Verizon To Be Tested By Unofficial Droid TetheringOf course even untethered, users still face 5 GB cap 09:29AM Monday Nov 16 2009 by Karl Bodetags: business · wirelessThe significantly more open nature of the Android mobile operating system is going to test Verizon's promise to open up their network and devices in short order. As recently noted, Verizon in 2010 hopes to charge an additional $30 a month for tethering, on top of the $30 user's already pay for data -- all of which will be capped at 5 GB of data use per month. As Wired notes however, the open source nature of the Android operating system driving the Droid should have hackers providing a slew of additional functionality (including tethering) in short order. The source code for Android 2.0 hasn't been released yet, but Wired apparently didn't know there's already tools available that are allowing Droid owners to tether, for free, before Verizon even offers it officially. Of course there's no getting around that 5 GB monthly usage cap.
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kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL
| Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? Really. Why?
Horrible pricing. The double super horrible $350 ETF for "advanced" devices. Terrible device line up and what few shining rays of hope they have in that line up, they've locked down mercilessly.
There are many other choices, all of them better than VZW - Sprint being the best of the bunch and also the one who is most similar to VZW
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»www.VoIPTrunk.com | |
|  | NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN
1 edit | Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? I buy them because unfortunately they have the best service (albeit still full of holes) in my area. I don't care about the ETF, since I have no intention of changing providers. They have the best phones, imo. And I can get around any locking down they try to do with community hacks.
In my case they are the lesser of all evils.  | |
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r81984
Fair and Balanced
Premium
join:2001-11-14
Katy, TX | Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? GSM has the best phones. | |
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Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? Not so much really, especially considering that some of the largest ODMs port their GSM phones to CDMA radio stacks.
HTC, for example, is a big one. That said, the CDMA versions come months later to the FCC, and months later to release after the carrier is done gimping stuff.
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"Some people never see the light till it shines thru bullet holes." -Bruce Cockburn
I'm testing Gmail's spam filters: Broadbandreports1@gmail.com
Spam: 12900+ messages currently using 406 MB. | |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
 ·Comcast
| said by kapil  :Horrible pricing. Their prices are in-line with most other major cell phone companies.
said by kapil :The double super horrible $350 ETF for "advanced" devices. A purely optional fee that most users can avoid if they simply use their brains.
said by kapil :Terrible device line up and what few shining rays of hope they have in that line up, they've locked down mercilessly. 99% of cell phone users couldn't care less about locked devices. It isn't like they are going to buy phones from Verizon Wireless and take them to Sprint. I would dare say that since Verizon Wireless has so many customers, that the device selection and locking issues are not factors in a purchase decision.
And I am posting this as an AT&T subscriber.
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Blagojevich / Madoff 2012! | |
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cbrigante2
Cubs 20??
Premium
join:2002-11-22
North Aurora, IL
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by pnh102 :said by kapil :Horrible pricing. Their prices are in-line with most other major cell phone companies. said by kapil :The double super horrible $350 ETF for "advanced" devices. A purely optional fee that most users can avoid if they simply use their brains. said by kapil :Terrible device line up and what few shining rays of hope they have in that line up, they've locked down mercilessly. 99% of cell phone users couldn't care less about locked devices. It isn't like they are going to buy phones from Verizon Wireless and take them to Sprint. I would dare say that since Verizon Wireless has so many customers, that the device selection and locking issues are not factors in a purchase decision. And I am posting this as an AT&T subscriber. I would venture to say that the 1% of users that actually do care about locked devices are commenting on a Verizon news story early in the morning on BBR!  | |
| | | | NeoandGeo
join:2003-05-10
Harrison, TN | Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? And always mention how open the other carriers are. | |
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Matt
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
 ·North State Commun..
| said by pnh102 :said by kapil :The double super horrible $350 ETF for "advanced" devices. A purely optional fee that most users can avoid if they simply use their brains. The $350 ETF has yet to appear. We just migrated 3 x AT&T lines last week and the standard $175 ETF applied to all of them. That's $50 less than the AT&T ETF.
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| | | | | | | | milrtime83
join:2009-11-04
Stafford, TX | It just went into effect on Sunday so you would have switched just in time. | |
| | | | Couch Potato
What?
Premium
join:2004-08-29
Evansville, IN
·Insight Communicat..
1 edit | The $350 ETF has yet to appear. We just migrated 3 x AT&T lines last week and the standard $175 ETF applied to all of them. That's $50 less than the AT&T ETF.
That's a crock, AT&T's ETF starts at $175 and declines by $5/month. | |
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Matt
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by Couch Potato :The $350 ETF has yet to appear. We just migrated 3 x AT&T lines last week and the standard $175 ETF applied to all of them. That's $50 less than the AT&T ETF.
