Indeed, T-Mobile doesn’t charge extra for tethering.

Okay, I did a little research, and it turns out that an ATT
stand-alone wifi hot spot would cost about $60 a month, which includes
$40 for a 6 gb data plan plus $20 for the hot spot device. This would
be instead of, or in addition to, the $55 they charge for stand-alone
Internet service. And you must make a minimum $240 commitment. So
this would not be a cheaper alternative to the ATT Internet service
plan that Janet is already paying for.

Gerald



-----Original Message----- From: Gerald Levy
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 11:29 AM
To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.


You misunderstood my message. I never said that a wifi hot spots
service was illegal. I was responding to another list member who
claimed that there was a way to get this service without paying extra
for it, which, indeed, may be illegal. If AT&T offers this service, it
would cost extra beyond what they charge for basicInternet service.

Gerald



-----Original Message----- From: Ann Parsons
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 11:14 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.

Hi Gene et al,

Sorry, I didn't check the little box. I was objecting to Gerald's
assertion that if you had a hot spot it was illegal. It isn't.
Verizon sells them and they connect to the internet through a Verizon
portal so that one can connect anywhere.

Ann P.

We were informed on another list by a reliable member that Groups.io will be down tonight for about two hours for maintenance.  The lists will be down starting at two a.m Saturday morning eastern daylight time.  You can still answer messages.  They will be held in a cue and will be sent out when service resumes.

 

Gene

For Lynn:
By way of clarification, since it looks like someone was possibly offended that I mentioned practicing my albeit-rusty French: First, I never said I was fluent; I took 5 years in high school (enough to get through the French version of "The Littler Prince" and some articles about French culture; and, because I've had extremely-limited practice in the ensuing 37 years, I am a better understander than speaker). I still love the language and try to speak or read whenever I can, though. There is a Sandy Streeter who was married to a blind Larry Streeter, who I've never met in my travels, and most people know her, and not me. I am a Streeter by birth, she by marriage. We live states apart, me in CT, her elsewhere. I'm guessing you know her or someone else of this name. Also, I decidedly don't go for Sandy--I am definitely a Sandra, decided as a young adult... Hope this helps sort things out.




Sandra

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
(James Baldwin)
-----Original Message----- From: Sandra Streeter
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 11:59 PM
To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] new scam, beware

Which do you know? There are several of us.





Sandra

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed
until it is faced."
(James Baldwin)
-----Original Message----- From: Lynn White
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 11:16 PM
To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] new scam, beware

Hold u. If this is the Sandra Streeter I know, she does not speak French.


On 8/16/2018 4:03 PM, Sandra Streeter wrote:

Bless you--an opportunity to practice my extremely-rusty (if much-loved) French! "The more things change, the more they stay the same," for non-French speakers.



Sandra

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced."
(James Baldwin)
-----Original Message----- From: Ann Parsons
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 3:01 PM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] new scam, beware

Hi all,

<smiling> Yes, I recognized the tune but not the words. "Plus sa
change, plus c'est le meme chose."

Ann P.

Original message:

That's an oldie--just same song, different verse. I automatically delete
them if, in the subject line, they sound suspicious.

Sandra

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed
until it is faced."
(James Baldwin)
-----Original Message-----
From: chris judge
Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2018 9:39 AM
To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] new scam, beware

Yes, it looks like it's coming through the blind buy and sell address.

-----Original Message-----
From: main@TechTalk.groups.io <main@TechTalk.groups.io> On Behalf Of Ann
Parsons
Sent: August 16, 2018 9:59 AM
To: techtalk@groups.io
Subject: [TechTalk] new scam, beware

Morning all,

I just got a new scam! Life is so fun! This one starts out with a sad sob
storry about somebody who is broke, and her sister has to have a gall
bladder operation, and the money has to be paid to the doctor immediately.

Of course this is complete and utter rot. The hospital would bill the
patient and he or she would have thirty days to pay or make arrangements for
payment. Believe me, as one who is now confronted by paperwork from my own
local hospital, I know how this works.

So, if you get this scam, delete it. It's just one of the ever-changing,
ever-growing scams on the net. It was signed by somebody I don't even know.

Ann P.

--
Ann K. Parsons
Portal Tutoring
EMAIL: akp@sero.email
Author of The Demmies: http://www.dldbooks.com/annparsons/
Portal Tutoring web site: http://www.portaltutoring.info
Skype: Putertutor

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost."

Yes I did read the whole article, and I have not yet heard of any such restrictions either in advertising or from users of the three major cellular phone providers in my area--Verizon, AT&T, and  SPRINT.

Did you read the entire article?  You are vastly oversimplifying the matter. 

 

Some quotes from the article:

Quote:

Also, keep in mind that the speed you get on a tethered device may not be as fast as you might expect even on the cell phone itself because the information has to take that extra step over the air or through the wire (USB connections will generally be faster than Bluetooth). With 3G service on your handset, upload and download speeds will typically be less than 1 Mbps. If you're in an area not covered by mobile broadband, you'll likely get speeds only a few times faster than dial-up.

end quote.

So what does that mean for the speed if you are using 4G?  Evidently, this article was written before that.  Slow speeds should be fine for Janet, but for others they likely wouldn't be very satisfactory except in circumstances where they don't have other options.

Quote:

Depending on your particular phone and connection method, you also may not be able to use your voice service on the cell phone (such as getting calls) while it is tethered.

End quote.

Quote:

The biggest obstacle, though, is just being able to tether your cell phone to your laptop at all. Each wireless carrier has a different set of rules and service plans for allowing tethering, and each cell phone device may have its own limitations. How to tether your cell phone will largely depend on your cell phone service provider and your cell phone model. The major wireless carriers in the US are now charging extra monthly fees just to tether your phone or use a phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for more than one device to go online.

