AT&T and Tethering

This sucks. So, should get ask for our Money back from Tetherberry ?

Any Comments please ?

The distinction between data usage on a mobile phone and data usage on a laptop is significant due to the capacity and potential uses of the devices. There is only so much you can do with a phone. There is no limit to what you can do with a laptop.

So it makes sense for AT&T to sell one data plan for the phone and another for the laptops. It is also beneficial to those consumers who don't want a laptop data plan. They don't have to pay for the bigger "pipes" needed to support those who want a laptop data plan. If cable TV were run the same way I wouldn't have to pay for all those religious and shopping channels.

I don't think tetherberry has a moral or legal obligation with respect to a consumer's use of their product. Yes, there are many people who will use it to steal services from their carriers, but it is not the problem, the thieves are the problem.

Integrity is measured by the way one act when "no one is watching" or when one "won't get caught." To be sure there are many ways one could "justify" stealing services from AT&T. Some would even claim that simply because they can it is justifiable.

But tetherberry is not responsible for the lack of integrity of its customers.

Can you provide the source of this claim? We have a number of people on various forums spreading false ToS, to stop people from using our service.

Its found here
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/wireless-terms.jsp
if you click Data Service terms and conditions a popup will open.

About half way down there is a place that says Prohibited and Permissible uses:
in that paragraph it reads:

"Furthermore, plans(unless specifically designated for tethering usage) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device (through use of, including without limitation, connection kits, other phone/PDA-to computer accessories, Bluetooth® or any other wireless technology) to Personal Computers (including without limitation, laptops), or other equipment for any purpose"

which is why I have not purchased your software. I would like to have it but that is in black and white!

I NEED AN INDEFINITE ANSWER HERE...

My Situation:
-I currently pay for an ATT unlimited plan on my BB Curve.
-I receive decent mobile signal at my clients' residence, but he has no wireless Internet.
-Like all of your users,I could REALLY use wireless on my laptop to access files/etc needed on a daily basis at my clients AND I don't want to pay for an "aircard"/etc...

QUESTIONS:
1. Are ATT BB users out of the question for the Tetherberry product/service (due to their TOS - as posted above)? - Is it LEGAL?

2. If purchased does it work as well as it obviously does with VZW customers?

3. Will ATT bill me EXTRA/more if I use Tetherberry to tether my laptop to Curve/BB?

Thank You.

According to this paragraph from AT&T's website, six2one is correct. Modest use (< 5 GB per month) appears to be OK. Of course this brings another question: is there an easy way to track one's monthly usage?

PDA/BLACKBERRY PLANS WITH TETHERING
PDA/BlackBerry plans with Tethering may ONLY be used with AT&T-certified RIM BlackBerry devices and PDAs for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation). PDA/BlackBerry plans with Tethering may be used to tether such PDA and BlackBerry devices to a Personal Computer. If you are on a data plan that does not include a monthly megabyte allowance and additional data usage rates, the parties agree that AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5 GB in a month. Prior to the imposition of any additional charges, AT&T shall provide you with notice and you shall have the right to terminate your service.

There is a definite difference between something being "Legal" and something being contrary to a specific carrier's TOS. Using Tetherberry is perfectly legal while it might or might not be a TOS violation.

I have no qualms whatsoever in using "my phone" to the best of its capabilities regardless of TOS. I have argued with my carrier for years on how they "try" and restrict usage to "their" sources. When the phone did anything more than allow two people to talk to each other it became for all intents and purposes a computer. My BB Storm definitely has more raw power than my first couple of computers. My carrier is my ISP no more no less. I have a computer that has telephony. It fits into my pocket and it is called a BB Storm. My previous instrument was touted as the latest and greatest by the carrier and promptly abandoned by both the carrier and the manufacturer. That was the LG Dare.

I do not like that the carrier puts their logo on something I have bought and paid for. I don't like that the instrument has cheesy images I cannot delete. I don't like that the instrument has lame ringtones I cannot delete.

