As GigaOm has reported, AT&T recently updated their terms of service for their wireless data plans, prohibiting various things that people usually want to do on the Internet. It now looks like Cricket has done the same thing.
AT&T's new language prohibits "customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device," which in English means "using a Slingbox."
The language also gets picky about tethering cell phones to your PC, making it clear that yes, you need a tethering plan to do this. "plans(unless specifically designated for tethering usage) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device," the new language says.
As before, the language also prohibits peer-to-peer file downloading and specifies that if you use more than 5 GB a month, you'll be charged $480 per each additional gigabyte.
I've contacted AT&T for comment, but haven't heard back from them yet.
Cricket's terms of service are just as harsh. The text of Cricket's AUP prohibits "continuous uploading, downloading or streaming of audio or video programming or games ... [and] redirecting television signals for viewing on laptops," along with P2P. That language seems new, too; I don't remember seeing that there when I first reviewed Cricket's broadband service a few months ago.
Cricket execs seem to have a weird ambivalence towards their own AUP. The Cricket AUP prohibits using wireless broadband as "as a substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections," but several times now, I've heard Cricket execs market their product as just that: a DSL alternative for low income households to bridge the digital divide. I'll see what they have to say on that topic and update this post.
The other major carriers haven't cottoned on to the Slingbox prohibition yet. Verizon's TOS prohibits P2P, and doesn't say anything about tethering.
Sprint doesn't even prohibit P2P, but just says that "we reserve the right to limit, suspend or constrain any heavy, continuous data usage that adversely impacts our network performance or hinders access to our network," and reminds you that you need a Phone-as-Modem plan to do tethering. T-Mobile's Web site doesn't seem to prohibit any specific uses, but comments that "Your data session, plan, or service may be suspended, terminated, or restricted for significant roaming or if you use your service in a way that interferes with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users." (pcmag)
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