foxfi for the GS3

[smooches680]

Sorry but foxfi Wi-Fi tethering sites not work on Sprint Samsung galaxy S3, you have to setup with Bluetooth and use the pda net app. I also tried many other Wi-Fi tethering apps and they won't work on the Sprint Samsung galaxy S3.

Sent from my White, Sexy S3.

 

[Skunkape60]

I can't find it in the settings to allow third party apps!! Where is it?

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

menu/settings/security/unknown sources

 

[rickspencer]

Sorry but foxfi Wi-Fi tethering sites not work on Sprint Samsung galaxy S3, you have to setup with Bluetooth and use the pda net app. I also tried many other Wi-Fi tethering apps and they won't work on the Sprint Samsung galaxy S3.

Sent from my White, Sexy S3.

Sadly, I have to agree but I finally did get it to work with the Foxfi/Pdanet combo. A lot of hoops to go through on the install though and its about 40% slower - but at least it works.

 

[jonathanm1978]

FYI, unauthorized tethering is a violation of Sprint's standard contract. The only way I know of to legally run a hotspot app on the GS3 is to subscribe to Sprint's add-on hotspot service.

So..what you're saying...is you should pay for data that you already paid for, TWICE?

yeah, that makes sense. I doubt seriously it's in the terms of service...they just provision you to use a function of the phone that is ALREADY A FUNCTION OF THE PHONE.

This isn't something that Sprint incorporates into the phone, GOOGLE--->ANDROID incorporates this function...the providers just put a provisional access on it to get more money from subs.

If it was "illegal" then it don't you think developers who make custom ROMS and rooted users would be getting knocked off and banned with their devices for having ROOTED devices???

Think about it...if they could do this, they would be banning people who root their phones off the network, and the incentive to root a phone would be non-existent. OBVIOUSLY rooting your phone doesn't get your MEID banned, and ROOTED users can WIFI hotspot all they want (because AGAIN, it's a function of the phone, NOT a function the providers give you)

 

[camiller]

So..what you're saying...is you should pay for data that you already paid for, TWICE?

yeah, that makes sense. I doubt seriously it's in the terms of service...they just provision you to use a function of the phone that is ALREADY A FUNCTION OF THE PHONE.

This isn't something that Sprint incorporates into the phone, GOOGLE--->ANDROID incorporates this function...the providers just put a provisional access on it to get more money from subs.

If it was "illegal" then it don't you think developers who make custom ROMS and rooted users would be getting knocked off and banned with their devices for having ROOTED devices???

Think about it...if they could do this, they would be banning people who root their phones off the network, and the incentive to root a phone would be non-existent. OBVIOUSLY rooting your phone doesn't get your MEID banned, and ROOTED users can WIFI hotspot all they want (because AGAIN, it's a function of the phone, NOT a function the providers give you)

Technically it is a violation of the users contract which is a violation of civil (not criminal) law. And yes, with deep packet inspection they can tell that the ultimate destination of a data packet is not the phone (unless your doing some sort of VPN tunneling). However Sprint really wants to retain customers so they are likely only going to ban someone if there is obvious/egregious abuse. Personally I've had no problem setting up a mobile hotspot on my old Palm Pre so my daughter could download an e-book before a flight and send a few messages to friends, but I wouldn't keep a torrent running on a laptop. Somewhere between those extremes is a not publicly defined line that you shouldn't cross.

 

[boomerbubba]

Technically it is a violation of the users contract which is a violation of civil (not criminal) law. And yes, with deep packet inspection they can tell that the ultimate destination of a data packet is not the phone (unless your doing some sort of VPN tunneling). However Sprint really wants to retain customers so they are likely only going to ban someone if there is obvious/egregious abuse. Personally I've had no problem setting up a mobile hotspot on my old Palm Pre so my daughter could download an e-book before a flight and send a few messages to friends, but I wouldn't keep a torrent running on a laptop. Somewhere between those extremes is a not publicly defined line that you shouldn't cross.

Personally, I think the line you shouldn't cross is exactly the line spelled out in your contract, which in black letters says no unauthorized tethering.

For occasional use while traveling, you can use the authorized Sprint hot spot services, which can be prorated for just a few days. You can start and stop the add-on service yourself online. The cost is quite reasonable. If you travel a lot but just need light tethering use, keeping the entry level of 2GB is only $19.99 / month.

p..s. I also disapprove of shoplifting, even if the price of the stolen items is small.

