Database Users

Sprint Mobile HotSpot Free After Update!

So im checking out the 2.2 on the evo i just updated at work and decided to turn on the hotspot. By some miracle it works!!! I just connected 2 blackberrys and a Ipad to the phone. I just actived the hotspot on my rooted 2.2 and it works as well. I know for a fact that niether phone has it on the plan

Try it with 4g and let us know if it works please.

I got the update last night and tried the 4G hotspot. It does not work on Stock now.
Gives the same PCS login error 3G did before 2.2.

Lyiondr said:
I got the update last night and tried the 4G hotspot. It does not work on Stock now.
Gives the same PCS login error 3G did before 2.2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea i was expecting the same thing when i turned it on. But it works. i thought it was because of my rom but then updated the stores phone and i got the same results

That's great. I may not need to root, then.

They're going to charge you for it secretly.

Figure out how you did it, or backup the data for Sprint's Hotspot app with Titanium and post it here.

Plancy said:
They're going to charge you for it secretly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I'm thinking....but not so secretly.

spidyspidey said:
This is what I'm thinking....but not so secretly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll ask I guess.

Plancy said:
They're going to charge you for it secretly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im on the phone with Sprints NSS to see if its to good to be true.
My regional said to enjoy it while you can

i recall an article or press release that said that Sprint would prorate this. I will see what i can dig up for you guys

Ok so I'm pretty sure hotspot over 3g is free, they are only charging for hotspot over 4g. All this has been said in a few threads I have read, Just checked mine and 3g works but 4g doesn't. One of the threads that mentions this was Ava's 2.2 thread, I'm guessin he is correct, but don't quote me!!! Maybe try it a little and see if they do charge you first.

That would be very odd. They haven't been charging for hotspot over 4G because they couldn't prevent it, until now.
With 2.2 they added the ability to verify if you are signed up for the service on 4G.
Before the update today I could not use 3G hotspot but I could use it on 4G.
Now I cannot use it on either network without receiving the same login error.

Wait, so far in this thread it sounds like:
3G wi-fi is free
4G is not, either you cannot log in or they will charge/prorate it for you.
Has anyone else been able to verify anything? If anyone talks to a Sprint rep (I'm at work, or else I'd be on the phone asking) post their name so we can say they are the ones who told us this was true... so hopefully they'll tell us the truth or else look like a ****.
"____, why did we get 42090589 calls saying YOU said mobile hotspot was free over 3G/4G???"

Well remember guys, the leaked documents did say they were enabling 4g mac id verification, which would prevent 4g hotspot use without the proper credentials (the $30 hotspot charge unlocks that).
Think about it; the big data hog is going to be through 4g, as the higher the bandwith, the more your probably going to download. On the other hand, 3g's data usage is probably far less than that of 4g because of it's download limits. Of course there's going to be even more usage when your tethered to another device, but it's not like it's going to be gigabytes of data per hour as you wouldn't even have the ability to do so on 3g as you would with 4g.
It would make sense for Sprint to charge those who use more data (alike tiers) and allow those that don't with the ability to at least share their connection with another device. It's a win-win situation; Sprint gets to make their customers happy by allowing 3g tethering while still being able to charge its most active users, and we the customers get 3g tethering (not really important to me since I've had tethering since I rooted ages ago lol).

edtate said:
Well remember guys, the leaked documents did say they were enabling 4g mac id verification, which would prevent 4g hotspot use without the proper credentials (the $30 hotspot charge unlocks that).
Think about it; the big data hog is going to be through 4g, as the higher the bandwith, the more your probably going to download. On the other hand, 3g's data use is probably far less than that of 4g because of it's download limits. Of course there's going to be even more usage when your tethered to another device, but it's not like it's going to be gigabytes of data per hour as you wouldn't even have the ability to do so on 3g as you would with 4g.
It would make sense for Sprint to charge those who use more data (alike tiers) and allow those who don't the ability to at least share their connection with another device. It's a win-win situation; Sprint gets to make their customers happy by allowing 3g tethering while still being able to charge its most active users, and we the customers get 3g tethering (not really important to me since I've had tethering since I rooted ages ago lol).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Makes sense to me, I was thinking that more people would be interested in tethering to 4G because of the speed is comparable (if not better) than DSL connections and slow (more like cheap) cable connections.
If this is the case, that's awesome, because the only reason I'd tether is to see a website that my phone had a hard time rendering (which should be nothing now) and to download something for the computer. And my city doesn't have 4G. But if I was in a 4G market, I'd still be happy with free 3G tethering.
I don't think you'll find too many people complaining, except those with non-Android devices. But that's their fault for not moving over to Android!

