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Tether - Terms of Service

Effective Date: December 5, 2025

Last Updated: January 16, 2026

Version: 1.1

Tether is operated by Mixed Beans Studio Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of British Columbia, Canada, with its registered address at 329 Howe St, Unit #830, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N2, Canada.

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using Tether ("Service"), operated by Mixed Beans Studio Inc. ("we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

By clicking "I Agree," creating an account, or using the Service, you acknowledge that you are entering into a legally binding agreement electronically.

You must be at least 18 years old to use this Service. By using Tether, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age. If we learn that an account is being used by a person under 18, we may suspend or terminate the account and delete related personal data, in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

If you are using the Service on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have authority to bind that entity, and "you" in these Terms will refer to that entity.

2. Description of Service

Tether is an SMS gateway service that allows you to:

  • Purchase phone numbers in supported countries
  • Receive SMS messages to those numbers
  • Have those messages forwarded to your connected platforms (LINE, Telegram, Email, Slack, Discord)

2.1 What Tether Is

Tether provides a message forwarding service. We receive SMS messages sent to phone numbers you have purchased through our Service and forward those messages to your designated destination(s).

2.2 What Tether Is NOT

  • Not an emergency service: Tether cannot be used to contact emergency services (911, 112, or equivalent). You cannot make emergency calls through Tether. If you need emergency assistance, use a traditional phone service.
  • Not a primary phone service: Tether is designed for receiving SMS messages only. It is not a replacement for a traditional mobile phone service.
  • Not an outbound messaging service: Tether does not currently support sending SMS messages (this may change in future versions). If we later introduce outbound messaging, additional terms, registration requirements, and compliance obligations (such as 10DLC registration in the United States) may apply.

You acknowledge that the Service is not designed for use where message failure or delay could lead to personal injury, financial loss, or other serious harm. You are solely responsible for ensuring that you have alternative means to access critical services such as banking, authentication, and security notifications, and you agree not to rely on Tether as the sole or primary means of receiving such communications.

3. Account Registration

3.1 Account Creation

To use Tether, you must create an account by providing:

  • A valid email address
  • A secure password
  • Connection to at least one delivery destination (LINE, Telegram, Email, etc.)

3.2 Account Security

You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
  • All activities that occur under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use

3.3 Account Accuracy

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to update such information to keep it accurate, current, and complete.

4. Subscription Plans and Payment

4.1 Subscription Plans

We offer various subscription plans with different features, phone number limits, and message allowances. Current plan details, pricing, and features are available at https://tethermobile.com/pricing and are subject to change.

4.2 Billing

  • Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually, depending on your selection
  • Payment is due at the beginning of each billing cycle
  • We use Stripe for payment processing; your payment information is handled according to Stripe's security standards

4.3 Payment Failure

If payment fails:

  • You will have a 7-day grace period to update your payment method
  • You will receive daily email notifications during this period
  • After 7 days, your service may be suspended and your phone numbers released

4.4 Message Overage

If you exceed your plan's monthly message limit, depending on your account settings:

  • Auto-charge enabled: Additional messages will be charged at $5 per 250 messages
  • Auto-charge disabled: Message forwarding will pause until the next billing cycle or you upgrade your plan

You can manage your overage preferences in your account settings.

4.5 Refunds

  • Subscription fees are generally non-refundable
  • We may offer refunds at our discretion for service issues caused by us
  • Phone number fees are non-refundable once the number has been provisioned

4.6 Price Changes

We may change the fees for our subscription plans from time to time. If we change the price of your plan, we will give you at least 30 days' notice by email or in-app notification. The new price will apply at the start of your next billing period. If you do not agree to the new price, you may cancel your subscription before the change takes effect.

5. Phone Numbers

5.1 Number Ownership

Phone numbers purchased through Tether are licensed to you for use during your active subscription. You do not own the phone numbers outright. Numbers remain the property of the underlying telecommunications provider.

5.2 Number Availability and Discontinuation

Availability:

  • Phone number availability varies by country and region
  • We cannot guarantee availability of specific numbers or area codes
  • Some countries may require additional documentation for number activation (see Section 9)

Discontinuation Risk:

Phone numbers may become unavailable or be disconnected due to circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to:

  • Telecommunications provider (carrier) decisions or policy changes
  • Regulatory changes in specific countries or regions
  • Failure to meet documentation or compliance requirements
  • Violation of our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, or those of our service providers
  • Discontinuation of the Tether service

We will make reasonable efforts to notify you in advance of any planned discontinuation, but immediate disconnection may occur in cases of regulatory action, carrier enforcement, or Terms violations. We are not liable for any losses resulting from number discontinuation.

