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AT&T sent tether email but I don't tether

tizzyzz

Newbie
Mar 21, 2011
28
3
AT&T says I'm tethering in email I received funny part is I do not tether no apps installed only one that came with my dlev5.0 rom but I never turned it on. I called to complain as they are accusing me of tethering I told them to prove it to me I was told they did not have to
Be aware if you have the grandfathered unlimited plan they are playing dirty to get you off the unlimited even lying. They change my plan without my permission or proof to me I'm doing something I'm not that will void my contract guess ill move my four phones to sprint
 
Can't move your phones to sprint from AT&T. Only other major US carrier I know of that supports GSM phones is T-Mobile, but that does not mean your phones will work on T-Mobile (depends on what frequencies your devices support). Can move the phone numbers though.


I think the op meant moving his numbers to another carrier not the phones themselves.

Op: how many gbs a month were you using if you don't mind sharing? I'm kinda thinking my husband might get a email. His usage has gone up but he doesn't tether.
 
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I average 9.5 been and high as 12gb doesn't take long if you watch Netflix YouTube or music from Pandora. I use my cell for everything no real need for my desktop which is not wireless. My bill just changed last month I used 10.5gb

Yes I was going to port my numbers to sprint unfortunately they are cdma
 
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I average 9.5 been and high as 12gb doesn't take long if you watch Netflix YouTube or music from Pandora. I use my cell for everything no real need for my desktop which is not wireless. My bill just changed last month I used 10.5gb

Yes I was going to port my numbers to sprint unfortunately they are cdma


That is high compared to my usage. But then again I use A LOT of wifi so my mobile data usage hovers around 2-3gb. My husband probably uses 3-4gb and wifi.
 
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I never turn on the wifi as it is slower when using wifi than the HSPDA network

That's understandable. If I noticed a big difference between the 2 i probably would avoid wifi as well. Still sucks that att did that without having to some how show why they thought you were tethering and not let you explain it. Netflix does use a lot of data but it sure isn't tethering.
 
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I suspect that is why they thought you were tethering. I guess they are thinking anyone with high usage is tethering. They are nuts!

I average 9.5 been and high as 12gb doesn't take long if you watch Netflix YouTube or music from Pandora. I use my cell for everything no real need for my desktop which is not wireless. My bill just changed last month I used 10.5gb

Yes I was going to port my numbers to sprint unfortunately they are cdma
 
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I think the op meant moving his numbers to another carrier not the phones themselves.

Sorry, I have problem where I often read what someone writes and forget to read what they meant.

OP, 9.5GB!! Wow. I use only about 2.5-3GB. In my area DSL is only slower than my phone on upload speed. Not too often I want to upload from my phone so I use WiFi while at home. I know if I didn't use WiFi I would be much closer to your numbers.
 
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i know this is an older post, but this just happened to me this week! i'm a heavy android user as well, using a Samsung i897 Captivate with a yummy gingerbread ROM on it. anywho, they send my a letter stating that the phone has been caught tethering! Please, i can do everything THROUGH the phone, i have little to no need to tether AT&T!
I too have a grandfathered UNLIMITED plan. this is highly annoying as i DONT tether! (i know how to... but dont have a need to.)
When i asked them what they classify as tethering, she was very limited on an answer. (i'm sure the rep actually had no idea.) BUT my average usage is 1-2GB a month, not back at ALL! but she claimed that my IP address changed too frequently... and thus it meant that another system was attaching to through my phone. first off, even if i WERE to tether, the tethering device wouldn't get an IP from at&t, but rather a local IP from MY PHONE... so o.k.; any other bright ideas AT&T?!?!
I too feel they are trying to determine a method of getting my off the UNLIMITED package. I told them to go to hell. I have a business with 5 lines on it, and this is the FIRST time in 4 years using their corporate service that anything like this has come our way. shame shame at&T shame shame.
 
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i know this is an older post, but this just happened to me this week! i'm a heavy android user as well, using a Samsung i897 Captivate with a yummy gingerbread ROM on it. anywho, they send my a letter stating that the phone has been caught tethering! Please, i can do everything THROUGH the phone, i have little to no need to tether AT&T!
I too have a grandfathered UNLIMITED plan. this is highly annoying as i DONT tether! (i know how to... but dont have a need to.)
When i asked them what they classify as tethering, she was very limited on an answer. (i'm sure the rep actually had no idea.) BUT my average usage is 1-2GB a month, not back at ALL! but she claimed that my IP address changed too frequently... and thus it meant that another system was attaching to through my phone. first off, even if i WERE to tether, the tethering device wouldn't get an IP from at&t, but rather a local IP from MY PHONE... so o.k.; any other bright ideas AT&T?!?!
I too feel they are trying to determine a method of getting my off the UNLIMITED package. I told them to go to hell. I have a business with 5 lines on it, and this is the FIRST time in 4 years using their corporate service that anything like this has come our way. shame shame at&T shame shame.


