Tether this: FCC tells VZW they can't block or charge extra for tethering*

[SunnyD]

What's this "Net Neutrality" thing you speak of? (Ars)

HA HA! /nelson

One ridiculous bolt-on fee down, dozens more to go.

Tethering apps must be allowed, FCC tells Verizon
Verizon can no longer charge extra for tethering on non-unlimited data plans.

by Casey Johnston - July 31 2012, 2:20pm CDT
MOBILE COMPUTING REGULATION

Verizon is not allowed to block the use of tethering apps, the FCC told the company Tuesday, reports GigaOm. Verizon has settled with the FCC in the dispute over tethering apps, which allow customers to use their smartphone's data plans without paying for special tethering services through Verizon. Verizon has offered a $1.25 million payment to the US Treasury as a result.

As smartphones shot up in popularity, customers began experimenting with linking their data connection to computers and other devices to allow them to connect to the Internet. Most often, this was done using tethering apps on the Android store. While the free-loving app store often let tethering apps through for purchase, they were often quickly deleted or blocked by the carrier.

Verizon specifically blocked tethering apps in order to get customers to pay an extra $20 per month to use their data plan to connect other devices via their smartphone. According to FCC (and every customer, ever), this was kind of a ripoff.

The FCC concedes that Verizon may charge $20 per month for customers who retain grandfathered unlimited data plans. But for all the rest with a concrete data limit, it's a plain-faced money grab, and the $20 per month charge needs to end. So boldly sally forth, would-be Verizon plan tetherers, and tether freely. Just watch those overage charges.

 

[pm]

I assume this will apply to AT&T - which has a similar policy. If so, that would be very nice. The whole tethering thing has been one of my two big pet peeves with the US cell phone system - the other is the price of individual SMS texts, how similar the price is across all of the carriers, and how crazy the price of texting is compared to the cost for the company to provide the service

 

[Bateluer]

Score 1 for the US customer.

 

[Oyeve]

Wow, nice!

 

[Lifted]

I assume this will apply to AT&T - which has a similar policy.

You know what they say about assuming.

This will not apply to AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile because the ruling is based on the Upper 700MHz C-block "open access" provision during the 700MHz spectrum auction that Verizon must obey, according to the linked article.

I've noticed free tethering on the vzw site for a while now, at least with 4G which I think is what this applies to, but the article didn't specify.

Article also mentioned Google removing tethering apps from the app store... what the heck is that about?

 

[vi edit]

While it's a great start..it's still kinda weaksauce:

The FCC concedes that Verizon may charge $20 per month for customers who retain grandfathered unlimited data plans. But for all the rest with a concrete data limit, it's a plain-faced money grab, and the $20 per month charge needs to end. So boldly sally forth, would-be Verizon plan tetherers, and tether freely. Just watch those overage charges.

So you are still techincally screwed if you are on the unlimited plan. Bleh.

 

[Lifted]

While it's a great start..it's still kinda weaksauce:

The FCC concedes that Verizon may charge $20 per month for customers who retain grandfathered unlimited data plans. But for all the rest with a concrete data limit, it's a plain-faced money grab, and the $20 per month charge needs to end. So boldly sally forth, would-be Verizon plan tetherers, and tether freely. Just watch those overage charges.

So you are still techincally screwed if you are on the unlimited plan. Bleh.

Interesting that their site now says it's $30.

Mobile Broadband Connect and Mobile Hotspot for 4G LTE Smartphones

Regular Charge
$30.00

Your Charge with Discount
$23.40 (22% off)

VZW still has their BS tethering vs hotspot price difference on 3G devices - $20 for hotspot and $15 for tethering via USB? It's the same freakin data.

 

[vi edit]

Yeah it's sort of a bullshit agreement because it because gives a big F-U to currently grandfathered unlimited data users.

For the individuals that came on tiered plans in the last year it gives them some flexibility.

For everyone else that is moving over to the shared plans free tethering is included.

So the number of people actually helped by this is somewhat limited.

 

[Oyeve]

For everyone else that is moving over to the shared plans free tethering is included.

.

Thats me. I finally gave up my 6-7 year TMO plan and changed it to 1000 shared, unlimited text and unlimited data (5gb cap) for 2 lines and pay 100 bucks. And they took of the tethering restrictions on both, although I was using foxfi anyway but i can do it legit now.

