Hey guys I have a quick question about my data plan for android!

[fayt349]

First off let me say that I've been on this site for a while but just recently registered. Looking forward to chatting with you all. But I have a question that I hope you experts could answer. I looked around ATT and google and couldn't find an answer.

So I had an iPhone 3G with an unlimited data plan for ATT before they took off the data plan. I just upgraded to an inspire 4G and asked to have unlimited data for it and I now have the unlimited data. Will I be able to use mobile tethering since i have unlimited data or will it mess up their system and charge me or something? Thank you so much.

 

[B2L]

First off let me say that I've been on this site for a while but just recently registered. Looking forward to chatting with you all. But I have a question that I hope you experts could answer. I looked around ATT and google and couldn't find an answer.

So I had an iPhone 3G with an unlimited data plan for ATT before they took off the data plan. I just upgraded to an inspire 4G and asked to have unlimited data for it and I now have the unlimited data. Will I be able to use mobile tethering since i have unlimited data or will it mess up their system and charge me or something? Thank you so much.

Welcome to the Android Forums. You can use mobile tethering but it is a clear violation of your contract so AT&T may throttle your data for tethering. Typically you can get away with it if you aren't using a lot of data.

 

[log1c]

unfortunately if you were to add tethering, At&t would require you to drop the unlimited data and sign up for their $20 tethering plus $25 2GB it's $45+$10 every GB, i think they changed it to 4gb, I know there there is a way to root your phone so that it can tether, but once at&t finds out that you are doing that, they will probably change your plan with out you knowing which is a bummer, I hate that At&t allows you to tether with only 4GB, that is some bs, I feel like they should try to allow unlimited again especially with tethering, if tmobile and at&t do go through, they better offer unlimited again

 

[fayt349]

I would rather not use it then. Wouldn't want to risk it. Thanks!

 

[2manyPHONES]

You can try this but it's a use at your own discretion type thing as there is no way of knowing if att can tell you are tethering with it

http://androidforums.com/inspire-4g...62-tethering-without-root-tethering-plan.html

I used it with an iphone for like 35 minutes and a netbook for 20mins cause I was curious if it would actually work and stay connected and it did. But haven't really had much use for it.

 

[FreakyLocz14]

You can try this but it's a use at your own discretion type thing as there is no way of knowing if att can tell you are tethering with it

http://androidforums.com/inspire-4g...62-tethering-without-root-tethering-plan.html

I used it with an iphone for like 35 minutes and a netbook for 20mins cause I was curious if it would actually work and stay connected and it did. But haven't really had much use for it.

They can tell.

http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2011/03/18/att-shutting-down-unauthorized-tetherers/

 

[2manyPHONES]

I already read that about that mywi app on the iphone. There was a whole long discussion in a thread some where on this site about iphone users who were using the mywi app and if there was a way for att to tell on an android phone. So far there hasn't been a definite answers on the android part. But what I gave you a link too I know a some people using it that haven't heard a word from att. If you go all crazy with it and just tether and download all day long chances are they will notice something funny with your jump in usage

 

[StandingCow]

yea, apparently iphones run data off some other network or something that is easy for ATT to see... andriod phones do not do this.

 

[Aatos.1]

I have very close relations with AT&T, they are about three weeks away from having the ability to detect tethering, rooted or stock. So I would highly suggest that you do not try and cheat the system.

I know it's a pain, and paid tethering is expensive, but the fact is what one carrier does they all end up doing. I have first hand long term concurrent experience with both AT&T and Verizon the two carriers I'm using for the variety of smartphones I have and it's just the way it is.

Verizon was the first to increase the ETF years ago from just $175 to $350 for smartphones, so people were bashing them because AT&T was only $175. Well once again, that only lasted six months and AT&T followed Verizons lead and they are now the same.

Bottom line? The people that cheat the system and get away with it for awhile, cost us all, since the carriers just ramp up their data detection capabilities.