And yes, it is a civil matter. As a Sprint customer, I favor enforcement of the contracts on everyone, myself and yourself included.

 

[boomerbubba]

BTW, why is this thread even allowed in this forum, which supposedly has a "zero tolerance" policy regarding discussions of illegal activities including theft of service?

Perhaps that applies only to criminal matters, not civil contract violations? So is it okay here to scheme openly about how to violate the Sprint contract?

 

[anthonycr]

I'm pretty sure it's not illegal, it just violates your contract which means they could terminate your contract if they found out about it. However, they can't catch you because data is data, I tether my computer and visit the same places I would go on my phone and since I use desktop view in my phone browser there is absolutely no difference in the data my computer pulls down to the data my phone pulls down. You aren't costing them money by tethering.

In my opinion, charging for tethering should be illegal because it is in essence "double taxation" (okay not exactly like it but close). They are basically charging you a fee to use an app. On my provider they charge for tethering but all they do is hide the tether app in the stock launcher so anyone who installs a third party launcher (not against TOS) can access the tether function that they would otherwise pay for.

Tethering is discussed SO MUCH on these forums and its definitely not illegal. Relax already.

 

[boomerbubba]

I'm pretty sure it's not illegal, it just violates your contract which means they could terminate your contract if they found out about it. However, they can't catch you because data is data, I tether my computer and visit the same places I would go on my phone and since I use desktop view in my phone browser there is absolutely no difference in the data my computer pulls down to the data my phone pulls down. You aren't costing them money by tethering.

In my opinion, charging for tethering should be illegal because it is in essence "double taxation" (okay not exactly like it but close). They are basically charging you a fee to use an app. On my provider they charge for tethering but all they do is hide the tether app in the stock launcher so anyone who installs a third party launcher (not against TOS) can access the tether function that they would otherwise pay for.

Tethering is discussed SO MUCH on these forums and its definitely not illegal. Relax already.

The contract is what it is. Unauthorized tethering is clearly prohibited, and anyone who is a Sprint smartphone customer agreed to those terms. Their service is "unlimited" for a single smartphone. But not for tethering, because that could be for multiple devices or for a single PC pulling a lot more data. The only tethered data service offered by Sprint is purchased either by 1) the add-on hot spot service and app, or 2) a dedicated data plan. Both are capped at some level of GB per month.

Tethering pirates just eat up the general bandwidth on the network, slowing down service for the honest customers. I don't see why you expect the general user community here to be sympathetic. It is the rest of us you are hurting.

If you want to tether it and pay for the service, that is fine. You then have a natural incentive to use the service judiciously because you are buying chunks by the gigabyte. But no, kiddies, bandwidth isn't free.

 

[anthonycr]

I personally do not use a ton of data. Probably about 3 GB a month so I have no qualms about tethering because its either my phone or my computer I'm using so I'd use the same amount. Also, up until a month ago, there was no option to pay for tethering on my provider so there was no TOS about tethering. But yes, people do hog the bandwidth and that is selfish and makes everyone pay and kills bandwidth.

By the way, rooting is also against terms of service for carriers, but has been determined to be legal, so there is one example of something you can legally do that violates terms of service (illegal according by your definition) but actually legal according to law... tethering is a product of rooting so it really should fall under the rooting protection.

I look at it like this: I pay for a certain amount of data on my carrier (virgin mobile) 2.5 GB of full speed data (after that it's throttled) so I have the right to use that data as I wish.

But then agaib, if Sprint is selling unlimited data, why would they care if you used a huge amount. I know it costs them money, but if they really don't want you using a huge amount, then they should stop lying to us and change what their marketing. Yes, if everyone tethered then speeds would be slower and more data would be used, but if unlimited doesn't mean unlimited, what does it mean...

Bottom line is that charging for tethering is not right (other than to curb stress on the network) because you are simply transferring usage of the network from one device too another.

Quite obviously the Android Central staff don't think tethering is illegal because it is discussed all over the forum and they are GREAT at closing up illegal activities very quickly.

I'm sorry for sounding a little hostile
Just know it's all good.

 

[boomerbubba]

I personally do not use a ton of data. Probably about 3 GB a month so I have no qualms about tethering because its either my phone or my computer I'm using so I'd use the same amount. Also, up until a month ago, there was no option to pay for tethering on my provider so there was no TOS about tethering. But yes, people do hog the bandwidth and that is selfish and makes everyone pay and kills bandwidth.

