VZW disabling tethering apps from market

[freezyfreaky]

But you know what? You are probably right. My prediction depends on the ability to tether without Verizon being able to catch them. With the unlimited data plan going away, unless someone figures out how to get around the tiered data plan limit, there won't be enough impact to persuade Verizon to drop their pricing unless their competitors do it and not for reasons I stated.

 

[Beardface]

Since I got my swami hat on, I also predict that more reasonable pricing for tethering and/or the addition of home broadband replacement pricing will come out afterwards due to market forces and user demand.

So let me get this straight... You think once Verizon successfully locks everyone else out of providing tethering on their network, they are going to lower their prices for everyone?

Nope, not happening. In fact, its more likely they come out with stricter guidelines, harsher penalties, and a higher baseline cost for the services. You speak of market forces and user demand. Those are meaningless if they are the only ones providing that service on their network. If they have no competition, why would they set a competitive price? If anything, they'll set a monopolistic price and you can take it or leave it.


This is like thinking that once OPEC seals control over the entire world's stock of oil, they'll lower prices due to market forces.

The reason why I believe this can happen is because if enough people are "stealing" their service and they can't stop it, it may be worth their while to try and make some money off it by making it cheaper so some of those tetherers will pay instead of prosecuting their customers and driving them away. Sort of what happened with the music industry.

They can stop it, and believe me, they will find a way, and once they do, anyone and everyone that is using it will be screwed. You could see the charges showing up on your account unannounced, you could see the cease and desist pop up messages, you could see them fining you, or heck, you could see them terminate your service early (including an early termination penalty) for a breach of contract and 'stealing' their data regardless of your plan. Who knows, but something is coming. They wouldn't just do this now if they weren't about ready to start some kind of massive crackdown.

At this point, if you keep tethering, you're just asking for it.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

How and when are they doing that? Just blocking it from the market if it's being viewed on Verizon's Network?

If you already have it tho I guess they can't do much about it, can they?

Verizon could pressure google to remove it from verizon phones

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums

Pressure them with what? What's google's motivation? The carriers are already on their side and that's why they sell android phones. It's not like Verizon is going to stop selling android phones, they get too much revenue from android phone sales. The android OS is all about being opened source as we all know and since this isn't a security issue with the tethering, then there isn't much motivation for Google to take action.

I used to use about one quarter of a gig if that much and that was pushing it for me. I'm all for the tethering because as many people already ask, why should I pay twice for something I'm paying for once. The claim that more data is used when tethering is true and false.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

It's true because as a user we are more likely to surf the web or download content when we are using a laptop or desktop versus the phone. It's false because the page whether on a desktop, laptop or smartphone is loading the exact same content worth of data. So the screen size wouldn't matter.

 

[Beardface]

Since I got my swami hat on, I also predict that more reasonable pricing for tethering and/or the addition of home broadband replacement pricing will come out afterwards due to market forces and user demand.

So let me get this straight... You think once Verizon successfully locks everyone else out of providing tethering on their network, they are going to lower their prices for everyone?

Nope, not happening. In fact, its more likely they come out with stricter guidelines, harsher penalties, and a higher baseline cost for the services. You speak of market forces and user demand. Those are meaningless if they are the only ones providing that service on their network. If they have no competition, why would they set a competitive price? If anything, they'll set a monopolistic price and you can take it or leave it.


This is like thinking that once OPEC seals control over the entire world's stock of oil, they'll lower prices due to market forces.

What he is describing is actually in par from the initial word on tiered pricing. It is absolutely possible there will be something along the lines of $19 pricing for 2gb and then going up from there. The only unknown factor is the possibility of wrapping tethering into that allotted amount of memory. And they don't have a monopoly. There are still several other providers, so they can only go so far.

They have a monopoly when it comes to their own network. At this point, with their prices higher than anyone per month, it is obvious they are confident that their network is so far superior than all the other ones that no matter what price they charge, as long as its within a certain amount higher than everyone else's, people aren't going to flock away. Sprint is not large enough and AT&T isn't reliable enough to compete.

