Most places that you can get high speed Internet access from have an AcceptableUsePolicy (AUP). In an effort to encourage local ISP's to support us we are cataloging AUP's and making a judgement on whether we are allowed to share an Internet connection purchased through them. If you're interested getting your ISP's permission to share your bandwidth please read about ContactingYourIsp and hopefully they'll see the light as well.

Please note the following things:

Thanks and Enjoy!

Note: The ElectronicFrontierFoundation is working on a [http://www.eff.org/Infra/Wireless_cellular_radio/wireless_friendly_isp_list.html nationwide list] of wireless friendly ISP's. Eventually the list here will be deprecated in favor of their more comprehensive list. -- AdamShand

TableOfContents

Oregon Providers

ISP/AUP

Interpretation

Updated

[http://www.aracnet.com/info/agreement.html Aracnet]

Sharing Allowed - Unofficial

21 October 2001

LonnieWormley contacted them and they said it was okay so long as you accept responsibility for any traffic that originates from your node.

[http://www.callatg.com/ ATG]

Sharing Allowed - Unofficial

24 October 2001

I couldn't find their AUP online but both JerrittCollord and AdamShand have contacted them and been told that they don't care what you do with a DSL connection purchased from them so long as it's legal.

[http://www.easystreet.com/ EasyStreet]

Sharing Allowed - Official

12 February 2002

EasyStreet has published an official [http://www.easystreet.com/services/personal_telco.html statement of support]. --TomOffermann

[http://www.dsl-only.net/policies.html#Acceptable DSL-Only]

Not Allowed

7 September 2001

||||||On Sep 7 2001 they changed their response, refer to the [http://lists.personaltelco.net/pipermail/ptp/2001q3/008991.html list archives] for what they said... Response to my query about sharing my internet connection(I asked about sharing via wireless to anyone walking by) from Brian Thompson: We have never had a problem with customers NATing multiple computer behind one IP address. Keep in mind that AUPs are a living document. If one customers causes us grief by doing something that is not covered by our AUP, we will most defiantly be updating it. The biggest problem I see is who is responsible for malice coming from that access point. What is to stop a hacker from hacking over your provided free access. BR Aug 21 2002 I got an email from 'Shawn' at DSL-ONLY "You are allowed to share your DSL threw wireless as long as you do not charge for the service."||

[http://www.chartercom.com/site/rules.asp#aup Charter Communications]

Grey. They do mention in their feature list, that there are additional fees required for having "up to 3 additional computers connected to the service."

31 August 2001

Charter Pipeline is designed for personal and family use within a single household. You agree that you will not use Charter Pipeline to operate any type of business or commercial enterprise or to use Charter Pipeline as an Internet Service Provider.

[http://www.qcsn.com/ QCSN]

Sharing Allowed

23 April 2002

QCSN has published an official [http://www.qcsn.com/personaltelcoproject.html statement of support]. --MichaelCodanti

[http://www.spiretech.com/ SpireTech]

Sharing Allowed

20 June 2002

Spire's AUP does not address sharing bandwidth via wireless. Its owner has said via email that they have no problem with small-scale sharing. For Nodes of Significance he believes they would add a $5/month surcharge, and intends to amend the AUP to reflect this. --CatonGates

[http://www.opusinteractive.net/ opus:interactive]

Sharing Allowed

26 July 2002

opus:interactive does not have a specific item regarding sharing in their [http://www.opusinteractive.net/files/pdfs/acceptable_use_policy.pdf AUP]. I asked them about running servers and sharing bandwidth and they had no issues with that, as long as it doesn't violate any U.S. law. --ChrisArnesen

