Help Has tethering Optimus V caused plan termination?

[martinez41613]

I would like to know if anyone has gotten their plan terminated for tethering on their LG Optimus V. Whether you have or haven't had your plan terminated, I would also like to know how long do or did you tether each day or each week.

 

[Scyy]

I've never heard of anyone having their plan terminated for tethering on vm. just don't use like 20GB of data a month every month. they do throttle after 10GB though.

 

[foo4u2]

I actually called virgin and asked them if there was any way that I could see how much data I had used. They told me that there was no way of seeing that info. I'm sure there is, but that is just what they told me.

 

[martinez41613]

Ok just checking because I was reading this tutorial on tethering it using Quick Settings and at the end it said use at your risk because there is a slight chance that your plan may be terminated since VM didn't intend on having that setting on.

 

[blmbmj]

I actually called virgin and asked them if there was any way that I could see how much data I had used. They told me that there was no way of seeing that info. I'm sure there is, but that is just what they told me.

NetCounter is a simple network traffic counter for EDGE/3G and Wi-Fi. It shows your data usage. Data are persistent and you can set the counters (monthly, last 7 days, today, etc) you need.

I have it installed and it works perfectly!
While you're at it, Minutes Checker: Virgin Mobile is an outstanding App that keeps track of your minutes used and the money remaining on account.

 

[bswann]

I am using my Wifi tethering right now and have been using it off and on for the last three days straight. I have downloaded music and apps. and the only problem I have is that every so often I will have to put it in airplane mode and then re-activate wifi tethering. I am using Extended controls and I like it better than QuickSettings because I can pick and choose what widgets I want and there are more controls to choose from.

 

[greg4android]

Using it now. Kinda slow at 500kbps, but I can surf pages well.

Comes up as ANDROID_AP in the network.

I am using my Wifi tethering right now and have been using it off and on for the last three days straight. I have downloaded music and apps. and the only problem I have is that every so often I will have to put it in airplane mode and then re-activate wifi tethering. I am using Extended controls and I like it better than QuickSettings because I can pick and choose what widgets I want and there are more controls to choose from.

 

[ron scubadiver]

Yeah guys, bittorrent a few blueray movies so the rest of us can't surf a little bit.

 

[greg4android]

That would be PAINFULLY SLOW!

Yeah guys, bittorrent a few blueray movies so the rest of us can't surf a little bit.

 

[jetfactor]

I actually called virgin and asked them if there was any way that I could see how much data I had used. They told me that there was no way of seeing that info. I'm sure there is, but that is just what they told me.

i just DL'ed google's net meter for my laptop. it's a simple and to the point way of tracking your MB and GB usage.

the reason i did this is because of AT&T. we have them for internet service (not much of a choice in my area), and as of MAY 2 they will have a 150 GB/month cap on usage before they start charging more/****ing with customers. i'm pretty sure me, my boyfriend, and our room mate get to that or exceed per month with our internet usage, so i'm testing out this meter.

anyhow, screw AT&T. i can't believe i was paying them $60/month for a shit cell phone before breaking contract and getting a smart phone with Virgin mobile. totally worth it.

 

[greg4android]

I hate AT&T with a passion!!!

they sent "bully letters" to customers saying if they didn't stop tethering they'd put them on the $45 plan. Thing was, there was NO way they could tell if people were tethering, it was based off their usage patterns.
they accused some folks of tethering, when they didn't even know what tethering was.

a 2GB cap is the most ridiculous insulting thing they've ever did to their users. THEN $10 for every GB over.

Yeah, milk customers for every $$$ you can. Even read yesterday their usage meter has flaws that shows customers using MORE than they actually are using (and charging for overages)

SO, FOR NOW. Virgin Mobile's a pretty good deal!!!!!

i just DL'ed google's net meter for my laptop. it's a simple and to the point way of tracking your MB and GB usage.

the reason i did this is because of AT&T. we have them for internet service (not much of a choice in my area), and as of MAY 2 they will have a 150 GB/month cap on usage before they start charging more/****ing with customers. i'm pretty sure me, my boyfriend, and our room mate get to that or exceed per month with our internet usage, so i'm testing out this meter.

anyhow, screw AT&T. i can't believe i was paying them $60/month for a shit cell phone before breaking contract and getting a smart phone with Virgin mobile. totally worth it.

