AT&T new TOS kills off streaming, Skype and Hulu

AT&T new TOS kills off streaming, Skype and Hulu

Brad Sams on 03 April 2009 - 17:20 · 34 comments & 7184 views

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AT&T has altered its terms of service to kill off any type of high bandwidth applications. In a nutshell the new TOS will not allow you to use your Slingbox, Skype, or watch Hulu using AT&T's mobile data services.

AT&T states "downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and... any applications that tether the device... to Personal Computers or other equipment."

We will all have to wait and see how AT&T goes about enforcing these new rules. They could use Verizon's method where users are capped at 5 gigabytes and anything over that can get your service terminated. As the internet becomes more bandwidth heavy it's the networks that are inhibiting progress and not the technology.

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#1 perochan on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:31

this is BS. this is gonna **** off a lot of customers... like ME! cant watch streaming videos online is just blows.

(2 replies) #2 Squirts MacIntosh on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:33

Just another reason to hate AT&T. Not that another reason was really needed.

#2.1 dimithrak on 03 Apr 2009 - 20:05

Until i saw this.. i really liked AT&T.. this **** ****es me off.. ****ing retards!

#2.2 non.sequitur2 on 04 Apr 2009 - 02:42

dimithrak said,

Until i saw this.. i really liked AT&T.. this **** ****es me off.. ****ing retards!

I've NEVER "really liked AT&T". Care to explain that to us???

(1 reply) #3 babyHacker on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:33

I thought all mobile plans were capped at 5GB. If that is so, then probably no one is going to watch any streaming anything anyway. If I understand, this is just for mobile plans and not land lines.

#3.1 Fedr0 on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:05

babyHacker said,

I thought all mobile plans were capped at 5GB.

Here in Italy my plan allow me to use up to 5 gigs per day...

(2 replies) #4 Doli on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:35

You forgot to put that this is for their wireless services.

#4.1 bdsams on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:38

updated, thanks

#4.2 jstillion on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:43

Doli said,

You forgot to put that this is for their wireless services.

Agree the info posted here implies there DSL service... when it's there mobile internet.

(1 reply) #5 excalpius on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:47

And, of course, what exactly is the point of something like 3G mobile Internet access if you're not going to watch something that needs that speed?! It sure as heck isn't needed for email and texting, ahem.

I think Net Neutrality provisions would apply here.

And boy are all those massively overcharged iPhone users going to be ****ed...

#5.1 +dead.cell on 03 Apr 2009 - 21:23

Apple picked a wonderful network.

(1 reply) #6 thealexweb on 03 Apr 2009 - 17:52

At the end of the day is your phone company allowed to decided what you can and can't use your phone for.

#6.1 +Kirkburn on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:37

thealexweb said,

At the end of the day is your phone company allowed to decided what you can and can't use your phone for.

It's a good question - there are of course two sides to the story, but it certainly seems that in this case it's rather more on the "unfair to the consumer" side.

(1 reply) #7 +Frazell Thomas on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:00

Ah stories like this remind me why I'm happy with my Sprint SERO plan! Long live Sprint

#7.1 phrea on 04 Apr 2009 - 01:11

Nothing can beat 30.00 a month for unlimited data etc. Just dont be upset when they tell you no Palm Pre unless you change your plan

(3 replies) #8 The Guardian on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:02

Man, this is crazy!! This is really gonna p*** most people off! Also, is it true that in the US, operators charge for receiving text messages?

#8.1 +Frazell Thomas on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:27

Yep, US cell companies charge for incoming text messages and outgoing messages at the same rate.

#8.2 excalpius on 03 Apr 2009 - 19:22

And the irony is that text messages cost NOTHING to send. They were DESIGNED to travel in the normal handshaking packets going to and from the cell phone and the cell towers. Whether you have any text in there or not is irrelevant...they get sent anyway...constantly...entirely free to them. No, I'm not kidding.

#8.3 BeatBlaster on 03 Apr 2009 - 20:18

Service providers are just that - service providers! Take a look around at the global economy and you'll not be surprised that greed is doing everything it can to prevent the weakening of its grip on everyone's pockets especially in the US. Yes Guardian - in the US the companies charge for incoming texts. That's just the way it is!

(1 reply) #9 GreyWolfSC on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:24

"any applications that tether the device... to Personal Computers or other equipment"

I guess MobileMe and iPhone must part ways now on AT&T, then?

#9.1 +Frazell Thomas on 03 Apr 2009 - 18:28

No they just will restrict or block those features from being used. The new tethering feature shown in the iPhone 3.0 rom will most likely be disabled on AT&T iPhones.

Jailbreakers will hope that AT&T can't detect tethering (which they might be able to do with usage patterns or the like) as AT&T would reserve the right to boot them off if caught.

#10 thealexweb on 03 Apr 2009 - 19:10

iPod Touch + compatible Headphones with microphone + skype (or google talk) = winning combo.

#11 wellslogan on 03 Apr 2009 - 19:44

I travel a lot. I used to a a Win Mobile phone, and I used to tether it to my laptop. Soon i got an iPhone. The one feature that bothered me most of all was the lack of tethering capabilities. Then, just last month, I hear that the 3.0 software will most likely be able to do this. Then, I read that AT&T is killing off tethering. Now I'm angry.

#12 Silverskull on 03 Apr 2009 - 19:51

What about the iPhone's YouTube app? This is why I like my Sprint plan.

#13 Obry on 03 Apr 2009 - 20:06

This is ridiculous. I just got a Nokia N79 both for me and my wife and we both use them to connect to the net on our laptops when we're away from home or just chilling at the park. I hope they only put restrictions on the devices they sell since all the phones I buy are always unlocked and usually ones that most US operators don't carry.

Seriously, what's the point of my brand new N79 being able to connect at 3.5G speed (they even have the stupid 3G fire logo on their SIM cards) if I am limited as to what I can do. I use Skype on my phone to talk to my parents overseas who also have Skype and even at home I prefer to use my mobile rather than be stuck on the computer talking since it's so much more convenient.

#14 Deathray on 03 Apr 2009 - 20:19

We'll have to hope that open spectrum that was bought by a group of companies saves us

#15 tester.br on 03 Apr 2009 - 21:31

AT&T World hehe ..

poor company for god sakes

#16 Tikitiki on 03 Apr 2009 - 23:37

Buh bye AT&T....

Anyone think they will ask for a bailout when they loose all their customers?

(1 reply) #17 Sam Symons Live on 04 Apr 2009 - 00:47

UPDATE: They have retracted the new ToS, so we can all rest in peace

#17.1 Sean2989 on 04 Apr 2009 - 05:05

Can I have a link please. I would like to see it in writing.

I just don't see how a AT&T can shoot them its self in the foot like this. If they have any plans to compete with Sprint, it wouldn't have even tired to put this out there. Just goes to show that CEO's with no common sense are EVERYWHERE......

#18 ziggie216 on 04 Apr 2009 - 08:51

Wow, thanks a lot ATT for putting US cellphone service back into the stone age. I can see why serivce in Asian "just works" ha!

#19 Airlink on 04 Apr 2009 - 13:28

Here it comes: The end of Net Neutrality.

(1 reply) #20 wellslogan on 04 Apr 2009 - 14:04

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/atandt-...ice-apologizes/

#20.1 +shinji257 on 04 Apr 2009 - 14:10

Glad to see it retracted but what about the iPhone with Youtube included... :p

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AT&T new TOS kills off streaming, Skype and Hulu

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