Tethering on Verizon Wireless?

[VJKotts]

The only reason I don't switch to Verizon Wireless is because I use international phones which I purchase online and I use them with ATT. I am able to 3G tether without any issues because AT&T does not recognize those phones in their database and tethering is not blocked on international phones.

How hard is it to tether on Verizon? Do you have to root? Will they find out that your tethering?

 

[Crashumbc]

The only reason I don't switch to Verizon Wireless is because I use international phones which I purchase online and I use them with ATT. I am able to 3G tether without any issues because AT&T does not recognize those phones in their database and tethering is not blocked on international phones.

How hard is it to tether on Verizon? Do you have to root? Will they find out that your tethering?

there are several apps the allow tethering without root "PDAnet" is one.
PDAnet is supposed to reformat all the internet calls so they look like they came from your phone, not from a computer connected to the phone.

Rooting allows tethering using android built in app.

It of course against the T.O.S. to tether without paying for VZW's package...

 

[chrlswltrs]

The last phone I had with Verizon was the Droid X and I rooted it and had free tethering, and it worked great. If I had not rooted I would have had to pay to tether on a limited data tethering plan even though I had an unlimited data plan.

I am curious to see how VZW handles Nexus tethering. Carriers are not allowed to alter Android software on the Nexus line and tethering is a built in feature of the Android OS. Curious to see how this turns out....

 

[Crashumbc]

The last phone I had with Verizon was the Droid X and I rooted it and had free tethering, and it worked great. If I had not rooted I would have had to pay to tether on a limited data tethering plan even though I had an unlimited data plan.

I am curious to see how VZW handles Nexus tethering. Carriers are not allowed to alter Android software on the Nexus line and tethering is a built in feature of the Android OS. Curious to see how this turns out....

The past does not dictate the future... Given VZW's recent hostile and aggressive actions towards tethering, I'd surprised (pleasantly) if it is a unhindered feature.


You can tether without being rooted, you need to use a third party app. though.

 

[zanoodi]

The last phone I had with Verizon was the Droid X and I rooted it and had free tethering, and it worked great. If I had not rooted I would have had to pay to tether on a limited data tethering plan even though I had an unlimited data plan.

I am curious to see how VZW handles Nexus tethering. Carriers are not allowed to alter Android software on the Nexus line and tethering is a built in feature of the Android OS. Curious to see how this turns out....

I don't think the GN will allow free tethering. I asked about this in an earlier thread and after looking at the Nexus S page at google, Nexus S ? The new Android phone from Google, I see that evil asterisk by the hotspot feature stating that additional fees may apply based on carrier policy.

 

[VJKotts]

I'm still not decided on importing vs signing up with Verizon Wireless. Here are the benefits of each.

Verizon wireless:
1) Faster 4G
2) Subsidized
3) Able to go to Verizon store for support
4) Best network in US
5) 32 GB Storage

Int'l Galaxy Nexus
1) Unlocked world phone - Pentaband (i.e., ATT and Tmobile US bands)
2) Tethering will work out of the box
3) Likely thinner phone
4) Decent 4G speeds with better battery life
5) SIM card based; I like to switch phones at times with a backup phone.

However if Verizon alters the phone in anyway, I will get the Int'l GN.

 

[Chugworth]

I am curious to see how VZW handles Nexus tethering. Carriers are not allowed to alter Android software on the Nexus line and tethering is a built in feature of the Android OS. Curious to see how this turns out....

Free tethering? From Verizon? HAH!

You don't know this company very well, do you? I am not the least bit curious to see "how this turns out."

 

[BigRedNole]

I tether for free on VZW. Just use 3rd party apps. It may be possible the VZW blocks the feature on their phone. It will not take long for ROMs to be out to wipe it to. I only tether when I am away and need to login to work. I would say it is about 10MB total every other month. It is nothing serious. If they think they are going to charge me for that, they are crazy.

 

[mightymoose02]

Wait, if you get the International Version of the Galaxy Nexus, it will work on AT&T and/or Verizon??? or is it one or the other?

If so, how do you get one?

 

[VJKotts]

Wait, if you get the International Version of the Galaxy Nexus, it will work on AT&T and/or Verizon??? or is it one or the other?

If so, how do you get one?

No, It will work on AT&T or T-Mobile in the US. It will also work on multiple carriers around the world. Kind of important if you travel a lot.

You can get one at clove.co.uk

 

[The_Chief]

I'm grandfathered into unlimited data on Verizon, and was fortunate enough to spring on a special last January that locked me into $9.99/month for it. While I USED to tether (rarely), I have not done it since tiered data rates went into effect... and I will likely NEVER TETHER AGAIN.

Verizon can see when people are tethering, and it is against their terms of service. I can imagine that they're looking at people like me, with really sweet data deals, with particular interest and just waiting for a reason to terminate my unlimited data. Especially at THAT price.

If you have unlimited data on Verizon - and especially at $10/month - you are well advised to not tether unless it is a stone-cold emergency. And even then Verizon probably wouldn't buy it. I would caution against it, myself.

