BGR Report: AT&T to Revoke Unlimited Data for Jailbreak Hotspot Users

[Fausty82]

AT&T to soon begin revoking unlimited data from jailbreak hotspot users

AT&T confirmed to BGR that it will soon begin revoking unlimited data plans from jailbroken iPhone users and other smartphone users who utilize unauthorized tethering and mobile hotspot solutions. Following reports from earlier this year, AT&T on Thursday confirmed that it will remove grandfathered unlimited data plans from accounts belonging to users who tether or use unsanctioned mobile hotspot apps without a tethering plan, which is expressly prohibited by AT&T according to its terms and conditions. ?Earlier this year, we began sending letters, emails, and text messages to a small number of smartphone customers who use their devices for tethering but aren?t on our required tethering plan. Our goal here is fairness for all of our customers,? an AT&T spokesperson told BGR via email. The letter outlines three choices for customers who had been making use of unauthorized tethering solutions, one of which is ?Do nothing and we?ll go ahead and add the tethering plan on their behalf ? after the dated noted in their customer notification.? According to earlier reports, offending users will automatically be bumped to AT&T?s more recent tiered data plan, which affords 2GB of smartphone data and 2GB of tethering data for $45 each month compared to AT&T?s old unlimited smartphone data plan, which costs $30 each month but does not include tethering. A new report from 9to5 Mac claims that users will begin losing unlimited plans as soon as August 11th, but AT&T stated that the policy enforcement date varies depending on when the offending subscriber was sent the notification letter. AT&T?s full statement follows below.

Earlier this year, we began sending letters, emails, and text messages to a small number of smartphone customers who use their devices for tethering but aren?t on our required tethering plan. Our goal here is fairness for all of our customers. (This impacts a only small percentage of our smartphone customer base.)

The letters outline three choices:

1. Stop tethering and keep their current plan (including grandfathered unlimited plan)
2. Proactively call AT&T or visit our stores and move to the required tethering plan
3. Do nothing and we?ll go ahead and add the tethering plan on their behalf ? after the dated noted in their customer notification

 

[Garz]

I believe they actually will this time

 

[BLiNK]

well what the hell else am i going to do with my unlimited data plan???

 

[Alli]

Pandora? Slingbox/Vulkano?

 

[eklenken]

I actually think this is a good thing.

 

[itsalexaye]

i think they deserve this, but maybe im speaking out since I didnt get unlimited for my iPhone

 

[Fausty82]

i think they deserve this, but maybe im speaking out since I didnt get unlimited for my iPhone

Yeah, I guess a lot of this is relative to what plan you have.

 

[liquidzoo]

I agree with this, though like the poster above, it may be because I didn't get unlimited data.

I'll say the same thing here that I said over at modmyi: Verizon users should watch this very carefully. I almost guarantee that the big red V does the same thing since there is now a precedent.

 

[rayz336]

I don't really know how I feel about it. If they're tethering in excess of 5gb maybe I could see, but with the fact that you can't add tethering on AT&T without giving up unlimited data, I think that part should be addressed.

 

[eye4ni]

Does anyone know if this also applies to users of tethering apps that "hide" the tethering usage, like PDANet and TetherMe? I was under the impression that this data looked like normal smartphone data usage as far as the carrier knows.

I am a Verizon customer and use TetherMe, and I don't rely on it for any heavy usage at all, just nice to be able to connect on the go on my laptop or iPad once in a while. I can definitely survive without it, but I did pay for the TetherMe app, so I hope that I can still use it occasionally without losing my unlimited data plan....

If the tethering apps can "hide" the usage, then what is the big fuss about anyway?

 

[Fausty82]

Does anyone know if this also applies to users of tethering apps that "hide" the tethering usage, like PDANet and TetherMe? I was under the impression that this data looked like normal smartphone data usage as far as the carrier knows.

I am a Verizon customer and use TetherMe, and I don't rely on it for any heavy usage at all, just nice to be able to connect on the go on my laptop or iPad once in a while. I can definitely survive without it, but I did pay for the TetherMe app, so I hope that I can still use it occasionally without losing my unlimited data plan....

If the tethering apps can "hide" the usage, then what is the big fuss about anyway?

If they can find/catch you, then yes. There's a debate as to whether or not AT&T can actually detect "tethering" data vs regular data... but I don't really have the need for it, so I haven't done it except very early on in my JB phase as proof of concept. But IF they catch you, they will nail you.

 

[SnapThrow]

Does anyone know if this also applies to users of tethering apps that "hide" the tethering usage, like PDANet and TetherMe?

Well this is the big question that I do not think anybody has definitively answered. I wish the app developers would speak up about this issue and what they can (or cannot do) to stop this... like does the "hide" mode in PDANet actually work? I've read that people who use this mode still got the notice from AT&T. Also what is the difference between the level I and level II "hide" mode that PDANet offers? And if I tether minimal data once in a blue moon am I going to get bullied by AT&T? Lots of questions, not a whole lot of answers that I have seen...

 

[Fausty82]

Well this is the big question that I do not think anybody has definitively answered. I wish the app developers would speak up about this issue and what they can (or cannot do) to stop this... like does the "hide" mode in PDANet actually work? I've read that people who use this mode still got the notice from AT&T. Also what is the difference between the level I and level II "hide" mode that PDANet offers? And if I tether minimal data once in a blue moon am I going to get bullied by AT&T? Lots of questions, not a whole lot of answers that I have seen...

"Bullied" may be a strong term. More like "held to the terms of your contract". But I know you don't want to hear that... #justsaying.

 

[SnapThrow]

"Bullied" may be a strong term. More like "held to the terms of your contract". But I know you don't want to hear that... #justsaying.

You're right, but I am in the "I should be able to use my paid data anyway I want" camp... because tethering plans IMO are a rip off $$

 

[Fausty82]

You're right, but I am in the "I should be able to use my paid data anyway I want" camp... because tethering plans IMO are a rip off $$

No one ever said tethering plans weren't a ripoff... but the terms were spelled out in your contract re: what was acceptable and what was unacceptable use. Tethering was not acceptable. You agreed to it and now you're not happy. That's all I am saying...

 

[SnapThrow]

No one ever said tethering plans weren't a ripoff... but the terms were spelled out in your contract re: what was acceptable and what was unacceptable use. Tethering was not acceptable. You agreed to it and now you're not happy. That's all I am saying...

Was I suppose to read my contract?

 

[Fausty82]

Was I suppose to read my contract?

Touche'

No one does... but it's in there.

 

[BrindawithanI]

I don't really know how I feel about it. If they're tethering in excess of 5gb maybe I could see, but with the fact that you can't add tethering on AT&T without giving up unlimited data, I think that part should be addressed.

This was my point when people started getting the text and emails from att telling them to stop tethering. I would gladly pay $45 for "unlimited" (within reason, obviously) tethering OR $30 for 4gb cap. But pay more for less...REALLY?! :facepalm:

 

[liquidzoo]

FYI to those of you that think that this is limited to AT&T

Apple, iPhone and iPad Forums at ModMyi - Verizon Joins AT&T in Effort to Stop Tethering Via Jailbreak Apps