yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
Because some people are still grandfathered into their unlimited plans, and adding the tethering option would forgo those unlimited privileges. IDK about you, but I would rather have the peace of mind never having to worry about data overages.

As for how AT&T detects whether or not you're tethering, it's simple: they have device metrics software embedded on all of the phones they subsidize. Google Carrier IQ. Mystery solved.

If you have a grandfathered unlimited data plan, these are your options:

First of all, never, ever, -EVER- buy a phone which has been subsidized or AT&T branded... EVER!!! (Got that?) I know it's more expensive up front to buy an unlocked and unbranded device direct from the manufacturer/import service, but in the end you'll be saved a LOT of headaches dealing with AT$T, not to mention how much you'll be saving by never having to worry about overages! Android itself has tethering baked in, and since both of my unlocked devices haven't been touched by AT&T in any way (I have an international SGS2 and a Galaxy Tab 8.9 3G), the can both tether to my heart's content, even in populated areas!

Also, assuming you take good care of your unlocked device, and keep it in good condition, you can always sell it in a year or so when you're ready to upgrade! Buy a SGS2 at release for ~$700, sell it on eBay a year later for ~$500, and you've basically only spent as much as you would have by getting a subsidized model from AT&T, plus you've had an unshackled device.

Now, if you have absolutely no other choice but to buy from AT&T, the other option is of course to root, unlock, and unshackle your device on your own. However, this has it's own problems... Firstly, it's not even a guarantee that you'll be able to do it in the first place. Finally, even if you do manage to do all that, then you still face the issue of the fact that AT&T has a database of the IMEI numbers of ALL the devices it subsidizes, so it can still track you that way as well... Case and point: I had the original 7" Galaxy Tab, which was AT&T branded. I rooted it, unlocked it, and flashed the international firmware (in order to enable the phone calling abilities the rest of the world got to have). About a month later I got a nastygram from AT&T saying that I was using my Tab "in ways they did not intend." How did they know? The IMEI showed them that the system intended it to be a "Data-only device" and my phone account obviously had data AND voice. Solution? Sold the AT&T version, gave AT&T corporate policy the big fat middle finger, got the international version and lived happily ever after.

Well, story time it over for today kids. The moral of this story is:

AT&T is going to pull out all the stops to screw over faithful paying customers like all of us. We will continue to pay more in return for less service, and the more we remain docile and passive about it, the more AT&T will continue to find ways of screwing us over. Sooner or later we all need to band together and say "Enough!" "Give us the service we demand at a price that is reasonable!"

Unite!!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] phro321:
Anyone with an unbranded phone get served?
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] edgeicator:
It doesn't change the fact that you signed a binding agreement not to use tethering without a tethering plan. But, no AT&T doesn't use Carrier IQ yet at least. Sprint did something of the sorts, but these things are found in time by devs.

Of course they could tell you were using your Tab for phone calling. They can see the IMEI on their network, which is the whole point of IMEI. IMEI has nothing to do with tethering though. It merely tells them the type of device it is if it is AT&T branded due it being in their database. The only way not to get caught tethering is to not tether period. It seems as though AT&T is using TTL and possibly packet inspection to determine where your data is truly coming from. Whether or not your device is AT&T branded has absolutely nothing to do with getting caught tethering.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
It's being used on the newly released GS2 Skyrocket and they already have a mod to remove it.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Chubby_Skunk:
I've been using the tethering that is built into CM7 and I haven't been caught yet.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] GoodFoot:
So if AT&T offered a tethering option for the unlimited data plan, you'd be OK with that? (Assume it would add $20/mo to the plan.)
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
I would.

Sent from my Galaxy S2
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ifalldownalot:
here's the thing: businesses such as AT&T comes off as harsh towards customers only because there is a huge lack of consumer responsibility. because of a small minority of customers, the rest of us have to pay for their bull.

105gb a month? what the hell? where is the consumer responsibility in that?

it's like when companies offer free small packaged samples of their product or any other stuff they give out for free. there will inevitably be that douche who grabs way more than is necessary.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
Good point! However, just to play devil's advocate here, imagine this scenario:

You're in a more rural area of this country, and you don't even have an option of getting DSL for internet access; basically your only options are dial-up and Satellite (both of which are awful). Yet despite that, you have a good solid 3G connection available. If that 3G connection ends up being your -primary conduit- to the internet and all it has to offer, is it really so surprising or even irresponsible to see ~100GB a month on average?

Another thing to consider is, as mobile networks become more and more advanced, the cost per MB to move data across those networks has dropped dramatically for carriers (I know this because I work in the industry).

