FCC Says Verizon Can't Block Tethering Apps

[JMcEntegart]

Verizon can't block tethering apps for 4G LTE customers.

FCC Says Verizon Can't Block Tethering Apps : Read more

 

[Inferno1217]

FCC FTW

 

[endif]

Thank god. This has been the only thing that I have absolutely despised about Verizon's network. Now I can use SVTP in peace.

 

[thebigt42]

I am assuming this also applies to "ALL" Verizon devices not just android based...As in IOS based devices.

 

[stevenrix]

and debuting with AT&T soon enough hopefully.

 

[endif]

[citation][nom]thebigt42[/nom]I am assuming this also applies to "ALL" Verizon devices not just android based...As in IOS based devices.[/citation]

Don't hold your breath for too long. This ruling stop's carriers from blocking "Third party apps" from unlocking tethering capabilities. Apple does not allow third party apps to unlock tethering capability on your iDevices.

 

[thebigt42]

[citation][nom]endif[/nom]Don't hold your breath for too long. This ruling stop's carriers from blocking "Third party apps" from unlocking tethering capabilities. Apple does not allow third party apps to unlock tethering capability on your iDevices.[/citation]
What Apple does not know wont hurt them ;P I was more concerned with the carrier my device is connected to

 

[dirgle]

[citation][nom]thebigt42[/nom]I am assuming this also applies to "ALL" Verizon devices not just android based...As in IOS based devices.[/citation]
Not unless there is a 4g iOS device on the market we don't know about. This ruling is only for the 4G spectrum. Verizon can still do as it pleases with 3g and under.

 

[g00fysmiley]

government regulation at work helping protect consumers as it should be

 

[teh_chem]

I know virtually no one uses Virgin Mobile, but many users (myself included) have speculated that they have implemented something in their network where if you enable wifi hot-spot capability on your device (previously allowed, but now only allowed with an added paid feature and only on two of their supported handsets), your phone would magically lose all ability to connect to VM's data network, and you had to do a factory reset to get data connectivity back.

Note--this was on vanilla handsets, not rooted/flashed. So while providers cannot block the use of 3rd party apps, no doubt they can still play games should they suspect you are tethering against some contractual agreement.

What i don't understand is so long as I'm using the allotted amount of data in a month as allowed by my contract, what does it matter to my provider how I'm using it? i.e., instead of writing emails on my crappy phone interface, why not open up a wifi hotspot and write emails on my (slightly better) tablet interface? Or my laptop? The data impact is essentially zero (okay, not exactly, but to the extent of practicality, it's zero). So who cares how I use the data? Oh, that's right, because providers are also trying to get you to buy their hotspot packages, external from your phone contracts...

 

[syrious1]

I pay for the data, I should be able to use it in ANY device/way possible.

Hopefully the FCC will take care of AT&T as well.... $50 data connect, ppsshh for WHAT?!

 

[bourgeoisdude]

I understand that in a limited spectrum crunch, perhaps an argument can be made that there needs to be a way to charge proportionally based on how much bandwidth someone is using. Not that I fully agree with Verizon's pricing plans, but an argument can be made. What I have never understood why Verizon thinks they can charge more when a laptop uses the SAME EXACT AMOUNT OF DATA as the phone does.

 

[Guest]

Woohoo! Government of, by and for the people! Thank you to the FCC lawyers and aids who ensured that subscribers on the C-band are entitled to run the programs/apps of their choice. The language was written a long time ago and showed tremendous foresight in allowing the people to use the public good of spectrum in a way that empowers the users.
Granted, Verizon and others provide the technology to use this public good... They probably suspected this was coming though, since they stopped providing unlimited data a long time ago. With data caps and their new data based plans the structure is already in place to make it irrelevant how you use the bandwidth. It's all metered. Selfishly, I hope they need to honor their old plans that provide unlimited data.

A lot of people will be following in my footsteps and dialing 611 to terminate their mobile hotspot. I hope this also puts an end to having to pay for WiFi at nice hotels and airports. The next thing I would like is to be able to use our phones while we fly... I lump airlines in the same category as phone companies so I'm not waiting.

