Debate on whether you should offload smartphone data on WiFi, even though you pay for "unlimited"

[jefbal99]

On the flip side, if your home internet is 768K DSL, I could easily see 3 smart phones taking that to a crawl.

[wyndd123]

this is why i off load at home

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sgkiu2tdwkuie1y/2012-10-02%2022.15.46.png

[ChadBroChillz]

LOL, The more you hear, the more you realize caps are inevitable.

 

I think the only thing saving us is that Sprint needed it for a differentiator from the big two, and now that tmobile brought back unlimited data, they will need to keep it so their customers to not jump shit to tmobile to keep unlimited data. If Tmobile gets rid of unlimited data again, I believe sprint will get rid of it a few months later.( assuming tmobile gets rid of it after Network Vision is complete)

 

 

I am just hoping Sprint decides on a reward system for those who Wifi offload. 5 bucks off for using less than 1Gbps, 10 off for using less than 200Mbps. or something like that.

[centermedic]

On the flip side, if your home internet is 768K DSL, I could easily see 3 smart phones taking that to a crawl.

That would still collectively be some pretty heavy usage imo. When my dsl speed was that low I could stream netflix from two sources and still surf the internet without a hiccup.

[S4GRU]

If Dan Hesse read this thread, he'd be so pissed that he would drop unlimited immediately.

 

Robert via CM9 Kindle Fire using Forum Runner

[supert0nes]

Maybe if he read this thread he'd enable Wifi calling to appease some of us. Man I would love wifi calling when I'm in rural areas.

[khammondnm]

Maybe if he read this thread he'd enable Wifi calling to appease some of us. Man I would love wifi calling when I'm in rural areas.

 

I wonder if Sprint would need additional servers to handle wifi calling?

 

Sent from my Dark Jelly Belly using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[koiulpoi]

Just to add some fuel to the fire, was discussing LTE with a fellow today, and relaying how we'll probably be getting LTE in the future, he said:

"That's gonna be great. I can't wait for us to get it here so I can finally drop Comcast. Root my phone and tether away!"

He left almost immediately after that.

 

I really, really hope Sprint has some way of shutting down people who do this, as this isn't the first time I've heard this. To go off an analogy used earlier in the thread... this isn't actually like "going to the buffet and eating all the crab legs and nothing else". It's more like "going to the buffet, eating all the crab legs, stuffing a bunch in your pants, and stealing plates and silverware too". It's doing something you're not supposed to do, and the network can't handle it. Yet, I feel this attitude is more common than one might think...

[gameaddict8]

Sprint will kick you off if it gets abusive.

[Hugo]

Sprint will kick you off if it gets abusive.

 

Yup. At the Sprint user forums, some data abusers have posted about being contacted by Sprint.

[gameaddict8]

My buddy used almost 1 terabyte when wimax came out. No one uses wimax here.

[centermedic]

I heard that LTE is a IP based tech where as Wimax was not. Sprint should have some formidable weapons to bring to bear in quickly and effectivley indentifying those users who are violating the TOS. Is this true?

[Exzir]

Ok. First please remember there are always people out there that will abuse anything they can. Sprintc's unlimited data planes are for phonec's use only. They have data planes for computers and they have limited data useage. When there is no regulations abuse happens. People seek after their own wants. Some people look at their phone and say hey if I can do it and get away with it I will. Some people might use their phones when they are away from home and might not put a drain on the system. I think it is better to enforce a restriction on abuse giving everyone a better experance. If you do not crack down on abusers then people will leave sprint due to a lack of servise.

[Proxcee]

Ok. First please remember there are always people out there that will abuse anything they can. Sprintc's unlimited data planes are for phonec's use only. They have data planes for computers and they have limited data useage. When there is no regulations abuse happens. People seek after their own wants. Some people look at their phone and say hey if I can do it and get away with it I will. Some people might use their phones when they are away from home and might not put a drain on the system. I think it is better to enforce a restriction on abuse giving everyone a better experance. If you do not crack down on abusers then people will leave sprint due to a lack of servise.

How do you "abuse" unlimited data? By not limiting how much you use it?

 

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[jefbal99]

How do you "abuse" unlimited data? By not limiting how much you use it?

 

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You abuse it by using it for purposes that are not allowed per your contract with Sprint. Tethering outside of the Sprint mobile hotspot app with a tethering contract is abuse and Sprint can/will drop your service.

 

Can you call me a hypocrite, yes. I do tether occasionally, my android phone is rooted and I do have wifi tether installed. My tablet is wifi only and occasionally at the office or out and about, WiFi is not available. However, I compare it to speeding, I know that driving 5MPH over the posted limit is probably not going to get me a ticket, but it is technically wrong and I could get a ticket. I'm not going to drive 25MPH over the speed limit, that would be like waving a red flag, asking to police to arrest me. Unauthorized tethering GB upon GB upon GB will wave a red flag to Sprint and get you shut down.

 

Even the small amount of tethering I do is technically wrong and I could get slapped for it.

