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T-Mobile is going after excessive mobile tethering users

T-Mobile has revealed its plans to go after excessive users of its ‘unlimited data' plan. Now we have known for some time that when a network offers unlimited data, there is always some kind of caveat attached and it turns out that some T-Mobile users have been using as much as 2TB of data per month on their phone plans via tethering.

The customers using this much data are often using their phones as a tether for another device, like a computer, rather than just using the phone itself. On the $80 per month unlimited data plan, T-Mobile offers a 7GB limit for tethered use, the problem is that there are smartphone apps out there that can conceal tethered usage, making it harder for networks to tell what your data is being used on or used for.

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By using masking apps, some T-Mobile users have been able to tether at full speed well past their 7GB limits, with some customers using as much as 2TB per month. Writing over on the T-Mobile blog, John Legere said:

“I am taking aim at a select group of individuals who have actually been stealing data from T-Mobile. If their activities are left unchecked their actions could eventually have a negative effect on the experience of honest T-Mobile customers. Not on my watch. We are going after a small group of users who are stealing data so blatantly and extremely that it is ridiculous.”

Now T-Mobile will be using new technology to spot when a person is tethering or attempting to mask their data usage. From there, it will crack down on those excessively relying on their phone plan for more than just smartphone use and racking up hundreds of gigabytes of data usage. Those caught will first be sent a warning and should they not comply, they could be banned from the unlimited data plan.

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KitGuru Says: Normally I would see this as the network's fault for offering unlimited data usage in the first place. However, if users are masking their usage to go well beyond their 7GB tethering limit, then it is hard to fault T-Mobile for its approach. From the sounds of it, the company isn't going after those that use their unlimited data plans on their smartphones, but rather those that try and share that data with other devices as an alternative to a home internet connection.

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10 comments

  1. “Stealing”? What a bloody joke. It’s not stealing. Just because their network can handle it, but they charge silly amounts for stupidly small MiFi accounts.

  2. Sure, it wouldn’t be stealing if they were using their mobile data as just that, mobile data. However, the users T-Mobile is going after are intentionally bypassing their 7GB tethering limit to use their phones as an alternative for a home internet connection on a PC or tablet, which is obviously not what the plan is for. That is why the tethering limit is there in the first place.

  3. It’s just plain old “not stealing. They pay for their connection. If they used 2TB via mobile (easily done using torrent apps on mobile devices) it’d suddenly be different?

    Tethering caps are bullshit. I use more than 7GB a week on YouTube alone.

  4. So much for being the “uncarrier”.

  5. doesn’t change the fact that its not stealing, just an inventive use of the service. i don’t care that they’re going to crack down on it, hell thats probably a good thing since if lots of people started doing it the network would chug, but to call it stealing is extreme.

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  7. It is stealing. It is against their ToS, and if you violate their ToS, they have the right to void the contract. If your contract is void, then you are, of course, stealing data.

  8. If they are still providing the service to you, then the contract is not void.

    It’s not stealing, no court will define it as stealing (just as there isn’t a single court to rule that copyright infringement is stealing).

    Stealing is against the law. Voiding, invalidating or breaching contracts are not. An EULA isn’t legal.

  9. 7gb is evil

  10. The plan says “Unlimited Data” what does it matter how its being used as long as they aren’t distributing illegal content or something like that?