2 reps weren't sure, neither was their supervisor, we need a confirmation from a higher up.

pekosROB said:
Makes sense to me, I was thinking that more people would be interested in tethering to 4G because of the speed is comparable (if not better) than DSL connections and slow (more like cheap) cable connections.
If this is the case, that's awesome, because the only reason I'd tether is to see a website that my phone had a hard time rendering (which should be nothing now) and to download something for the computer. And my city doesn't have 4G. But if I was in a 4G market, I'd still be happy with free 3G tethering.
I don't think you'll find too many people complaining, except those with non-Android devices. But that's their fault for not moving over to Android!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lol, bet you wish you lived in centex... It's amazing how they have 4g there but not where I live in phoenix which is the 5th largest metropolitan area in the u.s lol.
Good thing about 3g is that at least for me, I get pretty respectable speeds; usually about 2mb/s down and .5 up. With that I can still stream videos and download things faster than a snails pace.

edtate said:
Lol, bet you wish you lived in centex... It's amazing how they have 4g there but not where I live in phoenix which is the 5th largest metropolitan area in the u.s lol.
Good thing about 3g is that at least for me, I get pretty respectable speeds; usually about 2mb/s down and .5 up. With that I can still stream videos and download things faster than a snails pace.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about now? Mine dropped 5 fold since a hard reset.

Hey, y'know, I've got a PERFECT solution to guarantee you get it for free:
Shut up and flash CM6.

Fooling T-mobiles data plan

I had a touch pro2 for a while and used the web connect data plan with it. I had full 3G and push email. When I transferred the SIM to my vibrant, I get redirected to a web2go page saying my phone is incompatible with this plan. How does Tmobile verify this?
Google search works, almost everything else doesn't. My touch pro2 is just as much as a smartphone as the vibrant under Tmo's eyes. So I think I wasn't supposed to have been able to use the data plan that I had with it. My TP2 was unlocked if it matters at all.

oldarney said:
I had a touch pro2 for a while and used the web connect data plan with it. I had full 3G and push email. When I transferred the SIM to my vibrant, I get redirected to a web2go page saying my phone is incompatible with this plan. How does Tmobile verify this?
Google search works, almost everything else doesn't. My touch pro2 is just as much as a smartphone as the vibrant under Tmo's eyes. So I think I wasn't supposed to have been able to use the data plan that I had with it. My TP2 was unlocked if it matters at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tmo has a separate data plan (Which is basically the same as the other) for Android devices. My brother took his sim out of his Touch Pro 2 with 3g data plan and placed it into my G1 (after I got my Vibrant) and it didn't allow him to be able to use data on my G1. He had to call and they had to swap his data plan over to the Android plan.
Now on the flipside of that, my Fiance took her sim out of her myTouch 3g and placed it in his Touch Pro 2 and data worked perfectly. So it looks like the Android data plan trumps all data plans.

Android smartphones are not supported with their old Web Connect plans which are being phased out anyway. You may be able to get T-Mobile to give you a discount on the Android Data Plan given that you're an existing customer, but that's about it...

