Tutor
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1 Message
Unlimited Data Plan and Personal Hotspot possible?
Hello all,
I have been a customer with AT&T for over 10 years now and was pretty disappointed with the conversation I just had with one of their customer service representatives. Since I first purchased an iPhone I have had the unlimited data plan for $30 that was required for purchase at the time. I recognize that since they've done away with unlimited data as an option, I have not gone over the 2GB $25 plan, but I still have opted to pay the extra for unlimited usage in case the day should come that I needed it.
Today I called the customer service line to inquire about why I was not able to set up a personal hotspot (when I try, my phone tells me to contact AT&T). I was told that I would need to "upgrade" (don't get stuck on the terms) to a 2GB ($25) or 5GB ($50) monthly option in order to use this feature. Something about this seems off to me since I have been carrying forward a plan that AT&T required me to have in the first place, but now it disqualifies me from a feature of the phone - not due to capabilities, mind you.
Does anyone know if there is the ability to combine these two features? Really frustrated with AT&T for making it (seem hopefully) an impossibility.
Appreciated.
pgrey
Master
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3.5K Messages
8 years ago
I would venture to BOTH are a priority, getting Android to MM is clearly a hot issue, and WiFi Calling and VoLTE across the spectrum is as well, particularly for those of us who can't always get a cell signal, say at certain locations, as is my problem, on a lot of weekends.
I sort of think of this as say an ISP saying "you didn't buy the computer from us, you can't use some VOIP features, or certain internet features, we're not going to let you interface to those", I can't imagine that would be very popular.
Pleas correct my analogy if it's not in-line.
I get that there are a lot of moving pieces, but other carriers are starting to roll these out across multiple devices...
I like being an AT&T customer, and having consistent service, but I also want to be able to use features that would enable me to use my phone on the weekends, without having to get another carriers' device, just to forward to that number for Wifi Calling coverage...
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David606
Employee
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3.5K Messages
8 years ago
Some ISPs refuse to open certain ports for usage so that is in a way, similar. And in fact it is their right to not allow traffic to flow through those ports on their network, up to and including, the last mile. With an ISP it's not the computer that has anything to do with it....the PC does not directly interface with the network...the modem does. If you bring your own modem, they may certainly not allow certain features to work.
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GLIMMERMAN76
ACE - Expert
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23.9K Messages
8 years ago
@David606
actually the new net neutrality rules dont let them block any traffic.
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Crimsonenvy
Contributor
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1 Message
8 years ago
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Chynnaclark
Contributor
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1 Message
8 years ago
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David606
Employee
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3.5K Messages
8 years ago
It's just how it is. Cellular data is not a replacement for wired broadband. I know other carriers feature some tethering with unlimited data. T-Mobile is 7GB, or is it 14GB now? Sprint I think had an allocation too. Not sure about Verizon. I don't even think they offer it.
Go with what fits your needs is the only advice I can give to someone. If not having hotspot capabilities is a dealbreaker I tell everyone to find a provider that can meet that need.
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formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
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117.5K Messages
8 years ago
@Chynnaclark
Verizon - Back in the days of unlimited data, charged $30, you could add tethering for another $30 and then the fee for unlimited went up to $50 - just for data. The plan for talk and text was additional $70-90. One line on this no longer offered plan was a minimum of $150 and did not include phones.
So you had 14 days to cancel everything and pay just for service used and a restocking fee. Or port back to Verizon and use the switch offer they have. Complaining rather than doing something about it is silly.
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CaocLA
Teacher
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5 Messages
8 years ago
But here it the deal. Clearly AT&T can monitor if unauthorized tethering is occurring. So if that technology is available, why not make LIMITED personal hotspot access available? Not necessarily for regular PC use, but limited use--for instance, allowing an iPad or Laptop to check workout e-mail while traveling, or send a quick document.
It is a critical convenience, and if limited to, say, 1GB per month (or even less, perhaps even 500 MB), then very little harm. The protection against abuse makes sense. But AT&T (other the others) should recognize the convenience to customers, and the nature of the world we live in, to see why limited tethering is a realistic necessity.
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David606
Employee
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3.5K Messages
8 years ago
Well there is a bit of a difference in how that is done. Watching for unauthorized tethering means looking at intricate details such as point of demarcation, usage patterns and peer to peer traffic. Being able to do limited tethering means the billing and provisioning system needs a way to set an arbitrary limit for hotspot and then disable the feature essentially until the cycle resets. As far as I know on Mobile Share Value plans the tethering/hotspot provisioning just allows it to be turned on and the data usage and reporting is all the same, from the allocation of the MSV plan. There isn't a different data pool, it's all the same one. Sure anything is possible but unless the billing system has a way to set a limit for tethering on unlimited plans it isn't going to happen it appears.
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Gary L
ACE - Expert
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16.5K Messages
8 years ago
I guess my question is:
How much untethered data do you use?
I just dumped my unlimited (grandfathered plan) and switched my 3 lines to a Mobile Share plan and I've got way more data than I've EVER used and we all can tether, rollover and more (and do it for free in 2 more countries than we used to!). It's pretty close to the same price (even factoring in phone costs) to the old plan.
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