I’m sure that this isn’t surprising, but if you tweet enough about your displeasure with AT&T’s wireless service, you will inevitably be contacted by someone from AT&T.  I’ve been contacted by five AT&T employees, all responding to my repeated complaints about the quality of their network, or their latest act of evil — charging an extra $20 for iPhone tethering.  iPhone customers in the U.S. have been waiting almost a year to enjoy what iPhone users in other parts of the world have enjoyed almost from the initial release of iPhone 3.0.  The iPhone gives customers the ability to attach their iPhone to their Mac or PC, and use the iPhone’s 3G connection to access the internet without the need for a 3G card.  It’s a great feature, and I’ve waited anxiously for the day when I would be ALLOWED to use it.  The iPhone has had the ability to tether since the first day that iPhone 3.0 was released.  AT&T has stood in the way citing concerns about network capacity.  Hey AT&T, here’s a thought…  Why not beef up your network BEFORE you start selling the iPhone?  In case you’re not familiar with AT&T’s new iPhone data plans, AT&T announced this week that they are doing away with the unlimited data plan that iPhone users have enjoyed for nearly three years.  They’re replacing it with a $25/month plan that limits customers to only 2GB of data per month.  It’s true that most customers don’t come anywhere near 2GB per month (myself included), but where the evil begins is when AT&T insists on charging another $20 for the privilege of tethering.  Why should AT&T care how we use our 2GB of data per month?  Why charge another $20?  My bill is already over $100 month.  In addition, I also pay $150 per month for AT&T’s U-Verse service.  How much more of my money does AT&T need?

Tonight, I was contacted by @ATTJulia on Twitter.  She explained that the extra $20 charge for tethering is standard across the industry.  That may be true, but it does not excuse AT&T’s greed.  That’s what this is.  Normally, I’m a free market capitalist all the way.  I have no problem with being paying a fair price for quality services.  However, this extra $20 fee is nothing but naked greed.  Clothing that greed with a flimsy excuse that the extra charge is standard is not only lame, but it’s insulting that AT&T would believe that their customers would accept it.

The iPhone is a revolutionary product.  It’s the best smartphone on the market.  The sheer sales numbers over the past three years is proof of that.  What AT&T is doing is taking that wonderful product, and using it for their own greedy goals.  They have diminished the iPhone’s phenomenal user experience by shackling it to their sorry data plans, and their lousy network.  I call on every iPhone user in the U.S. to demand that AT&T treat us fairly, and stop trying to find more ways to syphon more and more money from us.  If you use Twitter, message AT&T, and voice your complaints:

@ATTCustomerCare @ATTJohnathon @ATTChrisL @ATTJulie

When you call customer care, complain.  Email AT&T’s executives and tell them you don’t like the data plan change.  Blog about your outrage.  Make your voice heard.  As it stands, I won’t be using the new tethering service.  I refuse to pay AT&T an additional $20 to be allowed to use a feature that my iPhone has had for almost a year.

Well, so much for “unlimited” data plans.  While AT&T struggles with iPhone users who actually expect to USE their iPhones for internet and email, why not upgrade the network instead of whining about supposed iPhone “data hogs”?  This blame the customer strategy is the wrong road to go down.  The iPhone, along with every other smartphone, is hyped as being a phone, and an internet and email device.  When customers actually use their phones for those purposes, it’s wrong to start complaining.

On a positive note… AT&T recently cut me a very good deal on my service.  I appreciate that, and in return, I’ve agreed not to bug their execs anymore about their network issues.  I’m still a customer though, and I will not tolerate limits being placed on me because I actually use my iPhone to the fullest.  I’m signed up for unlimited data, and I expect to get it!

Let’s not even get me started about the lack of a 3G tethering option, and the fact that we get charged extra for text messages!

AppleInsider | AT&T warns of coming clamp-down on iPhone data hogs.