[Proxcee]

 

You abuse it by using it for purposes that are not allowed per your contract with Sprint. Tethering outside of the Sprint mobile hotspot app with a tethering contract is abuse and Sprint can/will drop your service.

Sounds rational to me...

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[Mondays In Flames]

Just want to add me 2 cents. I actually don't have wifi at my house so I use a ton of data from Sprints Network. In the first week of my new billing cycle I've used 1.7 Gigs. I do have wifi at my job and my Wifi usage is insane (the highest amount of data i've used in one week is about 20 Gigs). It does make me feel better knowing that I do pay for actual Unlimited, and not like T-Mo where unlimited was only the first 2 Gigs at high speed and then 2g after that.

 

So, my point, if it were up to me I would not offload my wifi usage on a cell phone network. Not only is wifi much more reliable to me, and much faster, it also helps conserve my battery for longer, since I tend to use my phone a lot.

 

 

-Luis

[WiWavelength]

Sir, that is ALL that you can eat. Now, please leave, and do not come back...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/9581559/Pair-banned-from-all-you-can-eat-restaurant-for-eating-too-much.html

 

AJ

[Mondays In Flames]

Sir, that is ALL that you can eat. Now, please leave, and do not come back...

 

http://www.telegraph...g-too-much.html

 

AJ

 

 

Nooooo I don't want to get that fat because of my unusual data hogging. I'm just too poor to afford WIFI lol! xD

 

 

-Luis

[jcrowder3]

What I read here is that people are concerned about sprint dropping unlimited data. I can see that as a possibility. If data rates are too slow and they can't grow their customer base, then they very well might. They also might do it when they percieve it is cheaper to do this than continuing to track down data hogs. In my personal situation, I am not against this on principle. I believe they might successfully incorporate a hike cap that makes their plans more finacially attractive than Vzn or Att (say 20 GB). This way they could exclude the top 5% of people and in return allow others not to worry about overages. I have given a lot of thought about the value of the unlimited plan over the last 2 weeks. Its all a balanceing act. If people tethering bog down the network, then they will have to go because the loss of their income (and the loss of face for nixing the unlimited plans) will be less than becomming known as the "Slow LTE company".

[jcrowder3]

I don't know if this is the place for this, But I hope it might help.

I have decided to drop sprint after almost 25 years (I came with the primco accquisition). Why? The kicker was data speed. I am willing to pay for LTE now that I can use everywhere I go (including indoors). I believe it will be 2 Yrs before 800 LTE bands are up in my area. Also Sprint is tightening their belts... Discounts that used to encompass my whole bill now they won't even apply to my complete family plan (they unbundle my wife from the $129 plan to save the $4 in discount on her $20 service.)

 

Sprint will lose customers if LTE is much slower than the competition. They will have to respond to remain viable. Expect crackdowns on data hogs once LTE is up and running. I hear the other side (I paid for it.. I should be able to use it), But this comes down to holding you to what you agreed to. If you use the system for other devices without a tethering plan, you are an abuser.

Hopefully they will go after those abusers who really impact the system and not scrap the unlimited plan.

[Exzir]

Sprint will never drop unlimited data in fact they have made others make an unlimited plan. I am under the impression that sprint was the first to offer unlimited data plans. It would be extremely hard to legitimatly hog up bandwidth with just a phone.

[Proxcee]

I hope everyone realizes that the "all you can eat buffet" analogy isn't really the best example.

 

"All you can eat" does not imply unlimited food. Unlimited data on the other hand...

 

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[koiulpoi]

I hope everyone realizes that the "all you can eat buffet" analogy isn't really the best example.

 

"All you can eat" does not imply unlimited food. Unlimited data on the other hand...

 

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How is "all the data you can use" any different from "all the food you can eat"? All the noun you can verb? I mean, you can say they're not the same, but how aren't they? Explain, please. Data usage is finite thanks to things like time and data speeds; food at a buffet is finite due to stomach capacity and hours in the day. I... really don't see the difference.

[Proxcee]

How is "all the data you can use" any different from "all the food you can eat"? All the noun you can verb? I mean, you can say they're not the same, but how aren't they? Explain, please. Data usage is finite thanks to things like time and data speeds; food at a buffet is finite due to stomach capacity and hours in the day. I... really don't see the difference.

It's simple actually. The shrimp supply of a restaurant is limited meaning they don't have an endless supply of shrimp in the kitchen. One important difference between data and food is that food is a physical object...data/bandwith ( in the context of this thread) is a measurement. While not likely...If I am the only customer in the restaurant I can potentially eat every pieces shrimp in the restaurant ( it might take me a while). If I'm the only customer on the network there's no way that I can use up every piece of data since data is a measurement and not a physical object. Being a measurement data can't be finite... unless of course numbers are finite which everyone knows is not the case.

 

As far as time goes...it has nothing to do with anything. I can set my phone to sync my e-mail every 30 minutes and that still happens even when I'm sleeping and not physically using my phone.

 

Again... In the context of this thread data is a measurement whatever you eat at a buffet is physical and therefore not unlimited.

 

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