By the way, rooting is also against terms of service for carriers, but has been determined to be legal, so there is one example of something you can legally do that violates terms of service (illegal according by your definition) but actually legal according to law... tethering is a product of rooting so it really should fall under the rooting protection.

I look at it like this: I pay for a certain amount of data on my carrier (virgin mobile) 2.5 GB of full speed data (after that it's throttled) so I have the right to use that data as I wish.

But then agaib, if Sprint is selling unlimited data, why would they care if you used a huge amount. I know it costs them money, but if they really don't want you using a huge amount, then they should stop lying to us and change what their marketing. Yes, if everyone tethered then speeds would be slower and more data would be used, but if unlimited doesn't mean unlimited, what does it mean...

Bottom line is that charging for tethering is not right (other than to curb stress on the network) because you are simply transferring usage of the network from one device too another.

Quite obviously the Android Central staff don't think tethering is illegal because it is discussed all over the forum and they are GREAT at closing up illegal activities very quickly.

I'm sorry for sounding a little hostile
Just know it's all good.

Did Virgin's terms not prohibit tethering? If not, then use Virgin for that purpose all you want as far as I am concerned. But here we are talking about Sprint. I have been with Sprint for a few years now, and the standared Sprint contract has always prohibited tethering AFAIK.

It is always amusing to see folks rationalize as in your "I look at it like this ..." sentence above. It doesn't matter what you wish the contract ought to say or mean. What matters is what the contract actually says. And the Sprint contract prohibits tethering:

Nature of our Service. Our rate plans, customer devices, services and features
are not for resale and are intended for reasonable and non-continuous use by a
person using a device on Sprint's networks. ...

Prohibited Network Uses. ...

Examples of prohibited data uses: Sprint data services are provided solely for purposes of web surfing, sending and receiving email, photographs and other similar messaging activities, and the non-continuous streaming of videos, downloading of files or on line gaming. Our data services may not be used: ...

(vi) for an activity that connects any device to Personal Computers (including without limitation, laptops), or other equipment for the purpose of transmitting wireless data over the network (unless customer is using a plan designated for such usage); or (vi) for any other reason that, in our sole discretion violates our policy of providing service for individual use. Unlimited Use Plans. If you subscribe to rate plans, services or features that are described as unlimited, you should be aware that such "unlimited" plans are subject to these Sprint Prohibited Network Uses.

And I don't care if you only use 3 GB per month, if you are using any of it outside the contract. When I tether, I pay for that service. Your unauthorized use still slows down service for some other user like me. And multiple pirates multiply the load and slow down the network generally for all the honest customers. I think that has been even more prevalent lately as Verizon and AT&T have moved to eliminate their unlimited smartphone plans, so more tethering pirates have migrated to Sprint.

I like Sprint's unlimited feature for my smartphone, and I want it to remain viable. Tethering abusers just threaten that in the long run. So I hope Sprint starts cracking down more strictly than they do.

If the mods don't prohibit such discussion, that's fine. It's their forum. But in my own comments, I maintain zero tolerance for tethering pirates.

 

[Skunkape60]

Their service is "unlimited" for a single smartphone. But not for tethering, because that could be for multiple devices or for a single PC pulling a lot more data. The only tethered data service offered by Sprint is purchased either by 1) the add-on hot spot service and app, or 2) a dedicated data plan. Both are capped at some level of GB per month.

Tethering pirates just eat up the general bandwidth on the network, slowing down service for the honest customers.

I don't tether, never have. But you comment that it uses more bandwidth is not all that accurate.

My smartphone pulls the same amount of data regardless of how many devices are tethered to it. My smartphone can only put out through Wi-Fi what it brings in. I don't care if I'm tethering to 1 computer or 5 computers. The data that is taken is only taking what my phone could take. The 1 or 5 computers have to share that.

Again my phone only throughputs so much data. Period. It makes no difference how many devices are tethered to it. It still only takes the data it normally can. Tethering only shares it as a Wi-Fi signal.

 

[jclee4]

I'm a bit confused now. The majority of us probably have a internet provider like Comcast or at&t that we pay for internet in our homes. The majority of us have routers that are set up to share to any electronic device. May it be a laptop, phone , tablets and so forth. If your internet provider were to come back to you and say from this point forward we will charge you for sharing the internet your paying for to other devices. I doubt you would hand your money over happily. The point is we pay for data. I should not be charged for what I do with it. For such a HUGE company Worth billions. They should have bandwidth for days if you get my point. I'm not saying its not wrong. You will have those that abuse it and others will suffer. But I never understood someone charging me extra for a feature That was built in my device and charging me extra for sharing my internet I pay for with my other devices.

