AT&T to crack down on users who tether without a tethering plan

By Mike Dunn August 5, 2011

This has been a rough week for AT&T’s customers with “unlimited” data plans. On Monday, we reported that user’s with unlimited plans will start getting throttled due to heavy usage. On Thursday AT&T confirmed that it will start taking action against iPhone users who use unofficial Jailbroken tethering apps. AT&T offers an official tethering service that users can pay an additional $20 for, on top of their already hefty bill.

We reported in March that AT&T was contacting Jailbroken subscribers who were tethering. At that time, AT&T just let the users know that it knew they were tethering, and that they should stop, but took no further action.

AT&T recently informed a few customers who tether that if they don’t stop by a certain date (which depends on the user) that they will automatically place them into a 2GB data plan with an included tethering plan, for a total cost of $45.

An official AT&T spokesperson confirmed the new policy, and said that people who tether will have three options. They could stop tethering, they could proactively contact AT&T to change plans, or the company will change the user’s plan automatically. AT&T says that it is taking this action because it is unfair for the majority of its users. Currently, many customers are paying AT&T for the right to tether their phone, and AT&T wants to level the playing field.

In theory, the tethering and throttling announcements go hand in hand. It is safe to assume that the users who tether their Jailbroken iPhones are the same users who use excessive amounts of data. Now that Jailbroken users can no longer tether or use the iPad version of the Facebook app, why even Jailbreak anymore?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Mike graduated from University of Arizona with a degree in poetry, and made his big break by writing love sonnets to the…

Mobile

I tried the Apple Vision Pro. Here’s why it won’t replace my iPhone

Christine wearing the Apple Vision Pro demo unit.

The Apple Vision Pro is one of Apple’s most fascinating new product launches. It’s the first new product line from Apple since the Apple Watch, but the hype around it has been more like when Apple first introduced the original iPhone. Of course, Apple was not the first to the market with a VR/AR headset, but it is definitely what would be considered the most “mainstream” option out there, considering the brand name.

When Apple announced the Apple Vision Pro on June 5, 2023, during its WWDC 2023 keynote, I was excited. After years of rumors, it was finally happening. Preorders started on January 19, 2024, and the Apple Vision Pro launched on February 2, 2024, in the U.S. The problem? It costs at least $3,500, making it a hard sell for many as a first-generation Apple product.

Mobile

Don’t buy a Galaxy S24 Ultra or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Do this instead

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Mint Green color along with a Samsung notebook and a cermaic bowl with lemons.

“Do I need all that?” That’s the question on the mind of shoppers before they splurge a now-standard $1,000 asking price for a top-tier phone in 2024. Ideally, that dilemma should be there. The likes of Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max have won laurels for a handful of standout features they offer. But you might not need those standout features at all.

I’ve been on that road, and more frequently than I have the temerity to admit. For some reason, regret comes as part of the $1,200 flagship parcel. That's unless your phone is a part of your creative or work process, or you just don’t care and only want the latest and greatest for the vanity of it. A segment like that certainly exists, but that affluent user base doesn’t dictate the journey of a product.

Mobile

I’m a lifelong iPhone user. Here’s what I think about the Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and S Pen stylus on its screen.

Samsung and Apple typically release new smartphones at different times of the year. Samsung usually does it early in the year, while Apple waits until the fall ahead of the holiday shopping season. As always, Apple tends to release new iPhones that outdo the ones Samsung released earlier, and then when the calendar changes, Samsung comes back with something to better compete with Apple, and so forth.

Samsung has recently announced its Galaxy S24 series, which has sparked the curiosity of iPhone owners like myself. Many of us are currently exploring the features of these phones and seeing which ones aren't available on our iPhones, myself included. Some are entirely new, while others have been introduced on previous Samsung Galaxy S models. Although many seem promising, some may not be as appealing to iPhone users. Here are a few of the Galaxy S24 features I like — and a few I don't.
Circle to Search looks impressive
Circle to Search Andy Boxall / Digital Trends