That's a crock, AT&T's ETF starts at $175 and declines by $5/month. When I called last week, I was told the ETF was $225 and that's why I still owed $155 or so per phone. Of course, all my phones had different ETF rates yet we signed them all up on the same family plan at the same time, so who really knows.
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| | | patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| said by pnh102 :said by kapil :Terrible device line up and what few shining rays of hope they have in that line up, they've locked down mercilessly. 99% of cell phone users couldn't care less about locked devices. It isn't like they are going to buy phones from Verizon Wireless and take them to Sprint. I would dare say that since Verizon Wireless has so many customers, that the device selection and locking issues are not factors in a purchase decision. And I am posting this as an AT&T subscriber. Most phones are fashion wise obsolete before your contract expires anyways. Who wants to use a 2 year old phone?
note: my phone was released in 2005, best phone ever I think, had to replace it twice from ebay because of damage, I don't think I'll ever upgrade to a newer model, its also one of the last phone ever made with a pull out antenna | |
| | | | jester121
Premium
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
 ·surpasshosting
 ·ViaTalk
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by patcat88 :Most phones are fashion wise obsolete before your contract expires anyways. Who wants to use a 2 year old phone? note: my phone was released in 2005, best phone ever I think, had to replace it twice from ebay because of damage, I don't think I'll ever upgrade to a newer model, its also one of the last phone ever made with a pull out antenna I'm confused -- you ask who wants to use a 2 year old "fashion obselete" phone, then explain how you're using a 4 year old model? | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by jester121 :said by patcat88 :Most phones are fashion wise obsolete before your contract expires anyways. Who wants to use a 2 year old phone? note: my phone was released in 2005, best phone ever I think, had to replace it twice from ebay because of damage, I don't think I'll ever upgrade to a newer model, its also one of the last phone ever made with a pull out antenna I'm confused -- you ask who wants to use a 2 year old "fashion obselete" phone, then explain how you're using a 4 year old model? It's more commentary on a non-trivial percentage of cellphone users than the poster's own outlook on things? Seems pretty straightforward.
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell | |
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tmh
@qwest.net
| said by patcat88 :had to replace it twice from ebay because of damage, I don't think I'll ever upgrade to a newer model, its also one of the last phone ever made with a pull out antenna Ummmm....is the damage a snapped off antenna?  Not sure why would anyone want a pull out antenna anyways. I've never noticed any difference. | |
| | jameswade
join:2001-12-09
Hot Springs, NC
 ·US Cellular
·Verizon BroadbandA..
| But they have the best Android phone!
Actually I'm torn - Verizon doesn't have service in our area, only US Cellular serves us. Verizon roams on US Cellular here, but not for EVDO. And Verizon has their phones set to switch to US Cellular only when the signal is completely gone - you can have a strong US Cellular signal and a weak Verizon signal that keeps cutting out and you'll stay connected to the poor Verizon signal.
Sprint just doesn't cover our area. AT&T and T Mobile don't either and they don't do 3G anywhere near here where they do have coverage.
US Cellular roams on Verizon, but not EVDO. And they don't seem to roam on Verizon everywhere. And their support is not great.
Even with the poor coverage in our area, lack of EVDO and being more expensive service I'm still tempted by Verizon, I can get better coverage when traveling, I can get better EVDO coverage when traveling, and I can get an Android phone.
But then there are rumors of US Cellular getting an Android phone next year... | |
| | skurfa
join:2006-03-10
Yorktown, VA
| I can't speak for other areas of the country, but here, in Southeast Virgina, the answer is because Verizon simply has WAY better coverage than anyone else. This coming from a Sprint user by the way, I hate VZW enough to suffer through the poorer coverage, as it's good enough most of the time. Is it annoying though to watch all the people walking through the grocery stores and any big box stores talking away on their VZW phones, when Sprint MIGHT get you a call without dropping if you stay near the front windows.
So, you can pay Verizon a little more and use your phone wherever you want or you can use another carrier, save some bucks but deal with 2nd rate coverage. In my circle of acquaintances its over 90% Verizon as far as carriers go. | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by skurfa :I can't speak for other areas of the country, but here, in Southeast Virgina, the answer is because Verizon simply has WAY better coverage than anyone else. Same for most of Northern VA. In fact, I can use my VZW phone on the Metro System and through the tunnels in the area. Can't say the same for the other carriers as only VZW bothered to put cell coverage into those areas.
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell | |
| | | | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? quote:
I can use my VZW phone on the Metro System and through the tunnels in the area. Can't say the same for the other carriers as only VZW bothered to put cell coverage into those areas.