When the tiers come out, tethering will be a paid service, but will not increase your tier allotment per month. The last thing they want is for everyone to be tethering because they set too reasonable a price, and thus bogging down their superior network. Especially with the iPhone now on Big Red. Just not happening.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

Well future updates for this app will be a slight annoyance now. I would have to download the apk from the website, and I wouldn't know when an update comes out without checking the site.

Wireless tether for root users needs to be put in the amazon appstore.

Sent from my DROID2 using DroidForums

Sounds like a small sacrafice to make.

 

[kodiak799]

The claim that more data is used when tethering is true and false.

I think that's an oversimplification. If you are tethering, then you have clearly demonstrated a preference to consume data on a device other than your Droid, otherwise you wouldn't be tethering. Stands to reason that while in some cases you might tolerate consuming that data on your Droid, without the ability to tether in most cases that would be data not consumed on your Droid data plan (as you either seek out a different data source or forego it all together).

If all "data" is equal, then why are people tethering? Why do you need to consume that data on other devices? Clearly you're demonstrating a difference with your preference here, so I don't understand why people get all up in arms when VZW wants to make a distinction as well. People are wanting to use a service VZW didn't sell them, charges separately for, and I fail to see how VZW is in the wrong here.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

Which is sad because the same ones that will sideload the app are the abusers that cause this issue to begin with. Why do people insist on biting the hand that feeds them. Do the right thing and pay for the service if you want it. I'm surprised it took VZW this long to do this.

It's so true that abusers are the reason why we are in this current position.

 

[treefrog20012003]

I agree that the abusers are the reason for this but at the same time verizon has been getting very greedy. The actions of verizon is why I am switching to Virgin as my contracts are up. They have a better pricing plan than verizon does for texting and data. I use the wireless tether app to connect my xoom when out and about and in my opinion if I don't go over my limit I should not be charged for it. I do think if you use a lot of data, over 5gig, then you should pay extra and the 4g is the reason they (verizon) is blocking it.

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

I bet everyone would be up in arms if internet service providers made you pay a separate $20 charge for each device that connects to the internet through their network. That's just completely absurd, why should I pay a separate charge to connect each internet capable device to the internet. Off the top of my head, I can count 14 different devices in my house that I connect to the internet not including the three smartphones we have.

 

[Crankintopwater69]

I agree that the abusers are the reason for this but at the same time verizon has been getting very greedy. The actions of verizon is why I am switching to Virgin as my contracts are up. They have a better pricing plan than verizon does for texting and data. I use the wireless tether app to connect my xoom when out and about and in my opinion if I don't go over my limit I should not be charged for it. I do think if you use a lot of data, over 5gig, then you should pay extra and the 4g is the reason they (verizon) is blocking it.

The American Way-GREED-Get what u can,screw everbody else!!!

 

[Larry_ThaGr81]

If Verizon wants to fix the problem they need to target their top data users and alter their contracts from unlimited when they start tier pricing and leave everyone else alone.

 

[the86d]

Some people want to use their phone but eBay mobile sucks now...

This is why I use the computer, tethered.

Hell I never even visit eBay on my phone now because they (eBay) don't want to fix, or even deal with the 3 "simple" issues when using eBay on the Android browser, (or people are too stupid to use a browser on them).

The problem is many sites do not support the standard interface due to whacko html coding that they had to do to make the pages compatible with IE, and other browsers too.

Data, is data... Please argue!

 

[krouget]

I saw this coming, but it's no surprise this is Verizon chasing $$. It's really no different than how we are charged for SMS and MMS, which are both silly charges, all things considered.

For those who heavily abuse it, I could support this move, in principle. The most tethering I've ever done, was after a recent move where I needed to tether a laptop during downtime, over the course of a weekend. My entire usage for that month still came in under 2.5 Gigs, which I see as very reasonable.

Either way, trends like this will continue, but it reminds us of why competition is almost always a good thing.

 

[illmatic636]

I just want to tether my iPad when I'm not near a hot spot. It's the people giving their data away to that spoil it for us users.

Very sad. Same reason why Moto had to encrypt bootloaders. People void their warranty, brick their phones and file claims. Give someone a hand, and they'll end up taking your arm, leg and foot.