Verizon Can No Longer Charge For Tethering, FCC Declares

[R3asonableDoubt]

Verizon has been slapped with a $1.25 million fine for charging customers to use their cell phones as a mobile Internet hotspot, and has declared that it must allow tethering for free. Google must also reinstate tethering applications from its Android store, which Verizon had asked them to remove. This is especially great news considering more Android devices (and perhaps the next iPhone) are 4G compatible, making mobile Internet nearly universal for Verizon customers. Sprint, T-Mobile, and AT&T customers should prepare to be gripped by overwhelming jealousy, as it only applies to Verizon.

?Today?s action demonstrates that compliance with FCC obligations is not optional,? said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, in a statement. ?The steps taken today will not only protect consumer choice, but defend certainty for innovators to continue to deliver new services and apps without fear of being blocked.?

We?re unsure how quickly this policy will be implemented, so if you?re a Verizon mobile hotspot user, and you fall under the non-unlimited data plans that this ruling applies to, let us know when Verizon stops charging you for the service.

Source: Verizon Can No Longer Charge For Tethering, FCC Declares

 

[Eclipse2K]

The last part of it makes it seem as if unlimited data can't get away with this?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[ShaggyKids]

I agree. First it makes it sound like tethering is tethering. Then it makes it sound like there's a distinction between the two. To me you're either tethering or you're not.

 

[Ry]

Good. Data is data.

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[Xak]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57484000-38/verizon-to-pay-$1.25m-fcc-fine-forced-to-allow-tethering-apps/

YEAH, suck it Verizon!

 

[conman1395]

They can still charge for tethering, they just cant block the apps from appearing in the Play store and cant block apps from using certain frequencies that were being blocked before. Sorry folks, free tethering is probably still not gonna happen
Edit: Also, it is likely that they will only have the free thethering be with the new shared plans. Those without the new shared plans (this means unlimited plans and the regular plans before shared plans) will still likely have to pay a fee.

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[conman1395]

Also, read the news report from AC.

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[Eclipse2K]

They can still charge for tethering, they just cant block the apps from appearing in the Play store and cant block apps from using certain frequencies that were being blocked before. Sorry folks, free tethering is probably still not gonna happen

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FoxFi works just as well as Verizons offering so it technically happened already. I wonder how FoxFi got through all of the Verizon blocks though.

 

[Ry]

FoxFi works just as well as Verizons offering so it technically happened already. I wonder how FoxFi got through all of the Verizon blocks though.

When was FoxFi first released and when did this investigation start?

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[Eclipse2K]

Also, read the news report from AC.

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As I thought, unlimited plans are excluded from this service from the sounds of it. That makes this whole ruling pointless but I guess it doesn't really matter because the same people who have been using FoxFi will continue using it.

 

[Eclipse2K]

When was FoxFi first released and when did this investigation start?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

Good question - I have no idea.

A Google Search brings me to the Amazon App Store who says it launched on March 1st, 2012. As for the investigation, who knows.

 

[Cory Streater]

I wonder which price increase Verizon will implement to make up for this loss?

 

[Eclipse2K]

I wonder which price increase Verizon will implement to make up for this loss?

A $10 fee for rebooting your phone and being forced to reconnect to the network. After all, it takes a lot of effort for the network to push out all of that data to your device all at once.

 

[eshropshire]

If this applies to unlimited my guess is they will start throttling unlimited like AT&T.

 

[h20squirter]

This doesn't mean they can't charge u for tethering. Just that they can't block 3rd party tethering apps that let you tether for free. Its BS that anyone charges for tethering. Its my data plan. If I go over because I tether then charge me the overage. But don't charge me just for the ability to be able to tether. That's so BS.

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[cj100570]

But we all know how to avoid that right?!

 

[Issemann]

Is there an app I can use on a rooted S3? (Both USB and WiFi)

 

[cj100570]

Is there an app I can use on a rooted S3? (Both USB and WiFi)

I believe Easy Tether from Mobile Stream does both. Search for it on the Play Store and you'll find both free and paid versions.

 

[sspediacci]

So now that Verizon isn't allowed to block apps on the Google Play store, we can get Google Wallet finally?

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[cj100570]

So now that Verizon isn't allowed to block apps on the Google Play store, we can get Google Wallet finally?

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This ruling has nothing to do with Google Wallet. It's specifically about Verizon blocking tethering apps. And even then it only applies to those users that aren't on unlimited data plans. As part of the spectrum they were awarded they agreed not to hinder access to users using that spectrum. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc are still allowed to prevent access to certain apps. Here's a great read that explains it all; What Verizon's FCC tethering settlement means to you (FAQ) | Mobile - CNET News