Hotspot vs cable tethering vs price

[meyerweb#CB]

I downloaded an app called easytether and that works great, plus it keeps the phone plugged into my laptop, charging it.

Umm, you can still plug your phone into the USB port while using the mobile hotspot, to keep it charged.

My understanding was that the $10/mo removed the 5gb cap, period.

ARRGH!!!! Does anyone actually read the TOS? If you have an Everything, or Everything Data plan, there IS NO CAP for data use on the phone. Absolutely, positively, not. The CAP only applies to broadband modems and tethering plans. And the cap for tethering plans still applies to the EVO, even with the $10 fee.

So it is ok to pick and choose who's rules you choose to follow?

In truth, we all do that every day. Do you never exceed the speed limit? Do you always pay your state's "use tax" when you purchase something on the internet and don't pay sales taxes? Have you ever "borrowed" software that someone else purchased, or installed something you bought on more than one computer? If you can honesty answer "no" to all of these questions, you should have someone nominate you for sainthood.

Ignoring the moral issue, if the OP uses tethering modestly, and not to download movies or bootleg copies of Office 2010, the odds of Sprint noticing are slim to none. PDAnet has sold many thousands of copies of their program, and reports of people getting caught using it are extremely rare.

The moral question is for the OP to decide, not me.

 

[figgie]

In truth, we all do that every day. Do you never exceed the speed limit? Do you always pay your state's "use tax" when you purchase something on the internet and don't pay sales taxes?

Ohh of course I do. But make no mistake about it. I am WELL aware of the consequence of being caught going ONE over much less 20. Same with not reporting sales to the state I live in or running around in a race car on a street.

One will cost me money, the other will cost me money, the third will cost me my car, money and more money and perhaps jail time. I am under no dilusion of the choices I make and there consequences.

 

[Booshanky]

Don't be silly.

A company whether the US goverment, Sprint or that Mom and Pop pizzeria around your corner, is just that. A company/business. The service they provide, according to your Einstien level thinking, is irrelvant. Just the size of said company.

See how utterly dumb it is to generalize.

Oh I understand the argument. You seem to be arguing that rule breaking is rule breaking. That's it. My point is that one should look at the effect of the rule breaking, and whether I check my e-mail on my phone or on my computer is irrelevant to how much data I transfer from sprint.

So who is being harmed?

 

[Booshanky]

In truth, we all do that every day. Do you never exceed the speed limit? Do you always pay your state's "use tax" when you purchase something on the internet and don't pay sales taxes? Have you ever "borrowed" software that someone else purchased, or installed something you bought on more than one computer? If you can honesty answer "no" to all of these questions, you should have someone nominate you for sainthood.

Ignoring the moral issue, if the OP uses tethering modestly, and not to download movies or bootleg copies of Office 2010, the odds of Sprint noticing are slim to none. PDAnet has sold many thousands of copies of their program, and reports of people getting caught using it are extremely rare.

The moral question is for the OP to decide, not me.

Very well put. I'm perfectly ok breaking a rule that seems to be arbitrary, especially since I'm not doing anything like downloading torrents or anything like that. That's what my 35mbit/2mbit home connection is for.

 

[figgie]

Oh I understand the argument. You seem to be arguing that rule breaking is rule breaking. That's it. My point is that one should look at the effect of the rule breaking, and whether I check my e-mail on my phone or on my computer is irrelevant to how much data I transfer from sprint.

So who is being harmed?

I am. The "what for" portion is irrelevant. Though I have done it. I am also aware of the outcome should something happen. At the same time I am prepared for said consequence of my choice which means getting kicked off sprint for contract voilation and possible civil litigation for the full amount of the contract (2 years).

Yes, I have taken the time to read the Contract, the EULA, the fine print, notices and all other Sprint verbatim on service agreement with me.

 

[Braaainz]

Oh please, I'm not going to feel bad for a multi-billion dollar corporation. I think they can hang.

So, with your morality, if someone has more than you, It's okay to break contracts/your word?

 

[lucky4meman]

Dropped Comcast and am saving 34.99 a month even with paying the 30 dollar fee. It is working great.

I'm doing the same thing. I dropped my email provider and just use the Mobile Hotspot feature now. It's just as fast and saves me money. I can still stream Netflix too!!

 

[eagle63]

That's not true, it's a service, not a tangible item. They can control it however they want.

Of course, I never said they couldn't do what they want - I'm just arguing the nature of it. Charging me extra to use my data (that I already paid for) in a different manner is not providing me a service. There's nothing technically that Sprint is "enabling" in order for me to share my phone's internet connection with another device. That can be done (as we all know) without the carrier's intervention. Instead, what they've done is attempt to prevent me from doing that for the sole purpose of charging me to do it. To me, that's over-reaching at best, and possibly a scam at worst.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Ohh of course I do. But make no mistake about it. I am WELL aware of the consequence of being caught going ONE over much less 20. Same with not reporting sales to the state I live in or running around in a race car on a street.

One will cost me money, the other will cost me money, the third will cost me my car, money and more money and perhaps jail time. I am under no dilusion of the choices I make and there consequences.

So you would appear to defeat your own argument. If you choose what rules to obey, why can't the OP, and others who use tethering software instead of paying Sprint. As long as they're aware of the cost of getting caught, it would seem you have no moral high ground to speak from.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

So, with your morality, if someone has more than you, It's okay to break contracts/your word?

