AT&T Witch Hunt Letter re: Tethering (1 Viewer)

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

So I get a letter and a text from AT&T today accusing me of using my phone as a mobile hotspot and tethering to other devices. They're saying they're going to switch me into a crappy 5 GB plan if I continue tethering. I'm lucky enough to still have a GF'd unlimited plan with an IPhone and obviously I don't want to lose that.

I have no idea what they're talking about here- I've been using the phone the same way now for 7 years with no need for a hotspot -and after calling customer service I'm pretty sure their reps don't either. Kept talking about how there's "something" on the phone that "triggered an alert in their system". I think they just want to kill off my unlimited plan.

Anyone else ever get this letter? What did you do about it? And how would I even begin to see if something on my device is "tethering"?

 

[Mister CIA]

Ask to see the Car Fax.

 

[mquinnjr]

You're getting what you're paying for. AT&T HATES it when that happens.

BOL, and lie/cheat/steal to make sure they keep you on unlimited data.

 

[[icon]]

Tell them you're not tethering and demand proof after such accusations.

Likely they're sending those letters to anyone using over 3GB/mo of data or something. What's your useage ?

 

[3C's]

tethering is using your phone to provide internet access to another device (laptop). an indication of tethering could be a sharp increase in data usage, or just general high data usage. as icon said, if you're showing a high amount of data usage vs average users they will want to move you to another higher priced plan.

 

[Abraham]

"I'm not tethering, I just watch a lot of porn."

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

tethering is using your phone to provide internet access to another device (laptop). an indication of tethering could be a sharp increase in data usage, or just general high data usage. as icon said, if you're showing a high amount of data usage vs average users they will want to move you to another higher priced plan.

This is probably it. The rep said a letter can be triggered by activity in the system from 2-3 months ago. 2-3 months ago I was streaming a ton of the World Cup on my phone so I probably racked up the data usage that month, as is presumably warranted under an "unlimited" data plan. That's not tethering though, that's just high data usage (for one month).

So this is their tactic? Falsely accuse people of something and ram them into a different plan? Stay classy at&t.

(Oh and in before the soccer sucks crowd)

 

[3C's]

tethering is using your phone to provide internet access to another device (laptop). an indication of tethering could be a sharp increase in data usage, or just general high data usage. as icon said, if you're showing a high amount of data usage vs average users they will want to move you to another higher priced plan.

This is probably it. The rep said a letter can be triggered by activity in the system from 2-3 months ago. 2-3 months ago I was streaming a ton of the World Cup on my phone so I probably racked up the data usage that month, as is presumably warranted under an "unlimited" data plan. That's not tethering though, that's just high data usage (for one month).

So this is their tactic? Falsely accuse people of something and ram them into a different plan? Stay classy at&t.

(Oh and in before the soccer sucks crowd)

Pretty much. If usage returns to normal/below their threshold they'll leave you alone. My home ISP (Cox) has sent me a few nastygrams when I've gone over their limit. 250GB limit and a few months ago we hit 410GB. I explained it was an anomaly (son downloading games) and we'll be staying under their limit. Not sure about AT&T but with Verizon the unlimited plan I used to have wasn't really unlimited. They'd put you on notice when going over 2GB.

 

[Fat Nick]

I'm on the unlimited plan too, and for a while, I was using my phone to stream Pandora at work...I listend to streaming music for like 10 hours straight many days. I really didn't care if I walked away from my desk, etc. Well, I apparently used like 5 GB of data, and got a nasty letter. They didn't tell me they thought I was tethering though...they just said they would throttle back my bandwidth.

I started listening to music on my PC and my usage went down...nothing since.

I think it's more specific than just data usage. A lot of websites have mobile and desktop sites...were you accessing a lot of desk-top version sites or something? Just trying to figure out what could have triggered them into thinking it was tethering specifically...

 

[Fat Nick]

Oh...and LOL @ calling anything "Unlimited" these days. It's complete BS. Call it what it is..."you can use however much we can support...go over and we'll find ways to make it uncomfortable for you so you slow down...but it's still unlimited."

 

[3C's]

I'm on the unlimited plan too, and for a while, I was using my phone to stream Pandora at work...I listend to streaming music for like 10 hours straight many days. I really didn't care if I walked away from my desk, etc. Well, I apparently used like 5 GB of data, and got a nasty letter. They didn't tell me they thought I was tethering though...they just said they would throttle back my bandwidth.

I started listening to music on my PC and my usage went down...nothing since.

I think it's more specific than just data usage. A lot of websites have mobile and desktop sites...were you accessing a lot of desk-top version sites or something? Just trying to figure out what could have triggered them into thinking it was tethering specifically...

I use Dolphin Browser on my Android and have it in "desktop" mode so I never go to mobile sites.

 

[Fat Nick]

I'm on the unlimited plan too, and for a while, I was using my phone to stream Pandora at work...I listend to streaming music for like 10 hours straight many days. I really didn't care if I walked away from my desk, etc. Well, I apparently used like 5 GB of data, and got a nasty letter. They didn't tell me they thought I was tethering though...they just said they would throttle back my bandwidth.

I started listening to music on my PC and my usage went down...nothing since.

I think it's more specific than just data usage. A lot of websites have mobile and desktop sites...were you accessing a lot of desk-top version sites or something? Just trying to figure out what could have triggered them into thinking it was tethering specifically...

