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I have a question about teathering and Verizon

S

Satires

Android Expert
This may sound like a stupid question...

I have unlimited data with Verizon, I understand why they do not want me to tether, I agree.

However, I want to tether from one droid bionic to another. The reason is, I have a droid bionic for work and one that is new. It's inconvenient to keep swapping the sim card.

The droid bionic I have for work is not activated.

Now, my new droid bionic will be set up to wi-fi tether with the work droid bionic. I'm not drawing data from two phones! My new phone will remain in my toolbox while I use my work droid bionic.

Being that I'm tethering to exact phones and not going over my normal data usage, will Verizon catch on?

I posted this in this forum area because maybe someone has done something similar but with different phones.
 
Basic rule of thumb is if you do tether, keep the data low. If Verizon notices a spike in data usage they could potentially do something. That mainly applies to those who tether multiple devices or long periods of computer use. I'd say if you're just basically using the tethered phone as you would the other phone, you should be ok.

Of course the safest and official way of tethering is by adding the option to your plan.
 
Can Verizon physically detect tethering, since the phone itself is drawing the data and simply bridging it along?
 
Like I said before, I think Verizon only takes notice when there's a jump in data usage. As much as they like to say that their tiered and shared data plans are to save their customers money, we all know they did it to try to wrangle in excessive data users.

As for any physical evidence, I have read articles and discussions that talk about differences between data packages with a phone and a laptop. I suppose if a well informed brown noser Verizon rep actually looked in your app drawer and saw a tethering app or the superuser app, they could turn you in but I've never really heard of or seen anything like that actually happen.

Basically, if you are going to tether without subscribing to the feature through Verizon, don't go crazy or overdo do it. You could find tethering added to your bill by Verizon or they could flat out cancel your contract with them. It's all in those terms and conditions we, at best, gloss through when we renew or start a contract with Verizon.
 
Just be careful. With the new share plans and restrictions on keeping unlimited data in place, Verizon may become stricter on people who tether without the proper plan. Nothing has been said or done, but I'd hate to be the first person to loose unlimited for breaching the tether policy.
 
Yeah, those of us who stay on unlimited, will become less and less as time goes on, and your head will be getting higher and higher above the rest. You chances of getting whacked will only go up from here.
 
Obviously data usage will go up if I were to tether, but the S3 will also be mg first 4G phone. A spike in data usage should be expected.
 
rehpyc said:
Obviously data usage will go up if I were to tether, but the S3 will also be mg first 4G phone. A spike in data usage should be expected.
Click to expand...

Yes, a spike in data usage could be expected when using 4G. And with the number of unlimited data plans getting to be less and less every day, I would expect Verizon to just allow normal attrition to slowly do away with them. So the likely hood of Verizon cracking down on illegal tetherers is most likely very small, AntimonyER is saying you may want to err on the side of caution because you'd hate to be the one that Verizon catches stealing data. :smokingsomb:
 
From my experience, I tether almost everyday. I only use tethering for an iPad and web browse with it when I'm on the go. I'm sure they can detect it if they really looked into it but will they really do it? I highly doubt it unless you're using like 20GB+ every month.
 
Seems there was a mix up in their system of not giving me my $30 loyalty credit when ordering the GSIII, and the only way they can fix it would be to cancel and place a new order.. obviously that'd remove my unlimited data. They wouldn't even waive the $30 upgrade fee due to their mistake. Suffice to say, I'll be tethering without worry. If they wish to kick me off unlimited and give me an out from contract, I'll gladly take business elsewhere, since I'd have to pay for tiered data anyways. Verizon - nickel and diming, with unfixable "system glitches" on the side.
 
rehpyc said:
Seems there was a mix up in their system of not giving me my $30 loyalty credit when ordering the GSIII, and the only way they can fix it would be to cancel and place a new order.. obviously that'd remove my unlimited data. They wouldn't even waive the $30 upgrade fee due to their mistake. Suffice to say, I'll be tethering without worry. If they wish to kick me off unlimited and give me an out from contract, I'll gladly take business elsewhere, since I'd have to pay for tiered data anyways. Verizon - nickel and diming, with unfixable "system glitches" on the side.
Click to expand...

As for as the service agreement goes, they sure as hell can fine you for tethering without violating your contract. I can ALMOST guaranty you that they won't. But they could.

And if you're counting on Verizon doing something to break the contract in response to your tethering, remember that your already breaking the contract by tethering. That gives them plenty of room to work with.
 
rehpyc said:
Seems there was a mix up in their system of not giving me my $30 loyalty credit when ordering the GSIII, and the only way they can fix it would be to cancel and place a new order.. obviously that'd remove my unlimited data. They wouldn't even waive the $30 upgrade fee due to their mistake. Suffice to say, I'll be tethering without worry. If they wish to kick me off unlimited and give me an out from contract, I'll gladly take business elsewhere, since I'd have to pay for tiered data anyways. Verizon - nickel and diming, with unfixable "system glitches" on the side.
Click to expand...

I understand... :(

Me? I already made my mind up I'll just go without if they cut me. All companies are going to end up on this road, big business will always win. But not with me. I made it years without having internet or a phone, I can do it again. This phone is my only gateway to the internet because home internet is out of the question. All that is offered is att or comcast, both which I refuse to do business with. Like I said, I can go without if need be. :D
 
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