Here's food for thought:

1. If the costs for carriers to provide its users service has dropped dramatically in the last 10 or so years, why then are we effectively paying equally dramatically more for less service?

AND

2. If carriers clearly posses the financial and technical resources to invest in their own infrastructure to keep up with the growing consumer data demands, why aren't they doing that rather than pursuing anti-competitive buyout deals which cost more than 10 times as much?
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
THIS!!! It made my day to see someone who shares exactly the same views :D. Well said!!!!!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
I relate to your pain good sir, because I myself used to be country folk before work required me to move to a more urban environment. I do miss the countryside though... *sigh*
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] mandrsn1:
The "Net Neutrality" rules from the FCC are garbage. It doesn't allows providers to filter content, but still allows them to create tiered internet packages. For example, under the current "Net Neutrality" rules, Comcast could create a special Netflix package that costs more, but will give Netflix a higher priority on your connection. It is really a scam, yet people still believe we have any respectable form of net neutrality.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
That too. I hadn't known about the Comcast deal. That's BS...
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] joemommasfat:
I'm just waiting for att to start signing people up for att navigator. Att provides a navigation service and using Google navigation to circumvent this charge is theft of services!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
The state of the mobile market, and society in general, is very concerning. Corporations are becoming increasingly bold, and we're (the consumers) allowing it. The government is aiding them in this as well. As discussed, too many people go with the flow, regardless of what it is. For my sociology minors and majors, it is important that we don't get caught in the TINA concept (There is no alternative); otherwise, things will continue as they are and gradually get worse. I just hate when I see people defending AT&T's justifications (the "You signed a contract" BS). It's those individuals especially that perpetuate the status quo. If more of us don't adopt critical and liberal stances, you'll be justifying even worse things. And don't even get me started on what this attitude does for U.S. stratification :mad:.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
Thank you!! I absolutely agree with the whole not getting caught in the TINA attitude; it's only going to make things worse.

It's kinda funny. I always laugh when I show someone my rooted or jailbroken device, and when I offer to root/unlock/jailbreak their device, I usually get posed with a question like, "Wait, isn't that illegal though?"

"Illegal to jailbreak/root/unlock" a piece of hardware I spent my own money on? Seriously? Are you kidding me? No, it isn't anymore illegal than painting your car pink (if that's your thing). Sure the carrier/manufacturer may not LIKE that you root/jailbreak/unlock your device, and yeah it may go against their own corporate policies, or even your service contract, but I dare anyone to find an actual state or federal law that explicitly states you could be liable for legal charges against you for jailbreaking or rooting your device.

It saddens me to think that the majority of folks feel that they are powerless to do anything about their predicaments. So you have a contract. So what? If you don't like something, speak up about it! Raise hell! Fight for change! Band together too... That's what big companies DON'T want: consumer revolt. That's why our AT&T contracts have an arbitration clause in them; so we can't go all class action and sue their @$$3$ for screwing us over! It's a lot easier for a company to squash one bug at at time in arbitration cases than it is to deal with an angry swarm of locusts!

I don't have a problem with authority, if that authority is well directed. I don't have a problem with rules, if they have a legitimate and fair purpose. I don't have have any problems with paying for additional fees, as long as they are fair and reasonable.

Tethering fees, whether a part of a contract you signed or not, are a completely artificial, and they are blatantly and shamelessly gouging the customer of more money for a service they're already paying for: Data.

Your Cable/DSL/FiOS provider doesn't charge you extra for having multiple devices off of your home wireless do they? Why should it be any different that AT&T does charge you for effectively doing the same thing? It's bull$***!! Screw that rule, screw that contractual stipulation, screw being passive and accepting things as "that's just the way it is..." Get mad! Get angry! Make a fuss! Raise hell! Demand change! Stop defending the entities that DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU!!!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] robertlawson225:
I keep hearing that we need to band together and voice our opinions!

OK so does anyone know a good lawyer maybe get a petition going and go after all US mobile carriers and try to include mobile data to the same rules as wired data? Any ideas about this
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
My thoughts exactly. I still don't understand how people can justify paying twice for something. It's analogous to paying twice for your dinner plate if you wanted to share it with a significant other; ridiculous, it's the same damn food. I bought the food; I can do what I want with it. When you apply the same principle to another situation, it seems quite silly.