Simple. Ask them to provide proof in writing that you are tethering or you will be forwarding the letter to an attorney. They are within their rights to add a tethering plan to your account if they can prove you are tethering, but they must prove it.
 
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Simple. Ask them to provide proof in writing that you are tethering or you will be forwarding the letter to an attorney. They are within their rights to add a tethering plan to your account if they can prove you are tethering, but they must prove it.


Thats the problem. customers have absolutely nothing to fight against because ATT will not and feel that they dont need to "prove" anything. even if its their buggy system (hell, they cant even get account profile pics fixed.. ghetto site).

This very issue was raised on the attwirelessforum and i KNOWWW several comments that got pulled by the goonmods on attwirless forum becuase the issue "hit too close to home" so they snatched the comments.

SOme of which were mine. I cant recall the exact "justification" but i am feeling that a lot of the issues raisd on attwirless forum that gets to close to the real issues gets pulled for the sake of makeing the site look better.


I hear the OP, ive been using about 4 per month but not yet got a message yet... and i dont tether either but i do use my data, its unlimited.
well ("limited-unlimited, lol.. thanks to icrap release 2007")
 
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I think with enough to the erroneous threats sent out by ATT and unjustifiably removing those from the grandfathered plans because att's "system" says the users are tethering and therefore removed, will eventually culminate into one huge class action case.

Im sure ATT is already set and poised to pay for such later, but now, they dont care. they're not willing to investigate to see "why" a user's getting such messages when they are not tethering.
 
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I'll say it again:
the "tethering" message they're sending heavy users to move them off unlimited plans is ridiculous. While there may be a few users who actually tether unsanctioned, I reckon there are also a lot of folks who consume a lot of data solely on their smartphones. I watched a few episodes of Family Guy (Netflix) on my iPhone and iirc, data usage was around 200~300MB/hour. It's just that AT&T can't say:
"Hey, you know our unlimited data plan? The thing is it's not actually unlimited. There's a cap but we won't tell you how much. You'll just have to believe us when we tell you that you've reached it."
AT&T's hiding behind the guise that folks are tethering because they can't kick off folks using a lot of data on an unlimited data plan.

If people who received the message can prove they're not tethering, that might be grounds for a class action lawsuit. Need to litigate in California, though. There's an arbitration-only clause in the service agreement but that's been deemed illegal in CA.
 
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My position with ATT is I personally have the Unlimited ATT Data Plan and I called them immediately after receiving their letter telling me that they would ‘automatically enroll me’ ect.. and this is a record of my dealings thus far with ATT.
Note: The information below can be, in fact, applied to all contracts you have with any carrier service provider. I am in no way an attorney and in no way can my words below be construed as legal advice. It is simply my opinion to what I know in regards to the Law of Contract.

Now people, first, you need to understand the Law of Notice and Default. Think of this carefully- If ATT could ‘in fact’ unilaterally alter or abrogate the contract Plan you have with them, “”"Then why would they take time to send you a Notice (letter/text) at all?”"” Why did they not just change your contract and say, “We changed your plan based on thus and thus”. The reason is they need you to “Default” (not respond) to their notices they sent you, and by doing so, you acquiesce to their Notice, and then, they can “legally” change the agreement because you did not respond to their Notice (defaulting).

You should call ATT and let them know you are recording, or are at least taking notes on your conversation with them. On receiving my mailed Notice letter, I immediately called and noticed I was automatically transferred to a special dept. before even speaking to a live rep. After I found out the issue at hand, I told that ATT rep that I wanted to speak to a Supervisor. In short, and after many requests, she would not transfer me and tried to sidestep/defer me to, get this, transfer me to an “Apple” rep: Another legal issue that could be used against ATT.

When I perceived their one-sided railroading and that I could obtain no amicable “remedy” for this situation, I then carefully told her, “This is for the record- Do not in any way, shape, form or manner change, alter, modify or cancel my contract by abrogation or any other method without my consent. I decline and refuse all unilateral changes or cancellations to my contract with ATT. And if any changes or cancellations are made without my consent, I will pursue litigation for breach of contract. (I then told her) For the record, Notice to the Agent (her) is notice to the Principle (ATT).”, since she is a direct representative for corporate ATT.

