Travel Technology - Share T Mobile Account?

My GF and I travel (me frequently, her not so much) and we are thinking about signing up with T-Mobile or another WiFi service (I hear T-Mobile has the best coverage both in the US and Internationally - any comments?). The question is if we can share one account. Should never be logged on at the same time but may happen. How would this work - Do they just give a Username and Password that can be shared?

I've done this on occasion...for days I know I won't be flying, I've "loaned" my account name and password out to a friend on occasion so they'll have wireless when they travel. The T-mobile service is pretty good...I've had it for about a year. I'm pretty sure all that happens if one person tries to log in with the same user name and password while the "other person" is online, a message is displayed to the effect of "that username is already in use". YMMV.

I share my account with my lovely, talented and smarter girlfriend. It won't let you log a second person on... I don't know if there's an exception report for it, though, or if they look for it as part of the service.

Timothy

As an example, I was in a Hotspot location last week when a short power failure occurred. When the power came back up and the router had rebooted, I couldn't log in because the T-Mobile system still showed me logged in. I had to call CS (mercifully I got a clear speaker from Bangalore) and they released it. Botton line, they system shouldn't allow a second log-in with one profile.

only one can be logged it at a time, and the second user gets and alert that says, user name already in use.

I have used a shared account for about 2 years now, and this happens about once a month . nothing has ever been said,

nice thing about the t-mobile service is that it is only 20$ a month for a tmo user, and can be started and stopped at will.

so, if you don't have tmo, find a friend who does and givem 240$ for the year.

As well, if you are an SBC DSL or DIAL user, you get now free wifi at all their freedompass locations around the country (this is UPS stores, some hotels, and other locations, mcodonalds)

till april 2005 it is free, then in may 2005 it is 1.99$ a month. I know there are tons of great UPS stores now around the country, but their coffee sucks.

If you're not both logged on at the same time, which has already been discussed, how can they know who's using the account? They can tell it's a different computer, if they want to go to the trouble, but nothing in their terms and conditions requires an account-holder to use the same computer every time. Lots of people (including my GF, who has a Mac for one job and a Windows machine for another) have two laptops. Even more upgrade their laptop once in a while.

If you're not both logged on at the same time, which has already been discussed, how can they know who's using the account? They can tell it's a different computer, if they want to go to the trouble, but nothing in their terms and conditions requires an account-holder to use the same computer every time. Lots of people (including my GF, who has a Mac for one job and a Windows machine for another) have two laptops. Even more upgrade their laptop once in a while.


Well, I think they could certainly tell if there were simultanoues access attempts, and might simply limit it based on the frequency of that.

As well, they could certainly easilly tell if there was access and/or access attempts occurring on the other side of the country, in a pattern that described sharing accounts and not account holder only access. The IP's that are logged are unique to regional DSL/T1 or Cable providors and the host IP, so they can know from where, and when and how the account holder was attempting to access.

I can't see why they would waste time looking at an exception report. The system simply blocks any additional login with the same name and password. End of story. People who actually need two separate logins have to get an additonal one. But everyone else should be fine sharing the login. That's what I do. We have two phones plus the Hotspot service on our account, and we have both used the Hotspot service (at different times). I can't remember, but I think my username is just my phone number, and then there's a password. Simple to give to others. Very good deal at 20 bucks when you already have a phone account.

I can't see why they would waste time looking at an exception report. The system simply blocks any additional login with the same name and password. End of story. People who actually need two separate logins have to get an additonal one. But everyone else should be fine sharing the login. That's what I do. We have two phones plus the Hotspot service on our account, and we have both used the Hotspot service (at different times). I can't remember, but I think my username is just my phone number, and then there's a password. Simple to give to others. Very good deal at 20 bucks when you already have a phone account.


I think they would only do it, if there were numerous attempts at multiple simultaneous logins. I have the feeling that is something that the SYSTEM itself will reflag regardless, for security and account management.

If the flag goes off, they always have the log to research to determine what sort of acoount use/abuse goes on.

I didn't say they were going to do it just because, simply that if there is frequent attempts at multiple logins, they could certainly shut one down.

Like I DID say though, I have done this for over two years, and had a multiple login issue happen once a month, and they haven't said anything.

...
As well, if you are an SBC DSL or DIAL user, you get now free wifi at all their freedompass locations around the country (this is UPS stores, some hotels, and other locations, mcodonalds)

till april 2005 it is free, then in may 2005 it is 1.99$ a month. I know there are tons of great UPS stores now around the country, but their coffee sucks.

Do you have a link or more information to this? I tried to google "SBC freedom pass" but came up empty.

Do you have a link or more information to this? I tried to google "SBC freedom pass" but came up empty.


try sbc.com/freedomlink

try sbc.com/freedomlink

Couldn't find a single reference on the website for the promotion you mentioned. So I called the toll-free number listed on the website and spoke with a very knowledgeable CS support person. I can confirm that existing SBC DSL subscribers can access the Freedom Link Hotspots, for free through 4/2005 and $1.99/month thereafter, by simply entering their SBC DSL username (for example, userid@pacbell.net) and password on the FreedomLink welcome page.

Hotspot locations: UPS Stores (aka Mailboxes Etc.); McDonalds; Hotels including Starwood, Hilton, Four Seasons; Barnes & Noble. Plus roaming with Wayport which has hotspots at some major airports. I don't know though if there's a charge for roaming on the Wayport network.

Woohoo! This is a better deal than the $20/month I now have with T-Mobile! Makes me curious though why SBC is pricing their Wi-Fi service so much lower than competition. Is there some kind of a catch?

Couldn't find a single reference on the website for the promotion you mentioned. So I called the toll-free number listed on the website and spoke with a very knowledgeable CS support person. I can confirm that existing SBC DSL subscribers can access the Freedom Link Hotspots, for free through 4/2005 and $1.99/month thereafter, by simply entering their SBC DSL username (for example, userid@pacbell.net) and password on the FreedomLink welcome page.

Hotspot locations: UPS Stores (aka Mailboxes Etc.); McDonalds; Hotels including Starwood, Hilton, Four Seasons; Barnes & Noble. Plus roaming with Wayport which has hotspots at some major airports. I don't know though if there's a charge for roaming on the Wayport network.

Woohoo! This is a better deal than the $20/month I now have with T-Mobile! Makes me curious though why SBC is pricing their Wi-Fi service so much lower than competition. Is there some kind of a catch?


I think it is no brainer, and very low economic impact to give it away, to a customer who is already buying a premium service. Just might keep churn down a bit, and keep them from going to cable.

As well, as VOIP starts to gain penetration, people will bail for a cable modem and VOIP connection, so anything SBC can do, that does not have a direct cost to keep customers, I think they will.

For me, this is a perk, but I am keeping the "shared" t-mobile account without question and NOT just because I programmed every domestic starbucks address into my car and handheld GPS.