And I love when I see individuals like Joe-Mamma. Every single time, I'm like hell yea! We need that.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] stewartsoda:
They used to. They totally did like 7 years ago.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] robertlawson225:
I know how you feel when me and my wife where on or honeymoon a restaurant charged us for a plate to share a 80$ plate of food

but as i said earlier

OK so does anyone know a good lawyer maybe get a petition going and go after all US mobile carriers and try to include mobile data to the same rules as wired data
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
I've seen several before. I'll look around and post something, but I'm not that huge of a fan of petitions. Sure, we need that aspect, but I'm more in the camp of immediate actions.

What are everyone's thoughts on this?
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
"They used to," is the operative phrase there. I bet once people started waking up and realizing how utterly -STUPID!!!!- that rule was, the ISP's backed down.

WE NEED TO DO THIS AGAIN!!!

---------- Post added at 12:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:08 PM ----------

I feel that, more important than petitions, is raising awareness. The more and more we get the Average-Joe-American to realize just how much they're getting screwed, the greater a force to be reckoned with shall we be once we do all take cohesive action against the carriers.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Flustered:
I feel exactly the way you do. I posted the same sentiment, and a link to this thread here http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1309180&page=5. That thread was full of the blind sheep going along with the herd, saying things like we signed into an agreement, ToS, BS, BS, BS. A mod closed that thread, which I feel is also going to happen to this thread.

The telecom industry has a culture similar to magicians and Las Vegas, everything is an overpriced con.

They pull the wool over the sheep's eyes, they stifle any and all types of education or unification of public consensus that might harm their profits, as does any corporation larger than 1k employees.

They use the FCC as a weapon to keep the type of autonomous authority that they currently have.

Unfortunately this forum is full of 15 year old kids uttering their rich parent's southern republican profiteering beliefs.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] robertlawson225:
Sure i agree with the whole petition thing but I don't see any better solution.

We cant just go after one carrier that is one thing that will surely fail. We need to attack the root of the problem and that is the laws regarding mobile data right? Or am i wrong is there a better way?
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] lurchbyrep:
I am very happy to see this thread get a lot more intelligent of late. Kudos, everyone!

One of the points I find interesting is, in the words of the author of the Wikipedia article on "Network Neuterality," that proponents of Neutrality contend that ISPs often seek to capitalize on a created "artificial scarcity" of services. I just think the phrase sinks right to the marrow.

Regarding action, it is good that many have suggested not sitting idly by, expecting that what is just will find its way into reality through natural courses. Still, wireless data is a huge industry, and though Americans have constitutional rights for legal recourse and fair representation, money is actually a reality, and matters a great deal in the judicial process. Being that I don't believe there will be enough contenders to "put their money where their mouth is" in order to continue a lengthy legal campaign against the wealthy defendants, I would suggest instead taking the legislstive route (within which, I know, money also matters). I think (perhaps I'm wrong), the most likely avenue of success would be to get congressional representation on the matter. Of course, I'm no lawyer or political scientist, so I'm very open to critique.

Cheers!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] robertlawson225:
I agree taking a corporation to court would be a waist of time and money.

i don't know how everything works but i was thinking more along the lines of getting the court to rule that any form of data connection that allows a connection to the internet would fall into the same rules across the board that way there are no defendants.

now I'm no lawyer, just thinking here
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] edgeicator:
Except the new rules put out by the FCC explicitly state that wireless data can be treated differently from wired data. That's the whole reason why a lot of NN proponents say that the rules don't go far enough. And if you really want to make a point to carriers, switch carriers. As of now, there is no legal way to challenge your ToS as it breaks no law and it is, in fact, a contract that you agreed to. Carriers have a huge legion of lawyers. You'd need a class action do get anything done.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
Good point.

Perhaps. I agree with Jaded Eye Wolf about raising awareness. Also, with what someone else said about switching carriers. Unfortunately, switching carriers does nothing. If anything, it relieves their burden of the renegade consumer. They're fully aware that they can fund a few more commercials here and there and make up the difference by marketing "the new best phone ever" (regardless of what it is or what it can do)*. We'd have to get a mass amount; I suppose we could head towards this through awareness. I love what some other people are doing though. People around here always throw stones at individuals who admit to using large amounts of data; "it's your fault!" Lol, are you kidding me? At best, those individuals provided a scapegoat for individuals who want to justify corporate actions. One of the important steps is to oppose the mergers that are occurring. I really hope the T-Mobile deal doesn't get done; other corporations probably provide the best system of checks and balances (when there are enough of them). I liked the state of the market back when Alltel was around. There was a significant amount of competition that, I felt, kept things from getting out of hand. At the drop of a dime, a consumer could leave a carrier and still have choice. It's not that simple now though; there's not nearly as much choice (at least in major carriers). I think the best course of action we can take is an accumulative one. There will be individuals who attack from the legal perspective, individuals who remove the blinds from those unaware, and those who take it straight to them (by using their services like they advertise them, and not defending the bull**** they impose on oblivious consumers). Find your niche and act.