 

[anthonycr]

For reference, Virgin Mobile is a prepaid arm of Sprint just in case anyone didn't know.

Did Virgin's terms not prohibit tethering? If not, then use Virgin for that purpose all you want as far as I am concerned. But here we are talking about Sprint. I have been with Sprint for a few years now, and the standared Sprint contract has always prohibited...............If the mods don't prohibit such discussion, that's fine. It's their forum. But in my own comments, I maintain zero tolerance for tethering pirates.

Don't be so sore about it... "Pirates" (as you are calling me) that use 3 GB of data a month do far less damage to the infrastructure and data speeds than a "Under the Contract" user that streams 5 GB of data listening to Pandora on the way to work. Yes, it is against contract, but besides being against contract, there is nothing wrong with behind the back tethering.

The reason that it is against TOS is because by making it against TOS, it forces people to buy a tethering plan, which is just stealing from the consumer by charging them for the something they already paid for. It's like someone buying groceries and then the store charging you again for them because you are wearing on the pavement as you carry them out to your car... it's a non sequitur.

You are arguing by the rules, but the rules make no sense. It makes no sense to say that I am a drain on the network tethering 3 GB of data (as we have proved it's the exact same bytes) and people using that amount solely on their phone's are not. I do not drain the network because (for prepaid) I am already at the bottom of the totem pole so I get terrible speeds.

The only thing I am doing by rooting and tethering is avoiding a ridiculous charge. If there was actually a legitimate reason to make people pay for tethering (like network stress) they would try their best to kick out those with tethering (which would be easy to do, simply by swiping a list of installed applications and seeing if third party tether apps are there). HOWEVER, they do no such thing, rather they may simply give you a hard time if you use TONS of data... but even then, there are a lot of people that use tons of data that don't get bothered.

The fact of the matter is... Tethering will pull down the same exact data. As was mentioned, the amount you can pull down is limited to your phone's processing power... Now what I would consider illegal is building a powerful wireless router/server, giving it the same ESN as your phone and tricking the network into thinking it's your phone, and pulling down huge amounts of data with your powerful system (disguised as your phone). But who has time for that

I don't know what else to say... I guess, let's keep this civil

 

[boomerbubba]

For reference, Virgin Mobile is a prepaid arm of Sprint just in case anyone didn't know.



Don't be so sore about it... "Pirates" (as you are calling me) that use 3 GB of data a month do far less damage to the infrastructure and data speeds than a "Under the Contract" user that streams 5 GB of data listening to Pandora on the way to work. Yes, it is against contract, but besides being against contract, there is nothing wrong with behind the back tethering.

The reason that it is against TOS is because by making it against TOS, it forces people to buy a tethering plan, which is just stealing from the consumer by charging them for the something they already paid for. It's like someone buying groceries and then the store charging you again for them because you are wearing on the pavement as you carry them out to your car... it's a non sequitur.

You are arguing by the rules, but the rules make no sense. It makes no sense to say that I am a drain on the network tethering 3 GB of data (as we have proved it's the exact same bytes) and people using that amount solely on their phone's are not. I do not drain the network because (for prepaid) I am already at the bottom of the totem pole so I get terrible speeds.

The only thing I am doing by rooting and tethering is avoiding a ridiculous charge. If there was actually a legitimate reason to make people pay for tethering (like network stress) they would try their best to kick out those with tethering (which would be easy to do, simply by swiping a list of installed applications and seeing if third party tether apps are there). HOWEVER, they do no such thing, rather they may simply give you a hard time if you use TONS of data... but even then, there are a lot of people that use tons of data that don't get bothered.

The fact of the matter is... Tethering will pull down the same exact data. As was mentioned, the amount you can pull down is limited to your phone's processing power... Now what I would consider illegal is building a powerful wireless router/server, giving it the same ESN as your phone and tricking the network into thinking it's your phone, and pulling down huge amounts of data with your powerful system (disguised as your phone). But who has time for that

I don't know what else to say... I guess, let's keep this civil

Yes, I know that Virgin is Sprint's prepaid arm. I haven't read their terms of service, but if they included unlimited data service then I'll bet they also prohibited tethering all along. In any case, we are discussing Sprint's contract, which unambiguously prohibits unauthorized tethering and expressly excludes it from the "unlimited" phone service. If you use Sprint today, you agreed to that contract.