I refer you to my questions for figgie, above? Are you ready for sainthood, or do you choose which rules to follow as well?

 

[xorbe]

At best, this is a gray area.

A legit Android app, pdanet or easytether, is using the bandwidth. The app is servicing your request for internet access. You can browse the internet directly from the phone, or use a laptop and have a larger screen.

I personally don't believe they have the right to determine HOW the requests are formed all the way back in software-land. You've paid for the access. Unlimited access, no less, in the case of the EVO.

Just don't abuse it, and no one is going to care. Be smart and respectful of the limited cellular resources everyone else has to share. It's a freaking phone, not a multi-billion lawyer-infested business deal.

Who here remembers when wired phones were only allowed from the phone company to be plugged into a phone jack? A rogue device and they would cancel your phone service! Guess how that turned out? Same thing now, you're really paying for a key to access their wireless infrastructure, with access to a certain amount of data transfer. Of course the phone companies want to convince you that they own a lot more power than that. You can roll over and pay $30/mo, or you can exercise what is undoubtedly your right to access the internet via your cellphone, even though the data is consumed on an auxiliary device.

 

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

It seems as though its the OP's choice. If he knows the consequences and chooses to tether without paying, then that is his choice. If consequences are imposed, then so be it. But if he does incur consequences he can't say that he didn't know what he was getting himself into.

 

[sean.kendrick@att.net]

Hi everyone,

Before anyone mentions, yes, I've searched around and haven't found much good info on this.

I've got the 30 dollar a month wifi hotspot thing, but I'm really finding that I don't use it enough to justify the cost. Additionally, since the battery life is so bad on the EVO, it doesn't really make sense to use it as a hotspot.

I downloaded an app called easytether and that works great, plus it keeps the phone plugged into my laptop, charging it.

My question is, if I cancel the 30 dollar charge for the mobile hotspot feature, can I still use easytether?

Hmmm, I couldnt get Easy tether to work.... Everything that everyone has suggested requires you to ROOT your phone and I didnt want to do that.

I just paid the $30 a month for the hot spot. I hate doin it .... because I had wifi sharing with my touch pro 2 and it worked great. But for now the hotspot works great.


has anyone tethered WITHOUT ROOTING ?? Shucks I will even settle for Wired tethering..... SO LONG AS I DONT HAVE TO ROOT.

 

[hockey4life0099]

Hmmm, I couldnt get Easy tether to work.... Everything that everyone has suggested requires you to ROOT your phone and I didnt want to do that.

I just paid the $30 a month for the hot spot. I hate doin it .... because I had wifi sharing with my touch pro 2 and it worked great. But for now the hotspot works great.


has anyone tethered WITHOUT ROOTING ?? Shucks I will even settle for Wired tethering..... SO LONG AS I DONT HAVE TO ROOT.

they have that with htc sync, or did that break with the latest ota? i know it atleast used to be included on your phone it only worked for windows though. im rooted so i have wireless tether though. havnt used it yet though. 30 dollars a month is a ridiculous for the majority of people who will only use this feature casually.

the way i look at it is i paid an extra 10 a month for unlimited data so i could use it anyway i would like to. again though, that doesnt mean ill abuse the data when i tether. also 30 dollars if for their hotspot application, so if i use another application why should i still be paying?

 

[sean.kendrick@att.net]

they have that with htc sync, or did that break with the latest ota? i know it atleast used to be included on your phone it only worked for windows though. im rooted so i have wireless tether though. havnt used it yet though. 30 dollars a month is a ridiculous for the majority of people who will only use this feature casually.

the way i look at it is i paid an extra 10 a month for unlimited data so i could use it anyway i would like to. again though, that doesnt mean ill abuse the data when i tether. also 30 dollars if for their hotspot application, so if i use another application why should i still be paying?

Yes... I agree $30 is extreme, especially when I only use it 3 or 4 times a month at best.

I have HTC sync and the option for "Internet Sharing" is there when i plug in my phone...but I couldnt get that to work on my laptop.... do i have to have HTC syc installed on the computer i want to do " Wired Tethering " with?


.

 

[Caitlyn McKenzie]

Internet Sharing option requires the hotspot on your plan.

 

[bluephi1914]

Internet Sharing option requires the hotspot on your plan.

ok... thanks, that clears things up. So i will just keep mobile hospot for now

 

[meyerweb#CB]

has anyone tethered WITHOUT ROOTING ?? Shucks I will even settle for Wired tethering..... SO LONG AS I DONT HAVE TO ROOT.

I believe that PDANet will provide USB and BT tethering without rooting. WiFi tethering would seem to require rooting or the $30 hotspot plan.

If you don't want to root, PDANet is only a one-time purchase, rather than a recurring monthly fee. The moral and legal conundrum is for you to decide.

 

[Mom2Ninjas]

So, the hotspot add on will allow me, in Sprint's eyes to tether to a computer to supply it with internet?

 

[AldousSnow]

Yes it will.

I rooted using unrevoked website. I'm actually posting from computer using the evo and the app wireless tether. I cancelled my Comcast service ($65.00/month) and I cancelled Sprint HotSpot ($30.00) a month.

My phone does everything it was doing before I rooted and I'm saving over a $100.00/month with tax.

$2,400 savings over the course of a 2 year contract.