P3Droid's Cat is out of the BAG!

[micl9]

Tethering is NOT stealing. the carriers do not own the air waves between you and your phone. (not the 2.4ghz freq's)
You are paying for an UNLIMITED data plan.

No they don't own the air waves, they own the pipeline between the air and the internet.

Yes its a rip that you pay for unlimited data that really isn't. But as others have said, there is a reason why they offer a tethering plan. SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY.
If you dont like it, find a carrier that doesn't want to make more money.

 

[PensHockey]

The problem is that they put the name tag of "Unlimited Data" witch means I can use unlimited data. I hook up my phone to my comp my phone still uses the data.

Its the fact that they want to charge for a special service that your phone can do but people have ben able to do it for free.

If you have an "all you can eat buffet" limit 2 plates max. Well that's not all you can eat. They named it Unlimited Data. So what if I use more than the average person I payed for unlimited data, I get a unlimited supply of data.

 

[ultravisitor]

The problem is that they put the name tag of "Unlimited Data" witch means I can use unlimited data. I hook up my phone to my comp my phone still uses the data.

No, that's not what it means. Maybe you need to look at the Terms and Conditions that you agreed to when signing a contract with Verizon.

Unlimited Smartphone and BlackBerry Plans and Features
These WirelessEmail plans and features cannot be used: (1) for access to the Internet, intranets or other data networks except as the device?s native applications and capabilities permit, unless you subscribe to Mobile Broadband Connect; or (2) for any applications that tether your device to laptops or personal computers other than for use of the Wireless Sync or the BlackBerry solution, unless you subscribe to Mobile BroadbandConnect.

Data Plans & Features - Terms & Conditions - Verizon Wireless Support

Don't like it? You don't have to do business with Verizon.

 

[ottscay]

The problem is that they put the name tag of "Unlimited Data" witch means I can use unlimited data. I hook up my phone to my comp my phone still uses the data.

Its the fact that they want to charge for a special service that your phone can do but people have ben able to do it for free.

If you have an "all you can eat buffet" limit 2 plates max. Well that's not all you can eat. They named it Unlimited Data. So what if I use more than the average person I payed for unlimited data, I get a unlimited supply of data.

I don't disagree with anything you wrote, but you signed a contract that gives Verizon to make those decisions, not you. Hence it's breaking your contract, and amongst other contract stipulations that gives VZW the right to terminate your contract and charge you for an early termination fee. Your only recourse is to take your dollars to another carrier that makes you a better deal.

Btw, people (including P3Droid) need to stop using terms like "stealing" and "theft" because it's not theft in the criminal sense. It's breach of contract, and could only be handled via civil litigation (theft implied criminal acts that law enforcement could be involved in). Hacking in an unauthorized phone onto the VZW network and using their bandwidth without signing up would be theft (the taking of something that isn't yours) - using their network as a customer in a way you agreed not to is breach of contract.

Still, we all sign those contracts when we get a NE2 phone, so man up about it. If you choose to do things that break a contract, even a stupid and unfair contract, it's still the legal right of the other party to end the contract via the stipulations you agreed to.

And I'm most certainly rooted and am no saint; I have at times had tethering apps on my phone - the only reason I didn't use them was I didn't need to tether. I'll probably resist the urge though now even if I do need to (or else I'll pay VZW).

 

[PensHockey]

Totaly agree. It is up to Verizons discretion. I was just saying that is why most people are upset about the whole deal because the say "Unlimited" if they changed the wording and said "Sign up now to get our ButtLoad of data plan for 29.99" That would be open to ,how much is a buttload?
But they put unlimited.

Now you root your phone and it blows up well...thats on you. Verizon or any carrier should not replace it for you because you broke a perfectly good phone. It didnt break by itself, you broke it, you should be responcible for it.

 

[ultravisitor]

If you have an "all you can eat buffet" limit 2 plates max.

Not quite. A more accurate analogy would be going to an all you can eat buffet and paying for one person, but allowing two or three other people to eat off your plate.

