Windows XP Dial up networking bluetooth or tethering

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by bige1919

I have to agree with ptlee, I don't feel bad at all about tethering my q to my laptop every once in awhile. First of all you have to agree that it is a little misleading to call it unlimited data and then say, oh its only unlimited data for your phone in the fine print that no one reads(yeah i know i should read it). Second of all if they really didn't want you to do this they should have come up with a way to not allow you to use it in the first place. Lastly i'm already paying just as much for unlimited data as for my actual phone plan, and the amount they charge for unlimited data is comparable to what a regular isp charges for home internet, so no, I definately don't feel bad using it with my laptop when I need to. And as its not hurting anybody, I don't see who is loosing out by doing this..? Now i will admit that it could be a problem if everyone was using it for all of their internet access, but in reality most people don't even know about this feature or wouldn't ever have a use for it.

You're reasoning for pricing quite obviously underscores your logic and understanding of technology. Can you take your home ISP anywhere ???? Can it even get outside of 200 feet away from home ???? Can you even use it at someone elses house ???? You're paying for that complexity. The ability to have internet at the tip of your fingers. If anything, you should be complaining to your home ISP for overcharging you.

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by ptlee8202

'share a plate with other people' - I actually read a post about the pc6700 being turned into a wireless access point.

'Right or wrong' is only if you are tunnel visioned on the agreement. The agreement that only recently changed. I doubt many people have actually seen the changes. I only noticed only because I actually went to a store within the last year and had to sign it. They added some things to the contract but why then do they not change the names of the feature. It is deceptive to keep the product name of 'unlimited data' but put in the fine print of the contract that 'unlimited' has limits and conditions.

Your argument of 'all the carriers charge the same way' - with all the mergers there are only 3 major carriers now. How hard is it for them to agree to price fix. It has been a while since ATT was broken up and now it seems like it is merging back together again.

On the analogy, at least the restaurants have something tangible to lose. This is more like someone selling you a car with 6 gears but charging you extra money if you decide to use gears 5 and 6.

Well, lets see. The feature is called, "Unlimited PDA Max", or, "Media (Net) Max Unlimited", Media Net being the common gateway for your phone. Seeing as how PDA is in the title, as well as unlimited, anybody who isnt trying to RIP OFF the company would think, "hm, I get PDA acccess, and its unlimited". Show me somewhere on your contract where it DOESN'T say PDA in the same of the feature....

The point is: Keep ripping off the company, I could care less. But if they come after you (and I think they should, because anyone who wont pay the 20 bucks extra to tether legally and in effect make AT&T your ISP is just, IMHO, a cheap skate), then face the consequences. They should make you pay all those excess charges if you're using the phone as your ISP.

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by bige1919

I have to agree with ptlee, I don't feel bad at all about tethering my q to my laptop every once in awhile. First of all you have to agree that it is a little misleading to call it unlimited data and then say, oh its only unlimited data for your phone in the fine print that no one reads(yeah i know i should read it). Second of all if they really didn't want you to do this they should have come up with a way to not allow you to use it in the first place. Lastly i'm already paying just as much for unlimited data as for my actual phone plan, and the amount they charge for unlimited data is comparable to what a regular isp charges for home internet, so no, I definately don't feel bad using it with my laptop when I need to. And as its not hurting anybody, I don't see who is loosing out by doing this..? Now i will admit that it could be a problem if everyone was using it for all of their internet access, but in reality most people don't even know about this feature or wouldn't ever have a use for it.

I never said every once in awhile was wrong. Hell, I do it, and don't feel at all bad either. What I do disagree with is people using the phone as their ISP, as in, their permanent connection to the internet. Its a PDA plan, not a laptop plan. It SAYS SO in the feature you suscribe to. They have Laptop plans for what some want to do.

[ptlee8202]

Originally Posted by mexiken

Well, lets see. The feature is called, "Unlimited PDA Max", or, "Media (Net) Max Unlimited", Media Net being the common gateway for your phone. Seeing as how PDA is in the title, as well as unlimited, anybody who isnt trying to RIP OFF the company would think, "hm, I get PDA acccess, and its unlimited". Show me somewhere on your contract where it DOESN'T say PDA in the same of the feature....

The point is: Keep ripping off the company, I could care less. But if they come after you (and I think they should, because anyone who wont pay the 20 bucks extra to tether legally and in effect make AT&T your ISP is just, IMHO, a cheap skate), then face the consequences. They should make you pay all those excess charges if you're using the phone as your ISP.

I don't even use tethering. Like I said, there's wifi routers around all over the place. I just like arguing with you. You must have been away from ATT for awhile cause there are also some smartphone unlimited plans now in addition to those you mentioned. Anyway, they all say unlimited (but should say limited unlimited). And, yes, they are an ISP. I don't get your point. You think some people are using it instead of DSL or Cable internet in their homes? Now, that's crazy. Way too slow for me. I'm ready to get fiber optic.

Why do you only speak about tethering and not about streaming. Let's say you stream youtube and sirius radio everyday and eat up 5G per month. That is not tethering but they will terminate your contract just the same.

And what's with all the other features they want you to pay extra for? Why is there a tier pricing anyway for data + tethering? Don't you use just as much data whether you are tethered to a razr, Q, or Blackberry. But it cost less to tether using a razr. It's no difference to the network. But, they can just charge you any way they want. Blackberries are business devices so you know why they charge the most for that plan. Business can afford to pay more. Most people know any of the devices can work just as well on any of the unlimited data plans even tough the salesperson will try to tell you that your Q can only work on the more expensive PDA plan.

