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AT&T to begin charging iPhone users who tether..

The reality is its their business and those who tether without paying is basically stealing.

It is NONE of their business how I use the bandwidth I'm paying for.
It's my bandwidth. I'm paying for it, not stealing.


It is none of my power company's business how I use the electricity I pay for.
I'm paying for it, not stealing.

It is none of my water company's business how I use the water I pay for.

It is none of my gas company's business how I use the natural gas I pay for.



Maybe packets of data should cost different depending on how I use them, even though the same radio in my phone and same towers and network deliver those packets? And I'm paying for those packets.



As soon as AT&T went to metered bandwidth (eg, $25 for 2 GB) then they lost any legitimate claim to be able to charge extra for tethering. No matter what is in my 2 GB worth of network packets, it does not change the amount of stress on the network nor the resources consumed to route and deliver those packets. It matters not whether those packets go to podunk nowhere or to Google. Nor whether the packets ultimately go to the phone's browser or to my laptop. The same 2 GB or less per month is exchanged between the radio in my phone and the nearby cell towers and carried over the infrastructure.


Tethering seems like the prototype for a great new way for utilities to conduct business!

The electricity company should charge different rates based on how much benefit they perceive that I get from the electricity. When I use electricity to watch TV, it should cost more than the same number of kilowatt hours used to cook food. (Even though delivered over the same wires.)

Similarly, water used for drinking and cooking should cost more than water (delivered by the same pipes!) used to wash dishes.

I think even automobile fuel could work this way! If I buy 87 gas for a four seat car, it should cost more than the same 87 gas (from the same pump!) put into a two seat car. After all, I'm getting more benefit from the gas!

Similarly, if I pay for 2 GB of data, I should have to pay more for it to use it on my laptop than on my phone even though it's delivered by the same towers and infrastructure and at the same cost to AT&T. Why should they get to charge more? Because they can!

(sarcasm)
 
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It is NONE of their business how I use the bandwidth I'm paying for.
It's my bandwidth. I'm paying for it, not stealing.


It is none of my power company's business how I use the electricity I pay for.
I'm paying for it, not stealing.

It is none of my water company's business how I use the water I pay for.

It is none of my gas company's business how I use the natural gas I pay for.



Maybe packets of data should cost different depending on how I use them, even though the same radio in my phone and same towers and network deliver those packets? And I'm paying for those packets.



As soon as AT&T went to metered bandwidth (eg, $25 for 2 GB) then they lost any legitimate claim to be able to charge extra for tethering. No matter what is in my 2 GB worth of network packets, it does not change the amount of stress on the network nor the resources consumed to route and deliver those packets. It matters not whether those packets go to podunk nowhere or to Google. Nor whether the packets ultimately go to the phone's browser or to my laptop. The same 2 GB or less per month is exchanged between the radio in my phone and the nearby cell towers and carried over the infrastructure.


Tethering seems like the prototype for a great new way for utilities to conduct business!

The electricity company should charge different rates based on how much benefit they perceive that I get from the electricity. When I use electricity to watch TV, it should cost more than the same number of kilowatt hours used to cook food. (Even though delivered over the same wires.)

Similarly, water used for drinking and cooking should cost more than water (delivered by the same pipes!) used to wash dishes.

I think even automobile fuel could work this way! If I buy 87 gas for a four seat car, it should cost more than the same 87 gas (from the same pump!) put into a two seat car. After all, I'm getting more benefit from the gas!

Similarly, if I pay for 2 GB of data, I should have to pay more for it to use it on my laptop than on my phone even though it's delivered by the same towers and infrastructure and at the same cost to AT&T. Why should they get to charge more? Because they can!

(sarcasm)


So which cellular company let's you tether for free? NONE so at&t is going after people who are and are not paying for the feature and this is somehow wrong? I'm sure you are also one of the first to complain the network has issues and is slow they should do something, but God forbid they charge for the extra data and.stress that tethering puts nonna network and actually A. Make a profit.as a company does and B. Use that money to continue to upgrade their network. You all seem to forget its a privilege to use their network not your RIGHT. stop feeling entitled to.something that you don't deserve
 
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So which cellular company let's you tether for free? NONE so at&t is going after people who are and are not paying for the feature and this is somehow wrong?

Yes it is wrong. Just because everyone else does it doesn't make it right.

The feature is "internet access" (aka data plan).

Tethering is not and should not be a "feature".

What if every (no exceptions) gas station charges you an extra 10 cents a gallon for gas if your car has four seats instead of two? What if your electric utility charges you more for the same amount of electricity used for TV vs cooking?

