AT&T Tells Unauthorized iPhone Tethering Users To Stop

AT&T is cracking down on users jailbreaking their iPhones and using apps to tether their jailbroken iPhone. Users who jailbroke their AT&T iPhone and used an app to enable unauthorized tethering (like MyWi) may be receiving a message from AT&T saying to pay up for an authorized tethering option or stop tethering. If AT&T does not hear anything from the user using the unauthorized tether, the carrier will automatically enroll them in a “DataPro 4GB” tethering plan (a $45 monthly add-on to the bill) on March 27, 2011.  Users caught using the unauthorized jailbreak may be receive a text with the message

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.

 

Users may be seeing the message from AT&T and/or either an email from AT&T saying

 

Dear <unauthorized tether user>,

We’ve noticed your service plan may need updating.

Many AT&T customers use their smartphones as a broadband connection for other devices, like laptops, netbooks or other smartphones– a practice commonly known as tethering. Tethering can be an efficient way for our customers to enjoy the benefits of AT&T’s mobile broadband network and use more than one device to stay in touch with important people and information. To take advantage of this feature, we require that in addition to a data plan, you also have a tethering plan.

Our records show that you use this capability, but are not subscribed to our tethering plan.

If you would like to continue tethering, please log into
your account online at www.wireless.att.com, or call us
at 1-888-860-6789 Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. CST
or Saturday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. CST, by March 27, 2011
to sign up for DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering.
Here are details on the plan:

DataPro 4GB for Smartphone Tethering
• $45 per month
(this gives you 4GB in total, combining both your smartphone data plan for $25 and the tethering feature, $20)
• $10 per each additional GB thereafter, added automatically as needed
• Mobile Hotspot capabilities are included for compatible Smartphones
If we don’t hear from you, we’ll plan to automatically enroll you into DataPro 4GB after March 27, 2011. The new plan – whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you – will replace your current smartphone da