View Full Version : AT&T may have to limit iPhone users
http://9x19mm.com/photoalbum/albums/userpics/mac-users.jpg
AT&T needs to start thinking about what they are going to do when Verizon gets the iPhone. And this is NOT the way to do it.
It is funny you bring up Verizon. They had their "pix, flix unlimited plan" promotion in like 2007 and pulled the same thing on their customers.
Hmmmm what are they doing with the money iphone users pay for unlimited data and text??? My contract is almost over with AT&T though. If AT&T decides to pull a stunt I can go join Verizon where I have to use 2 phones just to talk and search the web at the same time!
SWATcop556
12-11-09, 02:42
I love my iPhone but I'm getting fed up with AT&T.
The Droid looks interesting.
I love my iPhone but I'm getting fed up with AT&T.
For real!! I am even willing to try Sprint!! But I love my iPhone....once that contract is up though.....
John_Wayne777
12-11-09, 06:32
I love my iPhone but I'm getting fed up with AT&T.
The Droid looks interesting.
So far I'm digging mine.
Good info, thanks Z. More iPhone discussion here: http://m4carbine.net/showthread.php?p=514740#post514740
I'm not getting into a tizzy until I see what they plan to do. If they stagger an approach based on bandwidth usage, the majority of iPhone users will be fine. Personally, I have no problem with them saying "after 1 hour straight of YouTube downloading, your bandwidth will be cut in half."
If instead they use this as an excuse to raise rates on all iPhone users, then contract be damned, I'm dumping AT&T and the iPhone.
Shouldn't we all have to pay for the needs of a few? :rolleyes:
John_Wayne777
12-11-09, 07:37
Apparently a lot of people are tethering their smart phones to computers and using them as essentially their home internet access. Then they're downloading gobs of files...which is probably mostly porn.
Apparently a lot of people are tethering their smart phones to computers and using them as essentially their home internet access.
I doubt it since it costs $30 extra a month and you only get 5gbs, and it costs $.49 a mb for the rest. Not saying that people dont do it but it would cost them alot.
SWATcop556
12-11-09, 08:01
I have unlimited downloads with my plan so I could see it as being very possible.
I doubt it since it costs $30 extra a month and you only get 5gbs, and it costs $.49 a mb for the rest. Not saying that people dont do it but it would cost them alot.
You're so full of shit and argumentative on a consistant basis, give it up. Unlimited plans for AT&T are abundant and as the word unlimited is used in the plan title it would suggest that there are no other fees associated with them, there aren't.
I doubt it since it costs $30 extra a month and you only get 5gbs, and it costs $.49 a mb for the rest. Not saying that people dont do it but it would cost them alot.
Can you show me where you found this information? Everything I've ever seen regarding the iPhone, as well as a quick perusal of AT&T's site just now, confirms that there is a flat $30/mo unlimited data plan required as part of any iPhone contract.
I've heard that tethering isn't really official yet, but expected to carry an extra fee when it arrives? I'm not all that interested in tethering so I haven't looked into it to verify one way or the other. I do know that it's possible for some jailbroken/hacked iphones to tether regardless and that is a big source of bandwidth hogging, I'm sure.
John_Wayne777
12-11-09, 09:49
It's not official...but there are a number of apps and hacks out there that allow the tech minded individual to turn their smart phone into a wireless modem. That is, after all, essentially what they are. Verizon apparently has a 5gig per month limit on data transfer, but I don't think AT&T has one yet.
Shouldn't we all have to pay for the needs of a few?
If Obama gets involved..... damn skippy!
As to the 5GB, I know Verizon advertises Unlimited Data for $29.95, and then if you wish to tether you pay another $14.95 a month. The handset usage is truly Unlimited, but the tethering is limited to 5GB a month. They can tell your tethering if you use the Verizon system legally because while tethering the phone connects differently and is logged independant of normal phone internet/data useage.
That said, there are software programs available that allow you to use your phones WiFi as a wireless access point. What this does is allows the phone to connect to the carrier on the handsets normal data usage method (not the tethering method) and bypass the carriers ability to seperate true handset from true tethering. So with these "illegal" or unsupported applications, you can broadcast WIFI broadband from your cell phone to one or many laptops or devices and have it all cloaked in your normal handset data count...... but it will be hard for the carrier to swallow that you used 21GB a month of data on the handset alone.... even though that is what the system is telling them. How do I know...? Because Verizon just billed be over $320 additional for my use of this type of program! So, it can be done, but if your spending hours each night on FanCast or Hulu streaming movies to your PC.... you might stand out from the crowd!
I'm not contesting the additional charges, I already paid the bill.... I just found it funny when I called in to ask about the data charges that the tech looked at my account and almost lost the ability to speak! It was funny as all heck! She was stammering on about what the heck I could do to download over 21GB to my handset.... I told her I use VuiVision.com (This I do use) and stream television 12 hours a night to my phone and it must use a lot of data...? I forgot to mention WinMobWiFi and my laptop streaming Hulu and Fancast...LOL! So last month I paid over $600 to Verizon. Ouch.