All you need to do to see if you have any Standing for litigation is to look into the last contract you agreed to with ATT. You should then determine whether the contractual point of “tethering” was stipulated or not; and if not specifically stipulated in the agreement, then there is no breach on the part of the consumer (you), and your agreement cannot be changed or made null by ATT, period.

In Contract Law- no party to the contract can unilaterally change, alter, abrogate, or modify it in any way without the consent of the other party. This is just the ‘universal’ law of contract whether in Common, UCC, Merchant or Civil laws.

Based on this Maxim of Law, again, the recourse a consumer should undertake is to first closely review the last contract you agreed to with ATT. If there is no specific contractual point mentioning or stipulating and “clearly” spelling out ‘no tethering’ in the agreement, then it is simply not part of your agreement with ATT, period. Again people, “No One”, Corporate or Real person, can unilaterally alter a contract.

If a contract has ‘unilaterally’ been modified/changed, there is no doubt a ‘breach’, and then damages follow giving place to liability and suit ect…. There is more Case law to support ‘Breach of Contract’ than any other Cause in Suit history: Why? Because one Maxim of Law is “Contract makes the Law” and contracts cannot be altered unless both parties agree to.

One recourse for you is to find an attorney that will argue point for point ‘breach of contract’ if you have no specific agreement ‘Not to tether’. If no breach on your part, then you have standing for a suit: And this will be based upon your last `agreed to contract` with ATT; and if it does not specifically mention in your contract, “No Tethering……” then ATT has damaged you in a number of ways….maybe even fraudulently.??

I myself will have to review my last contract and see what is specifically stipulated in regards to tethering. In short, If ‘not mentioned- then it was not forbidden’….

If you find your rights have been violated, file a complaint with the BBB using the vernacular above since they fully understand legalese and contract law. Avoid joining Class Action law suits as there is little for you in the final awards for damages…if any. Pursue litigation yourself with a competent attorney that understands Contract Law. People, separately attacking at all all angles instead of being a bunch off eggs in one basket makes their attorneys have to work much harder facing multiple suits and the monetary damages the court may award you is by far greater than the other.

In closing: Think again what was mentioned above, If ATT could just change your plan without your consent- “”"Then why did they take time to Notify you at all?”"” The fact is, They Cant, period the end.

Initial attorney consultations are usually Free: So think for yourself and contact one and then another if needed (not all attorneys are versed in contract law). You have legal rights and recourse when anyone illegally breaks an Agreement/Plan/Contract with you: If you do nothing (acquiesce), then you have no rights or recourse.
 
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And here I was seriously considering switching to AT&T. NOT ANYMORE!!

Instead of ATT owning up to working with a dispute instead of saying "because i said you tethered..." ,, and when word of this gets out to more potential customers and customers alike, AT&T-mobile will lose customers over this very bad issue.

toomuchmarg.png

What ma Bell sez, goes!
 
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I have had my unlimited data tethering package since 2003 with AT&T.. In November I had to replace my cell phone but I called and spoke to a AT&T customer service rep, her supervisor, and her supervisor's supervisor all instructed me as to which phone I could buy as a replacement. I bought the phone they told me to buy and they have been giving me grief since November trying to stick me in a 5gb unlimited plan.... Each month I have spent hours with them... They have told me since November that I could keep the new phone and keep my plan but now they are trying to force me to accept a different plan or go buy another phone!!!!
 
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I have had my unlimited data tethering package since 2003 with AT&T.. In November I had to replace my cell phone but I called and spoke to a AT&T customer service rep, her supervisor, and her supervisor's supervisor all instructed me as to which phone I could buy as a replacement. I bought the phone they told me to buy and they have been giving me grief since November trying to stick me in a 5gb unlimited plan.... Each month I have spent hours with them... They have told me since November that I could keep the new phone and keep my plan but now they are trying to force me to accept a different plan or go buy another phone!!!!

Welcome to the NEW, POST-FCC AT&T
theres been some "new" options atts been pushing out and proposing thats making some not-so-happy customers. I am trying my best to wean my contracts off of att and will not be renewing
toomuchmarg.png
 
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Welcome to the NEW, POST-FCC AT&T
theres been some "new" options atts been pushing out and proposing thats making some not-so-happy customers. I am trying my best to wean my contracts off of att and will not be renewing
toomuchmarg.png
I just don't understand why I should pay for their employee mistakes!?!?!?! It is documented and recorded that they told me which phone to buy!!!!
 
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