My desktop is connected to the net via a cable modem. My pocket PC is a BB Storm and I pay for access and access I will have. I have a wi-fi card for my laptop coming but will use Tetherberry when I need to connect and am not near a wi-fi hotspot and do it without any qualms.

I'm perfectly aware that using Tetherberry is against my carrier's TOS, but I continue to use it. I have an unlimited data plan and tether only occasionally, maybe 200mbs a month. If there was a way for me to pay a reasonable fee to my carrier to occasionally tether, I would. However, Telus does not give Blackberry owners a reasonable option at all and I have no choice but to use Tetherberry or to get an aircard. I can't justify the cost of an aircard for my low usage, so Tetherberry is my best option.

I have used it since it was a beta and I have never been charged extra or have received any communication from Telus about its usage.

I have the 9700. Main account is on T-Mobile, Constantly Roam on ATT. Coverage in my area is really sparse. Personal phone is a Palm Pre on Sprint. WhenI browse on BB, it's mediocre at best. Tethered, it's actually faster than if on BB. Sprint Palm Pre is actually faster than both. Also use Sprint's Air Cards. Basically, I have like 5 conections for all the mobile office stuff, and I'm really liking the Tether. Hopefully, T-Mobile, ATT and GSM will get faster in all areas, until then, it is what it is!

No problems here with ATT and tether with unlimited BB data. Just use tether and keep your mouth shut to your cell provider...they dont understand it and are probably giving a standard response.

Tether is a great program!!! hands down it works great!! im using a Bold 9700 on the att network. great speeds and the Tether interface is easy and seemless..what does it matter if your carrier does not allow tethering with a different program. what they are trying to do is similiar to someone putting a meter on sunlight!! i have an unlimited data plan an i can use it the way i want. the cell carriers are in the business of making money. you cant blame them for not allowing a third party software like tether. Tether steals a level of their business! THIS IS THE AMERICAN WAY AND IM PROUD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CHOICE! YOU GUYS MUST BE A SOCIALIST OBAMA SUPPORTER!

THANK YOU TETHER FOR AN EXCELLENT PRODUCT! ILL BE WAITING TO PURCHASE ANY OTHER PRODUCT YOU GUYS PUT OUT!

P.S. The customer support for Tether is also wonderful. You email them with a concern, and they get back to you....FAST! THANKS AGAIN TETHER TEAM!

What does a speed report from http://speedtest.net show for you?

That does seem a little slow for AT&T.

What BlackBerry are you currently using and what type of connection are you on?

I don't understand what u mean by what connection I'm on. I use wireless at my dads cuz its faster and he has bellsouth. When I'm connecting from my phone I am using the tether, so I'm using my wireless provider which is att. I have a bb curve 8310. I have already checked and there are no updates for my phone. I believe this is a tether issue because like I said before, I have had tether for about a year now, and its ALWAYS been that slow.

I mean is your BlackBerry connection 3G or Edge?

EDGE, but when I connect to internet through my bb, it does fine, its not slow, only when i connect with my laptop

Dial up is 56 kilobits per second, you stated you were downloading and uploading at 400 kilobits per second.

Your speeds are accurate for the EDGE connection you have on your device. Your upload is actually 100 kilobits faster per second than your fathers internet connection according to the speed you reported.

Well as I stated at my dads, anything I DOWNLOAD takes seconds, and anything I DOWNLOAD using tether takes hours, and I am downloading the same thing, so anyway you put it, tether is SLOWER, as far as downloading is concerned. I can deal with the speed using the internet, but its the downloading time using tether that irritates me.

I wasn't trying to upset you, if I have forgive me. I was just trying to let you know that there is nothing wrong with your speed on Tether while having an EDGE data connection, if your connection were 3G Tether would be much faster. Comparable to DSL on some devices.

I am also experiencing the same problems on my bb8900, but after reading these posts I assume there is nothing I can do about it. I went to download a 50 mb file and it said 6hrs, then 9hrs, that's with full signal, EDGE. Use atnt, and this has always been a problem for me. Yeah its btr than nothing but almost useless. Guess I need a 3G phone huh? Any advanced tricks or fixes to this problem?