Awe.
Well thats no fun... I find browsing on the TP2's opera mini and Tethering on it to be just as enjoyable as my vibrant. I wonder how they figure out what you are using.
I was asking because I have a web only plan... I pay 40 dollars for unlimited data, period. I thought I was going to get away with it on android too.
I would have to pay 70 Dollhairs if I want internet on my android! because I would also need a talk plan. thats no fun.
I have been doing research and I've found speculation that T-mobile uses the IMEI number to tell whether your phone is android or not. I don't think this is true given the fact that Tmobiles site depends on user input rather than automatic detection to know what phone the person is using.

@Oldarney: I've got a T-Mo unlimited data plan for Android and I don't pay anywhere near $70 (USD). Not even close. Barely more than what I was paying for Blackberry service.
I should add that I've been with T-Mo forever and have a sweet, "loyal customer" voice rate. Maybe I'm getting a break of some kind on data too.
Edited after re-reading: Your $70 _includes_ the voice. Okay. I gotcha now. Never mind.

Tmobile is building there phones with special hardware so that it can detect when you're using an android phone on there network with the wrong plan. That's why your old plan wouldn't work. Its the same for blackberry phones/data plans
Sent from my SAMOLED Vibrant using XDA app

Op systems
Depending on the op system on the phone the company has to configure their end. So, if you have an android the account needs to be sync'd for that type of op system. If you have an winmo 6.5 then it has to be sync'd with that system by TMO and if you have rim (blackberry) you have be to sync'd with that. I know this from personal experience no biggie

oldarney said:
Well thats no fun... I find browsing on the TP2's opera mini and Tethering on it to be just as enjoyable as my vibrant. I wonder how they figure out what you are using.
I was asking because I have a web only plan... I pay 40 dollars for unlimited data, period. I thought I was going to get away with it on android too.
I would have to pay 70 Dollhairs if I want internet on my android! because I would also need a talk plan. thats no fun.
I have been doing research and I've found speculation that T-mobile uses the IMEI number to tell whether your phone is android or not. I don't think this is true given the fact that Tmobiles site depends on user input rather than automatic detection to know what phone the person is using.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does use an auto detect. My fiance bought her Vibrant out of contract and when i checked our account online, both my line and hers showed the Vibrant as our default devices. So yes, it does update it through IMEI.

ELStiko said:
It does use an auto detect. My fiance bought her Vibrant out of contract and when i checked our account online, both my line and hers showed the Vibrant as our default devices. So yes, it does update it through IMEI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought my phone out of contract as well & it didn't update. I'm thinking the rep at the store you bought it from must have updated it.

tjhart85 said:
I bought my phone out of contract as well & it didn't update. I'm thinking the rep at the store you bought it from must have updated it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when did you check cause it can take up to a week to update the imei to the account. but that's how it works (getting the device's imei), insurance also bases coverage on the imei. some stores update the imei manually when you upgrade, but that's a waste of time because it will happen automatically.

creglenn said:
Tmobile is building there phones with special hardware so that it can detect when you're using an android phone on there network with the wrong plan. That's why your old plan wouldn't work. Its the same for blackberry phones/data plans
Sent from my SAMOLED Vibrant using XDA app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No they aren't. They are simply doing IMEI filtering - no help hardware used or needed.

Depending on the op system on the phone the company has to configure their end. So, if you have an android the account needs to be sync'd for that type of op system. If you have an winmo 6.5 then it has to be sync'd with that system by TMO and if you have rim (blackberry) you have be to sync'd with that. I know this from personal experience no biggie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it is something along these lines, perhaps being oversimplified a bit. I believe it may have to do with how the OS on the phone makes the data connection with Android being more like a true "always on" connection (more akin to ethernet) and WinMo using a type of PPP or similar that is in effect "always on." The mobile operator has to have their back-end set up for this and there are probably different settings (IP addresses, connection types, etc.) built into ROMs for Android and WinMo. That being said, I really don't know if they track it by IMEI or not, but I imagine they certainly could.

kmdub said:
I think it is something along these lines, perhaps being oversimplified a bit. I believe it may have to do with how the OS on the phone makes the data connection with Android being more like a true "always on" connection (more akin to ethernet) and WinMo using a type of PPP or similar that is in effect "always on." The mobile operator has to have their back-end set up for this and there are probably different settings (IP addresses, connection types, etc.) built into ROMs for Android and WinMo. That being said, I really don't know if they track it by IMEI or not, but I imagine they certainly could.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
there are different internet packages for each phone os, not entirely sure what the technical differences are, though. and they do track by imei, i know that for sure (i used to work for tmob and my wife still does).

