VZW disabling tethering apps from market

[czerdrill]

Vrz will only let you talkto informed reps I'd you pay extra. Lol.

Haha ditto, that would be worth it. It's never good when you know more about something then the reps

 

[freezyfreaky]

I agree that it is highly unlikely that any unauthorized tetherer will be brought up on criminal charges especially with the usage you described.

There's no criminal liability here, but they can certainly go after you in civil court for fees/damages.

As the above user mentioned with no available plan, that MIGHT be a half-way decent defense but still would not excuse violating the TOS. Could probably get a waiver of any backcharges (you technically can't steal a service that isn't offered, though they could claim you should have gotten a mobile broadband plan) but would not stop VZW from terminating you and hitting you with an ETF.

Are you absolutely sure that there is no criminal liability here? Not saying that Verizon would pursue this but I can imagine them drumming up a charge if they wanted to.

In the 70s, some guy named Doug Draper, aka Captain Crunch, discovered that a 2600 Hertz tone would allow him to make free phone calls. He was eventually charged with toll fraud and sentenced to 5 years probation. Don't know all the details of it. Maybe he was selling devices that did that.

 

[rebaf]

its interesting, i use easytether (dont bother, im not gonna argue or listen to crap) and lately when im on my computer it will sometimes show download arrow on the phone and will not let up....then the computer stops accessing the internet....
if i toggle airplane that fixes it; happens more and more lately....kinda neat. wonder what they are up to....lol....

use about 4-7 g a month, so i doubt im in that top 5 deal....

 

[kodiak799]

Are you absolutely sure that there is no criminal liability here? Not saying that Verizon would pursue this but I can imagine them drumming up a charge if they wanted to.

In the 70s, some guy named Doug Draper, aka Captain Crunch, discovered that a 2600 Hertz tone would allow him to make free phone calls. He was eventually charged with toll fraud and sentenced to 5 years probation. Don't know all the details of it. Maybe he was selling devices that did that.

No, I suppose you're right. But tethering is legal, so it really seems a civil/contract issue. Now if you take steps to hide tethering or use some sort of spoofer, then perhaps you could get into some sort of illegal territory like you mentioned.

I think the odds of VZW taking anyone to court over this matter for just about any reason are highly unlikely. Even with VZW in the right and justified, picking on the little guy is almost always very negative publicity they'd want to avoid.

The worst-case scenario, IMO, is VZW hitting someone with huge backcharges, terminating service and turning the account over to some agency for collection.

 

[xan]

I agree that it is highly unlikely that any unauthorized tetherer will be brought up on criminal charges especially with the usage you described.

There's no criminal liability here, but they can certainly go after you in civil court for fees/damages.

As the above user mentioned with no available plan, that MIGHT be a half-way decent defense but still would not excuse violating the TOS. Could probably get a waiver of any backcharges (you technically can't steal a service that isn't offered, though they could claim you should have gotten a mobile broadband plan) but would not stop VZW from terminating you and hitting you with an ETF.

Are you absolutely sure that there is no criminal liability here? Not saying that Verizon would pursue this but I can imagine them drumming up a charge if they wanted to.

In the 70s, some guy named Doug Draper, aka Captain Crunch, discovered that a 2600 Hertz tone would allow him to make free phone calls. He was eventually charged with toll fraud and sentenced to 5 years probation. Don't know all the details of it. Maybe he was selling devices that did that.

then he showed woz and jobs how to do it....and the rest is history.

 

[freezyfreaky]

Are you absolutely sure that there is no criminal liability here? Not saying that Verizon would pursue this but I can imagine them drumming up a charge if they wanted to.

In the 70s, some guy named Doug Draper, aka Captain Crunch, discovered that a 2600 Hertz tone would allow him to make free phone calls. He was eventually charged with toll fraud and sentenced to 5 years probation. Don't know all the details of it. Maybe he was selling devices that did that.

No, I suppose you're right. But tethering is legal, so it really seems a civil/contract issue. Now if you take steps to hide tethering or use some sort of spoofer, then perhaps you could get into some sort of illegal territory like you mentioned.

I think the odds of VZW taking anyone to court over this matter for just about any reason are highly unlikely. Even with VZW in the right and justified, picking on the little guy is almost always very negative publicity they'd want to avoid.

The worst-case scenario, IMO, is VZW hitting someone with huge backcharges, terminating service and turning the account over to some agency for collection.

I agree with this. Just curious about the criminal aspect if there is one. Sure tethering is legal, just not sure if tethering using Verizon's network is legal.

 

[freezyfreaky]

There's no criminal liability here, but they can certainly go after you in civil court for fees/damages.

As the above user mentioned with no available plan, that MIGHT be a half-way decent defense but still would not excuse violating the TOS. Could probably get a waiver of any backcharges (you technically can't steal a service that isn't offered, though they could claim you should have gotten a mobile broadband plan) but would not stop VZW from terminating you and hitting you with an ETF.

Are you absolutely sure that there is no criminal liability here? Not saying that Verizon would pursue this but I can imagine them drumming up a charge if they wanted to.