New York Providers

ISP/AUP

Interpretation

Updated

AceDSL

Sharing Allowed

08 April 2002

Had meeting with AceDSL. NYCwireless style wireless us is permitted. Contacted the CTO of AceDSL. Asked "Also, I am a volunteer in the Business Out-Reach Group within NYCWireless.net and we are looking at various ISPs to find out terms of service for wireless (802.11b) sharing. Does AceDSL have anything in their terms of service about this?" Response was "No, we have no such restrictions, feel free to use it, but do not expect support for it. As a side note, I know about nycwireless.net, and I know Pete Shipley and wardriving concept (while different from nycwireless, its same idea)... -- Alex Pilosov CTO - Acecape, Inc"

Nationwide/Regional Providers

ISP/AUP

Interpretation

Updated

[http://help.broadband.att.com/faq.jsp?content_id=973&category_id=34&lobid=1 AT&T Broadband]

Not Allowed

28 February 2002

I've read through their entire AUP and it isn't mentioned anywhere in there if it's okay to let others use your connection. So it should be okay.

Note: They have[http://news.com.com/2100-1033-273516.html?legacy=cnet made statements] against bandwidth sharing in the press. -- Bob Fleck

That was a link to their web SITE policy, I fixed the link, and here is the killer statement under Theft of Service: "Customer shall not connect the Service or any AT&T Broadband Equipment to more computers, either on or outside of the Premises, than are reflected in Customers account with AT&T Broadband" --MichaelCodanti

[http://www.home.com/support/aup/ @Home]

Not Allowed

29 August 2001

@Home residential customers may not resell, share, or otherwise distribute the Services or any portion thereof to any third party without the written consent of @Home. For example, you cannot provide Internet access to others through a dial up connection, host shell accounts over the Internet, provide email or news service, or send a news feed. You may not use the @Home residential service for commercial purposes. The @Home residential service offering is a consumer product designed for your personal use of the Internet. For example, the service does not provide the type of security, upstream performance and total downstream throughput capability typically associated with commercial use."

[http://www.earthlink.com/about/policies/use/ Earthlink]

Grey

21 October 2001

There are two parts which are potentially relevant both of these are violations of their AUP. "k. Reselling the services. Reselling the Services without EarthLink's authorization." and "n. Long Connections and Multiple Logins. Using a personal account for high volume or commercial use is prohibited. The Services are intended for periodic, active use of email, newsgroups, file transfers, Internet chat, games, and browsing the World Wide Web. My interpretation would be that since we're not reselling we're okay and so long as your volume doesn't exceed noromal residental use you're okay.

[http://my.qwest.net/nav4/acct_tools/termsconditions/account.html Qwest]

Not Allowed

September 2001

"In using Services from Qwest, you will not resell any services or offer public information services over dial-up accounts" This doesnt address DSL specifically. Ive talked to 3 cust sup. reps. and none had an answer. Note that at some point qwest users will be subject to MSN agreements.

Business class service from QWest, which is not serviced through MSN, should be different. At a broadband trade show in 2000 I listened to a (then USWest) rep state that the advantage of DSL over cable was that they sold bandwidth to the end users and did not care to what use the bandwidth was put. --MichaelRasmussen

[http://www.starband.com/join/acceptableuse.htm Starband]

Not Allowed

3 September 2001

"you may not resell, share, or otherwise distribute the Service or any portion thereof to any third party. You may not provide network services to others via the Service."

[http://www.megapath.net/AcceptableUse.asp MegaPath]

Sharing Allowed

8 July 2002

On the phone they reasured me that the connection can be used for sharing. There acceptable use policy states: "MegaPath will not permit you OR OTHERS [my emphasis] using your MegaPath DSL service to use this service for any of the following purposes... " -- Seth Shikora

[http://www2.verizon.net/hotlinks/policies/agreement.asp Verizon_DSL]

Grey

9 Oct 2002

2.5 If you subscribe to DSL Service: A. You may not resell the Service, use it for high volume purposes, or engage in similar activities that constitute resale (commercial or non-commercial), as determined solely by Verizon Online. B. You may connect multiple computers/devices within a single home or office location to your DSL modem and/or router to access the Service , but only through a single DSL account and a single IP address obtained from Verizon Online. -- Kristopher Barrett


[CategoryLegal]