Dude, I work for tmobile! And the data stick is just data and SOC that its on it is just a data SOC but the vibrant requires an android data specific SOC. that's why you can't use that sim with the vibrant!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

stafly17 said:
Dude, I work for tmobile! And the data stick is just data and SOC that its on it is just a data SOC but the vibrant requires an android data specific SOC. that's why you can't use that sim with the vibrant!
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was using the Rhodium ANdroid hack for windows mobile and The internet worked fine... maybe there is something to that. I gave up on it... I using the web interface to jump me to talk plan and then back to the a data plan, this time android.

they use the imei to check what phone you have. but for some reason, it's still showing me as a G1 so yay! i've had this phone for more than a couple months now i think.
also, i only pay 20 bucks per month for UNLIMITED data. i dont know why you're paying 40..... they offer a 30 dollar plan for regular users.... and i dont know where you got the $70 figure... that's just rediculous. i dont even pay that much for home internet.

At one time I had both a Vibrant and a Nexus One. I lost the Nexus while I had my sim in my Vibrant. I placed a claim with Asurion. They asked me to call T-mobile and find out what the last date the SIM card was in my Nexus One. Tmobile gave me a date that was exactly correct. I don't think I even placed a call that day with the Nexus.
So they know what phone your sim is in. Whether it is reporting IMEI number or Build Number or whatever. If they have a list of IMEI's in their system it is easy for them to know, IMEI filtering, like another poster stated.
IMEI numbers are unique and tied to each phone, not really a huge mystery.

IMEI is like the MAC address that PCs use

except that you can change your mac address while you can't change the IMEI address on the vibrant, and if you know how then let me know.
On another note I am really getting the hang of this swype thing.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App

A lot of confusion
This is way easier than explained in here. Basically, data transfer has to follow a protocol. So, if the firmware/software does not contain say an android language based compiler, then the unit is unable to send or receive the check sum...or ... in other word it can not make sense of what it is reading. T Mobile does this for just really one basic reason, It make the data transfer smaller and more efficient, which, in turn, makes all the data on the system smaller and easier to manage. It is a function of saving cost and improving speed. This is kinda a standard ever since 3G
T Mobile runs slightly different protocol for the different op systems:
Win mobile
Android
Blackberry
I know this to be true as I have migrated from Black berry to win mobile to android and each time i had to call and they send a sync signal and then the phone is recognized and everything works correctly. There has never been a cost just associated doing this.
That has been my experience. my 2-cents

[Q]Tethering and worrying about getting charged.

I am getting my tablet tomorrow, and had a quick question about tethering. I have had friends get notices about tethering when doing it with a laptop, but would I have to worry with a tablet as much? I don't have any idea how they check, but figured it being an android based device, it wouldn't set off any alarms.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App

papertreeprophet said:
I am getting my tablet tomorrow, and had a quick question about tethering. I have had friends get notices about tethering when doing it with a laptop, but would I have to worry with a tablet as much? I don't have any idea how they check, but figured it being an android based device, it wouldn't set off any alarms.
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What exactly do you mean? The Transformer doesn't have data so you can't use it as a mobile hotspot and if you're talking about using your phone to tether to it, then that has nothing to do with the TF.
Tethering from your cellphone to a pc/laptop is no different then tethering to a tablet. Not sure how you were caught as it's fairly unheard of to get caught while tethering on a rooted cellphone, but if you were caught and are worried then your best bet is not to do it again.
Once again, the TF is just doing the "receiving" part of the data. You won't get in trouble for using your TF what you would allegedly get in trouble fir is using your cellphone to tether to other devices, doesn't matter if it's a laptop or tab (unless you pay for the service)

