T-Mobile to throttle p2p users and tether hackers

Aquila

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I don't like that they are accessing how individuals are using data. Obviously they CAN see what you're connected to, but IMO they shouldn't. Their purpose is to provide connectivity and all bytes should be treated equally. At the same time, if their ToC are clear and you are violating them, of course TMO has a right to enforce what you agreed to.
 

SpookDroid

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I don't mind as I don't use either (although I'm against them charging extra for tethering) but I actually agree with them. Until we get to a point where mobile networks are actually optimized for constant data throughput for every user, we need to have the 'abusers' to chill out. Fair use.
 

raptir

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With regards to tethering, I absolutely understand that they don't want people spending $80 on an unlimited plan and using that as their home internet. It's not the content of the data that's being monitored here it's the device that's using the data, and I don't really see a problem with that.

I'm a little more torn on items like torrents. I imagine there are too few users that download files legally using torrent (I only ever do for Linux distributions, and that's obviously not on my phone) for it to be a major issue. Even with the legal uses you're able to max out your upstream connection for long periods of time even after you have downloaded your file, which is atypical use for a phone. But what about BitTorrent Sync? Since it uses the torrent protocol would that get picked up as well?
 

Almeuit

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With regards to tethering, I absolutely understand that they don't want people spending $80 on an unlimited plan and using that as their home internet. It's not the content of the data that's being monitored here it's the device that's using the data, and I don't really see a problem with that.

I'm a little more torn on items like torrents. I imagine there are too few users that download files legally using torrent (I only ever do for Linux distributions, and that's obviously not on my phone) for it to be a major issue. Even with the legal uses you're able to max out your upstream connection for long periods of time even after you have downloaded your file, which is atypical use for a phone. But what about BitTorrent Sync? Since it uses the torrent protocol would that get picked up as well?

I agree with this.

Sent from my T-Mobile Note 3 using AC Forums.
 

dpham00

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I don't like that they are accessing how individuals are using data. Obviously they CAN see what you're connected to, but IMO they shouldn't. Their purpose is to provide connectivity and all bytes should be treated equally. At the same time, if their ToC are clear and you are violating them, of course TMO has a right to enforce what you agreed to.
While I agree with you, they aren't the only ones don't) doing it. The TOS has been there for a long time, they are just enforcing their terms. I don't see a problem with it personally.

Sent from my LG G Pad 8.3
 

Old Stoneface

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I'm of two minds about this. Like "below the line" charges: Calling a plan "unlimited," then limiting it, seems unethical. Yes, they have clearly (FSVO "clearly") defined T&Cs, but still: It's either unlimited or it's not. It's clearly not. OTOH: There's limited bandwidth resources/cell, and that bandwidth is shared. It's the nature of the beast. They obviously can't allow a few people who are trying to get something for "nothing" free reign. And they have published the T&Cs. So...

Jim
 

raptir

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Looking at the T&C it specifies "torrent to multiple users."

(g) using the Service in connection with server devices or host computer applications, including continuous Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing applications that are broadcast to multiple servers or recipients

So BitTorrent Sync obeys the terms and conditions, but I'd be worried that the method they use to detect torrents may ignore this.

I'm of two minds about this. Like "below the line" charges: Calling a plan "unlimited," then limiting it, seems unethical. Yes, they have clearly (FSVO "clearly") defined T&Cs, but still: It's either unlimited or it's not. It's clearly not. OTOH: There's limited bandwidth resources/cell, and that bandwidth is shared. It's the nature of the beast. They obviously can't allow a few people who are trying to get something for "nothing" free reign. And they have published the T&Cs. So...

Jim

There aren't any additional charges, they just throttle you for breaking the terms of use. And it's unlimited in terms of quantity, it's not unrestricted. If they start throttling based purely on quantity of data used, then it would be unethical to advertise as unlimited.

Edit: I reread your message and realized you were comparing it to additional charges, not saying that there were any. Still, the other two sentences are relevant.
 
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dpham00

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I'm of two minds about this. Like "below the line" charges: Calling a plan "unlimited," then limiting it, seems unethical. Yes, they have clearly (FSVO "clearly") defined T&Cs, but still: It's either unlimited or it's not. It's clearly not. OTOH: There's limited bandwidth resources/cell, and that bandwidth is shared. It's the nature of the beast. They obviously can't allow a few people who are trying to get something for "nothing" free reign. And they have published the T&Cs. So...

Jim
It maybe so, but all carriers do limit unlimited in some form.

Sent from my LG G Pad 8.3
 

AlwaysSmile

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So let's make it clear here, if I use 50GB a month by just watching stuff on my phone ONLY like YouTube, TV Portal, [redacted] etc is that considered P2P and I will get throttled or since its all on my phone and its like Netflix and Hulu I won't be throttled?

Posted via Android Central App On My T-Mobile LG G3
 
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brkaras

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So let's make it clear here, if I use 50GB a month by just watching stuff on my phone ONLY like YouTube, TV Portal, [redacted] etc is that considered P2P and I will get throttled or since its all on my phone and its like Netflix and Hulu I won't be throttled?

Posted via Android Central App On My T-Mobile LG G3

No no no and no
 
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RumoredNow

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Firstly, a good tethering method masks the tether recipient and makes the tethering undetectable. ;)

Secondly, this is nothing new. It's always been there.

It's like your mom reminding you that the dishes have to be done when she can't even see into the kitchen from where she's sitting. It is a general broadcast comment on a policy well established.

Nothing to see here, move along.
 

Almeuit

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So let's make it clear here, if I use 50GB a month by just watching stuff on my phone ONLY like YouTube, TV Portal, [redacted] etc is that considered P2P and I will get throttled or since its all on my phone and its like Netflix and Hulu I won't be throttled?

Posted via Android Central App On My T-Mobile LG G3

No. P2P is peer to peer... So basically person to person. Usually torrents do this as there are seeders with 100 percent of the file... And leeches who connect to seeders and other leeches to download parts of the file until they get the entire thing.. So it's a mass pool of people and connections..

When you're watching via YouTube and Netflix, etc.... It's server client.. You're the client.. They're the server streaming you the content.
 
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