 

[agianne]

Virgin Mobile's a pretty good deal!!!!!

You can say that again.

Regarding tethering, acquiring a new mobile customer costs carriers more than $600 on average. (marketing, equipment subsidies, setting up the account, etc.) Replacing you is expensive, so they are most likely to send a warning letter first in attempt to keep you as a customer, but get your usage in line with their expectations.

The carrier -could- just terminate your account without warning, but probably won't. In telecom, services are usually only flat out terminated without warning for cases of fraud (any sort of shenanigans that will affect them financially, costing them actual dollars) or blatant abuse (using the service in a way that is so out of control it poses an immediate and serious risk to network availability). Tethering doesn't fit either of those criteria, so if it does start to annoy VM, I think warnings and threats will be the first step.

Technically you're doing something they don't intend you to do, so you are taking a risk. I'd keep that in mind, watch for any warnings, but not really get too concerned about it.

 

[greg4android]

If tethering starts to "annoy" VM, they'll just do the same thing they did to the Optimus S on Sprint. Force a firmware upgrade that disables the capability. And considering VM runs off Sprint, its only a matter of time!

You can say that again.

Regarding tethering, acquiring a new mobile customer costs carriers more than $600 on average. (marketing, equipment subsidies, setting up the account, etc.) Replacing you is expensive, so they are most likely to send a warning letter first in attempt to keep you as a customer, but get your usage in line with their expectations.

The carrier -could- just terminate your account without warning, but probably won't. In telecom, services are usually only flat out terminated without warning for cases of fraud (any sort of shenanigans that will affect them financially, costing them actual dollars) or blatant abuse (using the service in a way that is so out of control it poses an immediate and serious risk to network availability). Tethering doesn't fit either of those criteria, so if it does start to annoy VM, I think warnings and threats will be the first step.

Technically you're doing something they don't intend you to do, so you are taking a risk. I'd keep that in mind, watch for any warnings, but not really get too concerned about it.

 

[agianne]

Force a firmware upgrade that disables the capability.

Yeah, agreed.

I wonder why VM did such a half a$$ job of "removing" tethering in the first place? Maybe removing a menu item is easy but actually removing the capability would have taken development time and money they didn't want to spend?

Sprint could have been desperate for new subscribers to boost numbers for the 1st quarter earnings report and just rushed the phone out the door with as little customization as possible. I'm a fan of stock android over the baloney skins that LG/Motorola/HTC add on so whatever happened, I'm glad we get a version of the Optimus that is mostly stock android.

 

[greg4android]

Yeah, the OPTIMUS V is pretty well STOCK, with a few addons.

LORD, you should see the AT&T Inspire!!! Bloatware Galore. there are so many processes running.....But I usually just cancel them all, and the phone still works fine.

Yeah, agreed.

I wonder why VM did such a half a$$ job of "removing" tethering in the first place? Maybe removing a menu item is easy but actually removing the capability would have taken development time and money they didn't want to spend?

Sprint could have been desperate for new subscribers to boost numbers for the 1st quarter earnings report and just rushed the phone out the door with as little customization as possible. I'm a fan of stock android over the baloney skins that LG/Motorola/HTC add on so whatever happened, I'm glad we get a version of the Optimus that is mostly stock android.

 

[ashton4life]

From what I have read VM will be making sure that tethering will be impossible (more difficult! lol ) with all of the future android updates and new phones. Now if your phone is rooted then you will be able to. So if your afraid of rooting then I'm afraid you will be with out tethering in the future, that is if you update or buy a new VM phone with Gingerbread 2.3 or above. I dont work for VM so I cannot be sure but this is what I have read in a few threads around the Android world.

 

[Scyy]

From what I have read VM will be making sure that tethering will be impossible (more difficult! lol ) with all of the future android updates and new phones. Now if your phone is rooted then you will be able to. So if your afraid of rooting then I'm afraid you will be with out tethering in the future, that is if you update or buy a new VM phone with Gingerbread 2.3 or above. I dont work for VM so I cannot be sure but this is what I have read in a few threads around the Android world.

pdanet or easytether will likely always work even if they disable the wifi tethering.