Free Hotspot question.

[hs101]

I found an app which allows for free wifi tethering without rooting. If i continue to use this, do i violate my contract and if i do what is the worst that can happen?

If sprint terminates my contract, do i have to pay an early termination fee? Would I be able to keep my phone?

 

[Gator352]

Getting anything for free inwhich that your are supposed to pay for constitutes stealing. Period.

I'm sure as soon as they find out that you have been tethering with a phone on your plan and do not have tethering included, they will make you pay for the plan by adding it to your bill. And I'm sure if you try to have it removed, they will terminate your contract, shut you off, charge you early termination fees and backcharge you for all the tethering you have done on your last bill, then spit on you.

Of coarse, this is all speculation as I haven't tethered my phone to anything for this to come about but then again, I don't steal. So for now, assume all that you stated is correct and don't do it because all it does is make "them" either charge more fees or consider actual data caps on 3G/4G on us that do things the "legit" way....

Peace

 

[mike104393]

OP

Although Gator is correct about many of the facts that he pointed out above. Let's not go overboard and freak the op out. Free tethering applications are a dime in a dozen and many application allow your phone to go through a loophole regarding sharing your phone's data to other devices. Many users experiences indicated that sprint doesn't really enforce their data plans tethering rule, rooted or nonrooted, many users here have tested the fact by piling data usage up to many gigabits without a sprint noticing. Some members have indicated that sprint will probably issue you a letter if they notice a big spike in your data usage that indicates you're using a third-party app without their tethering service. They will not cancel your plan or force you to pay a termination fee. Please use the search bar regarding this issue. It has been talked about many times. You will not really have to worry to much. But as always, using these apps are at the user's discretion. The user is solely responsible for the risk that is involved when using tethering apps. I hope that I've cleared thing up or at the very least, ease some of your concerns.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[Stearmandriver]

And can we really consider it "stealing", when all you're doing is using data through a device, when said device's plan includes unlimited data? I know Sprint may disagree, but I think not, personally. The phone plan includes pulling unlimited data. When tethering, all you're doing is using your phone to pull the data you pay for. I don't personally see the philosophical dilemma.

I've been tethering for years, since the old Treo days. Sprint has never once contacted me about it. That being said, its not like I'm watching movies and downloading gigs of stuff on it. I use it for general surfing and some website dev work when I'm in a hotel and their wifi sucks. I use it for mobile radar data when storm chasing. In other words, I use it infrequently and don't go overboard. I have never heard of anyone doing the same and having an issue. Logic dictates that if you do the same, you'll be fine too. But, as noted above, its entirely at your discretion. The only way I personally think you'd have a problem is if you tried to use it as your primary internet connection. I think that would be dumb... Even though I've heard of people doing even that without issue.

 

[hs101]

Getting anything for free inwhich that your are supposed to pay for constitutes stealing. Period.

I'm sure as soon as they find out that you have been tethering with a phone on your plan and do not have tethering included, they will make you pay for the plan by adding it to your bill. And I'm sure if you try to have it removed, they will terminate your contract, shut you off, charge you early termination fees and backcharge you for all the tethering you have done on your last bill, then spit on you.

Of coarse, this is all speculation as I haven't tethered my phone to anything for this to come about but then again, I don't steal. So for now, assume all that you stated is correct and don't do it because all it does is make "them" either charge more fees or consider actual data caps on 3G/4G on us that do things the "legit" way....

Peace

No it's not stealing... It's called "Prohibited Use of Network" after reading sprint terms and conditions. It also states that:

"Sprint reserves the right, without notice or limitation, to limit data throughput speeds or quantities or to deny, terminate, end, modify, disconnect, or suspend service if an individual engages in any of the prohibited voice or data uses detailed below or if Sprint, in its sole discretion, determines action is necessary to protect its wireless networks from harm or degradation. "

With that said, im trying to find out whether termination of service = ETF. That's really my only worry and the only thing im trying to confirm.

 

[rocker22dallas]

My whole family uses tethering as our only internet connection actually. I do go a bit overboard, racking up 5-6 GB/mo. Sprint has never contacted us in the 6 months that we've been using this. You have nothing to worry about. You pay for unlimited data usage

Sent from my Galaxy S II epic 4g touch. 4.0.3 FC05 ICS

 

[lilotimz]

As long as you don't do anything obvious with your tethering, then it's all good. The only time we see people who get these letters are those that are blatantly abusing the tethering services (hacked hotspot/ apps etc) are those that torrent like hell, use it to play console games, watch lots of HD videos on non mobile apps, etc.

Do any of those and wrack up big amounts of data and you'll get them to notice. Usually the letters they sent out is to warn you that you're tethering without paying and you either need to stop doing such tethering, pay for the service, or leave.

If you continue just blatantly abusing tethering, the next letter should be the one announcing they're kicking you off the network and have 10 days to transfer everything to someone else. NO ETF's; straight out GTFO from sprint.

~Side note - a lot of power users use over 10gb and some legitimately use over 50gb without any issues. Just don't use that much with tethering; it'll most likely flag your account for manual investigation by a sprint tech who can seeeeeeeeeeeee evvvvvvveeeeerrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyytttttttttthhhhhhhhhiiiiinnnnnnnnnnggggggg.

