How can a network control what I use my data usage for?

As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
I don't have access to wi-fi.

However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
how I'm using the phone's data access? Or is this just a way to get
people to unnecessarily upgrade?

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› See More: How can a network control what I use my data usage for?

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>
> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
> how I'm using the phone's data access?

Quite easily, since every packet of data you send and receive goes
through their servers, firewalls etc. Google "deep packet inspection" if
you want to learn more.
--
Regards
Jon

Jon wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
>> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
>> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>>
>> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
>> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
>> how I'm using the phone's data access?
>
> Quite easily, since every packet of data you send and receive goes
> through their servers, firewalls etc. Google "deep packet inspection" if
> you want to learn more.

That's not what I meant.

How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?

"chris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Jon wrote:
>> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>>> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
>>> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
>>> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>>>
>>> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
>>> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
>>> how I'm using the phone's data access?
>>
>> Quite easily, since every packet of data you send and receive goes
>> through their servers, firewalls etc. Google "deep packet inspection" if
>> you want to learn more.
>
> That's not what I meant.
>
> How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
> viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?

Assuming that's what they check, the browser type, capabilities and so on
are all sent along with HTTP requests. The webstats for my site for instance
show me my visitors os/browser/version/screen resolution and all sorts of
other guff.

If that is what they check on, then you might be able to alter the config in
Firefox or something to "pretend" to be a mobile phone so it still works?

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> That's not what I meant.
>
> How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
> viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?

Browser type is buried in the http headers somewhere, but it's quite
easy to do. Thats how some websites can detect if you're browsing them
on a mobile phone and adjust the content accordingly, e.g. to make it
fit on the small screen.
--
Regards
Jon

On 2008-10-28, chris <[email protected]> wrote:
> Jon wrote:
>> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>>> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
>>> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
>>> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>>>
>>> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
>>> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
>>> how I'm using the phone's data access?
>>
>> Quite easily, since every packet of data you send and receive goes
>> through their servers, firewalls etc. Google "deep packet inspection" if
>> you want to learn more.
>
> That's not what I meant.
>
> How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
> viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?

In theory they could maybe guess at that but, unless something has
changed recently, in practice T-Mobile doesn't seem to try. I
occasionally tether my laptop to my phone for Internet access with the
Web 'n Walk data package and nothing I care about has failed to work
(and that includes Skype, in fact).

If I needed to do this frequently I would consider Web 'n Walk Plus,
but given how rarely I need it Web 'n Walk has worked fine for me
and is more appropriately priced.

Dennis Ferguson

On 27 Oct, 15:22, chris <[email protected]> wrote:
> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>
> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
> how I'm using the phone's data access?

The phone knows.

Dunno how T-Mobile do it, but 3 don't let you dial to *99# (the number
for data access) unless you pay them for some sort of mobile
broadband.

Ian

Dennis Ferguson wrote:
> On 2008-10-28, chris <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Jon wrote:
>>> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>>>> As I have an inclusive data package with T-mobile (web 'n' walk) I'm
>>>> considering using my phone with my laptop for occasional web usage when
>>>> I don't have access to wi-fi.
>>>>
>>>> However, I notice on their site that in order to use my phone with my
>>>> laptop I need to use their web 'n' walk Plus package. How can they tell
>>>> how I'm using the phone's data access?
>>> Quite easily, since every packet of data you send and receive goes
>>> through their servers, firewalls etc. Google "deep packet inspection" if
>>> you want to learn more.
>> That's not what I meant.
>>
>> How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
>> viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?
>
> In theory they could maybe guess at that but, unless something has
> changed recently, in practice T-Mobile doesn't seem to try. I
> occasionally tether my laptop to my phone for Internet access with the
> Web 'n Walk data package and nothing I care about has failed to work
> (and that includes Skype, in fact).
>
> If I needed to do this frequently I would consider Web 'n Walk Plus,
> but given how rarely I need it Web 'n Walk has worked fine for me
> and is more appropriately priced.

OK. Thanks Dennis, that's just the info I was after. So it seems their
bumpf on the site is just a way to get people to upgrade...

Jon wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>> That's not what I meant.
>>
>> How can 'they' tell that the webpages I'm downloading aren't being
>> viewed in my phone, but on the laptop?
>
> Browser type is buried in the http headers somewhere, but it's quite
> easy to do. Thats how some websites can detect if you're browsing them
> on a mobile phone and adjust the content accordingly, e.g. to make it
> fit on the small screen.

Yes that is easy to spoof.
Cheers.

T-~Mobile find out through your connection speed - I'll explain below
how this works - as when on webnwalk for 7.50 this is different up/dl
speeds.

T-Mobile WebnWalk - 384kb upload, 384kn download dpeeds - Capped at
this so cannot go over this.

T-Mobile WebnWalk plus (£5 extra) enables HSDPA Usage and Caps 1.8mb
Upload, 7.2Mb download (obviously not achievable).


You will not be charged for using webnwalk as the modem, yet!!! This
however will soon be changed as systems are now in place.

WebnWalk plus is well worth the money, however.