If you put a non-carrier provided build of Froyo on an Android phone or jailbreak your iPhone you can add tethering without notifying your mobile carrier that you are doing so. In all probability you'll be avoiding tethering charges in the process that you'd normally be paying. I've heard that carriers have ways of detecting illicit tethers but what are they? Is it as simple them assuming a jump in data consumption is a sign of tethering or are they inspecting the data to figure out that it's not being used by a phone (like a Netflix stream).
I'm curious if anyone knows the detection methods out there.
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How do mobile carriers figure out if you are tethering?
I have no real information, but remembering articles that I've read across various tech blogs like Engadget, and jailbreak forums, I believe it's a usage flag. I don't have any links to point to, but they probably compare usage stats from tethered/non-tethered users and if your usage pegs into the tethered region, they might slap your hand.
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Like JaxTJ, I suspect it's usage. Stick to smartphone-level usage and you should fly under the radar. I know MyWi (jailbreak app) has a usage meter, so it's very easy to keep tabs on how much bandwidth you are using.
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When you tether, the tethered machine has a different mac address, a different browser, etc. then the cell phone that is accessing the internet through the carriers network.
I think carriers aren't in a hurry to make the jump from 2.1 to 2.2 because of the tethering support built into the operating system.
I have a Sprint Hero (U.S.A.) and just got 2.1 about a month ago, seeing how long it took to go from 1.6 to 2.1, I don't think Sprint is going to roll out 2.2 anytime soon.
As for tethering in the meantime on 1.5 to 2.1, as they say, "there's an app for that" (EasyTether lite www.mobile-stream.com/easytether/android.html).
I think carriers aren't in a hurry to make the jump from 2.1 to 2.2 because of the tethering support built into the operating system.
I have a Sprint Hero (U.S.A.) and just got 2.1 about a month ago, seeing how long it took to go from 1.6 to 2.1, I don't think Sprint is going to roll out 2.2 anytime soon.
As for tethering in the meantime on 1.5 to 2.1, as they say, "there's an app for that" (EasyTether lite www.mobile-stream.com/easytether/android.html).
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