Sorry, Skype, streaming video, etc., not allowed.
http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/15/8805266-why-fine-print-might-ground-your-high-flying-4g-cellphone-serviceAn AT&T customer, he was thrilled last week when the firm released its first two "real" 4G LTE phones -- the HTC Vivid and Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. A Washington, D.C.,-area resident, he's lucky to live in one of the handful of cities where the providers' highest-speed service is currently available, so he was ready to jump in with both feet.
Then, he read the contract.
It says this: "Data sessions may be conducted only for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) intranet access." Nothing about lightning bolts, and according to Rasch, nothing that he can't already do with his old phone. He found the limitations troubling.
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T-Mobile's contract falls somewhere in between. It reads: "Your Data Plan is intended for Web browsing, messaging, and similar activities on your Device and not on any other equipment. Unless explicitly permitted by your Data Plan, other uses, including for example, using your Device as a modem or tethering your Device to a personal computer or other hardware, are not permitted.
Sprint’s contract merely prohibits illegal activity, or “excessive utilization of network resources.”
AT&T’s restrictive list of unwelcome behaviors offers considerable detail.
“Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation, the following: (i) server devices or host computer applications, including, but not limited to, Web camera posts or broadcasts, automatic data feeds, automated machine-to-machine connections or peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing; (ii) as a substitute or backup for private lines, wirelines or full-time or dedicated data connections,” it reads.
