Tethering questions

[emoeskaite]

Hey,
1. I use USB tethering on my GSM version of GN (T-Mobile) and it works fine. In my understanding there must be some carrier imposed lock in the phone firmware to block tethering which is not here because it's an unlocked phone, am I right?

2. Will tethering work with Verizon or Sprint version of GN?

3. Is there any chance that T-Mobile or AT&T will somehow block tethering on Galaxy Nexus any time in the future?

4. Is tethering blocked in most smartphones from T-Mobile (for instance Samsung Galaxy S III)?

 

[Paul627g]

Hey,
1. I use USB tethering on my GSM version of GN (T-Mobile) and it works fine. In my understanding there must be some carrier imposed lock in the phone firmware to block tethering which is not here because it's an unlocked phone, am I right?

Yes thats the way I understand it.

2. Will tethering work with Verizon or Sprint version of GN?

Only if you pay for their tethering or Hotspot access as Sprint refers to it as.... Otherwise your left with rooting to get it free

3. Is there any chance that T-Mobile or AT&T will somehow block tethering on Galaxy Nexus any time in the future?

Its very possible they could block it at any time they see fit. Only takes the carrier to issue a maintenance update OTA to the devices which would be rare because after all these are unlocked phones that normally receive everything straight from Google and don't go thru the carrier approvals like Sprint & Verizon.

4. Is tethering blocked in most smartphones from T-Mobile (for instance Samsung Galaxy S III)?

Don't have a solid answer for you there. I can only say I know its the #1 reason many people take to rooting their phones so they can get free tethering.

 

[jpr]

In addition to the answer above, I would add to #3 that there are several ways carriers choose to deal with this. With an unlocked phone with no TMO or ATT software, one way they sometimes deal with it is by cutting your data down to 2G speed only. Another way is to give you a warning that they will stop your service completely if they catch you doing it again. Another is to charge you for their hotspot service.

With the major carriers, you generally have to give them a reason though to take this action, like using a lot a data or breaking one of their other rules. With the resellers, like Straight Talk, etc, they will cut you off a lot earlier and you can lose service without a warning.

 

[emoeskaite]

They did it! Tethering worked for 3 days only! I was just trying to open a WWW in Chrome and this window popped up. They want me to pay $15/month for Hotspot service. I am using a Monthly4G $70 plan now....

Damn it.... I didn't expect them to be that smart and that buttholes.... I've already disconnected my home internet...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[Andrew Martonik]

They did it! Tethering worked for 3 days only! I was just trying to open a WWW in Chrome and this window popped up. They want me to pay $15/month for Hotspot service. I am using a Monthly4G $70 plan now....

Damn it.... I didn't expect them to be that smart and that buttholes.... I've already disconnected my home internet...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

Well they're not doing anything sophisticated. Just detecting your browser's UAstring and redirecting. Use a UAstring switcher and go back to a UAstring of like an older Safari or FireFox 4, that should help.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

How do you figure? You were violating their TOS by using the phone as a hotspot, they were perfectly within their rights to call you on it if you were using any significant amount of data, and the fact that you are replacing your home internet implies that you are.

 

[YourMobileGuru]

Well they're not doing anything sophisticated. Just detecting your browser's UAstring and redirecting. Use a UAstring switcher and go back to a UAstring of like an older Safari or FireFox 4, that should help.

or here's an idea... use the money you saved from cancelling your home internet and pay the fee for tethering.... radical I know

 

[emoeskaite]

My home internet was $25 per month, T-Mo's hotspot is $15 and I'd have only 5GB per month to use and share. I am using nearly 4GB just using my phone.... Doesn't pay off for me to pay for it...

And no, they didn't detect it because I was using more GBs than always because I was only browsing internet, what I do on my phone all the time... I wasn't downloading anything...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[YourMobileGuru]

My home internet was $25 per month, T-Mo's hotspot is $15 and I'd have only 5GB per month to use and share. I am using nearly 4GB just using my phone.... Doesn't pay off for me to pay for it...

And no, they didn't detect it because I was using more GBs than always because I was only browsing internet, what I do on my phone all the time... I wasn't downloading anything...

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

Then I would suggest you reconnect your home internet.

Weather you download things are not, even web surfing on a PC uses more data than on a phone alone. They will almost certainly be watching you now if they catch you doing it again they can and probably will take punitive action.