They probably noticed your friends tethering cause the sites they were accessing looked like something a PC would access. Like playing a MMORPG, or attempting to download large files.

frosty5689 said:
They probably noticed your friends tethering cause the sites they were accessing looked like something a PC would access. Like playing a MMORPG, or attempting to download large files.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I strongly suspect they're not doing deep packet inspection or anything else that would allow them to know this.
What is more likely is that your friends were gobbling a lot more data than a smartphone user should and that trigger an automatic message on the (correct) assumption they were tethering their device.
I've tethered both my laptop and my tablet to all of my Android phones and have never been notified. Of course, YMMV
sassafras

sassafras_ said:
I strongly suspect they're not doing deep packet inspection or anything else that would allow them to know this.
What is more likely is that your friends were gobbling a lot more data than a smartphone user should and that trigger an automatic message on the (correct) assumption they were tethering their device.
I've tethered both my laptop and my tablet to all of my Android phones and have never been notified. Of course, YMMV
sassafras
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've also tethered for over a year, light browsing/emails of course, and haven't seen any charges. If you take it too far (think torrents/video streaming), would you be surprised that someone would notice?

I was asking here because it in my mind had more to do with tablets in general. And yes I am talking about tethering with my Nexus One.
And my friend was running a stock vanilla N1 when he got the notice. I have not, and I have on occasion tethered my laptop when I needed a real computer for a minute.
As for the amount of data used, I know I gobble it up on my phone since most of my time at work is spent surfing the web, or watching netflix. And as for the tablet, I just want the internet on it for the same stuff i do on my phone, like Google Reader, and apps like that. I have no plan on doing things like downloading torrents or anything that like that.

Damn US isp and cellphone companies has the worst deals

Backwardsblade said:
If you take it too far (think torrents/video streaming), would you be surprised that someone would notice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But streaming is also something done on a phone all of the time...like youtube or netflix or Pandora...
Why would high usage (under the data plan cap) cause anyone to flag anything?

I believe that AT&T and Verizon have anti-tethering measures in place

Tortel1210 said:
I believe that AT&T and Verizon have anti-tethering measures in place
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm tethering on my AT&T phone...

rpavich said:
I'm tethering on my AT&T phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, well they both block tethering apps in the market (Which doesnt do much).I guess Verizon is the only one that actually tries to prevent tethering.

Older versions of tethering programs for the iphone actually tagged the data as tethering data via the tethering dta route hence people were caught tethering without a tethering plan. The new version of pdanet (i forgot if this was the one) routes the data through the same route as normal phone data so its harder to detect. The old programs did this because it was easier to code i think.
Thats is all i know in regards to carriers and tethering as i had to research it for my dad and his ipad. Sprint as far as my own experience is concerned hasnt dinged me personally and i tether all the time, however my usage is within the realm of normal for a smartphone.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

My understanding of those getting hit with charges or letters from carriers that are tethering has to do with their LARGE consumption of data. For example someone who uses his/her cellphone data to turn their house into a wireless network running laptops, computers, etc.
I hardly doubt that if you're tethering here and there to download something to your TF when you have no wifi access that it will be of concern.
Take a look at your average data consumption on your phone and make sure you continue to stay in that range and you dont have anything to worry about.

I 4g tether all day erryday to my xoom, laptop, and all my friends ****. I use in upwards of 7gb of data a month on my phone. Man I love sprint
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App

branshaw09 said:
My understanding of those getting hit with charges or letters from carriers that are tethering has to do with their LARGE consumption of data. For example someone who uses his/her cellphone data to turn their house into a wireless network running laptops, computers, etc.
I hardly doubt that if you're tethering here and there to download something to your TF when you have no wifi access that it will be of concern.
Take a look at your average data consumption on your phone and make sure you continue to stay in that range and you dont have anything to worry about.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Big ISPs are able to do deep packed inspection and there are ways to to identify much of the tethering traffic. As noted, though, if your usage is not abnormal (and I mean ABNORMAL) they have little incentive to piss you off and stop it. The people that WILL get dinged, and dinged hard are those using their service to provide access to many others. Say, an office buying one phone and tethering their office to it. Or worse, someone re-selling access via their tethered device.
Us geeks tethering our tablets to our phones (likely already on an upgraded plan) are not threatening. Yet.