I use Dolphin Browser on my Android and have it in "desktop" mode so I never go to mobile sites.

Do you have an unlimited plan? I wasn't sure if they ever really offered this to Android folks or not. If that's not it, I'd be really curious how they suspect somebody of tethering just by monitoring web traffic.

 

[[icon]]

Probably just send em a pic of your junk with "Your move, ATT" written on it.

 

[SacramentoBob]

Probably just send em a pic of your junk with "Your move, ATT" written on it.

That would use up a couple more GB of data.

 

[3C's]

Explanation of (one way) how AT&T detects tethering. Talks about jailbroken phones but I assume works the same on non jailbroken phones too if stock tethering is used. Doesn't seem to be the case here though.

Jailbroken iPhones typically use the same tethering technique as a standard iPhone, the one that's already present in iOS. This method exposes tethering activity quite readily, because the iPhone, when in tethering mode, sends traffic through an alternate APN (AT&T access point/router) for the express purpose of identifying the traffic as tethered data. This makes it extremely easy for AT&T to identify whether or not an iOS device is utilizing tethering, and just how much of their data is consumed via tethering.

 

[Bucks]

So they accuse you of misuse solely because of your above average utilization of your unlimited plan. They want you to keep your unlimited use under 5GB or else switch to their 5GB plan making your grandfathered unlimited plan meaningless. They just want to blame you for them not wanting to continue to provide you an unlimited plan rather than just telling you they are eliminating it. What a crappy company.

 

[D in the D]

Oh...and LOL @ calling anything "Unlimited" these days. It's complete BS. Call it what it is..."you can use however much we can support...go over and we'll find ways to make it uncomfortable for you so you slow down...but it's still unlimited."

Its like going to an all you can eat pancake breakfast and getting stopped after 18 servings.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

anyone getting the new messages from AT&T? "You have reached 75% of the 5gb network management threshold. IF you exceed 5 gb you experience reduced data speeds at time and in areas that are experiencing network congestion. Wi-Fi helps avoid reduced speeds.

unlimited my arsse.

Also, use your wifi please and stay off our network as much as possible.

 

[mquinnjr]

anyone getting the new messages from AT&T? "You have reached 75% of the 5gb network management threshold. IF you exceed 5 gb you experience reduced data speeds at time and in areas that are experiencing network congestion. Wi-Fi helps avoid reduced speeds.

unlimited my arsse.

Also, use your wifi please and stay off our network as much as possible.

"Our network is the fastest because we boot the users who use the network."

I hear you can cruise on the Atlanta highways in the Walking Dead.

 

[[icon]]

anyone getting the new messages from AT&T? "You have reached 75% of the 5gb network management threshold. IF you exceed 5 gb you experience reduced data speeds at time and in areas that are experiencing network congestion. Wi-Fi helps avoid reduced speeds.

unlimited my arsse.

Also, use your wifi please and stay off our network as much as possible.

That's not going to last long... :

AT&T just got hit with a $100 million fine after slowing down its ‘unlimited’ data

The FCC found that when customers used up a certain amount of data watching movies or browsing the Web, AT&T "throttled" their Internet speeds so that they were much slower than normal. Millions of AT&T customers were affected by the practice, according to the FCC.

The fine, which AT&T says it will fight, is the largest ever levied by the agency.

AT&T implemented the practice in 2011, prompting thousands of customers to complain to the FCC, according to an agency statement.

By not properly disclosing the policy to consumers who thought they were getting "unlimited" data, the company violated the FCC's rules on corporate transparency, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement.

"Consumers deserve to get what they pay for,” Wheeler said. “Broadband providers must be upfront and transparent about the services they provide. The FCC will not stand idly by while consumers are deceived by misleading marketing materials and insufficient disclosure.”

Many of AT&T’s unlimited customers have 4G LTE service, which typically provides mobile Internet speeds of more than 30 megabits per second. That's roughly 60 times faster than the speeds experienced when AT&T throttled subscribers, who were slowed to speeds equivalent to dial-up, according to a senior FCC official.

But consumers are unlikely to receive any money from the fine, which will go instead to the U.S. Treasury, said the agency official.

AT&T disputed the charges. “The FCC has specifically identified this practice as a legitimate and reasonable way to manage network resources for the benefit of all customers, and has known for years that all of the major carriers use it," the company said in a statement.

"We have been fully transparent with our customers, providing notice in multiple ways and going well beyond the FCC’s disclosure requirements.”

This isn't the first time AT&T's unlimited data policy has landed the company in hot water. The Federal Trade Commission sued the telecom company in October, alleging that 3.5 million users had their Internet service slowed to dial-up speeds an average of 12 days every month.

This comes at a tricky time for AT&T, which is trying to convince regulators to approve its $49 billion acquisition of the nation’s largest satellite TV provider, DirecTV.

at the bold/red though.....

 

[CBusAlex]

anyone getting the new messages from AT&T? "You have reached 75% of the 5gb network management threshold. IF you exceed 5 gb you experience reduced data speeds at time and in areas that are experiencing network congestion. Wi-Fi helps avoid reduced speeds.

unlimited my arsse.

Also, use your wifi please and stay off our network as much as possible.

I get these all the time. My response is usually to turn my wifi off and stream Netflix for the rest of the day, because I DON'T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS, AT&T.