlimited by golly I am taking advantage of it.
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Slammer

Mar 18, 2011, 3:25 PM
And I have to pay for it in the long run.

I applaud this move even more as individuals like yourself admit to wanting everything for free.

I seek a better consumer experience. You negate that directive.

John B.
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island4prez

Mar 18, 2011, 3:38 PM
I went into the voice of Americans. Myself do not feel this way. Americans take advantage of anything they can and will exploit it to their friends to do the same. I do not infact condone the last statement just stated, but Americans do.

I am not a fan of Americans.
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dgrave2929

Mar 19, 2011, 8:50 AM
Hey island, Im not a fan of Muslims, and a lot of other people but I dont voice it. That was ignorant, and it is not just americans who do this crap it is the lot of everybody. Everyone takes advantage of something at some point we are just talking about cell phones and how people feel they should get everything they want for free, and not worry about the company. Everything cost money, so for anyone on here to bitch and complain about the cost, then shut the hell up and go pre paid. Use the Virgin Mobile air card. $40 a month for unltd.
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flagrantmisuse

Mar 19, 2011, 12:30 PM
oh come on. if we are truely honest with ourselves we can admit that we are greedy by nature. we want what we want when we want it. oh and by the way...we want it for free. dont make this personal. i didnt take it that way.

as someone who happens to work for a telecom i see the value of unlimited and why a customer would believe they should be able to use data they pay for. however i can also see the point of the provider as they have multiple millions of subscribers they have to pander to not just the data intensive customers. it's been said before (by menno i believe) that 60% of of bandwidth was being used by 10% of customers. telecoms are going to want to protect the connectivity and reliability of service for the other 90% of custom...
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tether

Mar 18, 2011, 3:01 PM
AMEN!!! You pay for it & should be able to use it ANY way you please. I wonder if this guy gets this upset when cell companies advertise "unlimited" then cap you at 4GB, 5GB or any GB cap. Is that lying or stealing your money on a false premise? With the sucking sound that is AT&T losing Iphone customers to Verizon, are they in a position to mistreat customers like this?
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dj89

Mar 18, 2011, 3:01 PM
Unauthorized data tethering makes baby Jesus cry!
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flip mode

Mar 18, 2011, 4:26 PM
these guys who defend this abomination which is at&t, probably sit in each others laps and swap cute stories about how dumb the consumer is. one day something will happen to their family members and then they will feel stupid. on the other hand if any of these monkeys were part of my family, i'd deny i knew them 🤣
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jhr2112

Mar 18, 2011, 5:32 PM
The customer agreement goes over what you can and can't do with your phone and the terms for data use.Data hogs are ruining the data experience for others when they don't follow the rules. The carrier allows, on the older unlimited plans, for unlimited data usage on the phone but excludes tethering.Every carrier has these restrictions to protect their networks from selfish over-users. Keep in mind that home Internet service will be metered by usage in the near future and unlimited will be a thing of the past..A carrier has the legal right to impose caps at any time if the network performance is threatened..It's in the agreement, read it.You don't have to like it..But you are at fault for not doing your homework..
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tether

Mar 18, 2011, 9:41 PM
Data Hogs?? If I pay for 4GB or 5GB of service I should be able to use those blocks of data ANY WAY I WANT TO! How would you like a 1000 minute rate plan that dictates, but... you can only call 457 minutes to California, 27 minutes to Rhode Island (small state), call between 3AM and 545AM, etc. I mean, who in the world would go for that? How about, I pay for 4GB, I get 4GB in ANY way I prefer. If I go above that I pay a per GB rate or get throttled to slower speeds. What difference does it make if I am at cnn.com on a PC or streaming pandora on my phone? Data use is data use & frankly, they are ripping us off on tethering with a wink & a nod from the FCC.
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jhr2112

Mar 18, 2011, 10:14 PM
So I guess you are one of those people that think the rules are for other people. The analogy you gave is silly, but if I signed up for it I would do my best to follow the rules. You can't be stupid enough to think that tethering was a part of your plan. You're just upset that now you will have to follow the same rules most other people follow..
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tether