 

[g00fysmiley]

[citation][nom]bourgeoisdude[/nom]I understand that in a limited spectrum crunch, perhaps an argument can be made that there needs to be a way to charge proportionally based on how much bandwidth someone is using. Not that I fully agree with Verizon's pricing plans, but an argument can be made. What I have never understood why Verizon thinks they can charge more when a laptop uses the SAME EXACT AMOUNT OF DATA as the phone does.[/citation]

because they can, it was written into thier fcc bands htey could pretty much get away with anything they anted. 4g is going to obviously change that as it gave the fcc some teeth here's hopping they keep enforcing it.

all the telecoms want to make as much money while reinvesting as little as possible into thier networks hence the limited data or paying across multiple platforms for full function of a device.. and they will fight very chance they can to make you pay even more money. more companies equals more competition... I for one am rediculously happy our g'ment said no to at&t buying t mobile. remember a while back when alltell got bought by verizon all telecoms upped prices... yea that would happen again

 

[carnage9270]

Keep in mind also, this only applies to phones attached to a tiered data account. Those with unlimited data plans can still be charged for tethering. How Verizon would know this is beyond my limited knowledge of data usage statistics, but I'm sure they could potentially find out if they really wanted to.

 

[beardguy]

These cell carriers are total scum. They want to charge an arm an a leg for every service possible and squeeze every penny from their customers. Then if you ever run into trouble with your service or phone, you have to sit on hold for an eternity all to end up talking with someone from another country who can probably understand you about as much as you can understand them (not at all)

Why should anyone have to pay an additional charge to tether their phone??? It's using the same data the phone would use!!

I f-ing hate cell phone carriers.

 

[carnage9270]

[citation][nom]beardguy[/nom]Why should anyone have to pay an additional charge to tether their phone??? It's using the same data the phone would use!! I f-ing hate cell phone carriers.[/citation]

Their argument is that a computer uses significantly more data to display things. The content they display is in a full format (not mobile mode) and the uses become endless. (Online gaming etc).

 

[teh_chem]

[citation][nom]carnage9270[/nom]Their argument is that a computer uses significantly more data to display things. The content they display is in a full format (not mobile mode) and the uses become endless. (Online gaming etc).[/citation]
Sure, your computer connection uses more data than a phone connection (full webpages vs. "mobile" webpages). But the problem is that companies charge users JUST FOR THE CAPABILITY to tether--data usage is separate from that. THAT'S the important issue. If I have a data allotment from my provider and I never exceed my data allotment from my provider, what difference does it make how I use it? Whether only on my phone, or if I wifi tether devices?

 

[m_malyszko]

And don"t forget about TMobile. They too have started doing this recently. I can't confirm this 100%, I heard from a friend about this.

 

[festerovic]

The want to charge for mobile hot spot or tethering since you could allow others that don't have data plans to get hooked up off your connection. Everyone in my car gets free wifi if I'm hotspotting.

I guess I'm pwnd since I have a 3g phone and if I get a new phone I lose the unlimited...back to square one.

 

[livebriand]

Thank you FCC!!! Now if only they do this for all carriers... (not that I haven't been tethering without paying anyway... wink wink)

 

[livebriand]

[citation][nom]m_malyszko[/nom]And don"t forget about TMobile. They too have started doing this recently. I can't confirm this 100%, I heard from a friend about this.[/citation]
Hmm... I've used my Galaxy Nexus for that, using the built in tethering feature in ICS (this was a few weeks ago), and setting the TTL of my machines to 65 (I've confirmed that the packets from the phone are 64 this way), and they haven't said anything (btw, the APN is still the same even with tethering). I'm on the prepaid $30 5GB/100min/unlimited texting plan btw. (I suppose T-Mobile-branded phones might alert them to it though, and a TTL of 127 or 63 would look odd to them...)

 

[battlecarrysabot]

[citation][nom]endif[/nom]Don't hold your breath for too long. This ruling stop's carriers from blocking "Third party apps" from unlocking tethering capabilities. Apple does not allow third party apps to unlock tethering capability on your iDevices.[/citation]

you obviously have no idea what jail breaking gives you access to. 3 words "Third party apps".

 

[madjimms]

[citation][nom]g00fysmiley[/nom]government regulation at work helping protect consumers as it should be[/citation]

THIS! ^^^^

 

[teh_chem]

Curious why people are viewing this as FCC looking out for users here. They're not--not in the slightest, at least not in terms of the services that a user should have access to (an application does not equal a service). All they're saying is that a service provider cannot govern what applications a customer is or is not allowed to have on their personal device (which of course makes sense since we own the device).

The FCC is NOT saying that a service provider cannot take other steps to ensure against/prohibit freedom of plan-data usage. I'd actually have respect for the FCC if they sacked up and decreed that users who are paying for an amount of cellular data should be allowed to use that amount of cellular data however they wish, whether it's via hotspot/tethering or not (see previous rant above about why it even matters HOW I use the data per month that I'm 'allowed' by my provider).

But of course that's not going to happen anytime soon. The FCC does nothing but maintain the status quo for service, which is sadly set by the network providers. And since we pretty much have an informal service-and-price-fixing system (honestly, how a provider is allowed to charge exorbitant prices for SMS usage which has nearly zero impact on their cellular service, I don't know), nothing will change.