FEDS PIMP SLAP VERIZON! NOW “YOU” WON’T HAVE TO PAY TO TETHER YOUR PHONE
WTF IS TETHERING? Tethering enables you to go online from your laptop or PDA using your cell phone as a modem.
Verizon can no longer charge extra for tethering on non-unlimited data plans.
A large number of Verizon Wireless customers will NOW be able to download apps that share a smartphone’s Internet connection with other devices, a feature known as tethering. And they won’t have to pay monthly fees to the carrier for the privilege, thanks to a government investigation.
The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that it started the investigation after seeing reports that Verizon had pressured Google to block apps from the Android app store that gave customers tethering abilities without having to pay $20 a month for Verizon’s official tethering plan.
The F.C.C. says Verizon could not block third-party tethering apps from the Android market because of rules attached to some spectrum it had purchased, which required it to offer open access to applications and services. Blocking the tethering apps violated that rule.
Verizon will pay $1.25 million to the Treasury (a tiny amount relative to the $6.9 billion in revenue it took in from mobile data last quarter), and to notify Google that it no longer objects to the tethering apps in its app store, now called Google Play. On top of the $1.25 million fine, Verizon must provide tethering to their tiered data customers at no additional cost. Verizon had been charging $20 per month.
That means that once third-party tethering apps become available again, Android customers can download them to get around Verizon’s monthly fee for tethering. However, for those with limited data plans, tethering will still count toward overall data use. Those customers who still have unlimited data plans are the big winner here.
Unfortunately, the FCC can’t apply the same rules to AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Only Verizon purchased 700 MHz in the C Block that came with the open network rules. That means Verizon users get cheaper mobile hotspots than other carriers, but those users still have to pay Verizon’s higher data prices for the privilege.
This FCC ruling is good news for Verizon Android users who will now have the chance to use apps like PDANet or Wireless Tether to tether their devices.
SCOOP: CNET
Verizon can no longer charge extra for tethering on non-unlimited data plans.
A large number of Verizon Wireless customers will NOW be able to download apps that share a smartphone’s Internet connection with other devices, a feature known as tethering. And they won’t have to pay monthly fees to the carrier for the privilege, thanks to a government investigation.
The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that it started the investigation after seeing reports that Verizon had pressured Google to block apps from the Android app store that gave customers tethering abilities without having to pay $20 a month for Verizon’s official tethering plan.
The F.C.C. says Verizon could not block third-party tethering apps from the Android market because of rules attached to some spectrum it had purchased, which required it to offer open access to applications and services. Blocking the tethering apps violated that rule.
Verizon will pay $1.25 million to the Treasury (a tiny amount relative to the $6.9 billion in revenue it took in from mobile data last quarter), and to notify Google that it no longer objects to the tethering apps in its app store, now called Google Play. On top of the $1.25 million fine, Verizon must provide tethering to their tiered data customers at no additional cost. Verizon had been charging $20 per month.
That means that once third-party tethering apps become available again, Android customers can download them to get around Verizon’s monthly fee for tethering. However, for those with limited data plans, tethering will still count toward overall data use. Those customers who still have unlimited data plans are the big winner here.
Unfortunately, the FCC can’t apply the same rules to AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Only Verizon purchased 700 MHz in the C Block that came with the open network rules. That means Verizon users get cheaper mobile hotspots than other carriers, but those users still have to pay Verizon’s higher data prices for the privilege.
This FCC ruling is good news for Verizon Android users who will now have the chance to use apps like PDANet or Wireless Tether to tether their devices.
SCOOP: CNET
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