Mar 19, 2011, 10:06 AM
Rules most people follow? Most people have no clue what tethering is or they would be doing it. Do most people follow speed limits? I lived in Chicago for over 30 years and can honestly tell you that when not gridlocked in traffic, a police officer could literally detour everyone off of any given interstate and issue everyone tickets. Are these people evil or are 55MPH speed limits on 8-10 lane highways dumb? People are just rebelling against idiotic rules. Same goes with people who tether. Wouldn't have a country here in America if people didn't rebel against stupid rules.
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jhr2112

Mar 19, 2011, 10:24 AM
Sorry, people who tether without a tethering plan are stealing, common criminals and I hope they get cut off. I pay for my tethering and WiFi hotspot on Sprint and it is unlimited. So I guess you steal cable, and shoplift as well.. As far as speeders go, my wife was killed by someone who thought 55 was too slow.
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Kineticboy2001

Mar 19, 2011, 5:18 PM
What a terrible thing to say.

It's not stealing you idiot and bringing your dead wife into it is just disrespectful, pay for your tethering because you blindly do anything anyone tells you. I'm glad you're happy.
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jhr2112

Mar 19, 2011, 5:23 PM
You are a thief, enough said..
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Kineticboy2001

Mar 19, 2011, 5:40 PM
You can only be a thief if you take what is not yours. I pay for my data, it is unlimited, I cannot steal an infinite amount of what I've already bought.

That's like purchasing a pool filled with water and taking some water out with a bucket laughing maniacally as I "steal" what I own.
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electronet

Mar 19, 2011, 7:36 PM
He has no integrity..
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tether

Mar 19, 2011, 11:28 PM
Companies who sell customers "unlimited" data and then cap it at 5GB or any limit are "LIARS" and hopefully karma catches up with them and they go the way of Circuit City.
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electronet

Mar 19, 2011, 10:31 AM
Looks like some people had very bad parents, forgot to teach them right from wrong..Stealing is stealing..So many immoral thieves..Guess that's why Chicago has such a high crime rate, people are all criminals..
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flagrantmisuse

Mar 19, 2011, 2:26 PM
and werent the past couple governors either arrested or indicted on embezzelment and money laundering?
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Kineticboy2001

Mar 19, 2011, 5:22 PM
"Stealing is stealing"? Well yeah, though only when someone steals. Using the data that I paid for, ie. eating the apple I bought, is not stealing.
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xxmxxmxxmxxm

Mar 20, 2011, 9:06 AM
but its not as simple as internet to an apple.

god you would say anything to make this seem right wouldn't you
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Kineticboy2001

Mar 23, 2011, 1:49 PM
WHAT, haha, it's NOT right. Sure, they have every "right" themselves to nickle and dime the idiots that sign their T&C, but that doesn't make it okay to do it to people.

You wouldn't murder just because someone said it was okay right?
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daxdcagain

Mar 19, 2011, 2:00 PM
The reason why your anologies don't work and are illogical are the things you are referring to are LAWS. They are forced upon you. You have to go 55MPH on certain highways because the govt has determined that it is necessary. The highway is not run by a business that mandates you go 55 MPH and if you dont like it, choose a parallel highway that is run by another company with their own rules.

You had a choice. Stop comparing consumer options to enforceable laws. You are presenting yourself as a such a tool every time you do.
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Versed

Mar 19, 2011, 10:01 AM
You wouldn't be deducted minutes if you call California or Rhode Island between 3am and 5:45am.
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diane62374

Mar 19, 2011, 11:59 AM
bwahahahahahahahahahaha 🤣
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texaswireless

Mar 19, 2011, 10:14 AM
You have no RIGHT to tether. They are controlling their network THEY built and have a TOS you (or whoever) agree to beforehand.

You don't think they should nickel and dime, fine. But don't make such an illogical statement such as "they are trying to control you right to tether". You have the right to choose to use their service by the terms and conditions or you have a right to take your buying options elsewhere. If they materially change their TOS you have the right to leave without penalty.
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tether

Mar 19, 2011, 10:20 AM
I paid for data, I should be able to use the data in anyway I see fit. They sold it to me in blocks or unlimited. It is just an unjust rule/unfair policy. I really admire Texas and Texans as being fiercly independent. Surely people from Texas would be the first to stand up for something that isn't right? That is the issue here. Charging for tethering data when I already pay for data is double-dipping for the same service. I just am happy to see a lot of people rebel. The others, I just don't get it. I guess only 1/3 of American were for the Revolutionary War? I would have been in that 1/3 to fight British oppresion.
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texaswireless

Mar 19, 2011, 10:35 AM
So you pay full price for your child when you take them to an all-you-can-eat buffet because it is the right thing to do? Or do you pay the childs price when offered?