I guess you have your reasons for siding with ATT but most people see them as a big greedy corporation. Let's say I get all the features available for data and don't use more that 1M per month. You think they would ask me to switch plans to save money or offer to give me some money back?

For some reason, all those extra charges reminded me of that episode of 'I Love Lucy' where the vacuum salesman sells her the 'works' and then sells her all the rest.

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by ptlee8202

I don't even use tethering. Like I said, there's wifi routers around all over the place. I just like arguing with you. You must have been away from ATT for awhile cause there are also some smartphone unlimited plans now in addition to those you mentioned. Anyway, they all say unlimited (but should say limited unlimited). And, yes, they are an ISP. I don't get your point. You think some people are using it instead of DSL or Cable internet in their homes? Now, that's crazy. Way too slow for me. I'm ready to get fiber optic.

Why do you only speak about tethering and not about streaming. Let's say you stream youtube and sirius radio everyday and eat up 5G per month. That is not tethering but they will terminate your contract just the same.

And what's with all the other features they want you to pay extra for? Why is there a tier pricing anyway for data + tethering? Don't you use just as much data whether you are tethered to a razr, Q, or Blackberry. But it cost less to tether using a razr. It's no difference to the network. But, they can just charge you any way they want. Blackberries are business devices so you know why they charge the most for that plan. Business can afford to pay more. Most people know any of the devices can work just as well on any of the unlimited data plans even tough the salesperson will try to tell you that your Q can only work on the more expensive PDA plan.

I guess you have your reasons for siding with ATT but most people see them as a big greedy corporation. Let's say I get all the features available for data and don't use more that 1M per month. You think they would ask me to switch plans to save money or offer to give me some money back?

For some reason, all those extra charges reminded me of that episode of 'I Love Lucy' where the vacuum salesman sells her the 'works' and then sells her all the rest.

No, I haven't been away for awhile, you're just outdated with the plans. The "Smartphone" category is outdated, and can't be applied to an account anymore. That was for phones like the MPX220, or the 2125. Like I said, outdated.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-pho...one-plans/pda-
personal-plans.jsp

Looks like its called PDA to me....

And yes, people DO use them instead of DSL or Cable. 3G is pretty fast. I have FiOs, but still, 3G is no slouch either.

I'm not a marketing major, nor do I work for them anymore. I am simply rationlizing based on my experiences with the technology, and the understanding of it from an Engineering standpoint.

[ptlee8202]

Originally Posted by mexiken

No, I haven't been away for awhile, you're just outdated with the plans. The "Smartphone" category is outdated, and can't be applied to an account anymore. That was for phones like the MPX220, or the 2125. Like I said, outdated.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-pho...one-plans/pda-
personal-plans.jsp

Looks like its called PDA to me....

And yes, people DO use them instead of DSL or Cable. 3G is pretty fast. I have FiOs, but still, 3G is no slouch either.

I'm not a marketing major, nor do I work for them anymore. I am simply rationlizing based on my experiences with the technology, and the understanding of it from an Engineering standpoint.

Thanks. That's another point against them. Look how fast they change their plans. You can't even keep track what plan you have, what you can, or can't do.
On a whim next month, they might just switch and not charge for tethering as they once did. At one time, all you had to do was buy a cable and some software from them.

[bige1919]

Originally Posted by ptlee8202

i don't see why you need to use this anyway. you can't go very far without finding a wifi router that is unsecured.
it's not illegal yet. is it?

I do a lot of traveling for work, its really convenient while in car or airport that doesn't have wifi. the last few months i have been using about 500 mb a month using tethering sparingly, do you think thats enough to raise suspicion ? I heard something about a 5 gig limit.

According to what the contract says it sounds like ATT will turn a blind eye, as they should, unless you go overboard and use the phones connection all time. If they really didn't want people to use it at all they should have been able to disable that feature in the phones unless people paid for it, then this whole point would be mute.

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by bige1919

I do a lot of traveling for work, its really convenient while in car or airport that doesn't have wifi. the last few months i have been using about 500 mb a month using tethering sparingly, do you think thats enough to raise suspicion ? I heard something about a 5 gig limit.

According to what the contract says it sounds like ATT will turn a blind eye, as they should, unless you go overboard and use the phones connection all time. If they really didn't want people to use it at all they should have been able to disable that feature in the phones unless people paid for it, then this whole point would be mute.

You'll be fine. As long as you don't get into the Gigs (and I mean multiple), then AT&T will indeed just turn a blind eye.

[bige1919]

Originally Posted by mexiken

You'll be fine. As long as you don't get into the Gigs (and I mean multiple), then AT&T will indeed just turn a blind eye.

It sounds like you worked for ATT in some engineering aspect, do you know why they didn't just disable this feature in the phone unless people paid for it? Or are they planning on doing this in the future?

[mexiken]

Originally Posted by bige1919

It sounds like you worked for ATT in some engineering aspect, do you know why they didn't just disable this feature in the phone unless people paid for it? Or are they planning on doing this in the future?

I did work for them, but not in any engineering aspect. I happen to be studying computer engineering at school though.

AT&T has no problem with you tethering here and there. They just don't want you and a million other users to start using it at home, instead of your home ISP. That causes a lot of undue stress to the network, because its jut not built to handle all that data. Phones have their own specific protocol of browsing, and all the networks were built around that.