Your comment is just another amusing but unpersuasive rationalization for violating the contract. Again you describe what you think the contract ought to say. But that is not the contract you agreed to. Restating your rationalization changes nothing.

In general, tethering does add to bandwidth a lot more than handheld phones. People in general will stream Netflix for hours to a tethered laptop, but not so much to a phone. And I know my PC-based surfing is many times more intense than my phone-based surfing. So Sprint offers a service with unlimited usage for a single smartphone, based upon a reasonable estimate of what most users will tend to use with that handheld medium alone. That is the service, and the only service, that you bought when you agreed to the contract.

Sprint also offers tethered services, priced with capped data increments, for an additional charge. Those who tether without paying for those services are pirating. This is not just a matter of you versus the big, bad corporation. Pirates are robbing the community of honest Sprint users of bandwidth for the services we do pay for. When I need tethering, I pay for it. (I wish it were free, too, but wishes don't matter.)

And I am being entirely civil.

 

[jonathanm1978]

First off, your definition of a pirate, and what a pirate actually is differ TOTALLY. You are calling people who use something they've already paid for, a pirate...which tells me you have no clue what the word 'pirate' or the act of piracy refers to..because there is no similarity.

http://www.bingham.com/Media.aspx?MediaID=5492

• Block, degrade, or interfere with the ability of end users to download and utilize applications of their choosing on the licensee’s Block C network, subject to reasonable network management. Wireless service providers subject to this requirement will not be allowed to disable features or functionality in handsets where such action is not related to reasonable network management and protection, or compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. For example, providers may not “lock” handsets to prevent their transfer from one system to another.
• Block Wi-Fi access, MP3 playback ringtone capability, or other services that compete with wireless service providers’ own offerings.
• Exclude applications or devices solely on the basis that such applications or devices would unreasonably increase bandwidth demands.
• Impose any additional discriminatory charges (one-time or recurring) or conditions on customers who seek to use devices or applications outside of those provided by the licensee.
• Deny access to a customer’s device solely because that device makes use of other wireless spectrum bands, such as cellular or PCS spectrum.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/02/c...n-on-our-mobil

(1) the FCC has specifically said that large increases in bandwidth demand are not a harm to a network, (2) VZW permits tethering if you do it with their app that you must pay extra to use (per GB of usage), and (3) the harm referenced is traditionally thought of as things that cause interference with a network, not things that use a lot of it.

Moreover, the FCC specifically affirmatively grants the carrier the option to throttle or meter usage to manage their network.

This would apply to any carrier. Just because it's in the ToS doesn't mean it's illegal ..and it damn sure doesn't mean that people who do it are "pirates"...

I don't even use tethering, but I know how and what concerning it..and actually, to be definitive, you're calling people who bring us open-sourced phone operating systems, pirates by your definition. The carrier figured out a way to double-charge for the data, but open-sourced OS with root privileges allows it.

Call the Sprint store nearest you and tell them your phone is rooted. They don't care. I actually told a Sprint store representative that a week ago..and he told me "I perfectly understand why you did it..after I explained my Optimus quit working after the update last October and the only way to fix it was to root and custom-ROM it.
Still, I didn't need to tether/hotspot, but I still can't leave my two cents out..since I've been into piracy in the past and know what it is...seeing someone call people a pirate for such as this...it is a blanket statement that's made in ignorance to the facts.
And please, quit with the ToS crap...the same ToS says that if you roam too much, even if your pay your bill on time and have been a customer for 10 years, they can boot you and cut you off without any qualms about it..so the ToS is there to benefit THEM, the CARRIER...not to enact any legal rights they may have.

*People have this common misconception that heavy data use constitutes harm on their network...when the FCC has already stated that more "use" of the network doesn't constitute harm or damage. The person watching Netflix in 1080 on their phone uses the same data as a person watching Netflix in 1080 on their laptop. The same cluster of data is downloaded, no matter what the source is, the 1080p file doesn't automagically get smaller because Netflix somehow can see you're on a phone and they want to help carriers save on bandwidth.

And bandwidth costing money..that's a laugh too. Bandwidth doesn't hardly cost a carrier ANYTHING.