5.3 Number Lifecycle

  • Auto-renewal: Numbers renew monthly on their purchase date
  • Pause: You may pause a number once, for up to 30 days. No messages will be received during pause.
  • Cancellation: Cancelled numbers are released after 7 days
  • Reclaim: You may reclaim a cancelled number within 7 days if still available

5.4 Number Porting

You may port existing phone numbers to Tether, subject to the following:

Requirements:

  • Letter of Authorization (LOA) - signed electronically for US/Canada numbers, or uploaded for other countries
  • Account holder name matching your current carrier records
  • Current carrier billing information and account details
  • Recent bill or account statement as proof of ownership

Process:

  • Port requests are reviewed by our team and submitted to the relevant carriers
  • You will receive status updates as your port progresses
  • Timelines depend on your current carrier and are not guaranteed (typically 1-4 weeks)

Possible Outcomes:

  • Completed: Your number is successfully transferred to Tether
  • Rejected: Your current carrier may reject the port due to incorrect information, outstanding balance, or contractual obligations
  • Failed: Technical issues may prevent completion; we will work with you to resolve

Important:

  • Do not cancel your current service until the port is complete
  • Porting fees may apply depending on your country and carrier
  • Some numbers may not be portable due to carrier or regulatory restrictions

5.5 Porting Out

You may port your Tether phone numbers to another carrier at any time. To initiate a port-out:

  • Contact your new carrier and request to port your number
  • Your new carrier will submit a port request to our telecommunications provider
  • We will process valid port-out requests promptly and will not unreasonably delay or obstruct the transfer

Important:

  • Do not cancel your Tether subscription until the port-out is complete
  • Your subscription will remain active until the port completes
  • Once ported, the number is no longer managed by Tether and your subscription for that number will end

Account Information for Port-Out:

  • Account Number: Use the phone number being ported (we do not use separate account numbers)
  • Port Type: Always request a "full port" from your new carrier, even for a single number
  • For any other account information needed, contact us at [email protected]

6. Acceptable Use Policy

6.1 Permitted Uses

Tether is intended for:

  • Receiving personal SMS messages
  • Receiving verification codes (2FA, account confirmations)
  • Maintaining a phone presence in your home country while traveling
  • Business communication (Business plan only)

6.2 Prohibited Uses

You may NOT use Tether for:

Illegal Activities:

  • Any activity that violates local, state, national, or international law
  • Fraud, phishing, or identity theft
  • Money laundering or terrorist financing

Harmful Content:

  • Distributing malware or malicious content
  • Harassment, threats, or abuse
  • Content that promotes violence or discrimination

Spam and Abuse:

  • Operating SMS spam services
  • Providing OTP/verification services to third parties for commercial purposes
  • Operating verification bypass services
  • Creating multiple accounts to circumvent limits
  • Automated systems designed to abuse the service

Restricted Content (SHAFT and related):

  • Adult or sexual content
  • Hate speech or discriminatory content
  • Alcohol, tobacco, or cannabis promotions
  • Firearms, weapons, or explosives
  • Illegal drugs or controlled substances
  • Unlicensed gambling operations
  • High-risk financial services (payday loans, debt collection, crypto trading platforms)

Platform Violations:

6.3 Sender Blocking

You may block specific senders from forwarding messages to your destinations. Blocked messages do not count toward your monthly limit.

6.4 Fair Use

We reserve the right to limit or suspend accounts that we determine, in our sole discretion, are engaging in excessive or abusive use of the Service.

6.5 Abuse Reporting

We may report suspected illegal activity or serious abuse to telecommunications providers, platform operators, or law enforcement where we believe it is necessary to protect our rights, our Service, or others.

7. Message Handling and Privacy

7.1 Message Processing

  • Messages are received and processed by our servers located in the United States and Canada
  • Message content is temporarily stored on our servers solely for the purpose of forwarding to your designated destination(s)
  • We do not read, analyze, or mine the content of your messages for any other purpose
  • Messages are processed automatically without human review

7.2 Message Retention

  • Message content is retained only until successfully delivered to all your configured destinations, after which it is deleted
  • Message metadata (sender, recipient, timestamp, delivery status) may be retained for service operation, troubleshooting, and billing purposes
  • You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Privacy Policy), though some data may be retained for accounting, financial, or regulatory purposes

7.3 Limited Message Recovery

We do not provide message recovery or replay services. While undelivered messages may be retained temporarily during delivery retries, we cannot guarantee recovery of any specific message and do not offer this as a service feature.

8. Service Availability

8.1 Uptime

We strive to maintain high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted service. The Service may be temporarily unavailable due to:

  • Scheduled maintenance (we will provide advance notice when possible)
  • Unscheduled maintenance or emergency repairs
  • Third-party service outages (telecommunications providers, Telegram, etc.)
  • Force majeure events

8.2 Message Delivery

We aim to deliver messages within 5-10 seconds of receipt. However, delivery times may vary due to:

  • Network conditions
  • Third-party API availability
  • Message volume

8.3 No SLA

We do not currently offer a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with guaranteed uptime or delivery times.

