Within the last 24 hours, jailbroken iPhone users on AT&T using tethering apps have received text messages from the carrier suggesting signing up for the 4GB DataPro data plan, which includes tethering support. This confirms that AT&T is actively monitoring user accounts for such activity and will send messages warning customers to sign up for the plan before automatically enrolling the account on the plan at $45 a month after March 27th.
All of the current reports are being sent from iPhone users, though according to a statement from AT&T representative Seth Bloom, the wave of messages applies across all devices that have been audited:
“We’ve just begun 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.”
Read More for the email/letter being sent out to tethering app users.
Dear XXXXXXXX,
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 www.wireless.att.com, 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 after March 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 to www.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
Why does anyone even use AT&T anymore? This is about the most anti consumer company I can think of. Limits on dsl internet, limits on wireless internet, locked down phones, high prices, etc.
I would never consider giving AT&T a dime while they were doing all this crap and there were better and even cheaper alternatives.
Net Neutrality is true fairness for all customers.
Its funny if Sprint did this phonenews would be on a Sprint bash event.
Now that its att, Chris trust to make it a positive
@ Robert
How do you figure Chris made it a positive? The way I see it, he bashed them for violating net neutrality.
Did you even read this.blog?
This is just att press release…
Well Christopher Price made the post right above yours. I just thought it was weird that Christopher Price makes a negative post about AT&T, and then the very next post was you saying that Chris was spinning it to look like a positive.
Does AT&T changing your data plan without consulting you expressly allow you to leave your AT&T contract without an
ETF?
I can understand the letters. If it says dont tether, than dont tether. As far as I’m concerned at&t is the plegue of limited data. That is why I would NEVER subscribe to them. They have ruined the internet as us customers always knew it.
I just hope that this new policy does not migrate to other copycat carriers and thereby becomes universal, also the method of the policy enforcement is at best troublesome, hence potentialy providing an ETF out, if it is in fact a material change to the initial contract. Thank You
Chris, in our opinion changing your plan without your consent would be an ETF-out.
But AT&T wouldn’t see it that way, and you’d be left fighting debt collectors. Trust me, we’ve been there.
I’m really enjoying this 4g LTE unlimited plan. Hopefully they don’t change it. Otherwise I’ll just have to take my money somewhere else.
WoW!!
One more loss for SPRINT!
m.engadget.com/default/article.do?artUrl=http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/atandt-agrees-to-buy-t-mobile-from-deutsche-telekom/&category=classic&icid=eng_latest_art
Thank You
SPRINT is crying already, Johny come lately…watch out for VZW, if the FCC has no issue with this buyout/M&A, SPRINT will fall victim to a hostile takeover, the end of choices in the cellular industry, outlook as you can imagine for the consumer will be very bleak. http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/20/sprint-critiques-proposed-atandt-t-mobile-deal-says-buyout-woul/&category=classic&icid=eng_latest_art Thank You
F1, you are absolutely correct. If the feds let AT&T buy T-Mobile, the clock will be ticking on a Verizon buyout of Sprint.
[…] that carriers are blocking direct access to tethering apps on Android handsets in the wake of recent audits designed to stamp out tethering without paying additional fees, whether by rooting or non-rooted […]
[…] first began sending such messages to customers earlier this year, though those were meant as a friendly warning to let jailbroken […]