iPhone tethering: Greedy O2...

[Anonymous]

So you think it's a good idea to charge your customers extra to tether an iPhone to their laptop?

I think any customer with sense would rather just jailbreak their phone than pay an extra £15/month for a service they are already paying for...

Any reason for this outragous charging scheme, or is it just for the hell of it?? Worth a try??

Have you been living in a cave recently and not noticed that the general public aren't that happy with greed (see recent MP expenses scandals)?

[Anonymous]

This is typical greedy and monopolistic behaviour by O2.

O2 and other mobile network providers are in for a rude awakening, as this is precisely the kind of dubious practice currently being investigated by the European Information Society and Media Commissioner, Viviane Reding.

She won on reducing international roaming charges and is now concentrating on data charge profiteering.

I suggest O2 customers write to her directly with their experiences and grievances - the more customer feedback she gets, the more evidence she can compile against the operators.

Viviane Reding's email is viviane.reding@ec.europa.eu

BTW, I am not impressed by the number of O2 employees planted in this forum to try to contradict genuine customer grievances.

[Anonymous]

So you think it's a good idea to charge your customers extra to tether an iPhone to their laptop?

o2 have been doing that for years, so yes, it's an established practice. o2 market (admittedly not very visibly) the Web Max bolt-on to allow tethering. This is charged at £30 a month. So the same service for £15 on the iPhone is a bargain. How can that be greedy - half price tethering?
Anyone using the phone as a modem on the standard unlimited web bolt-on is acting against the T&C's.
SV

Completely agree with this guy.

iPhone users (hey I have two so shut it) are under the illusion that their swiss-army-knife device should come with everything for free.

Here's some news: All carriers are businesses and the airwaves are not run on willpower alone. Even if they were a charity, they'd charge, because you're not the one starving to death. Seriously, what a bunch of self-indulgent cry babies.

Grow up everyone.

BTW I'm definitely NOT an O2 employee. I have heaps of issues with O2 (and all carriers), but I've got my head screwed on the right way up.

[Anonymous]

I agree 100% with the last post.

I own an Iphone and think its the best thing since sliced bread.

It really, really annoys me that a lot of Iphone users feel they are 'better' then other mobile users and feel they have a God given right to get every thing either for free or for next to nothing!!

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR - exactly the same as everyone else!!

:robotmad:

[Anonymous]

I agree 100% with the last post.

I own an Iphone and think its the best thing since sliced bread.

It really, really annoys me that a lot of Iphone users feel they are 'better' then other mobile users and feel they have a God given right to get every thing either for free or for next to nothing!!

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR - exactly the same as everyone else!!

:evil:

I for one don't think I have the right to something for nothing. FWIW I am freelance and know the value of my most important assets: time and knowledge.

That said, I have a problem with the fact I pay O2 quite a decent whack of money already for access to the network. All I want is the ability to send a few emails from my laptop as opposed to typing them on my phone. The total amount of data I will send and receive will not change if I have tethering.

So why should I be charged more?

[Anonymous]

I agree 100% with the last post.
I own an Iphone and think its the best thing since sliced bread.
It really, really annoys me that a lot of Iphone users feel they are 'better' then other mobile users and feel they have a God given right to get every thing either for free or for next to nothing!!
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR - exactly the same as everyone else!!
:robotmad:

I for one don't think I have the right to something for nothing. FWIW I am freelance and know the value of my most important assets: time and knowledge.

That said, I have a problem with the fact I pay O2 quite a decent whack of money already for access to the network. All I want is the ability to send a few emails from my laptop as opposed to typing them on my phone. The total amount of data I will send and receive will not change if I have tethering.
So why should I be charged more?

You would have noticed I said 'a lot of iPhone users', I was not tarring everyone with the same brush!

Ok, I have no wish to get involved in a long running exchange over this, as like you, my time is valuable.

You pay 02 a 'decent whack' of money for the iPhone and the services that come with the package, for which you pay and agreed to a set amount each month, ergo, you were prepared to pay 'x' amount per month for the service you received.

A new software release now allows a new application.

02 is a Business, it would be reckless of it not to charge for this new service, (iPhone now = mobile dongle), therefore it may lose sales on its mobile dongles as people just buy Iphones instead. This is basic business common sense.

It is not forced on anyone, if you want to use it this way, why should you not pay for it?