*I'm not referring to any specific device; just advertising tactics in general.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] pukemon:
What everybody needs to do is drop their wireless isp. The no revenue question would make shareholders ask themselves what can we do to get customers back.

I invented cyberspace. You're trespassing.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] edgeicator:
So you're saying when 40,000 people switched to credit unions, the banks didn't care at all? Fact is, they're losing subscribers if people are smart and switch. Your bill is worth 100+ a month to these providers. All corporations care about is profits. When you switch carriers, they lose out on potential profit. Lawsuits and voting with your wallet is the ONLY way to bring attention to these carriers.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
I'm saying that a small number of lost subscribers aren't enough; not enough to spark change that is. In reality, they'll carry on generally unaffected. I actually think this is the best route; to take money away from them. In small numbers though, it means nothing. Perhaps I should've rephrased it. Sprint lost a lot of customers and ironically (not really, just being facetious), they're the only carrier still offering unlimited data (and a complete unlimited package that's cheaper). Personally, my choice is to leave a company when I don't agree with their practices. Just in the way I boycotted Apple products because of the horrendous handling of the media amidst antennagate. Today, one of the best things you can do is to take your money away and not fund the actions you disagree with. I think it's perhaps overly ambitious to expect more than that by that action alone. And in doing that, hope others will do the same (while continually aiming to educate our peers).
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] edgeicator:
Data isn't the only issue at hand. Sprint has other issues that customers don't like such as CarrierIQ, a special portal for government agencies that provide subscribers' GPS location, their low network capacity, etc.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] live4nyy:
I'm going to go a little off-topic here and mention that the "Bank Transfer" movement probably did not have the impact they were hoping for. The majority of accounts that actually moved were small, personal checking accounts. Those accounts are actually more expensive for the bank to maintain so, in turn, those people were actually "helping" the big banks. Also, 40,000 accounts makes up less than 1% of just BofA's total business (in terms of accounts and not even cash). It was a good news story but I wish more people (especially people with bigger accounts) would have participated. :(

Back on topic, the only way to make an impact to carriers is to educate more people. When more people know the system then eventually it will show up on their balance sheets. We have too many people in this country "blind" to the facts because they are distracted by Snooki and Dancing with the Stars....:D
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ifalldownalot:
until the government changes their laws and regulations regarding corporations, the consumer is going to get screwed.

i mean, the courts have ruled in favor of the arbitration clause in contracts, actually saying that class-action lawsuits were not a viable option for the consumer. i know it's on a state-by-state basis, but California basically just f-ed consumers over.

lobbying needs to be gone from politics. i don't understand how something that is such a conflict of interest has been allowed to remain legal.

and even if we try to do something about it, the politicians, the leaders of the land, will put a stop to it because it wouldn't be "beneficial to America" which is nothing more than saying "it's not beneficial to us, the politicians".
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] wingmanjd:
Got my notification email

Yep, just received my notice of tethering use, and I didn't use much more than 2GB the last two months. Before that, I was hovering around 1GB.

Food for thought.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Reclaim:
I just got throttled for the first time. I upgraded and I'm on LTE. I use my phone for Netflix, and cloud services. This never happened on my streak.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] edgeicator:
The issue of corporate personhood is largely a misnomer. We need corporations to have SOME levels of personhood or they couldn't be held accountable for contracts or be sued. It's those rights beyond what is absolutely required that are the issue.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Jade Eyed Wolf:
I should have been more specific, but you're right. Thanks for clarifying :)
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
Listen to this guy people. He's hitting the nail on the head.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] moneyman1978:
I hit 6.1 Gb this month and my data has been moving up drastically more i use the phone more data i use. I was hoveing around 2 gb but this past month i hit 6.1 wonder if they will cance me if they do i will say breach of contract and have to go sprint.
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] ifalldownalot:
yep, i definitely agree with you on what you said. that's what i had in mind. you were able to better expound on my brief and narrow thought. :)
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Joe-Momma:
Looks like the maximum I can use a month is around 140-150GB

last month I hit 105GB and half way through this billing cycle I am at 72GB.

I hope AT&T likes my data usage ;)

That would be $1010 in data charges if on the 4GB plan last month when I hit 105GB.

I even told them if allowed tethering on the unlimited plan I would keep it under 20GB but since they don't offer it then expect the max!
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] Simba501:
Hell yea!!! :D

Sent from my Galaxy S2
[Atrix 4G Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] defnow:
Best.post.ever :D