Goodbye illegal tethering

[Vyvid]

I'm not trying to dupe anyone, just wondering if I could be bound to something I never agreed to. It's all just curiosity anyway. I don't think I've even used 4GB in a month

~*Sent from a Galaxy far, far away*~

 

[czerdrill]

I'm not trying to dupe anyone, just wondering if I could be bound to something I never agreed to. It's all just curiosity anyway. I don't think I've even used 4GB in a month

~*Sent from a Galaxy far, far away*~

No wasn't referring to you, was just speaking generally . But, I dont get what you mean when you say you didn't agree to it. If you have a data plan, then you have to agree to it. It's part of their Data Plans/Mobile Broadband TOS.

I dont think I've ever even used 1GB a month LOL...but that's cuz i'm almost always on wifi...

 

[CD95YJ]

When ever you get your phone from vzw and extend your contract you are also agreeing to the new terms. Now you might have an argument if you bought your phone from say ebay, but even that is a stretch.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums App

 

[Vyvid]

That's what I'm saying. I haven't renewed my contact since I got the eris the day it came out.

My contract and tos doesn't mention tethering. Only "excessive use", corporate or business use, and sharing your connection with others.

I don't even think they had hotspot back then.

That's why I was asking if it was possible tethering wasnt addressed back when I signed.

The blackberry data plan I had, did specifically address tethering, this contract does not

~*Sent from a Galaxy far, far away*~

 

[Vyvid]

The fascinate I have, my mom paid retail for. I didn't have to change my plan or renew contract just switched phones.

~*Sent from a Galaxy far, far away*~

 

[rctp10]

If Verizon was smart they could use this to their advantage and say they are going to allow this. This could be a great opportunity to get some of ATT customers to jump ship. Although im sure Verizon will follow suit. Well with gas prices rising im sure we all have a ton of money to spare for a 30$ amonth extra payment, Carriers are going to bully customers away, how dont they realize that a good chunk of the smartphone community only buy these phones to customly enhance them. If this is taken from customers and limitations are made to limit the phones capabilities, they will loose in high priced plans and also high priced phones.

 

[Big Dawg 23]

What I don't get is how do you get very how on VZW 3G services. It is not like LTE or HSPA/HSPA+. I still go back to if I have a cap of 5G, who cares if I tether or not. I left VZW in October. Now I am on AT&T with everyones favorite Fruit Phone. I did get Unlimited Data.

 

[sc4fpse]

Those saying that carriers have a way to determine whether or not you are tethering are most likely correct. However, to determine that, you would have to examine individual packets. Unless the situation got really bad, this is likely not a route that any carrier would bother going down.

In this case with AT&T, there is a crucial bit of information that has been left out of this thread (and most news articles covering this story). The forum on which this was originally reported has updated their post to note that many people have received this notice from AT&T, even if they haven't tethered (heck, many of them haven't even jailbroken their devices). What everyone did have in common, however, is that they all used very high levels of data in a month's time. Think 15 GB+.

Again, not all of these people tethered. Some of them ran up that much data usage legitimately through various streaming apps, such as Netflix and Pandora.

So what does this mean? That means that while AT&T probably has the capability to determine who is tethering (as I mentioned before), that's not what they're doing. They're simply sending out mass texts and emails to those who break a certain usage threshold. All AT&T is trying to do is get some people to admit to tethering, and hopefully get frightened into purchasing the tethering plan.

Numerous people have already called AT&T and disputed their accusations. People have told them that they don't tether, and that they used that much data through streaming applications. And regardless of whether or not these customers actually tethered, AT&T representatives have apologized for the mistake, and have changed their accounts so that they will not auto-enroll for the tethering plan.

At this point, this is nothing but AT&T bluffing. Call their bluff.

(One final note... for those of you using the term "illegal" with tethering... oh man, you guys crack me up. :laugh

 

[geoff5093]

Of course Verizon can tell if you tether using their tethering or mobile hotspot apps, but several of these applications require root access and are made by third party developers, some of which probably tried to make it difficult to track.

 

[jaycemiskel]

I don't really think it's illegal, it's just the easiest way to say it. When you say illegal tethering people on this forum know what you mean. I know it's not actually illegal though.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

 

[czerdrill]

I don't really think it's illegal, it's just the easiest way to say it. When you say illegal tethering people on this forum know what you mean. I know it's not actually illegal though.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

Yeah i thought this was obvious haha...didn't know we had to specify that we realize that its not a felony...LOL

 

[czerdrill]

Those saying that carriers have a way to determine whether or not you are tethering are most likely correct. However, to determine that, you would have to examine individual packets. Unless the situation got really bad, this is likely not a route that any carrier would bother going down.

In this case with AT&T, there is a crucial bit of information that has been left out of this thread (and most news articles covering this story). The forum on which this was originally reported has updated their post to note that many people have received this notice from AT&T, even if they haven't tethered (heck, many of them haven't even jailbroken their devices). What everyone did have in common, however, is that they all used very high levels of data in a month's time. Think 15 GB+.

Again, not all of these people tethered. Some of them ran up that much data usage legitimately through various streaming apps, such as Netflix and Pandora.

So what does this mean? That means that while AT&T probably has the capability to determine who is tethering (as I mentioned before), that's not what they're doing. They're simply sending out mass texts and emails to those who break a certain usage threshold. All AT&T is trying to do is get some people to admit to tethering, and hopefully get frightened into purchasing the tethering plan.

Numerous people have already called AT&T and disputed their accusations. People have told them that they don't tether, and that they used that much data through streaming applications. And regardless of whether or not these customers actually tethered, AT&T representatives have apologized for the mistake, and have changed their accounts so that they will not auto-enroll for the tethering plan.

At this point, this is nothing but AT&T bluffing. Call their bluff.

(One final note... for those of you using the term "illegal" with tethering... oh man, you guys crack me up. :laugh

Well yeah, thats whats everyone's saying...chances are slim to none that vzw is going to go analyze packets. the point was that people here are claiming or believing that there is no way for verizon to know...of course they can.

 

[johnomaz]

I'm not up in arms about this. I use tethering maybe once or twice a month for my iPad if I absolutely need it. Its maybe 20 megs tops each time and I'm done Those that use 40+ gigs need to stop. They are the ones slowing the bandwidth with constant usage.

 

[kodiak799]

...AT&T representatives have apologized for the mistake, and have changed their accounts so that they will not auto-enroll for the tethering plan.

Woooaaaah.....Auto-enrolling people in tethering and they don't even know for sure they are tethering? I smell a class-action.

 

[Vyvid]

Actually "illegal" is a term commonly used by large companies for things in conflict with their policies as a means to deter people from violating their policies through fear.

So it's not too uncommon for people to take it literally, as that is why its worded that way.

Granted, most people know better. But I always ask for clarification when people use the term, because it's one of those ugly little tool words that get taken out of context

~*Sent from a Galaxy far, far away*~