9. Geographic Restrictions and Compliance

9.1 Supported Countries

Tether is currently available in the following countries:

  • United States
  • Canada
  • United Kingdom
  • Australia
  • Netherlands
  • Sweden
  • Finland
  • Estonia
  • Switzerland
  • Czech Republic
  • Thailand

Additional countries may be added or removed in the future based on provider availability. Some countries may require identity verification or documentation (see Section 9.2).

9.2 Documentation Requirements

Some countries require identity verification or documentation before phone numbers can be activated. This may include:

  • Government-issued ID
  • Proof of address
  • Business registration documents

You agree to provide accurate documentation when required. Documentation you submit will be:

  • Used solely for the purpose of verifying your identity and activating phone numbers
  • Stored securely on our servers and/or with our telecommunications provider
  • Retained for the duration of your account plus any period required by applicable regulations
  • Deleted upon request, subject to regulatory retention requirements

See our Privacy Policy for more details on how we handle your data.

9.3 Regulatory Compliance

You are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations applicable to your use of phone numbers in your jurisdiction, including but not limited to:

  • Telecommunications regulations
  • Data protection laws
  • Anti-spam laws

10. Intellectual Property

10.1 Our Property

Tether, including its design, features, and content, is owned by us and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

10.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Service for its intended purpose during your active subscription.

10.3 Restrictions

You may not:

  • Copy, modify, or distribute any part of the Service
  • Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code
  • Use our trademarks without permission
  • Resell or sublicense access to the Service without authorization

11. Third-Party Services

11.1 Dependencies

Tether relies on third-party services including, but not limited to:

11.2 Third-Party Terms

Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms and conditions. We are not responsible for the actions or policies of third-party providers.

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  • MERCHANTABILITY
  • FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
  • NON-INFRINGEMENT
  • ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY INFORMATION

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

  • The Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
  • Messages will be delivered successfully
  • The Service will meet your specific requirements

For Australian consumers: Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer rights under the Australian Consumer Law that cannot be excluded, restricted, or modified by agreement.

For EU consumers: You have a 14-day right of withdrawal from the date of purchase. However, by using the Service and activating a phone number, you acknowledge that the service has been fully performed and you waive your right of withdrawal for that transaction.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

  • WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES
  • OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM OR (B) $100 CAD
  • WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM:
    • Missed or delayed messages
    • Unauthorized access to your account
    • Third-party service failures
    • Your violation of these Terms

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including liability for gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Tether, Tether Mobile, Mixed Beans Studio Inc., and their officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the Service
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any law or third-party rights
  • Content transmitted through your account

This indemnification obligation applies only to the extent that the claims arise from your breach of these Terms, your negligence, or your willful misconduct, and not from our own actions or omissions.

15. Account Termination

15.1 By You

You may cancel your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting support. Upon cancellation:

  • Your subscription will remain active until the end of the current billing period
  • If you request immediate cancellation, we will process it promptly and may issue a prorated refund at our discretion
  • Your phone numbers will be released after the 7-day reclaim period
  • Your data will be deleted according to our Privacy Policy

15.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if:

  • You violate these Terms
  • You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
  • You fail to pay after the grace period
  • We are required to do so by law

We may also terminate accounts with 30 days notice for other business reasons. In such cases, we will provide a prorated refund for any unused subscription period.

15.3 Service Discontinuation

If we permanently discontinue the Tether service, we will:

  • Provide at least 90 days' notice if possible
  • Assist with porting numbers to alternative providers
  • Export user data upon request
  • Delete all user data within 90 days of service termination

16. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: natural disasters, war, terrorism, riots, pandemics, government actions, carrier outages, internet failures, or power outages.

17. Class Action Waiver

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU AGREE THAT ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION.

18. Dispute Resolution

18.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing any formal dispute, you agree to contact us at [email protected] to attempt to resolve the matter informally.

18.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of British Columbia, Canada, without regard to conflict of law principles.

18.3 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms shall be resolved in the courts of British Columbia, Canada.

19. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. For material changes, we will give you reasonable advance notice (normally at least 30 days) by:

  • Email to your registered address, and/or
  • Notice on our website or in the Service

Changes required by law or relating to security may take effect immediately. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

20. General Provisions

20.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service.

20.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

20.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision.

20.4 Assignment

You may not assign your rights under these Terms. We may assign our rights to any successor or affiliate.

21. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://tethermobile.com

By using Tether, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.