EasyTether and VZW

**rm548** · 07-30-2011, 02:22 PM

Hi folks. I've locked into big red's unlimited plan and have tried out easytether which works great on my pc.

What is verizon's policy on the use of this app? LTE is much faster than my apartment building's isp.

**wseyller** · 07-30-2011, 02:23 PM

Its against there tos

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**FrankXS** · 07-30-2011, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by rm548

Hi folks. I've locked into big red's unlimited plan and have tried out easytether which works great on my pc.

What is verizon's policy on the use of this app? LTE is much faster than my apartment building's isp.

I think I can say with absolute certainty that they would prefer that you didn't use it.

Not sure though...

-Frank

**rm548** · 07-30-2011, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by FrankXS

I think I can say with absolute certainty that they would prefer that you didn't use it.

Not sure though...

-Frank

Well obviously they wouldn't like me to use it, but I'm curious what the ramifications are for me using the app? Also, in my poking around on the vzw website, I found that they are now throttling heavy data users speed.

"Verizon Wireless strives to provide customers the best experience when using our network, a shared resource among tens of millions of customers. To help achieve this, if you use an extraordinary amount of data and fall within the top 5% of Verizon Wireless data users we may reduce your data throughput speeds periodically for the remainder of your then current and immediately following billing cycle to ensure high quality network performance for other users at locations and times of peak demand. Our proactive management of the Verizon Wireless network is designed to ensure that the remaining 95% of data customers aren't negatively affected by the inordinate data consumption of just a few users."

**FrankXS** · 07-30-2011, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by rm548

Well obviously they wouldn't like me to use it, but I'm curious what the ramifications are for me using the app? Also, in my poking around on the vzw website, I found that they are now throttling heavy data users speed.

CAUTION! There is so much BS flying around on the Internet about this specific topic, and so much "profiling" going on by web-junkies/trolls, that I guarantee you there is NO WAY you are EVER going to get a correct straight answer on this question. Because there isn't one. What you WILL get is a huge amount of trolling/bullying/profiling, etc. Even to include certified "personal experiences".

The bottom line is (like we say in the Flying business) that if you deviate from VZW's TOS you are making yourself a TEST PILOT. Now there are lots of OLD Test Pilots. And lots of BOLD Test Pilots. But very few OLD BOLD Test Pilots. (We also say that!

)

Anyway, my guess is that you'll probably get away with it. But, you're the Test Pilot. Just remember that.

-Frank

**rm548** · 07-30-2011, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by FrankXS

CAUTION! There is so much BS flying around on the Internet about this specific topic, and so much "profiling" going on by web-junkies/trolls, that I guarantee you there is NO WAY you are EVER going to get a correct straight answer on this question. Because there isn't one. What you WILL get is a huge amount of trolling/bullying/profiling, etc. Even to include certified "personal experiences".

The bottom line is (like we say in the Flying business) that if you deviate from VZW's TOS you are making yourself a TEST PILOT. Now there are lots of OLD Test Pilots. And lots of BOLD Test Pilots. But very few OLD BOLD Test Pilots. (We also say that!

)

Anyway, my guess is that you'll probably get away with it. But, you're the Test Pilot. Just remember that.

-Frank

Appreciate the answer. Do you have a link to the passage in the TOS that prohibits this? I'd like to check the verbiage.

**moosc** · 07-30-2011, 03:21 PM

Here's one connect your ps3 or Xbox for a whole day play same halo for five hours watch five hours of Netflix all this while using 4g and tethering do that a couple more times see how fast VZW throttles u and sends u data bill. As stated lotsa of times just because u have unlimited data on phone does authorize u to tether. This why we tiered data

**Noble_Logistics** · 07-30-2011, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by moosc

Here's one connect your ps3 or Xbox for a whole day play same halo for five hours watch five hours of Netflix all this while using 4g and tethering do that a couple more times see how fast VZW throttles u and sends u data bill. As stated lotsa of times just because u have unlimited data on phone does authorize u to tether. This why we tiered data

There is something here that I don't understand. VZ marketed the TB and other 4G phones with Netflix and HBO, even making an announcement in January 2011 that they were developing a Slingbox to be used on their new 4G network.