Read my other reply. I don't agree it is a wise market decision but it is their decision to make.

And don't bring war into this dude. The day you are going to get shot for being upset about tethering pricing you let me know.
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tether

Mar 19, 2011, 11:24 PM
It's not about getting shot! It's about what is right or wrong and fighting for what is right. These people that are "terms and conditioners" are lemmings. Was it the law or t and c's to have and allow slaves? Was it the law to deny women the right to vote? Was it the law and rules to deny minorities civil their civil rights? A lot of these "yes-men" here would just say yes, all the above was the right thing to do because that is what they were told to do, those are the "rules". Obviously this is on a much smaller scale than the revolutionary war or the suffrage movement but double-charging customers for data they already pay for (but rarely use anywhere near to what they pay for on their phones) is just wrong in my opinion. If it wer...
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pickles

Mar 19, 2011, 11:49 PM
now you're comparing peoples tethering plight to CIVIL RIGHTS AND WOMENS SUFFERAGE??? DUDE! get a GRIP man! that is DISGUSTING, tether. You're using human rights fallacies from decades past to argue about cell phones. MLK JR was a peaceful man, but if he were reading this forum right now, he would come to your house and slap the ish out of you. Seriously.
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texaswireless

Mar 20, 2011, 1:06 AM
This conversation is done. You sir are a complete douchebag for dishonoring those other fights and comparing to a consumer choice.
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pickles

Mar 20, 2011, 5:24 AM
+1, what a tool.
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JeffroPuff

Mar 20, 2011, 9:17 PM
What the hell?

Dude, are you retarded???

It's TETHERING with a cell phone!! lolololol
Your examples are TERRIBLE!!! hahaha please tell me you're just pulling everyone's chain... can I put in a request? Holocaust - compare tethering charges to the Holocaust!
haha
You're CRAZY, man! hahahaha
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Menno

Mar 19, 2011, 12:04 PM
It's pretty clear.

You didn't purchase a data "bucket" you purchased data for your device. (ATT doesn't offer data buckets yet).

Now I agree, if someone is already capped with their data (the new 2GB plan) making them pay MORE for tethering, even if it adds an extra 2gigs, is stupid. If data is limited, than the type of data consumed shouldn't matter. But if you're on a grandfathered UNLIMITED plan for your handset, you bought that with your handset, not in a bucket you can use across devices.

Trying to make this about people "Fighting for their rights" is dragging those patriots through the mud in the name of your petty cause. Don't compare this to them.
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tether

Mar 19, 2011, 11:35 PM
Why, aren't people being allowed to have their opinions what they fought for? Let's see, Britain gouged American Colonists with high taxes and forced ridiculous rules like having to buy tea "only from England" and 1/3 of the Americans decided it was time to rebel. Obviously this isn't a war we have to fight and no one is going to shell AT&T Corporate but their new rule/enforcement on tethering is oppresive. People buy a bucket of data and should be allowed to use it the way they would like. If that is 4GB in one day, fine if that is 1GB in a month, fine. If enough people with backbones stand-up to them, maybe we can have an impact and get them to change their policy or, at least, create such a stir other carriers won't follow down this ...
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pickles

Mar 19, 2011, 11:47 PM
ugh, tether. the revolution was over 100 years ago bro. nothing about it pertains to the argument over why at&t shouldn't be charging for tethering. are you learning about the revolution right now in history class at school right now? that seems to be the only base for all of your arguments. you're probably right about data, but your debate skills are terrible, no offense.
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Slammer

Mar 20, 2011, 8:01 AM
---"Why, aren't people being allowed to have their opinions what they fought for?"---

I don't think Menno is out of line in speaking reality here and:

I wouldn't manipulate the right to fight for freedom. You are taking irrelevant situations and making mockery out of a point to try and better your needs.