Hey, you signed an agreement. The same kilowatt of electricity to the TV put more "stress" on their network. That same gallon of gasoline put more "stress" on their infrastructure.

You may not think this is a reasonable analogy. But it is. Tethering is something artifical that is completely made up. They're charging me for nothing. For a "feature" with a name. Like that extra 10 cents a gallon. It's just a made up charge for cars with four seats. I am already paying for bandwidth. It's none of their business how my phone uses it. I'm already paying for gasoline, it's none of their business how my car uses it. I'm already paying for electricity, its none of their business how my house uses it.



I'm sure you are also one of the first to complain the network has issues and is slow they should do something, but God forbid they charge for the extra data and.stress that tethering puts nonna network and actually A. Make a profit.as a company does and B. Use that money to continue to upgrade their network.

I am sure you are also one of the first to complain that consumers have issues and want to do something, but God forbid customers should want to save money for something that puts no additional stress on the network and actually A. Save money as a customer does and B. pay a fair amount for the data they use so the company can continue to provide service.



Newsflash for you: it is in my best interest as a customer for AT&T to be profitable so they can continue to provide service.

Just be honest about what I'm paying for and charge me a fair price. None of this deceptive "tethering" nonsense.





You all seem to forget its a privilege to use their network not your RIGHT. stop feeling entitled to.something that you don't deserve

You all seem to forget its a privilege to have me as a customer not your RIGHT. Stop feeling entitled to charge for something artificial you made up that costs you nothing to deliver.

Also: I do deserve tethering. I am paying for data on my phone.



Please answer this question:

Which of the following puts more stress on the network?
1. My phone sending a 1 kilobyte packet to the nearest cell tower.
2. My phone sending a 1 kilobyte packet to the nearest cell tower.

(Note that in the case of number 1 the packet came from my mobile browser, and number 2 the packet came from my laptop browser connected to my phone.)

Which packet was more "stress" on AT&T's network?

Which packet cost AT&T more to route?



There is a reason public utilities are heavily regulated. It is because of nonsense like this tethering. Just because you have no choice but to agree to an unconscionable contract does not make it right. Consumers can and will fight this. And make no mistake it is our right to do so.


As your last sentence said, I'll repeat it right back to you (and AT&T):
stop feeling entitled to.something that you don't deserve
 
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Yes it is wrong. Just because everyone else does it doesn't make it right.

The feature is "internet access" (aka data plan).

Tethering is not and should not be a "feature".

What if every (no exceptions) gas station charges you an extra 10 cents a gallon for gas if your car has four seats instead of two? What if your electric utility charges you more for the same amount of electricity used for TV vs cooking?

Hey, you signed an agreement. The same kilowatt of electricity to the TV put more "stress" on their network. That same gallon of gasoline put more "stress" on their infrastructure.

You may not think this is a reasonable analogy. But it is. Tethering is something artifical that is completely made up. They're charging me for nothing. For a "feature" with a name. Like that extra 10 cents a gallon. It's just a made up charge for cars with four seats. I am already paying for bandwidth. It's none of their business how my phone uses it. I'm already paying for gasoline, it's none of their business how my car uses it. I'm already paying for electricity, its none of their business how my house uses it.





I am sure you are also one of the first to complain that consumers have issues and want to do something, but God forbid customers should want to save money for something that puts no additional stress on the network and actually A. Save money as a customer does and B. pay a fair amount for the data they use so the company can continue to provide service.



Newsflash for you: it is in my best interest as a customer for AT&T to be profitable so they can continue to provide service.

Just be honest about what I'm paying for and charge me a fair price. None of this deceptive "tethering" nonsense.







You all seem to forget its a privilege to have me as a customer not your RIGHT. Stop feeling entitled to charge for something artificial you made up that costs you nothing to deliver.

Also: I do deserve tethering. I am paying for data on my phone.



Please answer this question:

Which of the following puts more stress on the network?
1. My phone sending a 1 kilobyte packet to the nearest cell tower.
2. My phone sending a 1 kilobyte packet to the nearest cell tower.

(Note that in the case of number 1 the packet came from my mobile browser, and number 2 the packet came from my laptop browser connected to my phone.)

Which packet was more "stress" on AT&T's network?

Which packet cost AT&T more to route?



There is a reason public utilities are heavily regulated. It is because of nonsense like this tethering. Just because you have no choice but to agree to an unconscionable contract does not make it right. Consumers can and will fight this. And make no mistake it is our right to do so.


