Hey I was one of the lucky ones to get NetShare before Apple pulled it and I was wondering since there is a 5gb cap per month on my unlimited plan would it be cool to download like 2 songs or no? I mean if I could download a 4mb winterboard theme on cydia would a 4mb song be that much different? Also could I watch the last few episodes I missed of the colbert report on comedycentral.com or no? It's streaming video but so is YouTube. Just wondering, I don't want my contract cancelled, thanks.
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Question about NetShare Usage
- Thread starter Bernie-Mac
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I don't think the 5 GB cap applies. No one knows how AT&T is gonna handle the NetShare usage.
When I asked AT&T, they said they don't even know, but they did say that if a Blackberry with unlimited Data were to tether without a tethering plan, then the amount of data that you use while tethered will be switched over to a pay-per-use plan.
Your contract won't be cancelled, I don't think...it will just be huge.
And if anyone knows the charges, isn't one YouTube video on pay per use = to about $200?
When I asked AT&T, they said they don't even know, but they did say that if a Blackberry with unlimited Data were to tether without a tethering plan, then the amount of data that you use while tethered will be switched over to a pay-per-use plan.
Your contract won't be cancelled, I don't think...it will just be huge.
And if anyone knows the charges, isn't one YouTube video on pay per use = to about $200?
Oh damn, would I be able to do what I states in my op without getting charged ridiculous amounts?
Can they really distinguish data from data? I mean you're just redirecting your data to your computer.
I guess in Canada with the 6 gig cap it's more manageable for the companies.
I guess in Canada with the 6 gig cap it's more manageable for the companies.
I'd say if you're using an app from the official App Store, AT&T can't really do too much to you (unless you go way over the small print "cap" for data usage).
I have a friend with a Blackberry, and I believe that AT&T can distinguish data usage on a blackberry, because to tether with a Blackberry requires using a preinstalled AT&T app on the phone which ports data seperately from the regular usage of the Blackberry's built in browser. It is kind of like how they can tell the difference between a text message and a call even though they go over the same signal. On the iPhone on the other hand tethering does not require the AT&T app which distinguishes one set of data from another. Netshare just pulls the data through the same line as Safari or any other data application. For example I don't believe AT&T can distinguish if you access Facebook from the Safari browser or the actual Facebook app, as AT&T did not develop them.
I am pretty sure this is how this works but am not 100% positive, so don't hold me responsible for any outrageous AT&T bills due to Netshare usage, as I already pay them a fortune for data plans. LOL
I am pretty sure this is how this works but am not 100% positive, so don't hold me responsible for any outrageous AT&T bills due to Netshare usage, as I already pay them a fortune for data plans. LOL
Blackberry is a totally different thing. Because Blackberry BIS / BES doesn't use standard TCP/IP, the network provider will see when you use it.
However, netshare uses the iPhone's normal IP connection. There's no difference in traffic generated by the computer - AT&T could only differentiate computer traffic from iPhone traffic by analyzing the browser identification tags. Which is probably illegal as AT&T would have to analyze everything you're transmitting.
So - no worries here - AT&T won't know if you're using netshare or not!
So the gist is I can download one or two songs a watch a few online episodes of the colbert report without a problem from AT&T right?
well, yes and no.
yes being that one or two song, a tv show now and then won't put you over the 5 gig soft cap.
no being that iPhones steadily hit the 200 kbs mark according to many 3g tests that users have submitted, a laptop tethered to the phone gets a crap load more. mine was going more than 3 times that speed. AT&T will wonder how the hell an iPhone user is getting the same speed as a mobile broadband card user...
rock and hard place
yes being that one or two song, a tv show now and then won't put you over the 5 gig soft cap.
no being that iPhones steadily hit the 200 kbs mark according to many 3g tests that users have submitted, a laptop tethered to the phone gets a crap load more. mine was going more than 3 times that speed. AT&T will wonder how the hell an iPhone user is getting the same speed as a mobile broadband card user...
rock and hard place
well, yes and no.
yes being that one or two song, a tv show now and then won't put you over the 5 gig soft cap.
no being that iPhones steadily hit the 200 kbs mark according to many 3g tests that users have submitted, a laptop tethered to the phone gets a crap load more. mine was going more than 3 times that speed. AT&T will wonder how the hell an iPhone user is getting the same speed as a mobile broadband card user...
rock and hard place
I see, thanks, I better be careful then
Yeah they can, you are breaking their terms of service by tethering. Doesn't matter how you managed to do it. Now, *will* they do anything, that's another question. They do like keeping customers
How they would detect you doing it is easy - they got programs watching people's bandwidth. If someone is using way more bandwidth than the average iPhone user, they just have to look at what you are doing with it. If you are downloading lots of files, the iPhone doesn't currently support that, ergo tethering. Or streaming a flash video, same thing. Of course, to trigger that you'd probably have to get in the 3-5GB area...