Free 4G hotspot for a month...?

[I want my EVO]

Hey All,

Iv been reading the fourms for better part of 2 weeks in anticipation for the Evo Launch. I also have been periodically searching google for the latest news on the Evo. I came across this article.

Sprint Stores Opening Early For HTC EVO 4G [Early 8am Opening For Those Waiting In Line For The EVO 4G, 4G Hotspots Will Be Free Too] TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

If you dont feel like going to the link and reading it here is a snippet of it.

" Some good news for those of you who live in a city with Sprint’s 4G Coverage, too. You’ll be able to use the EVO 4G as a WiFi mobile hotspot without the $30 monthly fee for the first month if you can get a connection to the 4G WiMax network. Again, this comes from the Sprint employee’s guide to the HTC EVO 4G, which Engadget got their hands on.

Oddly enough, those who don’t pay the $30 fee won’t have access to the mobile hotspot on 3G. The employee guide tells employees to remind customers that if they live on the edge of the 4G Network​

, or if they travel regularly out of the 4G network, they should pay the $30 immediately.​

Sometime during July, Sprint will turn off the free 4G mobile hotspot service, and users will be required to pay the $30 monthly to continue using it. Judging by the language in the employee guide, this almost sounds like Sprint is unable to charge for the 4G mobile hotspot service.."




Thoughts on this anyone?

 

[wase4711]

Check it out

Stores open early June 4th for EVO 4G with mobile hotspot loophole -- Engadget

 

[misterzeno]

I will abuse it here in Houston until the fix the 4g loop hole.

 

[wase4711]

abuse is such a strong word...

 

[ImmaSlave4U]

Engadget also reported on this. Too bad Eugene doesn't get 4G till July!

 

[mrvirginia]

Check it out

Stores open early June 4th for EVO 4G with mobile hotspot loophole -- Engadget

pretty sweee

 

[some.devil]

Interesting.

 

[misterzeno]

abuse is such a strong word...

Indeed it is..indeed it is

 

[Rigmaster]

This will be interesting. And I think it has a lot more to do with the iPhone releasing early and the Shadow and Galaxy S coming in July than it does with Sprint being unable to close the loophole. If they wanted it closed, it would be closed.

I will use it just to see how valuable it is and how long the phone can hold up while hotspotting. I have 0 complaints about hotspotting, but I'm not sure how valuable it will be if it drains battery too quickly because I wouldn't use it while camped out near an outlet. I'd use it while on the go.

Sprint should have released this phone by now.

 

[swarles]

I wish I could take advantage--a nice little freebie.

That being said, it also looks like Sprint is behind on some of the backend stuff related to the EVO launch. Not exactly the most reassuring thought.

 

[Rigmaster]

That being said, it also looks like Sprint is behind on some of the backend stuff related to the EVO launch. Not exactly the most reassuring thought.

I'm looking at Sprint another way - they're not behind. I think they want to test hotspot out to see if they can make money with it or should just include it.

SprintNav probably would have 0 takers now that GoogleNav comes on Android 2.1 and above.

The premium SprintTV channels probably will struggle to maintain monthly subscribers too. Why do that when you can find similar or other channels to stream free?

And I also think Sprint wants to see if it needs to offer more when the other phones come out. Galaxy S, Shadow, next iPhone and all will threaten ongoing Evo sales and subscriber sign-up so I think Sprint's holding some things to see what others do.

 

[nuprotocol]

This is great

 

[tmac4life]

It seems like it is still free, I am using it as we speak. Is this true, would I not be able to turn it on if I didn't pay?

 

[sikclown]

It seems like it is still free, I am using it as we speak. Is this true, would I not be able to turn it on if I didn't pay?

You would be able to turn it on but you wouldn't be able to use it so it sounds like they still haven't set up the activation. I would double check that you aren't being charged for it via your account online.

 

[alillowr]

I can confirm that I am still able to use it with no charge. Funny thing is, when I purchased my phone (from Radio Shack) the guy never mentioned anything about adding to the plan or extra charge or anything for the 4g hotspot. not sure if it was because he wasn't knowledgeable or maybe just maybe they squashed the idea of making us pay for the feature. I'm hoping the latter.. I don't have any sources or anything, I just know that it works, and haven't been told that it is a trial feature, and I haven't been charged. Picked it up on launch day

 

[sikclown]

I can confirm that I am still able to use it with no charge. Funny thing is, when I purchased my phone (from Radio Shack) the guy never mentioned anything about adding to the plan or extra charge or anything for the 4g hotspot. not sure if it was because he wasn't knowledgeable or maybe just maybe they squashed the idea of making us pay for the feature. I'm hoping the latter.. I don't have any sources or anything, I just know that it works, and haven't been told that it is a trial feature, and I haven't been charged. Picked it up on launch day

But can you use it on 3G only. The 3G portion of the Hotspot gets authenticated with Sprints servers where as they hadn't been able to get the 4g portion of that set up for authentication/activation and I guess they still haven't

 

[alillowr]

ya.. I get an error when trying to use 3g hotspot.. something about sprint vision user and pass, but I never remembered setting one up. so 3g no worky for me, but I never tried just 3g when I was still within the 30 days, so I don't know if its related or not.

 

[sikclown]

ya.. I get an error when trying to use 3g hotspot.. something about sprint vision user and pass, but I never remembered setting one up. so 3g no worky for me, but I never tried just 3g when I was still within the 30 days, so I don't know if its related or not.

Sprint assigns you a user and pass when you sign up for service. Everytime you access data it uses that user and pass. This is how it knows that you do not pay for or have access to the Hotspot when on 3G. As soon as this is implemented on 4g you will lose the ability to use the app on 4g as well. Well unless you pay of course

 

[tmac4life]

ah thought so, man this feature is so cool to have, and if you got a decent 4g connection, its pretty fast. I hope this last for a bit longer, might make that $10 premium not that bad.

 

[sikclown]

ah thought so, man this feature is so cool to have, and if you got a decent 4g connection, its pretty fast. I hope this last for a bit longer, might make that $10 premium not that bad.

I am gonna assume they will patch this sooner rather than later but ya never know... Maybe they are just fixing it with 2.2 and using that built in hotspot rather than their own. And of course still charging for it lol