Will Sprint know you're tethering with 3rd-party app?

[jsshackel]

EVO 4G on Sprint service. Trying out PdaNet and EasyTether apps to see which I like best, looking at dropping a data card for desktop PC and notebook PC internet access from my plan to save around $65/month. Currently 2 EVO's and the data card on the plan, idea is to use the phones for internet and drop the card.

I've read tons of conflicting stuff on two questions:
1) Will Sprint "catch me" using the 3rd-party USB tethering apps for my computers' internet connection, or does all data coming into the phones look the same to Sprint? Note that I am NOT selecting USB tethering in the USB-to-PC connection menu, but rather USB charging only. (The built-in USB tethering feature on the EVO only works with Sprint if you pay another $20 or $30 per month!)
2) Is there a data usage cap per month on the EVO's? The data card has a 5Gb monthly limit, after which you pay out the wazoo if you go over until the month resets. The EVO's are supposedly unlimited. Is this really true?

Thanks if any clear and correct answers for this if anyone replies.

(If others are interested and don't already know, PdaNet and EasyTether are 2 of the best apps for tethering your EVO --- or other smartphone --- to a PC for internet, very handy if traveling with a notebook especially. Both available in the Android market for the phones, and files needed for Windows available on the developer websites. Both are actually faster through the EVO for internet on my computers than the Sierra Wireless data card I currently use.
PdaNet: PdaNet -- USB Tether/Bluetooth DUN for Android
EasyTether: How to tether Android - EasyTether. Android tethering for Mac OS X, Ubuntu, PS3, XBox, Wii, Windows
Both are free, with the limitation that the free versions do not allow access to secure https websites, such as banking and shopping, etc. EasyTether is $9.95 --- per phone --- for a 1-time license, PdaNet normally $29.95 for the same but running a promo for $15.95. Only extras with PdaNet over EasyTether is ability to receive and send text mesages fom the PC while connected and ability to connect using bluetooth. Note neither one of these apps is for wireless tethering, you must use a USB cable, but that's way less hassle then the wireless apps anyway.)

 

[crump84]

Technically, there's no data cap with Sprint's monthly unlimited. Me personally I would be a little bit cautious about using my Shift as my primary internet access. I do however tether fairly often when I travel, I probably use around 3 to 4 GB of data a month and haven't had any problems. Not sue exactly what Sprint would do if your where pulling mass amounts of data, other than slow your data speeds significantly through the remainder of the billing cycle.

 

[theelite1x87]

Answers.
1. As far as I know, sprint won't know unless you tell them. I've used pdanet several times. My bill never changed. Sprint never called.
2. Data usage on the EVO is unlimited. If you get the official tether plan, its capped at 5GB. But if you tether using PDAnet or similar it just runs data through the phone. So there is basically no difference. Should be unlimited.

HOWEVER. Using PDAnet technically violates the TOS with sprint. They will probably never know but if your usage suddenly spikes from say 2GB a month to over 20GB a month you might catch their attention.

 

[SSjon]

I used to use PdaNet before I rooted. It sucks pretty back when you can't check your bank account. I was pulling about 2-3 gigs a month of data. Then I rooted and flashed Myn's Warm and MikfroYo both with Sprint Hotspot unlocked. I hit 6 gigs of use one bill then 13 gigs the next. Sprint has not complained or throttled my data speeds. Another option for root users is Free Wireless Tether.

So to answer the question Sprint either don't know or don't care if your using a 3rd party tethering app. They don't even care or know if your using their own Hotspot feature for free. Paying the $79.99 a month bill is enough for them for true unlimited data.

 

[NxTech3]

the 3rd party tether apps fool Sprints systems into thinking your are using the phones internet line which is #777, the hotspot or built in tether features use a different Sprint code, which is how they can monitor

 

[dan330]

no problem..

they dont know.. or dont care..
unless you tell them.

suggestion: root it and use a better solution!

 

[eldub1]

Only if you tell them

 

[Fazulka]

I have read in other forums that if you start using WAY to much data sprint still wont charge you, but they might cancel your contract. No ETF or anything, just cancel the service and release you. If i remember correctly it think the people this happened to were using like 50 or 60 gb / month.

 

[dan330]

yeah.. if you do over 30gb a month for many months.. that is crazy...

or if you roam and use a lot of data.. this cost sprint a lot... maybe more than 2gb a month for 3-5 months in a row.

 

[MrRedJoker93]

Nope they'll never notice. I do tethering all the time with my Evo (rooted using Cyanogenmod built in hotspot) and I've never had Sprint call or ding me with any extra fees. As long as you don't do a humongous amount of data I don't see how they would catch you.

 

[flywithlloyd]

That cod never be worth the risk for me. I have a data card (with the old in-limited plan), and regularly use 30-40 GB per month. They'd have me cancelled in a heartbeat. Hehehe. . .

 

[snowwy66]

so which roms utilize the sprint hotspot instead of wireless tether. and does it do the full 8 devices cuz wirelesstether can only handle 2.

i don't want any roms that can't utilize full function of the phone though. i use my 4g. i use my hdmi. and i use FULL volume on the phone.

i like cooked roms but not if they can't utilize my phone fully.

 

[dan330]

you will like ... myn's warm 2.2 RLS5. full sense .. functioning...bloatware on the side if you want to install...full hotspot and tether...and sexy black theme.

 

[snowwy66]

gonna give this myn warm a try. but that sprint hotspot has so far only been 1/2 the speed of wireless tether. which knda sucks.

how do i find my other apps. 3 have popped up but titanium is NOWHERE to be found.

 

[HawaiiD]

I've been using easytether for months and haven't seen a
bump in my bill yet.

 

[dan330]

been doing it for over 2 yrs...on sprint..

first with windows phone
then hero
then evo

no issues.