yes, this is exactly what we used to do on older "dumb phones" (see ->
Mark_Venture's Verizon Phone Info Page and read the notes about the
QPST and
NVM Factory hacks)
IIRC, this was 1x only, was it not? I don't remember ever getting 3G with the QPST/NVM editing stuff.
This here hack was so easy, though, I had to try it. Alas, I only got 1x with it as well.
On WinMo, this was worked around with the OS, using the Internet Sharing capability in Windows. This turned the phone into a NAT router (rather than a modem) and made all the IP traffic appear to come from the phone. WinMo 6.5 had the ability to do this using WiFi, USB or Bluetooth. Android will get it soon enough (Linux certainly already has it).
I will be curious to see what Verizon does when Froyo comes out with tethering built in, with much publicity attesting to that fact.
When it comes to tethering on VZW, short version has always been... If you read VZW's T&C's on paper (or their web site ->
Terms & Conditions ) to "legally" tether with VZW phones (after EVDO phones came out) is to subscribe to their Mobile BroadBand or BroadBand Access plans. Do it any other way, including apps like PDAnet, Tether.com, etc, violates Verizon's Terms of Service (at least on paper) so can result in termination of service and/or additional fees/high bills!! In other words, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!
Agreed. It's in the contract, you signed it when you got the plan, and if you violate it they can (and probably sometimes do) retaliate. It's either that or data caps, though if some of these current- and next-gen phones get PC-like appetites for data, there may be data caps anyway.
I tether maybe 3-4 times a year, for emergencies. If Verizon had an occasional tethering option, I'd probably pay for it, but I can't justify spending $15 or $20 a month for that 3-4 times a year. If I were always on Verizon's internet from my laptop, I'd get an aircard anyway to keep from tying up the phone.