You think you’re a real smooth criminal, don’t you, using the Cydia app MyWi to tether your jailbroken iPhone free of charge? Well, it looks like your joy ride might be over. AT&T has apparently been sending MyFi users texts telling them to pay up or fall back:
AT&T Free Msg: Did you know tethering your Smartphone to a computer requires a tethering plan? Pls call 888-860-6789 for details or visit att.com/dataplans.
Subsequent emails alert unauthorised tetherers that if they continue using the feature without opting for the upgraded plan, AT&T will just go ahead and do it for you:
If we don’t hear from you, we’ll plan to automatically enroll you into DataPro 4GB afterMarch 27, 2011. The new plan – whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you – will replace your current smartphone data plan, including if you are on an unlimited data plan.
If you discontinue tethering, no changes to your current plan will be required.
It was a good racket while it lasted. [ZD Net]
jentin
Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 6:59 PMNice going AT&T – I can just imagine half their remaining customer base saying hello to Verizon. What a way to retaliate to the new iPhone carrier competition… actively PUSHING your customers away!!
Brody
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 2:20 PMcan they just go ahead and sign up their customers on different plans?
also, thank god i live in australia where tethering is no extra charge.
Simon Reidy
Sunday, March 20, 2011 at 2:42 PMWe’re so lucky here in Australia with our mobile networks. 3GB may not be much to play with each month but at least I know I can use it tethered without any problems from Telstra. Paying extra for the privilege of using data you’re already paying for, is one of the biggest rip offs out there. Not to mention you’d get shitty download speeds and coverage with AT&T’s pathetic network.
Pat Cahill
Monday, March 21, 2011 at 12:56 PMAccording to MuscleNerds twitter account, AT&T sent this email out to everyone with large download history, not just to people using MyWi or similar.