[Q] Wifi tether uses what kind of sprint data?

I've seen the other similar threads but I couldn't find anywhere, anyone who has asked these questions specifically:
Sprint recently added a 5GB data cap to their "tethering" services that comes with the Sprint Hotspot. I understand that "handset" data however, is still to remain unlimited...
1.) So when using the Wifi tethering app from the market, which data does it use on Sprint's network? Tethering, or handset?
2.) If you're using Sprint's hotspot app - the hacked/modded versions devs have been making- which does it use?
3.) And finally, if you have a rom like SRF1.2 that bypasses proxies and does other network tweaks, which does it use with them?
My phones are below if you need to know what I'm running.

ArchangelRenzoku said:
I've seen the other similar threads but I couldn't find anywhere, anyone who has asked these questions specifically:
Sprint recently added a 5GB data cap to their "tethering" services that comes with the Sprint Hotspot. I understand that "handset" data however, is still to remain unlimited...
1.) So when using the Wifi tethering app from the market, which data does it use on Sprint's network? Tethering, or handset?
2.) If you're using Sprint's hotspot app - the hacked/modded versions devs have been making- which does it use?
3.) And finally, if you have a rom like SRF1.2 that bypasses proxies and does other network tweaks, which does it use with them?
My phones are below if you need to know what I'm running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
your using handset data which is unlimited and this only works if you are rooted and have wifi tether enabled,

sapperpipo said:
your using handset data which is unlimited and this only works if you are rooted and have wifi tether enabled,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay good, that is my setup.
Short of torrenting pirated movies or other bandwidth-heavy activities, I don't have to worry about getting a nasty letter from them about using too much traffic then?
I normally just stream Netflix all day, check for updates on SRF1.3, and check G+ 3 or 4 times daily.

They all use the same data. Sprint just doesn't believe that a phone by itself will ever reach the 5 gb mark, and for the most part, they're right. Normal use of a phone should fall well below that mark, although video streaming could push it...
But try downloading 6 gigs on your phone each month, legitimately exceeding the 5 gig threshold without violating the new terms of service (in other words, without using any form of tethering), and I'd be willing to bet that your speed will still be throttled. You may even receive a letter about a violation, or about purchasing theory tethering plan. (Paying for their tethering doesn't count for this experiment, since it has already been established that that plan does get throttled, and it involves supplying a data connection to a device other than your phone)
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

styles420 said:
They all use the same data. Sprint just doesn't believe that a phone by itself will ever reach the 5 gb mark, and for the most part, they're right. Normal use of a phone should fall well below that mark, although video streaming could push it...
But try downloading 6 gigs on your phone each month, legitimately exceeding the 5 gig threshold without violating the new terms of service (in other words, without using any form of tethering), and I'd be willing to bet that your speed will still be throttled. You may even receive a letter about a violation, or about purchasing theory tethering plan. (Paying for their tethering doesn't count for this experiment, since it has already been established that that plan does get throttled, and it involves supplying a data connection to a device other than your phone)
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I thought Sprint was the only provider that doesn't have a fair-usage policy limiting users to 5GB a month. They are truly unlimited... (insert question mark here?)

styles420 said:
They all use the same data. Sprint just doesn't believe that a phone by itself will ever reach the 5 gb mark, and for the most part, they're right. Normal use of a phone should fall well below that mark, although video streaming could push it...
But try downloading 6 gigs on your phone each month, legitimately exceeding the 5 gig threshold without violating the new terms of service (in other words, without using any form of tethering), and I'd be willing to bet that your speed will still be throttled. You may even receive a letter about a violation, or about purchasing theory tethering plan. (Paying for their tethering doesn't count for this experiment, since it has already been established that that plan does get throttled, and it involves supplying a data connection to a device other than your phone)
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm interesting,,
g l w t

sapperpipo said:
I use on average of 11 million Kbs of service each month for the past almost 2 years and I have yet to recieve any such letter,,,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...that f**king shut me up...