 

[Bateluer]

Article also mentioned Google removing tethering apps from the app store... what the heck is that about?

Google has to block/filter certain apps from appearing on carrier's phones. And yes, it is BS.

 

[Lifted]

How long will that $20 for tethering with unlimited data plans last?

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2010-title47-vol2/xml/CFR-2010-title47-vol2-sec27-16.xml

(b) Use of devices and applications. Licensees offering service on spectrum subject to this section shall not deny, limit, or restrict the ability of their customers to use the devices and applications of their choice on the licensee's C Block network, except:
(1) Insofar as such use would not be compliant with published technical standards reasonably necessary for the management or protection of the licensee's network, or
(2) As required to comply with statute or applicable government regulation.

(1) Standards shall include technical requirements reasonably necessary for third parties to access a licensee's network via devices or applications without causing objectionable interference to other spectrum users or jeopardizing network security. The potential for excessive bandwidth demand alone shall not constitute grounds for denying, limiting or restricting access to the network.

That right there sort of kills their $20 fee for tethering on unlimited plans. Wonder how that one slipped by the FCC.

 

[Lifted]

Google has to block/filter certain apps from appearing on carrier's phones. And yes, it is BS.

They have to? Says who?

What is VZW going to do if they don't... stop selling Android phones? Or is this part of the "terrorists will take down our networks" nonsense they tell Congress?

 

[NetGuySC]

This ruling doesn't apply to att or anyone else but verizon.
The reason is related to the spectrum that verizon won / bought. The winner of that prized piece of spectrum had to abide by additional rules. These additional rules are why Verizon can't block these tethering apps but att can.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

what about this impending charging for facetime over 3G bullshit? heh

 

[AstroManLuca]

I hate to side with any carrier but I don't disagree with charging for tethering on unlimited data plans. If you have limited data, you absolutely should not have to pay extra for tethering.

 

[soccerballtux]

what about this impending charging for facetime over 3G bullshit? heh

+1 if steve jobs were alive he would have shut that down asap

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

I hate to side with any carrier but I don't disagree with charging for tethering on unlimited data plans. If you have limited data, you absolutely should not have to pay extra for tethering.

data is data. its their fault for not seeing into the future. i'd rather see them throttle than charge for tethering.

after all tethering is a phone feature. It should be a black box to them.

 

[Red Storm]

As an unlimited data user, I've personally been tethering for as long as I can remember and Verizon has never once bugged me about it. No rooting or sideloading needed either, got it straight out of the Market.

This is great news though!

 

[Mopetar]

They have to? Says who?

What is VZW going to do if they don't... stop selling Android phones? Or is this part of the "terrorists will take down our networks" nonsense they tell Congress?

Verizon could probably just tell the handset manufacturers to set the default search on all of their Android phones to Bing. Or they could have them change to Amazon's app store.

There're probably all kinds of other dick moves that they could pull that would annoy the hell out of Google.

 

[Piano Man]

For Android users, I got only one thing to say.


FoxFi

 

[Thegonagle]

Interesting that their site now says it's $30.

VZW still has their BS tethering vs hotspot price difference on 3G devices - $20 for hotspot and $15 for tethering via USB? It's the same freakin data.

It's been $30 for as long as I've used the unlimited hotspot service, at least with 4G.

Hopefully, it drops to $20, but I'm not holding my breath. The news article could be in error.

 

[lothar]

+1 if steve jobs were alive he would have shut that down asap

Shens.

 

[badb0y]

Shens.

Truth. It seems like Apple/Jobs are the only ones who have the balls to tell carriers to _____ off when they try to install their bloat in their phones.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Truth. It seems like Apple/Jobs are the only ones who have the balls to tell carriers to _____ off when they try to install their bloat in their phones.

Well Samsung seems to be stepping up. The last thing they have to clear is getting bloat off the phone. At least we have a unified SGS3 phone now. Verizon needs to STFU though about the bootloader.

Anyway, I don't know if Jobs had enough balls because even AT&T was allowed to clamp down on the tethering feature. What now?

Does iOS 6 include tethering WITHOUT carrier intervention? What about Android phones? New Jellybean upgrades allow you to tether consequence free? But in the end we're just waiting for OS updates in order to unlock these features.

 

[Chocu1a]

G.Nexus + custom rom + unlimited data = unlimited free tethering, no app required. PROFIT!