T-Mobile starts going after LTE tethered data ‘thieves', says some use up to 2TB per month

[ExodusNirvana]

T-Mobile chief executive John Legere is upset about customers stealing data from the carrier. In an open letter on T-Mobile’s site, he writes that starting on August 31, his company will be targeting the 3,000 users who are knowingly stealing more than their share of LTE tethered data.

This is the first official word from the carrier that seems to confirm a memo leaked earlier this month. According to that leak, action would be taken starting August 17 as the company went after those who use their unlimited LTE data for torrents and peer-to-peer networking.



Legere states that at the heart of the issue are customers with unlimited 4G LTE smartphone plans who have come up with workarounds to steal more than their allotment. He claims that these “thieves” are “downloading apps that hide their tether usage, rooting their phones, writing code to mask their activity, etc.”

Only a small percentage of T-Mobile’s 59 million customers with high-speed tethering are suspect, but they are having an impact on the network. Legere writes that some of the culprits are using as much as 2 terabytes of data in a single month. He doesn’t know what they’re using it for, but says he doesn’t care. Initially customers will receive a warning, but then will cease to have access to their unlimited 4G LTE smartphone data plan. They’ll still have service with T-Mobile, but will need to resign themselves to using its entry-level limited 4G LTE data plan. This solution should ease any network issues.

On the carrier’s support page, it indicates that T-Mobile has developed technology to help detect users that are violating its terms and conditions.

“I’m not in this business to play data cop, but we started this wireless revolution to change the industry for good and to fight for consumers,” writes Legere. “I won’t let a few thieves ruin things for anyone else. We’re going to lead from the front on this, just like we always do. Count on it!”

This action will only affect postpaid T-Mobile customers, not those on Pay in Advance (prepaid) plans or MetroPCS.

Once again....these telecoms are not your friend. Stop bigging up this Cloud bullshyt when they're trying to nickel and dime you for every last KB of data you use on your UNLIMITED DATA plans...

 

[Tommy Sheppard]

@R=G

 

[Rekkapryde]

I'm appalled

 

[R=G]

@R=G

I'm not cheating..I'm doing everything right though.

 

[Big Jo]

Can't even fault T-mobile. They are a solid provider, fair rates, excellent customer service, little to no bullsh1t.

They should call out and get rid of the network leeches. Let them go somewhere else. The sh1t is a privilege, not a right.

 

[winb83]

So basically people pay for unlimited data on the phone and they're complaining that those people are using unlimited data?

 

[Khalil's_Black_Excellence]

So basically people pay for unlimited data on the phone and they're complaining that those people are using unlimited data?

It's supposed to slow down after a point tho and I believe they're saying that these "data thieves' " workarounds are getting them to leech more high speed data far beyond that throttle point. Makes sense, if some folks are using TBs of data in a month, as those throttle points are still within GB ranges, unlimited or not. Also, I've noticed T-mobile's network become much shyttier lately (slowdowns despite having data to spare and having enough LTE bars, lost of reception often, even in areas that didn't use to happen at) and if some cats are dl-ing that much data, then it sounds about right. A friend of mine told me that among the Big 4, T-mobile just took 4th place from Sprint as far as their data speeds/reception goes. Service been so shytty lately, I've been considering going back to Verizon. Only thing stopping me is the amount of savings we're about to see now that my phone is also paid off and T-mobile making music streaming free (tho this becomes moot if the service is acting like shyt, which it has been). Verizon's service was MUCH better, that's for sure.

Oh, and @Big Jo, T-mobile's customer service has been utter shyt too in my experience with them.

 

[Liquid]

Don't call it unlimited data then

 

[StatUS]

I mean this is pretty much in their TOS.

 

[Al Simmons]

Did y'all not read the article? It's talking about those that tether. T Mo plans include 7gbs of tethering at no charge. They are going after those who tether, hotspot well over even that 7gbs, not regular phone use.

 

[Big Jo]

Oh, and @Big Jo, T-mobile's customer service has been utter shyt too in my experience with them.

Not mine. I've never had a bad experience with them. Been a customer since 2003. Sometimes a customer service rep will even call me out of the blue just to ask if I'm satisfied with T-Mo and to let me know they appreciate my business.

Your mileage may vary though, of course

 

[Khalil's_Black_Excellence]

Don't call it unlimited data then

They're actually about to nix unlimited altogether soon tho.

 

[King Sun]

And some people still want a DD only future

 

[ExodusNirvana]

Why have'nt people lawyered the fukk up with regards to these providers and this "unlimited" shyt. They should'nt be able to use that word in any of their advertisements or marketing. It's deceptive.

 

[Jesus]

T-Mobile towers are trash anyway....