 

[boomerbubba]

I don't tether, never have. But you comment that it uses more bandwidth is not all that accurate.

My smartphone pulls the same amount of data regardless of how many devices are tethered to it. My smartphone can only put out through Wi-Fi what it brings in. I don't care if I'm tethering to 1 computer or 5 computers. The data that is taken is only taking what my phone could take. The 1 or 5 computers have to share that.

Again my phone only throughputs so much data. Period. It makes no difference how many devices are tethered to it. It still only takes the data it normally can. Tethering only shares it as a Wi-Fi signal.

You miss the point. It is not just about device throughput. The biggest governor on total throughput is the user, not the device. PC users -- on average -- can and do pull lots more data down than smartphone users do. I will not tolerate watching a movie on my small handheld screen very often, and that is usually because I am trapped somewhere like a bus or an airport. But I will watch movies on a laptop more frequently, and it is much easier to take the laptop video from Netflix and throw it onto a big screen. Ditto with browsing and surfing in general. PC users are much more robust in their browsing than phone users are.

Overall, on average, one user on a single smartphone for one hour has a much smaller data footprint than one PC user using broadband, let alone multiple users. And outside of web browsers and streaming media, most smartphone apps are really not very network-data-intensive. So a typical, single smartphone user is not likely to burn lots of data per hour. And when multiple users are connected to a WiFi hub, the throughput can go up hugely because their total shared throughput can start to approach the actual device and network limits.

Golden Corral's all-you-can eat business model is based on the average consumption of the customers, because there are practical human limits on how much will be consumed while the customer is seated there. But the restaurant does not allow one customer to bring a shopping bag and load it up with take-out food for the same price. They do sell to-go meals, but it is bulk priced per pound.

Similarly, Sprint is still offering "unlimited" data service for a single smartphone used by a single user. But tethering services are not priced under that umbrella. Tethered services are not priced per device, but per GB,

 

[Skunkape60]

You miss the point. It is not just about device throughput. The biggest governor on total throughput is the user, not the device. PC users -- on average -- can and do pull lots more data down than smartphone users do. I will not tolerate watching a movie on my small handheld screen very often, and that is usually because I am trapped somewhere like a bus or an airport. But I will watch movies on a laptop more frequently, and it is much easier to take the laptop video from Netflix and throw it onto a big screen. Ditto with browsing and surfing in general. PC users are much more robust in their browsing than phone users are.

Overall, on average, one user on a single smartphone for one hour has a much smaller data footprint than one PC user using broadband, let alone multiple users. And outside of web browsers and streaming media, most smartphone apps are really not very network-data-intensive. So a typical, single smartphone user is not likely to burn lots of data per hour. And when multiple users are connected to a WiFi hub, the throughput can go up hugely because their total shared throughput can start to approach the actual device and network limits.

Golden Corral's all-you-can eat business model is based on the average consumption of the customers, because there are practical human limits on how much will be consumed while the customer is seated there. But the restaurant does not allow one customer to bring a shopping bag and load it up with take-out food for the same price. They do sell to-go meals, but it is bulk priced per pound.

Similarly, Sprint is still offering "unlimited" data service for a single smartphone used by a single user. But tethering services are not priced under that umbrella. Tethered services are not priced per device, but per GB,

Lol... I guarantee that I use more data on my phone in a month than I ever do on my desktop. I do everything on my phone. I may turn on my desktop perhaps 4 hours a month.

 

[boomerbubba]

Lol... I guarantee that I use more data on my phone in a month than I ever do on my desktop. I do everything on my phone. I may turn on my desktop perhaps 4 hours a month.

Then you are not much of a candidate for tethering. Some other people are, and it is the aggregate data throughput that matters. In the mix there also are people who run multiuser, household Internet off tethered "unlimited" Sprint phones to avoid paying a broadband bill at all.

Especially now that the biggest carriers are dropping their unlimited phone plans, the high-volume tetherers are incented to move to Sprint. (Note that tethering is very much allowed, even encouraged, under the new data plans at AT&T and Verizon -- because the overall plans are priced by increments of GB.) So the big carriers can skim the high-dollar, low-cost accounts, and the highest cost, low-dollar accounts come to Sprint. The user base suffers with slower network speeds. In order to keep Sprint's unlimited smartphone model viable for most of us, it is more important than ever to curb abuses.

 

[Skunkape60]

like i said in my first post, I don't tether.