As long as you arent abusing tethering like downloading huge torrents and using it as your main internet on 3g, you should be fine... i mean i know tons of people that posted in other threads that always go over the 5gb limit and sprint doesnt throttle or charge u.. just dont use it for torrents or online gaming via ps3 or xbox.
You should be fine if you do go over

davidrules7778 said:
As long as you arent abusing tethering like downloading huge torrents and using it as your main internet on 3g, you should be fine... i mean i know tons of people that posted in other threads that always go over the 5gb limit and sprint doesnt throttle or charge u.. just dont use it for torrents or online gaming via ps3 or xbox.
You should be fine if you do go over
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hopefully it stays that way - they *just* changed the terms of service within the past month, so only time will tell.
If you pay for their tethering package, then the app checks in with their network when you start it (this was the part that needed to be hacked to get the native hotspot working for free, essentially) - that would be the only way Sprint would know which data is used for tethering, and it could end up being inflated by any data use on your phone while the tether app is running (unless the app actually reports when data is being pulled for a connected device instead of the phone - but that's more bandwidth wasted...)
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

I really don't think Sprint cares. I had no home internet for about 2 weeks recently, so I used the tethering hack. During tha time I torrented over 30 GB of tv over 4g and never got a warning or throttling.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium

I had been reading from the sprint website about their unlimited plans and sprint's customer support responses to people. The results are promising, for now.
They basically said as long as network usage remains balanced between light and heavy users, everything will remain unlimited forever. (We obviously know forever means 1 or 2 years at the rate people are jumping over to the unlimited bandwagon).
Even with the iPhone users coming over, they say it's going to remain unlimited as long as not EVERYONE is being a heavy user. If everyone becomes heavy, the CEO said they will think about tackling a different approach to tiered-usage once that boat comes along, but I guess we're all okay for now.

ArchangelRenzoku said:
I've seen the other similar threads but I couldn't find anywhere, anyone who has asked these questions specifically:
Sprint recently added a 5GB data cap to their "tethering" services that comes with the Sprint Hotspot. I understand that "handset" data however, is still to remain unlimited...
1.) So when using the Wifi tethering app from the market, which data does it use on Sprint's network? Tethering, or handset?
2.) If you're using Sprint's hotspot app - the hacked/modded versions devs have been making- which does it use?
3.) And finally, if you have a rom like SRF1.2 that bypasses proxies and does other network tweaks, which does it use with them?
My phones are below if you need to know what I'm running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont really know but i think that it just uses android's driver and permission from SU (superuser) to form itself into a wifi hotspot. For number two, if you hack you're phone, you're still going to pay for SPRINT hotspot app. However, wifi hotspot(from market) is free. I don't know number 3.. sorry :/

jemajun000 said:
I dont really know but i think that it just uses android's driver and permission from SU (superuser) to form itself into a wifi hotspot. For number two, if you hack you're phone, you're still going to pay for SPRINT hotspot app. However, wifi hotspot(from market) is free. I don't know number 3.. sorry :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
False. I don't pay them $30/month and I use the hacked version of the hotspot app albeit not very much. That's the whole point of hacking it, so you don't have to pay the extra $30/month.

dtugg said:
False. I don't pay them $30/month and I use the hacked version of the hotspot app albeit not very much. That's the whole point of hacking it, so you don't have to pay the extra $30/month.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously, thanks for being the voice of reason here - that guy must have forgotten to toggle basic logic back on before engaging the typing mechanism
"We hacked the native hotspot app - now, it functions EXACTLY the same way as it did before we hacked it... don't forget to hit that THANKS button!"
Sent from my CyanogenMODed Epic

