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Verizon Offers Free Tethering Because It Has To
jfruh writes "Most U.S. wireless carriers are trying to have it both ways on tethering or smartphones-as-hotspots — moving people from unlimited data plans to plans where they pay by the gigabyte, but then also charging them extra if they want to share the gigabytes they've paid for with other devices. But on Android phones on Verizon, at least, you can still tether, not because Verizon is trying to be more consumer friendly, but because, according to an FCC ruling, they agreed to allow it when they bought formerly public spectrum."
Tethering has worked from day one on Windows Phone devices.
Look how GOVERNMENT REGULATION is ruining things for the consumer again!
That prove that consumer protections in the electronics industry are badly needed. Enshrine the separation of hardware and software in all electronics, and enshrine that owners cannot be locked out of their own devices.
Tethering is a built in function of all android devices that is artificially crippled because crap like this is allowed to go on. Yea yea yea, I know you can hack YOUR OWN DEVICE and put a different OS of your own choice on it. I already do that (cyanogenmod), but you shouldn't have to hack past security that locks you out of your own electronics.
Digital is, by definition, imperfect. Analog is the way to go.
Does Verizon lease or share these frequencies with any other carriers? I know there are quite a few CDMA based carriers, and they do share a significant amount of towers.
Better known as 318230.
They still offer the built-in tethering on 4G devices for $20 / mo. I know this because I have one of these devices. You have to install a third party app from the market to get free tethering. Verizon is relying on consumer ignorance of the FCC decision to continue to grab revenue.
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
You might think forced free tethering is awesome.
Here's the actual effect it has had - everyone gets to pay more for data since everyone has to be able to tether. The new mandatory shared data plans are more expensive than older piecemeal plans. WHat about people that didn't want to pay for tethering? Too bad.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Sure, there are no rich people anyway, but more people (all people) get to enjoy good life.
Yeah, I remember the bread lines in the old soviet union being the best of times. Why can't we all go back to that golden age?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Or just the one spectrum.
They don't offer free tethering because you have to pay for what you consume.
That other companies have the temerity to charge you extra just for the privilege of tethering is a whole other problem. That would be like the water company charging you extra for the privilege of using water to wash with instead of just drinking it.
The fact is, we pay for data plans, unlimited or metered. Either way, it should be ours to do as we wish with! The telcos should not be allowed (should not have any right) to impose on us any kinds of fees or limitations on what we have purchased from them. End of story.
Asking people to think is like asking them to buy you a new car
It's not just because it used to be part of public spectrum. It's because when Verizon bought it, they bought it under the terms that they would not restrict the type of data being sent/received on that spectrum in any way, regardless of the previous status of that spectrum being public or not. So, Verizon bought the spectrum knowing damn well that they were not allowed to restrict tethering on that spectrum according to the contract of that sale. If they didn't want to follow that, then they should have bought different spectrum that didn't have those terms.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57485518-94/what-verizons-fcc-tethering-settlement-means-to-you-faq/
Yes I know its Cnet, but it gives a good explanation of what is going on.
What if I have an old Verizon unlimited data plan? Can I download an app and avoid the $20 tethering fee too?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. Verizon says that customers under the unlimited plan are required by the company's terms of service to pay an additional fee to tether their device.
So you either keep the unlimited data plan and pay the fee or you switch the new plan and lose my unlimited data.
Does this mean that Verizon will no longer charge for tethering?
On June 28, Verizon introduced new wireless service plans that include tethering in the base price of the plan. So for new customers, they will not be charged extra to use their phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
So again I am still being screwed,
Not that they need to improve their standing, but Apple could score a LOT of points here by allowing a tethering app into the App Store so iOS users could use this feature also...
Whenever I try to activate tethering on my Verizon Droid X2, they want me to call corporate and buy it for some $20/month.
For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
Because the iPad has tethering built in and enabled by default, for no additional fee, on the Verizon network. It's the biggest reason I selected the VZ version over the ATT version (well, that at the VZ version can still use ATT 3G network, but not visa versa).
Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
Are why prepaid carriers seem to be doing better. A few months ago when I went in for an upgrade, I found out that my old plan was no longer allowed on smart phones and we were going to need to add $30 a month per line to get our upgrade with a new contract. We decided to shop around and found Straight Talk. We did some math and discovered that we would come out ahead almost $700 over the course of two years, even with buying our own phones at retail.
So we said bye bye Verizon and have been enjoying that extra $80 a month in our budget ever since.
It's not just because it used to be part of public spectrum. It's because when Verizon bought it, they bought it under the terms that they would not restrict the type of data being sent/received on that spectrum in any way, regardless of the previous status of that spectrum being public or not. So, Verizon bought the spectrum knowing damn well that they were not allowed to restrict tethering on that spectrum according to the contract of that sale. If they didn't want to follow that, then they should have bought different spectrum that didn't have those terms.
Well they would have bought different spectrum if it was available however there is no better spectrum than the "Digital Dividend" of 698-806 MHz (even if other choices were available). This frequency range is akin to "beachfront property" because of its awesome wave propagation characteristics. You can send a (RF) signal the farthest distance with the least amount of output power (mW) in the 700 MHz. Since mobile telephones are restricted on how much output power they can emit, this frequency range is the sweet spot and hence wireless companies were eager to snap it up.
Think about it, there had to be a GOOD reason the FCC decided to make all other wireless devices in that spectrum range illegal to operate and instantly obsolete (Wireless Microphones etc.) AND force all the terrestrial TV stations below 698 MHz...The reason was actually billions of reasons. Billions of pieces of paper with images of dead presidents on it paid to the FCC (who knows where it actually went to).
They're not offering free tethering. They're just charging EVERYONE for it, and every other carrier is perfectly happy to go along and match their price.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
I use Foxfi and it couldn't be easier. Name the SSD you want to use, put in a password and Go. http, https, ftp, skype all work fine. I can do everything I would do when I am normally working. It's the same as being on any other WAP.
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
I mean come on, it has to be the U.S where people actually acept that tethering is some extra special "service" and it's justifiable to ask extra money for "providing" it. If my carrier would ask money for that, I'd leave them on the spot. I changed carriers for less than that, and the world didn't collapse. For a long time I thought the U.S. was the paradise of Internet and mobile phones and unlimited data plans. But then I actually started to go there a lot and it was farly quick to realize most cell companies just take people for fools, take subscribers as granted, rip them off with a lot of stupid stuff, and just see them and an endless money source. And the most weird thing, lots of people are so used so used to this, that they don't even think about it much anymore.
I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
Here's the actual effect it has had - everyone gets to pay more for data since everyone has to be able to tether. The new mandatory shared data plans are more expensive than older piecemeal plans. WHat about people that didn't want to pay for tethering? Too bad.
This is where markets come in to play. Rather than increase regulation, I propose simplification: make free tethering mandatory for all carriers. Then the carriers can actually compete on price.
Of course, a healthy, competitive market would require another demonic government intervention: breaking up the cell monopolies. Heaven forbid...
Palm trees and 8
The wireless mics that operate in that range were not made illegal - the rule was discussed but never implemented. They do risk becoming useless because of interference, and no one sells mics in the US that use those frequencies anymore, but if you own them you can still use them.
The wireless mics that operate in that range were not made illegal - the rule was discussed but never implemented. They do risk becoming useless because of interference, and no one sells mics in the US that use those frequencies anymore, but if you own them you can still use them.
You sir, are incorrect and spreading false information.
Source: http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/wireless-microphones
I work in the industry and it is indeed illegal to operate any microphones in the 700 MHz spectrum (698-806 MHz). Not only is the FCC (and Verizon etc) are concerned you are encroaching on their newly owned spectrum, there are public safety bands which could be disrupted by RF microphone use.