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It's bullsh*t. Hopefully they don't enforce it or only go after obvious abusers. Whatever that means. Seems like something I need to blog. If only I had the time.
Slingbox SOLO w/ ASUS Wireless Bridge streaming TiVo Series3
Zatz Not Funny!
AT&T Modifies Wireless Data Terms, Outlaws Slingbox and Other Placeshifting Devices
Categories: News, Rumors and Gossip Sling Media Hardware SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone / iPod Touch Mobile Phones / Portable Devices
Looks like nation's largest wireless provider is running scared that SlingPlayer for iPhone will be approved in the near future. As a result, some changes have recently made their way into the Empire's Wireless Data Terms and Conditions to outlaw all placeshifting devices from their network.
From the AT&T Wireless Data Terms and Conditions:
"This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices and/or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices is prohibited."
The fact that verbage has been added just before SlingPlayer landed on the data hungry iPhone implies that it's targeted directly at the Slingbox.
How they're going to enforce it is a different matter, given the number of Slingers on their network already. Anyone know if AT&T is rolling out a clone army along with other network enhancements?
[Thanks drs]
UPDATE: According to this post on Engadget, AT&T has retracted their new terms of service, issuing the following statement:
"The language added on March 30 to AT&T's wireless data service Terms and Conditions was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."
Except I just looked now, and the language (at least the part that says "customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device") has not since been removed. Maybe this statement was a bit ahead of the correction, but until the language is off their site, SlingCommunity isn't calling it "retracted." We'll check again in a little while...
Okay, it looks like AT&T finally got their act together and updated their TOS to it's less strict form. We're happy now.
Read More In: News, Rumors and Gossip Sling Media Hardware SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone / iPod Touch Mobile Phones / Portable Devices
April 3, 2009 12:26 PM
April 3, 2009 12:31 PM
I now officially dislike AT&T !
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James Hicks
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April 3, 2009 12:39 PM
WTF?! My husband has had Sling on his phones for two years and AT&T never made a peep. This is a double FAIL now - on Sling's part and AT&T's. What are they so scared of?
April 3, 2009 12:53 PM
This is really frustrating! I've decided, if the app isn't in the app store this Monday, I'm going out and just getting the EyeTV and use that for my mobile TV functions.
I don't fault Sling here, I don't even fault Apple. I do wish Steve Jobs was feeling well enough to go kick the doors down at AT&T and make this thing happen!!
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James Hicks
Technologist | Blogger
Twitter: jameshicks
Web: http://www.thetechscoop.net
April 3, 2009 12:56 PM
Still hate sling... nothing stopping the classic from working over WiFi except SLING.
April 3, 2009 1:01 PM
Except, that it is hard to control the app to do WIFI only, when the iphone is hacked.
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April 3, 2009 1:16 PM
Dave Zatz said: It's bullsh*t. Hopefully they don't enforce it or only go after obvious abusers. Whatever that means. Seems like something I need to blog. If only I had the time.
It's likely you're right, and they'll only go after abusers.
Still, it's starting to remind me of Office Max coupons. You know, "20% your next purchase at Office Max stores* (*not valid for paper and paper-like products, telephones, electronics, ink and toner, pens and writing instruments, storage and orgainzation, food and beverages, products from the following brands: (insert 100 brand names here), purchases made on any day there's not a lunar eclipse, purchases made during business hours, purchases made at Office Max stores in the following states: (insert all statest but Alaska).
I pay AT&T sixty bucks a month for 5Gb of bandwidth. I shouldn't be given a laundry list of things I can't do with it, shy of anything illegal.
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April 3, 2009 1:25 PM
Double WTF!! I just bought a SlingBox Pro HD 2 days ago in anticipation of the iPhone app. Not that it is not cool by itself - but thats not why i wanted it. If i am not convinced i will be able to use it on my iPhone - back to the store it goes.
I wish someone from SlingMedia would officially weigh in on this or i am just going to assume the worst.
April 3, 2009 1:27 PM
So what are the real options now? I was waiting for the new iPhone to come out since I am currently an ATT customer. What would be the best phone/carrier in US to go with? I saw on another post that Verizon was blocking sling too, is that true?
April 3, 2009 1:28 PM
That's not the point, the point is that Apple won't approve the slingplayer unless it only works over wifi because it violates their carrier's terms of service, and if it only works over wifi I wouldn't purchase it even if it DID work with my slingbox AV. So basically, that's the end of that.
April 3, 2009 1:56 PM
one word... vindication.
I bet some ATT exec had on old slingbox and was pissed... lol
April 3, 2009 4:18 PM
updated: April 3, 2009 5:26 PM
It's still worth it to me even as a wifi only. The CBS March Madness app said wifi only but it did work with a solid 3G connection. But such a connection is rare to begin with (at least where I am) so sling not being allowed on 3G is only a moderate annoyance to me -- other than the injustice of paying AT&T for something they refuse to provide.
As far as the 'enforcement' they might just do like Verizon did and terminate your service without notice. I would be really happy if someone would successfully sue these companies to take the language of "unlimited" out of their contracts and advertising. This is obviously a pretty big limitation.
April 3, 2009 6:14 PM
at&t retracted the new ToS!!
http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/atandt-retracts-new-terms-of-service-apolo...
April 3, 2009 6:30 PM
It looks like enough people complained to AT&T, now on to Sling! Let them hear it for disabling the iPhone app for the older model Slingboxes and let's make them reverse their greedy decision!
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April 3, 2009 8:23 PM
Sling promised to have the app in the App Store by the end of Q1 and they have failed. I am not surprised. I have taken a lot of guff from people who believed them. In the end I was correct.
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