I'm glad you guys answered before I did. My answer would have been petty hurtful because that reply was not helpful whatsoever.
If you don't know, guessing doesn't contribute unless the post has to do with theory!
Sent from my Samsung Epic 4G using XDA Premium

didnt' really want to start a new thread.... i'm on SRF 1.2 with the fixed tether. for a couple of months i had no internet in the house so i was tethering without any issue off of 4g. got my internet back up at home and stopped using it. today i tried to go on with 4g and i could only go to google.com. turned off 4g and can surf on 3g on my laptop without issue. anyone know what's going on?

murso74 said:
didnt' really want to start a new thread.... i'm on SRF 1.2 with the fixed tether. for a couple of months i had no internet in the house so i was tethering without any issue off of 4g. got my internet back up at home and stopped using it. today i tried to go on with 4g and i could only go to google.com. turned off 4g and can surf on 3g on my laptop without issue. anyone know what's going on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In the future, starting a new thread instead of hijacking mine is suggested... but I'm feeling generous before I go to bed the A.M.
You simply don't start 4G until after your device is connected via wifi on 3G.
*Start wifi tether
*connect device
*Turn on 4G
In that order and it should work fine.
Try that and report your results please.

ArchangelRenzoku said:
In the future, starting a new thread instead of hijacking mine is suggested... but I'm feeling generous before I go to bed the A.M.
You simply don't start 4G until after your device is connected via wifi on 3G.
*Start wifi tether
*connect device
*Turn on 4G
In that order and it should work fine.
Try that and report your results please.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
unfortunatly that didnt' work. wonder if it has anything to do with my location. going to have to try it again when i get back home and see if that makes a difference. thanks for letting me thread jack

murso74 said:
unfortunatly that didnt' work. wonder if it has anything to do with my location. going to have to try it again when i get back home and see if that makes a difference. thanks for letting me thread jack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, sorry that didn't work. Please let me know your findings then so I have another solution to add for future peeps with such an issue.

I wonder how TMO will start catching those who thether.

We all know that part of TMO's "actual unlimited" plan means you can't tether. So I wonder how TMO's going to approach seeking out those people. Does your phone report the kind of ROM you're on to TMO? If so, that could be one way they find out.

alpha-niner64 said:
We all know that part of TMO's "actual unlimited" plan means you can't tether. So I wonder how TMO's going to approach seeking out those people. Does your phone report the kind of ROM you're on to TMO? If so, that could be one way they find out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-mobile cannot legally look at your private data. They cannot look at what you're downloading or what you're using to download. What T-mobile does is look at the user agent of your browser to see if it reports you on a mobile or desktop browser, and they monitor the volume of data to see if there are any abnormal spikes. You can easily get around these by saying "all the data used was on my phone by *insert application*" or "I was using desktop mode on my browser, I wasn't tethering." They still have the right to suspend or terminate you but it's less likely.

This might interest you. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=26649587

just as what all telecom companies do,
log your network usage, browser
the can tell whether its mobile or not

From what ive been finding out tmobile filters the user agent

If I use my phone as a hotspot for my roku box I should be fine shouldn't I since I'm not using it for a laptop where theirs browsers useragents. Thanks!!!
J.b. 4.1.1

Tethering
I have wondered for a long time why it is that providers care about tethering. As I see it it's all usage which is good news for them. I am with Rogers in Canada and tethering comes enabled. When I tether my laptop my usage goes up. Why do they care?

Daveosh said:
I have wondered for a long time why it is that providers care about tethering. As I see it it's all usage which is good news for them. I am with Rogers in Canada and tethering comes enabled. When I tether my laptop my usage goes up. Why do they care?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because all the major US carriers charge you to use your mobile device as a hotspot. By using free or third party apps to bypass the carrier's hotspot add-on, that's one less revenue stream the carrier can make.

When I got my S3, I couldn't tether. Even tho I have a grandfathered plan with hotspot. And NO way I am giving that up! I did not try a different rom but was rooted and used other wifi apps and no luck. However, my G2 and currntly SR and T989 both work just fine.