End Quote.

 

This isn't the simple nothing to consider just do it method you imply.

 

Gene

----- Original Message -----

From: Steve Matzura

Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:22 PM

To: main@TechTalk.groups.io

Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.

What on earth? How the heck is anyone going to figure out that the
connection from your phone is not the phone itself? And why would they
even care? Tethering is nothing but good.
https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-tethering-2377921


On 8/17/2018 8:05 AM, Gerald Levy wrote:
>
> And if you get caught doing this, you can bet that the FCC police will
> prosecute vigorously, and you could even face serious jail time.  FCC
> head Ajit Pai has no tolerance for consumers who try to screw or
> circumvent the telecom giants. Don't think about trying it.
>
> Gerald
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Rob Hudson
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 7:27 AM
> To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.
>
> Steve Matzura <number6@...> wrote:
>> Why not just ditch AT&T totally and use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
>> If you're not a big Internet junkie, which unfortunately I have been for
>> nearly thirty-five years, and you have a good data plan with your phone,
>> then this could be the ideal solution for you.
>
> Hotspot data and mobile data are different charges, however. You get
> charged separately for using your phone for tethering. There is a way
> to fool the company into thinking you are using mobile data rather
> than hotspot, but it's probably illegal and thus shouldn't be
> discussed here.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Did you read the entire article?  You are vastly oversimplifying the matter. 

 

Some quotes from the article:

Quote:

Also, keep in mind that the speed you get on a tethered device may not be as fast as you might expect even on the cell phone itself because the information has to take that extra step over the air or through the wire (USB connections will generally be faster than Bluetooth). With 3G service on your handset, upload and download speeds will typically be less than 1 Mbps. If you're in an area not covered by mobile broadband, you'll likely get speeds only a few times faster than dial-up.

end quote.

So what does that mean for the speed if you are using 4G?  Evidently, this article was written before that.  Slow speeds should be fine for Janet, but for others they likely wouldn't be very satisfactory except in circumstances where they don't have other options.

Quote:

Depending on your particular phone and connection method, you also may not be able to use your voice service on the cell phone (such as getting calls) while it is tethered.

End quote.

Quote:

The biggest obstacle, though, is just being able to tether your cell phone to your laptop at all. Each wireless carrier has a different set of rules and service plans for allowing tethering, and each cell phone device may have its own limitations. How to tether your cell phone will largely depend on your cell phone service provider and your cell phone model. The major wireless carriers in the US are now charging extra monthly fees just to tether your phone or use a phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot for more than one device to go online.

End Quote.

 

This isn't the simple nothing to consider just do it method you imply.

 

Gene

----- Original Message -----

From: Steve Matzura

Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 2:22 PM

To: main@TechTalk.groups.io

Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.

What on earth? How the heck is anyone going to figure out that the
connection from your phone is not the phone itself? And why would they
even care? Tethering is nothing but good.
https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-tethering-2377921


On 8/17/2018 8:05 AM, Gerald Levy wrote:
>
> And if you get caught doing this, you can bet that the FCC police will
> prosecute vigorously, and you could even face serious jail time.  FCC
> head Ajit Pai has no tolerance for consumers who try to screw or
> circumvent the telecom giants. Don't think about trying it.
>
> Gerald
>
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Rob Hudson
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 7:27 AM
> To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.
>
> Steve Matzura <number6@...> wrote:
>> Why not just ditch AT&T totally and use your phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
>> If you're not a big Internet junkie, which unfortunately I have been for
>> nearly thirty-five years, and you have a good data plan with your phone,
>> then this could be the ideal solution for you.
>
> Hotspot data and mobile data are different charges, however. You get
> charged separately for using your phone for tethering. There is a way
> to fool the company into thinking you are using mobile data rather
> than hotspot, but it's probably illegal and thus shouldn't be
> discussed here.
>
>
>
>
>
>

Indeed, T-Mobile doesn’t charge extra for tethering.

Hi Chris,

That is exactly what I thought about the Hotspot setting it up on my phone.  Hotspot is included with my data plan. 

Janet

You misunderstood my message.  I never said that a wifi hot spots service was illegal.  I was responding to another list member who claimed that there was a way to get this service without paying extra for it, which, indeed, may be illegal. If AT&T offers this service, it would cost extra beyond what they charge for basicInternet service.

Gerald



-----Original Message----- From: Ann Parsons
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 11:14 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.

Hi Gene et al,

Sorry, I didn't check the little box.  I was objecting to Gerald's
assertion that if you had a hot spot it was illegal.  It isn't.
Verizon sells them and they connect to the internet through a Verizon
portal so that one can connect anywhere.

Ann P.

Okay, I did a little research, and it turns out that an ATT
stand-alone wifi hot spot would cost about $60 a month, which includes
$40 for a 6 gb data plan plus $20 for the hot spot device. This would
be instead of, or in addition to, the $55 they charge for stand-alone
Internet service. And you must make a minimum $240 commitment. So
this would not be a cheaper alternative to the ATT Internet service
plan that Janet is already paying for.

Gerald



-----Original Message----- From: Gerald Levy
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 11:29 AM
To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.


You misunderstood my message. I never said that a wifi hot spots
service was illegal. I was responding to another list member who
claimed that there was a way to get this service without paying extra
for it, which, indeed, may be illegal. If AT&T offers this service, it
would cost extra beyond what they charge for basicInternet service.

Gerald



-----Original Message----- From: Ann Parsons
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 11:14 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] Wi-Fi without internet service.

Hi Gene et al,

Sorry, I didn't check the little box. I was objecting to Gerald's
assertion that if you had a hot spot it was illegal. It isn't.
Verizon sells them and they connect to the internet through a Verizon
portal so that one can connect anywhere.

Ann P.