Are Tethering Apps Allowed?

[Storm613]

Could I get in trouble from verizon by using Tethering apps like EasyTether or PDANet?

I want to know because I'm going on vacation next week, and being able to tether my laptop would be really cool

 

[Deleted User]

Virtually all cell phone provider terms of service forbid tethering applications. It's why they sell a separate tethering plan.

On the other hand, it's impossible to detect if the phone is downloading data and using the data itself, or if it's passing it along to your laptop, so...

 

[copestag]

Virtually all cell phone provider terms of service forbid tethering applications. It's why they sell a separate tethering plan.

On the other hand, it's impossible to detect if the phone is downloading data and using the data itself, or if it's passing it along to your laptop, so...

correct ....... it violates the provisions of the contract you signed to tether without paying for tethering service.......... it is VERY hard for them to detect and prove...... but not "impossible"

just stay away from using your PC in a way that you couldnt use your phone for...... for example DO NOT use Hulu........ your phone is not capable of using Hulu....... if you do it on the PC tethered through 3G they will know immediately that you tethered

 

[vincentp]

correct ....... it violates the provisions of the contract you signed to tether without paying for tethering service.......... it is VERY hard for them to detect and prove...... but not "impossible"

just stay away from using your PC in a way that you couldnt use your phone for...... for example DO NOT use Hulu........ your phone is not capable of using Hulu....... if you do it on the PC tethered through 3G they will know immediately that you tethered

Good point, but I really don't think Verizon is tracing the IP's that we all visit so intently that they would notice you went to Hulu. I've gone to Hulu on my phone many times after I got Flash when not tethering to see if it worked before realizing that it wasn't possible, so it doesn't mean for sure that someone is tethering.

 

[A.Nonymous]

Not necessarily true. It really depends on what contract you've got with Verizon. You do have to pay extra to tether. Once you do pay extra though I don't think Verizon cares what app you're doing it with.

 

[Deleted User]

they wont know. I'm on a $10 internet plan from tmobile and i've siphoned gigabytes of data running at 1.5mbps. getting my moneys worth.

 

[Drhyde]

they wont know. I'm on a $10 internet plan from tmobile and i've siphoned gigabytes of data running at 1.5mbps. getting my moneys worth.

Same here, but T-Mobile doesn't have any restrictions that I can recall. Considering that only some Blackberrys and the Nexus One can even do tethering native, I doubt it's even crossed their mind yet. Hopefully T-Mobile stays away from tethering plans and keeps unlimited data.

 

[fangorious]

but T-Mobile doesn't have any restrictions that I can recal. Considering that only some Blackberrys and the Nexus One can even do tethering native, I doubt it's even crossed their mind yet.

They updated their Terms of Service last June to explicitly disallow tethering. They also has the original android-wifi-tether app removed from the market when it was first released (although Google only removed it for T-Mobile customers). Not sure why the haven't also banned PDAnet and EasyTether, probably because neither does wifi tethering so they don't require rooting. T-Mobile have sold phones that can tether for a long time. My 3 year old Moto Rizr could do it via USB or Bluetooth, also the Nokia 6133 and the Razr before it. Even though it's expressly verboten I've never heard of anyone receiving a smackdown from T-Mobile for tethering.

There's plenty of posts on multiple forums of people trying to tether on Verizon and AT&T and instead being informed that they have to buy a data plan, just as there are people on both networks who are tethering care free.

So it's pretty much a try-it-and-see At Your Own Risk proposition.

 

[A.Nonymous]

They updated their Terms of Service last June to explicitly disallow tethering. They also has the original android-wifi-tether app removed from the market when it was first released (although Google only removed it for T-Mobile customers). Not sure why the haven't also banned PDAnet and EasyTether, probably because neither does wifi tethering so they don't require rooting. T-Mobile have sold phones that can tether for a long time. My 3 year old Moto Rizr could do it via USB or Bluetooth, also the Nokia 6133 and the Razr before it. Even though it's expressly verboten I've never heard of anyone receiving a smackdown from T-Mobile for tethering.

There's plenty of posts on multiple forums of people trying to tether on Verizon and AT&T and instead being informed that they have to buy a data plan, just as there are people on both networks who are tethering care free.

So it's pretty much a try-it-and-see At Your Own Risk proposition.

They likely left them up there because tethering is not breaking your contract necessarily. You have to pay extra to tether, but once you do, I don't know know of any regulation that would require you to use your carrier's app to do so. If you pay extra to tether and you choose to use PDA Net, you should be able to.

 

[Drhyde]

They updated their Terms of Service last June to explicitly disallow tethering. They also has the original android-wifi-tether app removed from the market when it was first released (although Google only removed it for T-Mobile customers). Not sure why the haven't also banned PDAnet and EasyTether, probably because neither does wifi tethering so they don't require rooting. T-Mobile have sold phones that can tether for a long time. My 3 year old Moto Rizr could do it via USB or Bluetooth, also the Nokia 6133 and the Razr before it. Even though it's expressly verboten I've never heard of anyone receiving a smackdown from T-Mobile for tethering.

There's plenty of posts on multiple forums of people trying to tether on Verizon and AT&T and instead being informed that they have to buy a data plan, just as there are people on both networks who are tethering care free.

So it's pretty much a try-it-and-see At Your Own Risk proposition.

Yet they don't seem to mind the fact that the N1 can tether. You figure they might have said something to Google about that. Of course, seeing as how so many carriers won't let you tether without paying, it's any wonder Google put it in there in the first place.

 

[Tre Lawrence]

I think this is why tiered data plans might be the wave of the future.

Yes... Tmo used to be fairly open till they changed the TOS.