AT&T Cracking Down on MyWi Tethering?

BLiNK

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thread on ModMyi.com: AT&T Cracking Down on MyWi Tethering?

We've gotten a couple of tips today from users saying that they are receiving notices from AT&T regarding tethering. These users have been using MyWi for tethering, and are grandfathered into AT&T's old unlimited iPhone data plan.

For one user, the notices began as a simple text message:
"AT&T Free Msg: Did you know tethering your Smartphone to a computer requires a tethering plan? Pls call
888-860-6789
for details or visit att.com/dataplans."


AT&T then followed up with this message via email:


Dear [Customer],

We've noticed your service plan may need updating.

Many AT&T customers use their smartphones as a broadband connection for other devices, like laptops, netbooks or other smartphones? a practice commonly known as tethering. Tethering can be an efficient way for our customers to enjoy the benefits of AT&T's mobile broadband network and use more than one device to stay in touch with important people and information. To take advantage of this feature, we require that in addition to a data plan, you also have a tethering plan.

Our records show that you use this capability, but are not subscribed to our tethering plan.

If you would like to continue tethering, please log into
your account online at
Cell Phones and Cell Phone Plans - Wireless from AT&T
, or call us
at
1-888-860-6789
Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. CST
or Saturday, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. CST, by March 27, 2011
to sign up for DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering.
Here are details on the plan:

DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering
? $45 per month
(this gives you 4GB in total, combining both your smartphone data plan for $25 and the tethering feature, $20)
? $10 per each additional GB thereafter, added automatically as needed
? Mobile Hotspot capabilities are included for compatible Smartphones

If we don't hear from you, we'll plan to automatically enroll you into DataPro 4GB afterMarch 27, 2011. The new plan ? whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you ? will replace your current smartphone data plan, including if you are on an unlimited data plan.

If you discontinue tethering, no changes to your current plan will be required.

It's easy to track your usage throughout the month so there are no bill surprises. For example, we send you free text messages when you reach 65, 90, and 100 percent of your plan's threshold. If you would like to monitor your account more closely, go towww.att.com/dataplans to learn about other ways to track your data usage.

As a reminder, our smartphone data plans also include unlimited usage of Wi-Fi at no additional charge. AT&T smartphone customers can use Wi-Fi at home or on-the-go at any one of our more than 23,000 U.S. hotspots already included in your data plan.

Thank you for bringing your account up to date. We appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve your mobile broadband needs.

Sincerely,

AT&T

This is the first we've heard about users receiving messages regarding MyWi tethering from AT&T. One speculation as to how AT&T may know about tethering is the iOS 4.3 update, which allows the iPhone to be used a personal hotspot. It's possible that AT&T can now track data usage specifically to the device that's being tethered, regardless of whether its done through the personal hotspot feature in 4.3 or via MyWi.
 

Brickman

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I wonder if the message has been sent to people who use gobs and gobs of dat everyonth, so ATT just figures they are tethering? I also would like to know if it is MyWi or is PDANet effect also?
 

BLiNK

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so they are going after "heavy users?" what exactly does that classify as.. and why not just any user?
 

Garz

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This doesnt suprise me. I see people bragging on twitter how they use 20GB's a month and get unlimited tethering.
 

big9erfan

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Looking at the replies on ModMyi it seems AT&T is just hitting up people with some abnormally high data usage ( example 20GB / month ). Apparently, AT&T cannot PROVE that they are tethering and are likely just hoping that people call in and say "yah, sorry can I add tethering now?"
 

BLiNK

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i'm thinking as long as i keep it cool then everything will be fine. if not, then it was money well spent and money ahead i guess

i'm not mad about this like i have seen some
 

BrindawithanI

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Sorry guys...it's probably me! EVERY time I do something, like something, or choose a line at the grocery store, it's wrong! I just bought the app so it's all my fault! ;)

I'm hoping that it's just the heavy users that they're targeting... We shall see, I suppose. :(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BLiNK

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well let's not forget that in AT&Ts contract it says you are not supposed to tether in the first place, so we are immediately in breach of contract..

once again, just thankful for the usage i did get and if i get a chance to continue (moderately) i will be forever grateful
 

BrindawithanI

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if i get a chance to continue (moderately) i will be forever grateful

Agreed!

What I don't like is the pay it forward mentality that carriers have. ...You can pay us in advance month after month, and if you don't use it all, oh well. But go over once and BAM! That's what made me leave VZW for at&t.

I barely use 2gb a month and wouldn't even mind losing my unlimited data if I could get the 4gb tethering for the $30 that I already pay.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Scatabrain

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It sucks they are cracking down but at least they are not sending out a 600 dollar bill for the use. I have always rooted my phones for free tethering but chickened out on new vzw iPhone not knowing of they would police it. I didn't want to compromise my existing plan or incur large costs. I would never have guessed AT&T would be the first to crack down. I guess they are no longer worried about losing customers to vzw. Go figure.
 

Ipheuria

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Well from what I've seen the problem is they say that they will just automatically switch your plan if they think you are tethering to the $45 tethering plan. This will take you out of the unlimited data plan that you might be grandfathered into so I guess if you get the email or text then you just have to quit using MyWi. I think it's kind of retarded though that you have to pay extra just because you're accessing the data a different way. You already pay for that data so why is it more expensive just because you are tethering it? We don't have that here so it doesn't really matter to me but I mean like I heard on a podcast the electric company doesn't say hey your bill is $100 but since you are now plugging in 12 appliances instead of 10 you have to pay $110 a month. You pay for more electricity if you use more and that's that.
 

BrindawithanI

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^ yep. I'm not really sweating the fact that I JUST bought MyWi. I'd rather give them $20 this month than "you know who". If I only get a month out of it, I'm even I guess.

I just think they could tier the tethering in a fashion similar to what I stated in my above post. I'm not trying to "take" them. It would just be nice to finally utilize what I've been paying for.


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touchyphone

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I tether, but my monthly useage is about 4GB and it's all to my iPad. My gut tells me this is for the idiots who tether and use it as their main internet source. Like 25gb's/month. Sucks for them, they'll be losing it soon 'cuz AT&T is gonna change their plans regardless, hahaha, sucks to be them

Smart Tethering (like me) FTW!
 
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