In the 70s, some guy named Doug Draper, aka Captain Crunch, discovered that a 2600 Hertz tone would allow him to make free phone calls. He was eventually charged with toll fraud and sentenced to 5 years probation. Don't know all the details of it. Maybe he was selling devices that did that.

then he showed woz and jobs how to do it....and the rest is history.

Are you saying Captain Crunch is partially responsible for the iPhone?!?

 

[TheTyler0013]

I personally think this is BS on Verizons part. I mean hell there are a billion dollar company, what is tethering really going to hurt? I Tether yes and i do all the time. I use there app during the free trial and its great, with the app they provide i hit a pretty good amount of data. Will i continue with the wireless plan? Maybe I am not sure. But tethering IMHO isn't bad for a Billion dollar company.

Oh no we lost 2 Million this year From our BILLIONS of dollars we already make each year. Darn you tether's you put great strain on us.

 

[czerdrill]

I personally think this is BS on Verizons part. I mean hell there are a billion dollar company, what is tethering really going to hurt? I Tether yes and i do all the time. I use there app during the free trial and its great, with the app they provide i hit a pretty good amount of data. Will i continue with the wireless plan? Maybe I am not sure. But tethering IMHO isn't bad for a Billion dollar company.

Oh no we lost 2 Million this year From our BILLIONS of dollars we already make each year. Darn you tether's you put great strain on us.

What company on the planet would knowingly allow a loss of thousands let alone millions without attempting to stop it?

"ah well it's only millions", right?

 

[kodiak799]

I agree with this. Just curious about the criminal aspect if there is one. Sure tethering is legal, just not sure if tethering using Verizon's network is legal.

It would be interesting. I suppose, theoretically, stealing their service without paying is a criminal misdemeanor (like shoplifting an apple because you feel the grocery charges too much so you just take it without paying!).

 

[kodiak799]

Oh no we lost 2 Million this year From our BILLIONS of dollars we already make each year. Darn you tether's you put great strain on us.

What company on the planet would knowingly allow a loss of thousands let alone millions without attempting to stop it?

"ah well it's only millions", right?[/QUOTE]

C'mon...They make too much money so we're entitled to steal services they overcharge for. Who can't see the logic in that argument?

 

[TheTyler0013]

I personally think this is BS on Verizons part. I mean hell there are a billion dollar company, what is tethering really going to hurt? I Tether yes and i do all the time. I use there app during the free trial and its great, with the app they provide i hit a pretty good amount of data. Will i continue with the wireless plan? Maybe I am not sure. But tethering IMHO isn't bad for a Billion dollar company.

Oh no we lost 2 Million this year From our BILLIONS of dollars we already make each year. Darn you tether's you put great strain on us.

What company on the planet would knowingly allow a loss of thousands let alone millions without attempting to stop it?

"ah well it's only millions", right?

yeah i know. I am just saying IMO. I know its not right and no company want to lose a cent, but its just how i feel.

Its like buying a box of 10 Hershey bars and Hershey telling you how you can eat it, share it, and who to give it to.

Its stupid, its not like tethering is going to cripple these industries

 

[freezyfreaky]

I agree with this. Just curious about the criminal aspect if there is one. Sure tethering is legal, just not sure if tethering using Verizon's network is legal.

It would be interesting. I suppose, theoretically, stealing their service without paying is a criminal misdemeanor (like shoplifting an apple because you feel the grocery charges too much so you just take it without paying!).

That's how I always viewed it especially when agreeing to their TOS that states that tethering is a separate additional charge. It can be construed as theft of services in my mind. Like you, I doubt Verizon would ever do this though unless unauthorized tethering gets so out of hand that they want to make an example of somebody.

 

[GDP]

I personally think this is BS on Verizons part. I mean hell there are a billion dollar company, what is tethering really going to hurt? I Tether yes and i do all the time. I use there app during the free trial and its great, with the app they provide i hit a pretty good amount of data. Will i continue with the wireless plan? Maybe I am not sure. But tethering IMHO isn't bad for a Billion dollar company.

Oh no we lost 2 Million this year From our BILLIONS of dollars we already make each year. Darn you tether's you put great strain on us.

What company on the planet would knowingly allow a loss of thousands let alone millions without attempting to stop it?

"ah well it's only millions", right?

yeah i know. I am just saying IMO. I know its not right and no company want to lose a cent, but its just how i feel.

Its like buying a box of 10 Hershey bars and Hershey telling you how you can eat it, share it, and who to give it to.

Its stupid, its not like tethering is going to cripple these industries

No it's like buying 10 Hershey bars and then stealing 5 more because you feel they make too much money from them.

 

[TheTyler0013]

C'mon...They make too much money so we're entitled to steal services they overcharge for. Who can't see the logic in that argument?

not trying to say "hey lets steal" iam saying its BS to charge in first place.

like i said in previous post "Its like buying a box of 10 Hershey bars and Hershey telling you how you can eat it, share it, and who to give it to."