As your last sentence said, I'll repeat it right back to you (and AT&T):


Excuse me but you have no idea how business works. A business offers a service for a price and allows you to.use that service as long as you are within the set terms. If you do not like those terms do not use it. You don't need a cell phone or.need to tether. It's a want and as this and other companies are there to offer you a service for profit it is their prerogative what they do and how they charge. If you do not like it I'm sure you can find another company that will care more about you then their bottom line. Oh wait no you won't. Do yourself a favor and go take business 101 and economics 101
 
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Excuse me but you have no idea how business works. A business offers a service for a price and allows you to.use that service as long as you are within the set terms. If you do not like those terms do not use it. You don't need a cell phone or.need to tether. It's a want and as this and other companies are there to offer you a service for profit it is their prerogative what they do and how they charge. If you do not like it I'm sure you can find another company that will care more about you then their bottom line. Oh wait no you won't. Do yourself a favor and go take business 101 and economics 101

I've had this same argument in other places about other situations and agree 100%. People feel entitled to stuff that isn't theirs and that they hardly funded at all. Internet is not a product that you can own like a TV, it is a service. You never owned it and never will. You are simply paying for the ability to use their service within their terms.
 
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I've had this same argument in other places about other situations and agree 100%. People feel entitled to stuff that isn't theirs and that they hardly funded at all. Internet is not a product that you can own like a TV, it is a service. You never owned it and never will. You are simply paying for the ability to use their service within their terms.


Thank you !!!! I see someone understands. People have this you owe me entitled mentality which is unbelievable. Without the concept or understanding that like we have stated its a service being offered for a profit that's what a business does. For instance I own restaurant I will change you what I want I am giving you a service you will pay what I charge
 
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@AndreaCristiano

Let me see if I can concisely summarize your reply to me:
1. I know nothing about business or economics. (Which is untrue.)
2. Business should be able to do anything it wants and people should just have to bend over and take it.

Your reply also fails:
1. To respond to any of my actual arguments.


It is AT&T which has this "you owe me" mentality, which is unbelievable.

Let me see if I have the business transactions right:
1. They offer hardware. I pay for it.
2. They offer voice service. I pay for it.
3. They offer data service. I pay for it.
With me so far?

It's none of their business how I use my hardware, voice or data service.

What I do with my hardware is none of their business. I can use it as a paperweight.

What I do with my voice service is none of their business. I can have a any conversation I want.

What I do with my 2GB of data service is similarly none of their business.


Please answer the following question.

Which costs AT&T more:
1. A 1 kilobyte packet sent from my phone to the cell phone tower.
2. A 1 kilobyte packet sent from my phone to the cell phone tower.

(Note that packet 1 came from a mobile browser on the phone. Packet 2 came from a browser on my laptop connected to the phone.)

Given your presumably vast knowledge of economics, please explain how tethering is a fair or reasonable revenue model.
 
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@AndreaCristiano

One more question.

Since you seem to believe that anything business does must be okay, then I assume you would be perfectly okay with and have no complaints about the following:

Your electricity company has noticed that you use electricity for watching TV. The electric utility offers a TV viewing plan that you are not signed up for. If you stop watching TV prior to March 27, you will not be signed up for this plan. If you continue to use electricity for watching TV after March 27, the electric utility will add this plan to your bill and begin charging you for it. There is an extra $20 month charge for using your electricity to watch TV.


Please apply all of your arguments to that hypothetical..

Would you just accept it?

Or would YOU be one of those people who feel ENTITLED to use electricity for TV without paying for the electric company's TV viewing plan?
 
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So which cellular company let's you tether for free? NONE so at&t is going after people who are and are not paying for the feature and this is somehow wrong? I'm sure you are also one of the first to complain the network has issues and is slow they should do something, but God forbid they charge for the extra data and.stress that tethering puts nonna network and actually A. Make a profit.as a company does and B. Use that money to continue to upgrade their network. You all seem to forget its a privilege to use their network not your RIGHT. stop feeling entitled to.something that you don't deserve

Virgin mobile LG optimus V :D
 
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@AndreaCristiano

One more question.

Since you seem to believe that anything business does must be okay, then I assume you would be perfectly okay with and have no complaints about the following:

Your electricity company has noticed that you use electricity for watching TV. The electric utility offers a TV viewing plan that you are not signed up for. If you stop watching TV prior to March 27, you will not be signed up for this plan. If you continue to use electricity for watching TV after March 27, the electric utility will add this plan to your bill and begin charging you for it. There is an extra $20 month charge for using your electricity to watch TV.


