Verizon Quickly Changes Mind, Thunderbolt Will Have Mobile Hotspot At Launch

[mpwt51]

Technically since verizon doesn't "know" you are tethering, it is unlimited, as per your phone plan. WiFi tether is an app for rooted users only though.

 

[anon(75289)]

Correct, but Verizon will notice if you're burning through 20GB's of data a month on an android handset and call you out on it. Just use it with moderation.

 

[Chrisy]

I've been using "Tether" app on my BlackBerry for two years without any issues so far. I use about 2GB a month. That's a lot for a BlackBerry!

I plan on buying the same "Tether" app for Android since I know it works well.

 

[riksin808]

Is there a data cap using Wifi Tether or is it unlimited data?

ive asked a verizon rep this and they said they would offer 2gb a month for $15 and 5gb for $20 im not 100% sure on this though. they denied that they had any unlimited data plan for tethering.

 

[abomb78]

Mobile hotspot for free?

A friend of mine has the HTC incredible & has just advised me that he rooted the phone and now has his hotspot activated (for free). Not sure if thats what "rooted" is being referred to around here, but my question is this: Would Verizon be able to tell if you have "rooted" the phone and/or tell if you are using the phone as a hotspot, but not paying for it? Data usage report or something to that affect? I dont foresee me needing to even use the hotspot, but could come in handy down the road. I would hate to get some sort of message from verizon that I am either in void of my warrantee or subject to paying for that usage, etc. Can Verizon (or any carrier for that matter) tell if you are "steeling" the bandwidth?

 

[happyaccidents3]

Well I have a samsung omnia( waiting for the TBolt) and during summer I used a wifi tether app a lot and I used about 5gb a month. Sometimes while tethering I would get a message that would say and unknown party has remotely ended this session. And my 3g would be shut off but all I had to do was restart the phone and it would be working again. Though if I was really straining the network like steaming netflix for a few days in a row then would shut down my 3g completely but the longest that happened was about 5min. They never called, sent me mail or charged me anything extra though.

 

[Dr3amville]

Obviously then it will be a bad idea to use this service to download movies and music, correct?

 

[Forgetful]

On another site there was talk that Verizon can see what kind of packets are being sent and can see if it's coming from an android browser or laptop. Of course they'd have to be specifically looking too.

Take this all with a grain since I don't know if it's valid. Maybe someone can verify.

 

[Chris Kerrigan]

On another site there was talk that Verizon can see what kind of packets are being sent and can see if it's coming from an android browser or laptop. Of course they'd have to be specifically looking too.

Take this all with a grain since I don't know if it's valid. Maybe someone can verify.

I don't doubt it's possible, but I often tell people not to worry about it, because like you said, they'd have to specifically be looking for that information to begin with. Not to mention there are ways (both stock and by doing some hacking yourself) to mask the Android browser into being basically any browser you tell it to.

 

[shaddix]

You could use an encrypted VPN to mask everything being sent over verizonwireless' towers? But that itself might look weird with having everything encrypted...

 

[anon(75289)]

The simple fact is that Verizon will never go to through the trouble of analyzing your packets. Even if they did, that is not definitive proof that you are illegally tethering your computer for free.

Like I said before: Keep your "unlimited" free tethered data usage within REASONABLE limits and you will have no problem. And by reasonable I mean below 20GB. Personally I've never used more than 10GB in a month. I've been tethering my laptop to my verizon phones since 2005 (I had the LG VX8100 which only required a $9 data plan!).

I will tell you right now that if you blow through 100GB in a month on LTE or EVDO using a free, rooted hotspot app, Verizon WILL call you and shut you down. And possibly cancel your phone line and charge you the $350 ETF.

As for you folks who don't understand what rooting your phone means: It means that you are hacking into the operating system and giving your "user account" root privileges. Which allows you and any programs you install to have direct access to Kernel level system calls.

If that doesn't make sense maybe you shouldn't be playing around with root access.

 

[I am Fake Jesus]

ok so im new to owning an android phone. idk if this is a dumb question. but when you root the phone does it have to be one of those roms, or can it just be rooted an basically run stock. if i just want the tether feature an dont want to change anything else on the phone?

 

[anon(75289)]

Yes you can have a stock rooted phone. Then download and install the wifi tether app from the market. Then you're done.

However the hard part getting rooted. Once someone figures out how to hack the phone, they will post the directions, but these initial directions WONT be understandable by someone who doesn't know how to use ADB and console commands. So if you don't, then you'll have to wait and hope an easier solution gets made such as a "one click" but that may never happen.

 

[rigorx]

ok so im new to owning an android phone. idk if this is a dumb question. but when you root the phone does it have to be one of those roms, or can it just be rooted an basically run stock. if i just want the tether feature an dont want to change anything else on the phone?

Usually one of the first ROMs ever released for a phone is the same stock ROM, just with super user permissions; which means you could then just download a wireless tether app from the market, and you'd be golden.

After a little while, more modified ROMS come along from the cooks.

 

[I am Fake Jesus]

cool, i kinda figured that. but just wanted to make sure, cause i might do that. but as im sure once i start i will continue to find other roms that let me have more fun with my phone. i cant wait to ditch this iphone 3g lol.

 

[Raptor007]

I will root and add the wireless tether feature, I didn't use it enough to pay $20 for it and I certainly won't pay for it again.

 

[delynnie]

I will root and add the wireless tether feature, I didn't use it enough to pay $20 for it and I certainly won't pay for it again.

The Thunderbolt will be my 1st Android/Smartphone, and I would like
to root my phone for just the tethering app for using the phone as a
hotspot! Is it hard to do, as I am not tech-sauvy at all!! In the forums
is there a how to do section with detailed instructions, and I hope I can
call apon all of your help if I get stuck! I can't wait to get this phone, and
just hope it is not too much phone for me!

 

[I am Fake Jesus]

from what i hear it depends on the device, rooting on my wifes nook color was easy, just followed the steps an i was done. it was shockingly harder to get back to stock than rooting