TM (USA) currently charged for tethering

[mandony]

Curious questions about TM tethering charges.

With the BB Playbook soon to come out, there is an option to use tether PB<>BB phone (and other smart phones). TM has 'rate schedules' for tethering ranging from about $10-15/month.
This topic will become more relative after the PB comes out. The beauty of PB is it's ability to connect to the Internet through a BB (or other 'smartphone') phone data plan, as opposed to a specific carrier- except the Sprint 4G model to come out later.


a) Are you presently paying for a tethering plan?
If so, how much do you pay/month, where are you located, and how long have you been a TM customer?

b) Do you use tethering without a plan?
If so, how much bandwidth do you use?

c) If you started to use tethering without a plan, did TM automatically start to charge you for a plan or bandwidth?
If so, how much bandwidth did you use before the charge started?

[redman12]

T-Mobile doesn't charge for tethering, not sure what you are talking about.

[mandony]

Originally Posted by redman12

T-Mobile doesn't charge for tethering, not sure what you are talking about.

On 7April11, 611 CS (in New York City) stated: $9.95/month.
Other threads have stated CS quoting $14.99/month
SEE:
http://forums.crackberry.com/f222/tm...aybook-602185/
That posting is on the PB section.

This is from TM's website:
Latest News | T-Mobile Kicks Off New Low-Cost Data Service Plans

[Artemis68]

Tmobile started charging for tethering in the last quarter or so of 2010. This is nothing new.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Jaszman]

Artemis68, I've been following a couple of different threads about tethering and I've noticed that some of the tmobile customers have been slamed by TMO for tethering while others seem to have slid under the wire and are still tethering for free.

Do you think this has anything to do with data usage, I was hoping you might have some insight into weather tmobile is watching for large (over 5GB) usage only, or if it is just a matter of stages, starting with large data users and eventually stopping all tethering for all (even less than 50mb) users.

[Armando175]

Good thing I ran into this thread because I need to know this information too. I know TMO charges for tethering BUT people keep saying is only for Android devices and not for BBs. My niece is going to Philadelphia and she wants to tether her BB while there. I don't want to call CS and ask because they might tell me I need to pay while probably some, as stated above, have slipped through the radar. I told my niece to just tether and I'll pay for the charges but not to abuse it while she's there.

[Gucci33]

According to kevins pb review it is practically impossible to track tethering therefore should be free. Unless you tell them.....

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mandony]

Originally Posted by Gucci33

According to kevins pb review it is practically impossible to track tethering therefore should be free. Unless you tell them.....

Kevin said: The connection is made between the PlayBook and other mobile device via Bluetooth. The PlayBook can tether via any mobile device that supports Bluetooth tethering via the dial up networking protocol. It does not have to be a BlackBerry Smartphone. Once tethered, the PlayBook can now run applications that require data, including the web browser.

I am not sure if he means that the PB is transparent to the TM servers. Only that your 'data' comes from your data plan.

I have an 'unlimited BB Internet' plan. It seems to me, there should not be an extra charge for any amount of Internet 'data'.

[Artemis68]

Originally Posted by Jaszman

Artemis68, I've been following a couple of different threads about tethering and I've noticed that some of the tmobile customers have been slamed by TMO for tethering while others seem to have slid under the wire and are still tethering for free.

Do you think this has anything to do with data usage, I was hoping you might have some insight into weather tmobile is watching for large (over 5GB) usage only, or if it is just a matter of stages, starting with large data users and eventually stopping all tethering for all (even less than 50mb) users.

I've been reading some too and it seems that SOME people are getting texts from T-Mobile telling them to add a tethering package. And then they find that they can't tether anymore (USB-wise).

Now, from what I've read, this seems to be targeting the heavy users. I've heard of a few very light users getting "caught" but not as many.

The good news is is that there is a "user agent" work around. People who were "caught" can modify the user agent on Firefox to make the T-Mobile network think that they are accessing the net via their cell phone. It's a really quick and easy fix that restores tethering capability.

Google it and find the solution out. Here is the "EasyTether for Android" FAQ. Go to "Hot questions". That should get you started.
EasyTether - Android tethering F.A.Q. EasyTether with Froyo, EasyTether T-Mobile, EasyTether for Mac, EasyTether with Ubuntu, EasyTether with PS3, Wii, XBox

[mandony]

For BB Playbook users this may be a moot point. Apparently the bluetooth 'bridge' app has data from the PB pipe directly to the BB servers. So, if you have a PB<>BB phone combo, with an unlimited BB Internet plan, the PB use will also be unlimited. No 'tethering' is used to accomplish this connection.

[mandony]

The answer came with my first TM(US) bill using the BBPlaybook with tether.

My plan: BB PREF / unlimited Internet
Result: There was no extra charge for tether or anything else.
Conclusion: tether "Browser" is much faster then BB "Bridge Browser", therefore I will use tether. The downside is that it takes about 30 extra seconds to login to tether, bridge is almost immediately.

I look forward to obtain the new BB9900, the first BB that has 4G.
This means there is no need to obtain a PB with a dedicated network plan.
GOOD job BB.
Now, if we can get a Skype app using data plan, there will be no reason to get a high price network phone plan!