Categories: News

AT&T Goes After Tethering On JailBroken Phones

30+ must see flexible iPhone mounts & stands

One does not have to be a genius to realize how greedy some wireless carriers can be. In case of AT&T, we already know the company is determined to slow down data hogs. It is hoping to merge with T-Mobile as soon as possible to solve some of the challenges that it faces. In the meantime, AT&T will have to reduce the load on its network by slowing down unlimited plan customers that don’t understand nothing is unlimited.

AT&T had this to say about the steps it is taking to deal with its network issues:

Starting October 1, smartphone customers with unlimited data plans may experience reduced speeds once their usage in a billing cycle reaches the level that puts them among the top 5 percent of heaviest data users.  These customers can still use unlimited data and their speeds will be restored with the start of the next billing cycle. 

Things are worse than they seem though. According to multiple sources, AT&T has been going after customers who are jailbreaking their phones to tether or create hotspots. 9to5 Mac reports that AT&T could move “tetherers” on jailbroken phones to a tethering plan ($45 a month) automatically. AT&T has confirmed that it will not tolerate people getting away with tethering without paying. Notified customers can:

1) Stop tethering and keep their current plan (including grandfathered unlimited plan)

2) Proactively call AT&T or visit our stores and move to the required tethering plan

3) Do nothing and we’ll go ahead and add the tethering plan on their behalf — after the dated noted in their customer notification

This is not the most customer-friendly move AT&T could have taken. Moving folks to a tethering plan without their consent is a dangerous approach. AT&T obviously made a big mistake by selling unlimited plans and then putting restrictions on it. At the same time, the company does owe its other customers to reduce congestion in its wireless network. Could AT&T face lawsuits over its latest moves? That remains to be seen.

Your thoughts: is AT&T justified for its latest moves against jailbreakers?

*Our articles may contain aff links. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclaimer on how we fund this site.

Share
Tags: t

Recent Posts

Sunny Smart Compact Mini Elliptical with Bluetooth App Connectivity

You don't always need a huge exercise machine to get your body working at home.…

1 day ago

Mado Solar Powered Shades with App

Smart shades are nothing new. We have already covered a bunch of them that you…

2 days ago

Sandmarc iPhone 16e Microscope Lens (40X)

So you would like to observe small objects on your iPhone 16e clearly? The Sandmarc…

2 days ago

HOVERAir X1 PROMAX 8K Flying Action Camera

This is the HOVERAir X1 PROMAX: a flying action camera with 8k video recording capability…

2 days ago

Co-Reader in Matter: Perplexity Powered AI Reading App

AI is being integrated into many of our favorite products, including IDEs and even reading…

3 days ago

Dynamic Folio Floating Station for iPad

The latest generation iPads are wonderful for content and art generation. With a decent stand,…

3 days ago