Communication from AT&T re: tethering, BUT, I'm not tethering.

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@savannahsloth wrote:

I have received communication from AT&T regarding unauthorized tethering on my phone and an implicit threat to discontinue my gradfathered unlimited data plan.

 

My issue is - and I have been in communication with AT&T twice now - I do not, have not, and have no intention to use my phone for tethering.  I have never even touched the "hotspot" toggle.

 

In both calls with AT&T, they have alluded to possible third party apps that may be tethering without my knowledge or consent.  I really am not that technologically advanced with how I use my phone - I use my phone for calls, internet, e-mail, listen to music on Spotify and that's about it.  My data usage is not even what most would consider high - averaging less than 3GB over the past several months.

 

My questions are A: can anyone out there confirm the accuracy of it being possible that apps are tethering without my knowledge, and B:  if that is possible, does anyone have any idea what apps may do this, and C: does anyone have any fix for this so that the supposed tethering, happening beyond my control apprently, stops.  Thank you in advance for any suggestions and/or further insight. 

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Is your phone jailbroken?  It is possible that it may be an app like that?  I also know that Facebook does lots of stuff in the background and I wonder if its voip like messenger services are looking like tethering?  Go into an ATT store and talk directly with a manager and review your phone with them and see what you both find out.

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@youngjm wrote:

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@savannahsloth wrote:

I have received communication from AT&T regarding unauthorized tethering on my phone and an implicit threat to discontinue my gradfathered unlimited data plan.

 

My issue is - and I have been in communication with AT&T twice now - I do not, have not, and have no intention to use my phone for tethering.  I have never even touched the "hotspot" toggle.

 

In both calls with AT&T, they have alluded to possible third party apps that may be tethering without my knowledge or consent.  I really am not that technologically advanced with how I use my phone - I use my phone for calls, internet, e-mail, listen to music on Spotify and that's about it.  My data usage is not even what most would consider high - averaging less than 3GB over the past several months.

 

My questions are A: can anyone out there confirm the accuracy of it being possible that apps are tethering without my knowledge, and B:  if that is possible, does anyone have any idea what apps may do this, and C: does anyone have any fix for this so that the supposed tethering, happening beyond my control apprently, stops.  Thank you in advance for any suggestions and/or further insight. 

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Is your phone jailbroken?  It is possible that it may be an app like that?  I also know that Facebook does lots of stuff in the background and I wonder if its voip like messenger services are looking like tethering?  Go into an ATT store and talk directly with a manager and review your phone with them and see what you both find out.

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Unless the phone is jail broken, there are no apps that could be tethering without the OP's knowledge because Apple doesn't allow such apps. 

To OP, when you stream music from Spotify or other such app, do you play the output via Bluetooth to your car stereo or other Bluetooth device? I have seen posts in the past that suggest ATT incorrectly identifies that as tethering when it is not. 

You may have downloaded an app that has malware, but with an iphone that is very unlikely. I have only heard of that happening with andriod devices due to the open marketplace. I would do a back up and then master reset your phone and see if a few days with no apps makes your usage go down.