How can they now claim that using these services violates the TOS, or rather the data usage does.

My wife and I each have a TB with unlimited minutes, mandatory unlimited data and unlimited Hot Spot/Tether, by signing up for the HS we were able to cancel our 5GB Tab ($50) and unlimited data Netbook ($60).

As I type this, my TB is showing 34.4GB of data used with 10 days left on my billing cycle. An HD movie adds 2.5 to 3GB, I watch Netflix, MaxGo and HBOGo and am looking into a Slingbox to stream my DirecTV content to the laptop. I have a dish for my truck but unless I'm gonna be stopped more than a 10 hour layover it's a pain to set up and I can't get distant networks in the truck. I am on the road for 6 to 8 weeks at a time, drive 3 to 4 thousand miles a week and spend a lot of hours waiting to load/unload, so video fills the void.

I guess I may hit the top 5%, not something I aspire to, but I pay 6 times as much ($120 + taxes and fees) for the Data and Hot Spot/Tether features on our two phones than I do for my home DSL line.

My bill normally runs $350-$400 dollars a month, I plan to get my money's worth

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**moosc** · 07-30-2011, 05:40 PM

Aslong u use those services on your phone your ok but if u go above or top 5 percent of data vzw can throttle your data

Originally Posted by Noble_Logistics

There is something here that I don't understand. VZ marketed the TB and other 4G phones with Netflix and HBO, even making an announcement in January 2011 that they were developing a Slingbox to be used on their new 4G network.

How can they now claim that using these services violates the TOS.

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**Noble_Logistics** · 07-30-2011, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by moosc

Aslong u use those services on your phone your ok but if u go above or top 5 percent of data vzw can throttle your data

Hopefully, I'll stay below the threshold, it would be easier if the "shared" or averaged the data for both our phones. I use the bulk of our minutes too, averaging about 3500/mo

**wseyller** · 07-30-2011, 10:05 PM

To be in the top 5% it will take a lot. I have heard of some people use 40 plus gig a month on LTE which sounds crazy I know. I use 5 or 6 a month with no problem (Ten % is probably tethering). I rarely have access to wifi. I've tethered for years on verizon even before smartphones were around. Just don't get too crazy with it. I haven't heard of anyone getting popped ever that could prove it but you never know. I believe if verizon started cracking down that they would at minimum start warning people before they start raping you on your bill.

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**o2bnclemson** · 07-30-2011, 10:42 PM

I use Easy Tether as well at my apartment and love it. Really, though, I don't do much different on my laptop than I do on my phone - the laptop is simply easier sometimes with a full keyboard and larger display. With this in mind, my data usage is negligibly different on the laptop than the phone. My understanding is that as long as your data usage doesn't experience major spikes them you're fine. But if you're doing a lot of heavy downloading or data usage like gaming, perhaps, them you might trigger a red flag.

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**terminalinfinity** · 07-31-2011, 05:11 AM

I had a friend who uses easytether and has so for at least 3 months. He streams netflix on his laptop and averages 20 GBs a month. He hasn't heard anything yet.

Verizon tends to go the way ATT goes though. In Feb, ATT sent out letters to all unofficial tether(er)s and demanded they stop or they were going to start charging them automatically their hotspot service.

**wseyller** · 07-31-2011, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by terminalinfinity

I had a friend who uses easytether and has so for at least 3 months. He streams netflix on his laptop and averages 20 GBs a month. He hasn't heard anything yet.

Verizon tends to go the way ATT goes though. In Feb, ATT sent out letters to all unofficial tether(er)s and demanded they stop or they were going to start charging them automatically their hotspot service.

I always believed that was a FUD tactic. Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. They were not really gonna start charging people, but if they could at least scare some of the tetherers away than it was a win for them.

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