At one time or another I've also used T-Mobile and Sprint. They are just as bad, the only difference is right now Sprint has a bit of a price advantage but that is only because they've been losing customers left and right. The only thing that has slowed that is the EVO. If not for that model, Sprint would probably be owned by one of the big two AT&T or Verizon. That may still happen anyway.

 

[Screech]

I still say I'm paying for data, regardless of how I use or forward the data from my phone. I think a softcap would be a good idea or all unlimited plans though. 4-5G should be more than enough before enabling the softcap. I know that I stream music to my phone at work since we are not allowed to on that network and I can easily use 256-500M a day doing that.

I will add that AT&T's IMEI database is small (most likely just their branded phones), I've had couple phones now that I buy direct from the manufacture that only show unknown on my account. (Been using my upgrades to get my wife new phone more often as she is very rough on tech) I was worried when I got my Aino that they would call that a smartphone, though it officially by Sony's marketing was not. But it did have Wi-Fi, 8MP cam, supported streaming audio/video and Remote Play support of the PS3. But after nearly 2 years it is still unknown and no hint of being a known device to them. I was in Norway last week and bought a Samsung Galaxy S II and still an unknown device to them.

On tethering I will say that I have used it on my last 3-4 Sony's (all non-smart) using the DUN support on them and using similar data to what 2manyPHONES link to.

I am concerned that they may start looking at the addresses I connect to see if I'm going to sites that or such that only a smartphone would use, but I have a dedicated server with 100Mb up/down that I'm looking into using as a VPN server for all my phone's traffic.

 

[lunatic59]

I still say I'm paying for data, regardless of how I use or forward the data from my phone...

Regardless of what you think is fair or how things should work the sad truth is the that's not the agreement you have with AT&T.

I will add that AT&T's IMEI database is small (most likely just their branded phones), I've had couple phones now that I buy direct from the manufacture that only show unknown on my account. (Been using my upgrades to get my wife new phone more often as she is very rough on tech) I was worried when I got my Aino that they would call that a smartphone, though it officially by Sony's marketing was not. But it did have Wi-Fi, 8MP cam, supported streaming audio/video and Remote Play support of the PS3. But after nearly 2 years it is still unknown and no hint of being a known device to them. I was in Norway last week and bought a Samsung Galaxy S II and still an unknown device to them.

They may not be able to identify the device associated with the IMEI, but they definitely can identify what that particular device is doing on their network.

 

[55pilot]

Regardless of what you think is fair or how things should work the sad truth is the that's not the agreement you have with AT&T.

Just because you singed a contract does not mean it is invariably legally enforceable. But in order to claim that the contract should be null and void, you need to go to court and have a court declare it unenforceable. The legal issues surrounding the enforceability of "you will use the data on the device only" clause are not straight forward and a litigation on this will be expensive. But despite that, it is only a matter of time before some law firm somewhere launches a class action lawsuit against AT&T on this point.

The bigger question is that how many years will it take for the class to get big enough to make the suit financially viable. If AT&T is careful about how they handle things, they may keep the class from ever getting big enough for it to be worthwhile for a lawyer to file a class action case.

 

[lunatic59]

Just because you singed a contract does not mean it is invariably legally enforceable.

True enough. However, until the questionable clause is challenged and potentially declared unenforceable, it is still part of the contract and allows AT&T to take action if they determine the contract in place has been breached by either adding the corresponding fee or cancelling the contract.

 

[55pilot]

True enough. However, until the questionable clause is challenged and potentially declared unenforceable, it is still part of the contract and allows AT&T to take action if they determine the contract in place has been breached by either adding the corresponding fee or cancelling the contract.

You are absolutely correct. Just because a lawyer thinks that this is not enforceable, you should not run out and ignore it. Until and unless a court of competent jurisdiction declares it unenforceable, AT&T can vigorously enforce it, including canceling your contract, demanding more money and using the usual ways to extracting that money from you via collections.