The other two people who want to eat? They have to pay too. You want data for your phone and laptop and tablet and desktop? You've gotta pay for it.

 

[micl9]

Not quite. A more accurate analogy would be going to an all you can eat buffet and paying for one person, but allowing two or three other people to eat off your plate.

The other two people who want to eat? They have to pay too. You want data for your phone and laptop and tablet and desktop? You've gotta pay for it.

You sir, hit the nail on the head!

And guys - dont get me wrong, if I had a need to tether I probably would have. I guess my point is don't get pissed when they find out you've been feeding 2 off one plate and do something about it.

 

[ottscay]

Not quite. A more accurate analogy would be going to an all you can eat buffet and paying for one person, but allowing two or three other people to eat off your plate.

The other two people who want to eat? They have to pay too. You want data for your phone and laptop and tablet and desktop? You've gotta pay for it.

I feel that's not actually a perfect analogy either. Those customers who are trying to eat off your plate are actually trying to get a product when they haven't paid anything.

If you get busted for tethering you are NOT getting busted because you broke how much bandwidth you used (although controlling bandwidth usage is of course one goal) but rather because you broke a contract you signed stating you wouldn't use it in certain ways without paying for it,

I think a more nuanced analogy would be some all you can eat buffets offer premium items (like fillet mignon) that you have to pay a couple more bucks for. Tethering with an app is like having paid for the buffet but then sneaking a steak when no one was looking. The organization has every right to charge you the difference (and if they had to go to court to collect it they could levy punitive damages such as legal fees) - but if the restaurant tried to get you charged with theft in this case they'd be told by a judge to take it to civil court.

 

[PensHockey]

If i was not on a "unlimited plan" and used my "rooted" phone to tether and stream movies and racked up a huge bill and paid it every month they would not give crap about my phone being rooted and tethering because they are getting payed more. I would exspect they would want to cut off my service for using a rooted phone and tethering.

I pay more for the unlimited plan than the other plans, for the unlimited data. To say "Unlimited, but thats to much" is just wrong.

What if iam not tethering iam just using a **** ton of data. Can they still say thats to much?

 

[ottscay]

That was my point BigCrisco - they may not like the amount of data you are using with your illegal tether, but that's not the contractual reason they would terminate you. The contractual reason is that your ToS agreement that you signed says you can't tether another device without paying them to use it. So you would be terminated for breaking that agreement, plain and simple.

As I understand it they are now including new clauses to their ToS that let them throttle and/or terminate users that are in the top 5% of data usage for the network. I'm not sure how well either of those would hold up if they are trying to retroactively apply it, but for anyone signing a new contract it doesn't matter - if you sign a contract then you are contractually obligated, period (unless you can truly show they bargained illegally or made a truly unconscionable deal and hid it from you...but those are very hard to show and "not wanting to read the ToS" can't be construed as having it "hidden" from someone).

That's why I came up with my analogy - if you walk into a restaurant that has an all you can eat buffet and purchase the version that's all you can eat but doesn't include the premium food, you can't claim they are cheating you. When you order and pay for the lower cost all you can eat "plan" you can't go taking the fillet mignon unless you change your order with the waiter and pay the difference in cost.

 

[PensHockey]

But if I was tethering illegally and not on a unlimited plan and had to pay premium price for the extra data and payed it every month. Would it be as big of a deal to them? I think they would look the other way and cash my check.

 

[ottscay]

But if I was tethering illegally and not on a unlimited plan and had to pay premium price for the extra data and payed it every month. Would it be as big of a deal to them? I think they would look the other way and cash my check.

Possibly they would just look the other way, but they'd still have the right to terminate your contract. The thing about breaking a contract is it's up to the other party what they want to do about it.

If your point is they're a bunch of money-grubbing leeches...I doubt you'll get much of an argument from anyone. That's the point of a corporation - to make money (that and limit personal liability- meant in the "exposure to litigation" sense, don't anyone get up in arms).