Does AT&T know if you're tethering with MyWi

[csewrx]

I read all the relevant post on this one on here but don't seem to have a definite answer and emailing the MyWi folks was pretty much useless. They said they didn't know which seems kind of stupid to me for them not to know. They put this product out so I would think they would want to know if it hurts their business or not.

But can AT&T really tell if you're tethering with MyWi on FW 4.3.1 and above? I have used it and never received any text or letter from AT&T but I don't use that much data in a month. About a 1GB or less on my unlimited plan.

Does anyone on here know for sure they can tell? My phone shows no tethering usage at all (hotspot turned off), but I'd like to know for sure.

I read the posts and it appears to me that AT&T is simply hitting heavy data users and trying to screw them out of their unlimited plans.

Thoughts?

[Stray]

Just heavy data users

[urwack]

Theres a couple of threads on it on the site. Some people say they use mywi all the time and didn't get anything from AT&T while others have used it alot and have gotten something from them. I believe the topics are called AT&T vs Unlimited Data Plans 1&2

[Kouper]

Not sure if AT&T Knows Im using MyWi, however Im sure they've noticed I went from a couple GB a month in use to dozens of GB... Since I've got a data capped plan for my home internet I use my phone's mywi to do all my game patching/downloading on the PC.... so overnight I'll burn through a couple GB or more....

[Stray]

World of warcraft?

[csewrx]

Urwack - I read both of those threads and I gathered the same thing myself but I'm trying to be sure.

Thank you guys. I gathered this from those threads but you can't be too careful given AT&T's crap. I definitely don't want to lose my unlimited. I really hate them but they're a necessity.

[Kouper]

World of warcraft?

Yes. lol

[Stray]

Yup figured i hate those patches

[stoopkid]

Maybe they look for users who connect to desktop versions of websites that are typically redirected to a mobile site when on the iPhone. For instance if a user is connecting to Facebook.com a lot instead of mobile.Facebook.com (or whatever it is) they can figure it's not your iPhone actually making the connection. Moreover they can probably just tell the difference between iPhone activity and desktop activity.

[csewrx]

Well here's an update. A buddy of mine uses MyWi on FW version 4.2.1 and has been tethering for months. He got the text and email and when he called in, the AT&T associate told him the program they detected and told him that he has been tethering with that program (MyWi). Now if MyWi was the only tethering program, I could see them guessing, but since there are several I believe AT&T does have a way to know if you have been tethering.

He asked for proof of them knowing he was tethering and told him that if he continues after 4/29/11 they would put him on the $45 plan. They said if he complained they could provide detailed proof. Just what he told me.

I don't know, but for them to recite back the program he is using to him.....and with the info of Apple tracking all our stuff in the .db file this week, it really makes me wonder if they do have a way to track it and have for a while. That to me makes MyWi or tethering useless at this point. Ugh

[u95768]

I'm in agreement with CSEWRX, as I also called in after getting the texts and email; I gave AT&T the usual song and dance about using my phone to stream Pandora/Hulu/Netflix and GPS Drive, and they did not EVEN SKIP A BEAT before they called me out and said," We're not referring to the amount of data you use, but we are referring to the fact that you ARE tethering your phone to other devices. Your choices are to cease tethering and no action will occur, or if you continue tethering, we will place you on our tethering plan, but you will unfortunately lose your unlimited data plan during the conversion. Would you like to go over the different plans?"
Anyway, the whole conversation scared the hell out of me, especially when I insisted that I wasn't tethering or using third-party apps (Lies! All lies! Haha!) and the Rep basically countered with a sarcasm-laced retort of: Yeahhhhh.....righhhhhtttt...
So, I'm a damn believer now, and I'm not going anywhere near the MyWi button unless someone comes up with a way that we can shield the use..



and we

[StealthBravo]

I havent got a notice yet

[Stray]

How much do you use a month?

[StealthBravo]

4 gb

[Stray]

That's probably why. That isn't that much. I can hit 20+ gbs on my phone

[StealthBravo]

well thats abuse

[Stray]

With T-Mobile tho.

[StealthBravo]

Thats really abuse if its all on edge

[Stray]

Yeah it sucks my parents took my data off like 2 weeks,ago

[StealthBravo]

You dont pay for home internet?