 

[michikade#AC]

If you choose to use it, just be cognizant of how much you're using. The biggest way to get caught is having a major spike in usage - so if you're planning on on using it for anything more than checking email and light browsing, be aware that you may get a letter from sprint telling you to pay for it or quit using it.

Sent from my 3VO using Tapatalk

 

[Gator352]

Wifi hotspot is a service offered to you by sprint (and/or other carriers). This service has a monthly fee. And by using an app whether it's for root/unroot, free or paid, to obtain said service without paying for it is.....wait for it.....stealing. Running a cable line from your buddy's house next door to yours so you can get cable is....stealing. The only difference here is that your using an app instead of a physical cable line to obtain a service for free. SO if it's a prohibited use of the network and you use tools to obtain what is prohibited....is that not wrong?? Damn sure doesn't make it right! To most intelligent people, it's stealing.

@ stearmandriver:

Your plan consists of unlimited data to the device it's tethered to. You have an E4GT, unlimited data is to that E4GT only. You have an ipoop, unlimited data is only to that ipoop. If you want to take that data from said devices and pull it down to another device, i.e. PC, lap/netbook, tablet, you have to purchase the tethering plan. What's philosophicaly hard to understand about that? You purchase a phone with an unlimited plan, your paying to use unlimited data to THAT phone.

Look, I don't care what anyone does. Seriously. I'm just stating my opinion on the matter. If all or most of you are getting away with it...Great! And most likely, if you did get caught, sprint would tell you to stop or pay for it and consequenses would ensue if you didn't. But I do know this......If sprint said, "Due to all the network traffic generated by apps to obtain free tethering services, we have to now ditch unlimited data and put a 5GB cap and add another 10 bucks to your bill per month to regain the losses we had to pay the data farm to maintain that data.", you and everyone else, will be throwing a temper tantrum calling sprint every name in the book saying it's not fair. Nuff said.

 

[Stearmandriver]

As you say, unlimited data is to my E4GT. And... Wait for it... That is where the data is going. What I do with the data I paid for, after it gets to the device I own... Is just not Sprint's business, the way I see it. If we were talking about homebrewing up a mifi board to grab sprint data without paying, that is a different story. But as you said, I BOUGHT an e4gt and I PAY for it to use data. That just doesn't sound like stealing to me lol.

 

[turborx6]

Lilotimz said it perfectly... I was a heavy data user with sprint. Evo 4g rooted Cm7 and used my phone for EVERYTHING... Netflix, hulu, Sirius, and Adownloader for torrents. I dropped Comcast cable and strictly used my phone for everything for over a year. I use Hdmwin to mirror my phone to my TV. Everything was fine for the first year just tethering for free here and there. I got greedy and tethered my internet TV w/ Netflix and my laptop for 6 days straight and they sent me the warning letter. I called sprint and played stupid wondering why they considered me the 1% heavy user after one year of using tons of data and reminded them of their "UNLIMITED" data plan. I fought and fought and fought with at least 5 different supervisors and got no where. I basically had to stop using my phone all together for 3 weeks because they said I used 22 gig in 6 days and they have never seen anything like that ever... I knew the whole time it was from the free tethering but didn't say anything and didn't use my phone for the 3 weeks. Turns out it didn't matter because the next month they sent another letter saying I was done.. Terminated contract... Called.. Talked to 3 jodifferent people this time and there was nothing I could do, my number was terminated.. Done... Then I looked for solutions to my problem... I have a great phone that I love and Know like the back of my hand.. I don't want to switch to something else... What do I do??? Switch carriers?? NO.. nobody offers unlimited data... I thought Sprint did but its not the truth... If you use too much data they will just void your contract saying you went on different web sites you were not supposed to use. True or not true its not worth fighting over.... My solution... CLEAR... Clear wireless hotspot... 49$ a month UNLIMITED DATA... I am in Chicago and use a Clear hotspot Apollo modem. I use my Evo 4g from Sprint the same as if I was on there service like before. EVERYTHING works the same, I just use text+ app now for my texts and calls. EVERYTHING is 49$ a month. Phone, and internet for my house. All using the Clear modem. The down side is I have to carry it everywhere I go so my phone has wifi. The upside is 49$ a month for phone and unlimited internet. I used 148 gig last month and will use the same if not more this month w no contract and am happy as can be.

 

[Gator352]

See, I agree that its your data and what you do with your data is no ones business.....and that includes pulling that data from one device to another you own. We shouldn't be charged for data that we already pay for. Heck, Comcast, Cox cable, bright house, etc. let you use a router to split that data between all your devices in your home. Using a phone as a router/gateway to other devices is no different because like you said, that's your data and you pay for it.

But the fact is sprint says no. The data you pay for is only to be displayed on the device your plan is tethered to. If you want to use your phone as a router/gateway to other devices, you have to purchase a tethering plan and using any means to circumvent paying for the tethering plan is prohibited....according to sprint.

I agree its BS. But that's the way it is. It may not be anyone here but you do have doorknobs out there that abuse this that screw it up for the rest of us. I'm tired of paying higher fees for services that other people take advantage of.