 

[michaelkahl]

I'm grandfathered into unlimited data on Verizon, and was fortunate enough to spring on a special last January that locked me into $9.99/month for it. While I USED to tether (rarely), I have not done it since tiered data rates went into effect... and I will likely NEVER TETHER AGAIN.

Verizon can see when people are tethering, and it is against their terms of service. I can imagine that they're looking at people like me, with really sweet data deals, with particular interest and just waiting for a reason to terminate my unlimited data. Especially at THAT price.

If you have unlimited data on Verizon - and especially at $10/month - you are well advised to not tether unless it is a stone-cold emergency. And even then Verizon probably wouldn't buy it. I would caution against it, myself.

I'm in the same boat as you are. I got my wife and myself on the 9.99 unlimited data plans late last year. We have a 1400 minute data plan and pay $130 total for our plan with unlimited text, data, and 1400 minutes on two lines. She has an iPhone 4 and I currently have the T-Bolt. I was messing around with free tethering but figured what the he!!, I'm still getting a sweet deal and I'm tethering with no stress and with unlimited data
Now if for some reason I ever lose that unlimited data plan I will be jumping ship to another carrier. Unlimited data is the only thing keeping me at these high prices (well what are high prices for most). It's sad that cellular phone service can cost as much if not more than a car payment for a family each month.

 

[burntorangefan]

Verizon can see when people are tethering, and it is against their terms of service.

Substantiate that first part, Chief. I was under the impression (possibly incorrectly) that the carriers had developed a way to tell if a phone was rooted and by extension "watch" those numbers for illegal tethering activity if a phone WAS rooted. How do you know a non rooted phone using 3rd party apps can be "seen" by Verizon?

I ask because the method of determining who was rooted and watching those numbers was allegedly by pushing updates to your phone and having a script monitor if the update was actually installed or not. As I'm sure you're well aware, rooted ROMs always blocked the installation of carrier pushed updates to prevent you from losing root. As such, Verizon or whomever would know that the phone was rooted because it didn't install the update. Fast forward to the concept of GOOGLE pushing updates in the Galaxy Nexus, not Verizon, and I'm wondering if they don't know who's rooted, how do they tell that a phone is tethered or not?

As I said before, I could be wrong, but that was my understanding a few months ago when the rumor first surfaced that the carriers could now tell who was rooted.......

 

[The_Chief]

I guess you're suggesting that tethering unrooted is perfectly fine, while tethering rooted isn't?

I would have to break out the entire TOS to validate that, but I am going to err on the side of caution. Verizon SELLS tethering via their "hot-spot" feature. I cannot imagine a scenario in which they would say, "Oh, we sell tethering but you're stock so it's okay for you to tether without paying us anything."

You go ahead if you so desire, but I am personally in such a sweet situation that I am not willing to jeopardize that unless I get something specific, from Verizon, IN WRITING, telling me it's okay to tether while stock. (BTW I have no intention of rooting Nexus as it seems to do everything I want stock). My 0.02

 

[burntorangefan]

I guess you're suggesting that tethering unrooted is perfectly fine, while tethering rooted isn't?

I would have to break out the entire TOS to validate that, but I am going to err on the side of caution. Verizon SELLS tethering via their "hot-spot" feature. I cannot imagine a scenario in which they would say, "Oh, we sell tethering but you're stock so it's okay for you to tether without paying us anything."

You go ahead if you so desire, but I am personally in such a sweet situation that I am not willing to jeopardize that unless I get something specific, from Verizon, IN WRITING, telling me it's okay to tether while stock. (BTW I have no intention of rooting Nexus as it seems to do everything I want stock). My 0.02

Nope, not suggesting it's fine either way. You don't have to break out the TOS, I think most of us realize it's a violation when they offer the service for a fee. My point was to ask you to substantiate how you know they can tell. There's been a LOT of back and forth over whether they can or can't tell a user is tethering on a variety of forums. I just don't know the answer and was asking if you had a credible answer to the question, that's all...Like I said before, it was rumored that knowing who was rooted at least "pointed them in the right direction" of who might be tethering (i.e. narrowing the focus of who to watch)...

 

[The_Chief]

There HAS been the back & forth about who's rejected the OTAs. so they can tell who's rooted. but more for warranty concerns than tethering. There has also been significant talk of packet-sniffers that spot-check packet data looking for non-mobile content (please don't ask me to define that ). I can not substantiate either one, as I really haven't looked that far into it.

It just seems to make sense, though, that a company as big and onerous as Verizon would certainly be able to tell what data is phone-based and which is PC- or laptop-based.

 

[VJKotts]

I have the International Samsung GS2 which I use with AT&T. I tether whenever I want from the settings (no need to root) and I have stayed within my 2GB data. I have not had any problem with AT&T and I have been doing this for several months. Previously I had the same going on with T-Mobile on Nexus S. My belief is that since the international phone is not registered on AT&T's network, they won't know.
If I get the International Galaxy Nexus, I would even be able to use it on T-Mobile. I find T-Mobile's 4G faster than AT&T and they have been a more reliable network for me in my area. T-Mobile is also lenient when it comes to tethering. This is what is making me consider the International GN.