Unlimited mobile internet - what options do I have?

d123

chilswelluk wrote: »

I have not really looked into this, but how can they enforce these restrictions? What if an individual uses a VPN to circumvent deep packet inspection?

Three will not disclose their detection methods, but they’ve got very good at it in recent times.

esuhl

chilswelluk wrote: »

I have not really looked into this, but how can they enforce these restrictions? What if an individual uses a VPN to circumvent deep packet inspection?

I'm not sure.

I once tried tethering with my account (which doesn't officially allow it at all). Initially browsing was blocked. Changing the browser HTTP headers to emulate a mobile browser worked for a bit. Then I accidentally used my default browser profile, and suddenly all data tethering was blocked.

I'm slightly curious as to whether it's even legal for a network to specify what kind of data you're allowed to send on their network. What difference does it make to them what kind of data you're sending? How can they possibly have a right to examine it and decide whether or not it's "permissible communication"?

esuhl

d123 wrote: »

just clarifying that, it’s a handset sim, tablet use is against the terms as well, they will detect it and suspend service.

Oh, right. I don't know anything about tablets. I kind-of assumed they were just a big mobile phone...

It's crazy. It must be trivially easy to get round that, if you were so inclined.

baza52

it would be simple for 3 to detect the Browser User Agent string and realise your not browsing from a phone and browsing from a tablet, PC, Mac or TV etc.

baza52

also just found this from 3 and it looks like your speed could be affected so streaming 4k video might not work for heavy users.

About TrafficSense™.
TrafficSense™ is a term we use to describe how we manage traffic on our network. It’s designed to give you the best possible mobile internet experience by:

improving the consistency and quality of your experience in parts of our network where a lot of people are already using it at once
preventing our network from slowing down as more people join us.
We don’t constrain the amount of data you can use (subject to your data allowances, of course) but we may dedicate a certain amount of bandwidth to tethering, so that all other types of traffic can make the most of the rest of it.

Without TrafficSense™, a small minority of users could take up a large proportion of our network capacity throughout the day. This would inevitably affect a large majority of people trying to do simple things like browsing the web.

To ensure all our customers can enjoy our network in Feel At Home destinations we may manage the speed of our network at certain times and restrict use of tethering and VPN services.

Customers wishing to use unlimited data and our network without any traffic management restrictions can purchase a Data Passport Add-On. Details of which can be found here.

Our approaches may vary over time in order to meet network demand. The latest information on TrafficSense™ and how it may affect you is available on this page and there's more detailed information in our TrafficSense™ facts document, or you can see what we say about traffic management in our terms and conditions.

chilswelluk

baza52 wrote: »

it would be simple for 3 to detect the Browser User Agent string and realise your not browsing from a phone and browsing from a tablet, PC, Mac or TV etc.

I don't think that would be difficult to fool. Also a few points:

1) What about running an emulator (e.g. Android) on a pc, how do they know?

2) How can they prove you are not running some custom linux distro on a phone?

3) What about casting from a phone?

4) Moreover I think this is legally complex, they would have to define what a phone is. At what point does my computer become a phone, or my phone become a computer?

baza52

chilswelluk wrote: »

I don't think that would be difficult to fool. Also a few points:

1) What about running an emulator (e.g. Android) on a pc, how do they know?

2) How can they prove you are not running some custom linux distro on a phone?

3) What about casting from a phone?

4) Moreover I think this is legally complex, they would have to define what a phone is. At what point does my computer become a phone, or my phone become a computer?

Why would 3 have to prove or define anything? They would just withdraw their service to you, end of.

d123

baza52 wrote: »

Why would 3 have to prove or define anything? They would just withdraw their service to you, end of.

And imagine trying to get an arbitrator or judge to agree that your computer should be considered to be a mobile phone...

chilswelluk

d123 wrote: »

And imagine trying to get an arbitrator or judge to agree that your computer should be considered to be a mobile phone...

It depends on how a computer and how a phone is defined. You could build a computer which functions as a phone. Also where does something like this stand:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/want-a-linux-desktop-on-your-android-phone-samsungs-working-on-it/

Is it a computer or is it a phone?

Jon_01

I'm sure there's something in 3's T&C's that would cover them.
The networks don't just throw them together. When the one I worked for changed something they got 3 different (very expensive) law firms to give an opinion of the legality of the change before they enacted it.