Mobile Hot Spot billing

[Revyloution]

I was talking to a rep in a Sprint store about the mobile hotspot. I told him that it wasn't worth the price, since I'd use it very rarely. He told me that for occasional users, you can call sprint service, turn the hotspot on, then shut it off when your'e done, and that they would only charge $1 per day of use.

I called *2 to try it, and the lady on the phone said that was wrong, and when you activate, you get charged for a full month.

Has anyone tried this? Who was full of sh*t?

(I know I can root my phone and get free hotspot access. I feel the same about this service as I do about pirating music/movies. If they offer it for a reasonable price, and make in convenient, I'll gladly pay what they are asking. If they make everything expensive and/or inconvenient, ill go steal it.)

 

[prolongExistence]

Why would it be stealing? You are paying them for Unlimited Data. Why should they get to tell you how you can use Your Unlimited Data?

 

[sparkeater79]

You will not get charged a whole month. I activated my hotspot for 5-6 days and paid less than 7 dollars. They also say you get 5 gigs. They are not charging for overages right now as they are trying to gauge usage. I already got my bill. didnt pay the full 30 bucks

 

[Revyloution]

Prolong Existence, since you asked.

Sprint is a service provider. They have a contract, and if you agree to the terms of the contract, and pay your bill, they will provide you with a service. In their contract, they specify that tethering is a service that requires an additional charge. Thus, if you root a phone so that you can access tethering, you are in violation of your contract.

I understand why they want to charge for tethering. Bandwidth costs money. Added bandwidth clogs up lines. We lack the infrastructure to support huge amounts of data moving through the cellular lines.

We can argue for days over what they should or shouldn't do, but when it comes down to the law, you signed an agreement. If you violate that agreement, you can be charged with theft of bandwidth.


Oops, had to edit for

Thanks Knotsure! I think that's totally reasonable for an occasional tether on holiday or a long weekend. I don't mind paying that at all.

 

[TropicalSammich]

The only way you would be charged a full month, is if the rep who's taking the service off you line leaves the default option of 'change at billing cycle'.

They have the option to make it immediately (pro-rata) or billing cycle.

This choice must be selected by the rep processing your request.

By default, it's on the billing cycle option.

Essentially, your relying on rep, which i know, does suck...