I fully believe ATT is targeting unlimited users. Devices that are becoming more hotspot friendly, allows multiple users to tether simultaneously. You must certainly see the issues this can cause on the carrier's end.

Imagine having hotspot parties all over the country. YOU pay for a certain plan at say $30 dollars for unlimited. Up to eight of your friends come over and access your account for hours to download all sorts of m...
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xxmxxmxxmxxm

Mar 20, 2011, 9:14 AM
tis not going to happen thats why they are telling tose rebels to stop now or they will force you to stop

plain and simple.
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daxdcagain

Mar 19, 2011, 1:49 PM
But you knew the policy going into it right? Whether or not you think the policy is right is another argument. You knew beforehand the policy, agreed to it, now cry when they enforce it. You keep trying to bring civil rights and such into the discussion, but obviously this has nothing to do with this.
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Slammer

Mar 19, 2011, 2:00 PM
I hate to use food as an argument, but it more closely simulates the point.

I am the only one that enters an all you can eat buffet. I pay 12.00 for myself. Does this make it right for me to smuggle out food to my family parked behind the restaurant? This is stealing no matter how you look at it. Your phone is you. All other devices you own, are your family members.

It is very important that you comprehend this aspect. You not doing so, allows the validity of why ATT currently has the right to aggressively implement their practice in abolishing the abusers.

I am a large supporter of unlimited. But only with wise consumption. Your quest to backdoor the unlimited offering, only elevates your limitations in common sense.

John B.
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pickles

Mar 19, 2011, 5:55 PM
i understand your points, and your logic. but you're making yourself look like an idiot by comparing the "right" to tether to the freaking revolutionary war. LIVES were lost fighting for this country, and you have the balls to make light of that for the sake of a cellular phone argument? You're ridiculous dude. Texaswireless just told you exactly why you were wrong, and you're using the revolutionary war as an argument...wow. just wow. could you be any more ignorant? neither one of us is agreeing with at&t wireless btw, you're just making a fool out of yourself dude. but luckily, many other people are just as ignorant, and making fools out of themselves arguing until they're blue in the face also.
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xxmxxmxxmxxm

Mar 20, 2011, 9:10 AM
no your paying for data for the cell phone in no way shape or form were you paying for a tethering within that becuase its a serperate feature from that.

i mean whatever you have to say to make yourself sleep at night but deep down you know its wrong thats why its such a big deal.
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CapnBoost

Mar 19, 2011, 6:01 PM
My carrier doesn't nickel and dime me for features I've already paid for. I purchased this phone. It has these capabilities built in. If I bought a car with air conditioning, I wouldn't pay the big 3 monthly for the "privilege" of cool air.

Unlimited means unlimited. 2gb means 2gb, why does AT&T care whether I use that data from a handset or a computer?

I sincerely hope you're trolling, because if you aren't...
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pickles

Mar 19, 2011, 6:18 PM
slammer is one of the most intelligible posters on the scoop, so no, he is not trolling. i agree that at&t is nickel and diming people. however, when they sold people "unlimited" data, they specified it was unlimited for usage that THEY see fit, they never told anyone they could use their data however they wanted. read through some of the other posts in this thread, maybe you'll understand better.
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CapnBoost

Mar 20, 2011, 8:45 PM
Unlimited and limited are opposite ideas.

But, since AT&T has just made a bid for my good for more than a decade wireless provider perhaps I'll get to learn AT&T's doublespeak better.
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SprintFTW

Mar 21, 2011, 2:54 AM
Data is data.

1GB = 1GB however you slice it. Doesn't matter if it's used on the phone or if it's used on the computer. I have an iPhone 4 and I got the 2gb data plan. Typically I go over 2gb and have to pay the extra $10 for an additional 1gb of data. AT&T makes the same amount of money on this additional 1gb charge regardless if I use it on my phone or laptop.

This is about AT&T being greedy. They just want to charge customers more for the same thing they are already getting. I would be willing to bet this will backfire in the long run as the people this effects may jump ship.

It's not stealing by any means to tether on your computer. As I said before... data is data.

AT&T is still making money on these people. Data/Text messa...
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