I use a non-Sprint-supported third party application to allow me to tether my Treo Pro to my laptops...I only use it in the rare occasion that I'm out somewhere and I don't have a wifi connection available.
I use several gigabytes per month just on my handset (streaming Glenn Beck and Jim Rome when I'm at work, among many other things). I try to use tethering sparingly to stay off of the Sprint radar as I very much enjoy my $30/month total phone bill (SERO plan, 500 daytime minutes + pretty much unlimited everything else); but I do use it every month and no issues thus far.
As far as Apple, I know several people who are going to be pissed if they have to pay even more for their plans. I'd love to get an iPhone, but I think most people I know that have them are paying triple digits a month and that's hard for me to swallow with my current plan. As much as they charge for the plans, I can't believe they are now bitching about not having enough network.
I tether my phone to my laptop all the time for work in airports, hotels, and sometimes at a customer site if I'm not allowed or don't want to go through the hassle of connecting to their network. If I haven't hit the 5GB limit yet.
I don't see how you could unless you're downloading porn, movies or porn.
Often times I get better speed from my phone than I do in most hotels.
Voodoochild
12-11-09, 17:09
It's not official...but there are a number of apps and hacks out there that allow the tech minded individual to turn their smart phone into a wireless modem. That is, after all, essentially what they are. Verizon apparently has a 5gig per month limit on data transfer, but I don't think AT&T has one yet.
Not exactly a hack but I used to hook the Marines up all the time with the tethering. Blackberry with the software from sprint. Install, link up and away you go. Worked great for those who had to be out in the field doing testing and couldn't get an air card.
I don't understand the part about charging people $5-20 for texting? I already pay $20 extra a month for unlimited texts, that's not part of the $30 data plan.
Hmm, Sprint did this with their broadband cards. They had an unlimited data plan and for whatever reason they put a cap on it. It was a 5gb "soft" cap but I was oscillating between less than 1 gb an about 10 gb per month depending on if I was on the ship a lot. When they put the cap in effect this counted as a change in the TOS so I was able to opt out of it without the ETF. It worked out good for me because in my new place I got shit for signal.
I doubt it since it costs $30 extra a month and you only get 5gbs, and it costs $.49 a mb for the rest. Not saying that people dont do it but it would cost them alot.
Can you show me where you found this information? Everything I've ever seen regarding the iPhone, as well as a quick perusal of AT&T's site just now, confirms that there is a flat $30/mo unlimited data plan required as part of any iPhone contract.
The 5GB cap is for people with mobile broadband cards, not for iPhone users.
Technically, iPhone users have never been allowed to tether. There *was* a great hack for it with firmware version 3.1.1 (I think), but the update a few months back killed that. I had to jump through hoops to go back to the previous version because I wanted to keep the ability to tether.
The rumor going around some of the forums was that AT&T would add extra charges to your bill if you went over 5GB/month on your iPhone, but I've never seen that substantiated. The most I've ever done in a month is around 4GB, so I've never tested that.
ETA: I can see this going one of three ways. One, the plan stays the same and "bandwidth hogs" pay an extra fee over a certain limit. Two, AT&T introduces tiered data plans. Three, AT&T raises everyone's rates.
2 makes sense. So it'll probably be 3.
I have to wonder is Apple is really second guessing the exclusive deal with AT&T. As much as the iPhone has been a great thing for AT&T, AT&T's network is making Apple look bad at this point.
Leave it to AT&T to force you to buy an unlimited data plan and then tell people they are using too much data. I've had no problems with my iPhone but will likely switch back to verizon, hopefully when they get the iPhone contract, or perhaps a droid.
The Chokehold thing supposedly got called off by the guy trying to organize it, BTW. Good thing too. I fail to see the logic in crashing the network to protest that the network is bad.
I did think this was interesting though: http://gizmodo.com/5428717/att-has-spent-less-on-network-construction-every-quarter-since-the-iphones-launch
I had been wondering how AT&T had been upgrading their network in comparison with increased data usage. This doesn't quite answer the question, but it's an eye opener nonetheless.
Leave it to AT&T to force you to buy an unlimited data plan and then tell people they are using too much data. I've had no problems with my iPhone but will likely switch back to verizon, hopefully when they get the iPhone contract, or perhaps a droid.
No kidding...
This is like a car dealer offering you free oil changes but making you pay for the oil itself..."But the labors free" :rolleyes:
I'm about ready to shitcan AT&T. My contacts up very soon, and while my Tilt1 is on it's last legs with a battery and software problem(s)...I may just say adios and go elsewhere. Which is a shame cuz the 3GS and Tilt2 are intriguing (yeah, I know they're on other networks too) and Im now in an area where I can actually use 3G...but this type of BS is going to make them lose a 7+ year customer.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.