Verizon Plans to Stop Unsanctioned Tethering that Uses Unofficial Apps

[pc747]

Please stay on subject and no politics.

Thanks.

 

[Vulcan1600]

I have no problem if they're going to go after the abusers. I've used wireless tethering maybe 4 times since November 2009 and each time it was because my own DSL was down. They'll be able to see by the GB usage who is abusing. If they stop the tethering and charge $25 a month, so be it, I will pay for it when my DSL goes down, and a day later I'll cancel it, and the pro rate will be less than $1. No big deal.

 

[NeoandGeo]

I'd be impressed to see how they would detect an app such as wireless tether, especially if you are not using a vzw rom and rather something built from source such as cyanogenmod. The way wireless tether works is that it leaves the phones data connection open and just works as a NAT to transmit traffic from wifi connected devices. On Verizon's end that would be pretty hard to detect unless you have software built into the phone to do so, much like the latest round of updates for the DX and D2.

The Xperia Play which I am currently using has the same safeguards. After unlocking the bootloader and rooting, I can't use Wireless Tether. Barnacle works perfectly though using an ad-hoc connection.

 

[ChiefIlliniwek5]

Well if a website on the other end can tell what kind of device you are using, I'm sure sure Verizon can tell what kind of device is transmitting data over their network. In case you didn't know, a website can tell what OS and browser you are using along with a few other things. And I'm sure Verizon can catch you device reporting this to determine its not the phone.

Sent from my ADR6400L using DroidForums

I understand your point, but I'm still not convinced. When using wireless tether apps, how can verizon tell that the data that is being transmitted to the phone is then being passed on to a different device? I'm sure verizon can tell that my phone is accessing data to go to DroidForums.net and they can tell how much data was needed to access droidforums.net, but how can they tell that the data is then being passed on to another device on an ad-hoc network? If it was something as simple as verizon being able to tell that multiple IP or MAC addresses have been assigned to one cell phone, I would think it would be EXTREMELY easy for them to automatically filter out those users and send them automated warnings....but very few of us have received warnings. It just doesn't add up for me.

 

[sundercs]

Article should read "Verizon Plans to Try to Stop Unsanctioned Tethering that Uses Unofficial App." Articles like this always illicit harsh criticism toward the carrier and the community alike. Give it some time, someone will develop a workaround and when that exploit is patched by VZW, there will be another..... Just the way the cycle goes.

 

[sarreq]

I say it's time for a mass exodus to Sprint. Maybe they'll get the hint that unfettered greed is not a good business model

 

[brad92]

I say it's time for a mass exodus to Sprint. Maybe they'll get the hint that unfettered greed is not a good business model

I would, but then I have an ETF...

Sprint had way better customer service than VZ does

CM74DX

 

[music life]

If you pay to use their data you should be able to use it however you please. why should i have to double pay for the same exact data.

they can easily see who takes advantage. just charge them and let me use my small amount of tethering.

 

[Underscore_Hero]

If you root, it wouldn't "really" matter. If VZ catches you, just pay for tethering. It's like pirating a movie, and getting caught, the best thing to do is bend over and take it....

Of course, the MPAA will charge you much much more, but you know you're wrong, take it like a man! LOL

I'm just hoping the Droid Bionic has an unlocked bootloader, so I don't have to buy the plan from the get-go.

 

[mstarb25]

I'm a newb but I lost the free mobile hotspot when I updated my unrooted thunderbolt firmware. I wasn't going to pay VZ the additional $30 a month or risk losing grandfather status for unlimited data by adding wireless tethering.

I purchased Easy Tether from the Amazon App Store and found this works great although it has tone tethered with a usb cable and my macbook pro becomes the wireless router. Certainly a little more awkward than wireless hotspot but way more stable.

My point is that Easy Tether mentions in their FAQ that your carrier can detect tethering by the "user agent string" which is the tag any browser broadcasts for websites to detect how you are accessing them.

Check out Whats My User Agent? to find out yours. Access it from your smartphone and computer to see the difference.

You can then cause your browser to spoof your user agent and have your laptop or tablet masquerade as your smart phone. This also makes your laptop browser behave like it a mobile browser.

My hope is that if you use it infrequently my carrier won't care.

Hope this helps

 

[czerdrill]

I tethered to my ps3 to watch Netflix on the TV, since my HDMI doesn't work on cm7. I would have used it, or watched on the phone, data is data, so why would tethering be bad in that case? I would have used the same amount of data regardless.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

I think the argument vzw has is ppl who tether will use more data, not because each individual thing they do uses more data, but because you're going to be surfing the internet longer and visiting more data intensive sites on your laptop then your smartphone.

 

[drew]

I say it's time for a mass exodus to Sprint. Maybe they'll get the hint that unfettered greed is not a good business model

I still want to be able to make phone calls. Had Sprint/Nextel once upon a time in NE PA. It was an awful experience. While I agree with Sprint's data policy, at the end of the day, I'm a verizon customer because of their phone network.

 

[johnd09]

I say it's time for a mass exodus to Sprint. Maybe they'll get the hint that unfettered greed is not a good business model

I still want to be able to make phone calls. Had Sprint/Nextel once upon a time in NE PA. It was an awful experience. While I agree with Sprint's data policy, at the end of the day, I'm a verizon customer because of their phone network.

Not to mention that it is very likely that as Sprint looks to move to LTE they will follow everyone else and go tiered.

Sent from my ADR6400L using DroidForums

 

[sb1831]

Are people so stupid that they would just not pay for the tethering if they already have unlimited? If you get moved to a tiered data plan it's going to cost you a lot more than the tethering charge will.

 

[NeoandGeo]

If you're tethering over 5gb per month you deserve a kick in the Azz!
All you've done is ruined it for the rest of us.

If this were the case Verizon would throttle heavy users after 5GB. They are looking to further profits by double dipping in ignorant users pockets.