Wi-fi Hot spot wireless tethering

[homegeek]

I just picked up a Nexus and have probably a dumb question. I have it hooked up to ATT right now. If I use the built in hot spot feature of the phone, is ATT going to know and will I be charged extra? I currently have an unlimited data plan on ATT so that is not a concern. I just want to know if they will charge me in addition to that.

 

[cableguynoe]

I just picked up a Nexus and have probably a dumb question. I have it hooked up to ATT right now. If I use the built in hot spot feature of the phone, is ATT going to know and will I be charged extra? I currently have an unlimited data plan on ATT so that is not a concern. I just want to know if they will charge me in addition to that.

Not sure what AT&T's pricing is on this, but yes.

What you want to do is root your phone, then you can do this for free.

 

[quantumrand]

Not sure what AT&T's pricing is on this, but yes.

What you want to do is root your phone, then you can do this for free.

There's essentially no difference between the built in wireless tethering and the wireless tethering apps for root. It's possible for AT&T (or T-Mobile or Verizon or Sprint or whoever) to find out that you're tethering regardless of the app/method you use.

The issue is weather or not your carrier will care. General consensus is that as long as you don't do anything to draw attention to yourself, you'll be fine. Basically, just avoid downloading gigs of data and things that are easily recognizable as tethered data (like Windows Updates and online gaming).

 

[cableguynoe]

There's essentially no difference between the built in wireless tethering and the wireless tethering apps for root. It's possible for AT&T (or T-Mobile or Verizon or Sprint or whoever) to find out that you're tethering regardless of the app/method you use.

The issue is weather or not your carrier will care. General consensus is that as long as you don't do anything to draw attention to yourself, you'll be fine. Basically, just avoid downloading gigs of data and things that are easily recognizable as tethered data (like Windows Updates and online gaming).

There is a huge difference.
While you are right that they could figure out if you're tethering, with one app they automatically bill you. With the other, they dont. Only if they cared enough to look at your usage and figure out you're using massive amounts of data... which they wont

 

[homegeek]

There is a huge difference.
While you are right that they could figure out if you're tethering, with one app they automatically bill you. With the other, they dont. Only if they cared enough to look at your usage and figure out you're using massive amounts of data... which they wont

Now I am confused. Are you saying that ATT will automatically bill me by using the built in hot spot app?

 

[shrivelfig]

There is a huge difference.
While you are right that they could figure out if you're tethering, with one app they automatically bill you. With the other, they dont. Only if they cared enough to look at your usage and figure out you're using massive amounts of data... which they wont

How will my carrier know which app I'm using?

 

[quantumrand]

There is a huge difference.
While you are right that they could figure out if you're tethering, with one app they automatically bill you. With the other, they dont. Only if they cared enough to look at your usage and figure out you're using massive amounts of data... which they wont

That's not how it works. The built in tethering app is completely independent of the carriers. Now I've never used T-Mobile's G2 or MyTouch 4G, but it's likely that those devices have a tethering app specifically for T-Mobile which actually checks that you have a tethering plan.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that the Nexus S' wireless tethering works perfectly fine without a tethering plan. AT&T will be the exact same way, but as I mentioned earlier, abusing it may cause them to yell at you.

Now I am confused. Are you saying that ATT will automatically bill me by using the built in hot spot app?

AT&T will not automatically bill you. If they find out, they might try to charge you retroactively, but they generally just give you a warning. Even so, when I was on AT&T with my last phone, I used wireless tethering on several occasions, and they never once contacted me or charged me for it.

How will my carrier know which app I'm using?

They won't unless you're using an app specifically for that carrier, aka a bundled bloatware app.