[Anonymous]

the inclusive internet is for phone use only, once you start to use tethering you are turning the phone into a mobile broadband dongle which they charge for. YTOU ARE STILL GETTING WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

If you want more pay more.

[Anonymous]

I see it from a different point of view.

For years we have been able to use a 3G mobile as a modem - at least three years. When I was on Orange with a Nokia handset they made no distinction between handset or laptop use.

Now, at the start of the year I switched over to 02 and the iphone with the knowledge that legit tethering was round the corner. Data's data right? There is no difference in the amount of data or kind of signal I am using to go between my laptop or phone so, if I am paying to send data over the network already where does it matter where its coming from or going to?

So why charge more?

The only conclusion is that 02 must be convinced that users are overnight going to start downloading films on there laptops for free, which is fine and understandable. Except that: There's this fair use policy we've all been talking about, so presumably anyone downloading films will surely break this so at that point you start charging or restricting those users.

As to the logic and justification of 02 charging:

I don't want a dongle, I don't use one enough to justify it otherwise I'd have one. I cannot be alone in wanting the occasional use of data on my laptop. And anyway, with a dongle you are paying for the hardware and access to a service and facility you don't already have. I would point out I have the hardware and to a point already pay for the service. So why should I pay again?

Lastly, Can someone please tell me what difference it makes to 02 in terms of use of energy and resources if I download the same amount of data to my laptop as opposed to my phone?

[Anonymous]

So you think it's a good idea to charge your customers extra to tether an iPhone to their laptop?

o2 have been doing that for years, so yes, it's an established practice. o2 market (admittedly not very visibly) the Web Max bolt-on to allow tethering. This is charged at £30 a month. So the same service for £15 on the iPhone is a bargain. How can that be greedy - half price tethering?
Anyone using the phone as a modem on the standard unlimited web bolt-on is acting against the T&C's.
SV

Completely agree with this guy.
iPhone users (hey I have two so shut it) are under the illusion that their swiss-army-knife device should come with everything for free.
Here's some news: All carriers are businesses and the airwaves are not run on willpower alone. Even if they were a charity, they'd charge, because you're not the one starving to death. Seriously, what a bunch of self-indulgent cry babies.
Grow up everyone.
BTW I'm definitely NOT an O2 employee. I have heaps of issues with O2 (and all carriers), but I've got my head screwed on the right way up.

if they are gonna charge for it, they should consider what they are charging. £15 a month! most ppl on a £35 contract are going to end up paying a minimum of £50 a month! If they aare gonna charge for it, they need alot more options for bolt ons, first - they should reduce the price as a few ppl said, they already charge £15 for mobile broadband and at 3GB, its alot more expensive than most carriers. for users like me, i may use it once or twice a month, when using the train or something, and o2 need to consider that market, and have a cheaper - even if it has a much lower data allowance, but the feature should be available at a much lower price, or free... but anyawy, whats the difference between using 'free unlimited' itnernet on the iphone, and then charging for tethering to access the internet on a laptop! or maybe certain amount of data for tethering included in your contract... there are many options, and o2 have chosen the harshest one!

[Anonymous]

All I want is the ability to send a few emails from my laptop as opposed to typing them on my phone. The total amount of data I will send and receive will not change if I have tethering.
So why should I be charged more?

I realise that the official O2 stance is 'no tethering allowed', but as it's been said many times before on these forums, O2 won't penalise you or immediately and automatically start charging you if you tether occasionally and for light use only. If like you say you will only be sending a few emails from your laptop as opposed from your phone, then you will be fine to use tethering from time to time for this purpose.

If you do start overdoing it, O2's T&Cs state that they will try to contact you first before surcharging you, so you will not be charged automatically without warning - if you are, it will be against O2's own T&Cs

[Anonymous]

O2 won't penalise you or immediately and automatically start charging you if you tether occasionally and for light use only. If like you say you will only be sending a few emails from your laptop as opposed from your phone, then you will be fine to use tethering from time to time for this purpose.
If you do start overdoing it, O2's T&Cs state that they will try to contact you first before surcharging you, so you will not be charged automatically without warning - if you are, it will be against O2's own T&Cs

I really hope that that is the case as I would probably only very occasionally want to use tethering which is probably why the idea of charging extra for it annoys me so much. I did see a screenshot of the 3.0 software that showed a message saying you would have to contact O2 to set up tethering on the phone but it would really suit me if O2 let the odd bit of data "slip through". Oh well, only another hour or so until we find out