Please apply all of your arguments to that hypothetical..

Would you just accept it?

Or would YOU be one of those people who feel ENTITLED to use electricity for TV without paying for the electric company's TV viewing plan?


What you do not seem to understand is this had nothing to do with being ok with it or not. The bottom line is any type of service industry places premium pricing on premium or what they believe to be premium services. Once again to explain your analogy about the energy company doesn't work. Energy is a necessity. Tv, mobile phone service etc.etc.is NOT a necessity it is a service provided to you by a service provider and they can charge ad they feel for their services they offer because without them you can not use that service.
 
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What you do not seem to understand is this had nothing to do with being ok with it or not. The bottom line is any type of service industry places premium pricing on premium or what they believe to be premium services. Once again to explain your analogy about the energy company doesn't work. Energy is a necessity. Tv, mobile phone service etc.etc.is NOT a necessity it is a service provided to you by a service provider and they can charge and they feel for their services they offer because without them you can not use that service.

I think I understand the issue just fine. AT&T feels entitled to what it does not deserve: more of my money for providing me nothing. They're not giving me more hardware. They're not providing me more network capability. They just feel entitled to charge for the way that I use what I've already paid for.

It's you that doesn't seem to understand this.

People lived for thousands of years without electricity. It was not considered necessary any more than mobile data service is. Suppose the hypothetical were that when electricity was new the power company decided (unfairly) to charge different rates for how you used the electricity. You still don't answer my question. Would YOU be one of the ENTITLED people who think that you should be able able to use the electricity you paid for any way that you like?

You also never answer which of those 1 killobyte packets cost AT&T more or put more stress on their network.

I understand the economics just fine and you can stop being insulting now. You completely ignore that I earlier said it is in my best interest for AT&T to be profitable. I just want them to be honest about it. Stop with this "tethering" nonsense where they are charging me something for nothing.

I pay for 2 GB of data. Even with my laptop occasionally connected, I'm never going to exceed the 2 GB I paid for. So tethering offers me absolutely nothing, and the way I use my phone and laptop does not place additional stress on their network.

To avoid confusion: at no point was I ever talking about TV mobile service. Maybe you are simply not reading my messages?

Finally, they CANNOT charge whatever they want. There is a reason they are heavily regulated. It is because the government is granting them a M O N O P O L Y on some portion of the limited spectrum.

I'm all for business. I'm all for business making a profit. You know selling something for a fair price. I am happy for AT&T to charge me whatever it costs so they can deliver good data service and make a profit. How I use the bandwidth I pay for is none of their business.
 
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I think I understand the issue just fine. AT&T feels entitled to what it does not deserve: more of my money for providing me nothing. They're not giving me more hardware. They're not providing me more network capability. They just feel entitled to charge for the way that I use what I've already paid for.

It's you that doesn't seem to understand this.

People lived for thousands of years without electricity. It was not considered necessary any more than mobile data service is. Suppose the hypothetical were that when electricity was new the power company decided (unfairly) to charge different rates for how you used the electricity. You still don't answer my question. Would YOU be one of the ENTITLED people who think that you should be able able to use the electricity you paid for any way that you like?

You also never answer which of those 1 killobyte packets cost AT&T more or put more stress on their network.

I understand the economics just fine and you can stop being insulting now. You completely ignore that I earlier said it is in my best interest for AT&T to be profitable. I just want them to be honest about it. Stop with this "tethering" nonsense where they are charging me something for nothing.

I pay for 2 GB of data. Even with my laptop occasionally connected, I'm never going to exceed the 2 GB I paid for. So tethering offers me absolutely nothing, and the way I use my phone and laptop does not place additional stress on their network.

To avoid confusion: at no point was I ever talking about TV mobile service. Maybe you are simply not reading my messages?

Finally, they CANNOT charge whatever they want. There is a reason they are heavily regulated. It is because the government is granting them a M O N O P O L Y on some portion of the limited spectrum.

I'm all for business. I'm all for business making a profit. You know selling something for a fair price. I am happy for AT&T to charge me whatever it costs so they can deliver good data service and make a profit. How I use the bandwidth I pay for is none of their business.


All I can say to you is if there is a provider who doesn't charge go there
 
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They can only tell if you're tethering if you're using tons of data or if you're data habits have dramatically changed. So play nice and it's a non issue.

Att can charge what they want and people have a legal right to use the data they are paying for, so good luck to Att if the ever take someone to court for using what they paid for.
 
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