That's because WMATA won't open up the exclusive contract they signed with Verizon (or Bell Atlantic - it goes back that far) and allow anyone else to wire the tunnels. I'm sure AT&T, T-Mobile, and Nextel would love to wire the Metro tunnels.
It's the ONLY sore sport WRT my AT&T coverage. The rest of it works as it should. In my Experience, VZW is highly overrated.
I also think if the Droid takes off like the iPhones have VZW will also have just as many issues as AT&T. | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by itguy05 : quote:
I can use my VZW phone on the Metro System and through the tunnels in the area. Can't say the same for the other carriers as only VZW bothered to put cell coverage into those areas.
That's because WMATA won't open up the exclusive contract they signed with Verizon (or Bell Atlantic - it goes back that far) and allow anyone else to wire the tunnels. I'm sure AT&T, T-Mobile, and Nextel would love to wire the Metro tunnels. And that changes the VZW coverage vs. others', how? Personally, I don't care why one carrier has better coverage (in the areas I need them to) than the others, I only care that they do.
I also don't particularly care about exclusivity agreements. If I was going to whine about those, I'd be whining about "why can't I get an iPhone?"
Everything about the U.S cellular (well, telecomm, in general) business is about "lock-in".
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell | |
| | | | | | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA | Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? It wasn't because "only Verizon bothered to put cell coverage...". It was because they signed an exclusivity contract. I was simply staing the fact. | |
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nixen
Rockin' the Boxen
Premium
join:2002-10-04
Alexandria, VA
·Cox HSI
·Speakeasy
| Re: Why do people keep buying Verizon Wireless? said by itguy05 :It wasn't because "only Verizon bothered to put cell coverage...". It was because they signed an exclusivity contract. I was simply staing the fact. And had it been a priority to one of the other carriers, they'd have negotiated the contract, first.
/me shrugs
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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. -- Bertrand Russell | |
| | | | | openbox9
join:2004-01-26
Alexandria, VA | That's changing. The other carriers are deploying infrastructure throughout the metro now. I've forgotten the completion date, but I believe it's coming within the next year or so. | |
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thender
crackberry storms
join:2009-01-01
Brooklyn, NY
clubs:
·Optimum Online
 ·Verizon FIOS
| said by kapil :Really. Why? Horrible pricing. The double super horrible $350 ETF for "advanced" devices. Terrible device line up and what few shining rays of hope they have in that line up, they've locked down mercilessly. There are many other choices, all of them better than VZW - Sprint being the best of the bunch and also the one who is most similar to VZW If you work in Manhattan and walk into a building on 30th st with AT&T or T-Mobile, you will have spotty service. Sometimes no service. You have to walk downstairs and stand in the lobby of a building or on the sidewalk to get service.
With Verizon, I can take calls in the subway station, and no building is a problem.
Sprint also doesn't cover Riverdale in the bronx too well. I have never been in an area not covered perfectly by VZW.
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Macbook repair in NYC | |
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Steve119
@jbsswift.com
| Simply because I have no other choice. Verizon is the ONLY network to give me the service & bandwidth where I live (EVERY other provider is marginal to non existent at my house. AT&T would get ALL my Telecom business in a heartbeat if they would simply get my Land lines up to speed & provide DSL! (at this point the line quality is sooo poor I cannot even get dial up over 20k.) .
So I get a livable 400K with a 5 GB cap through Verizon. (FRIGGIN AT&T mobile Broadband even drops 2 miles form my house.) My USB modem plugs into Netgear's Mobile broadband router nicely And provides adequate service for my family.
It is comparable to my only other option, Satellite, and at a fraction of the equipment cost, (AND I AM MOBILE). If ANYONE could give me better service at a lower price I'd jump on it in a heartbeat (EVEN paying the early cancellation fee). It is EASY to say they have the best deal when they live in the city... Try your phone in MY living room & we see who got what they paid for.
It is a personal hell a techie lives through when they live in an otherwise paradise rural area.
And besides I haven't found an "unhackable" phone yet  | |
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karlmarx
join:2006-09-18
iraq
·Fairpoint Communic..
| Why pay another $30.00 I mean, if you are paying $30.00 for 5GB of data, why in the world would you pay another $30.00 to use the EXACT SAME DATA via your PC vs your phone? It boggles the mind that verizon thinks that's there's a difference between data that goes to a phone vs data that goes to a PC? I would be VERY interested to see HOW verizon can determine if you are 'tethering' your phone, given the fact that hackers will ALWAYS be able to outsmart them.
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The happiest countries are the most secular. The struggle AGAINST corporations is the struggle FOR humanity! | |
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See 19 replies to this post | |
ropeguru
Premium
join:2001-01-25
Grafton, WV
clubs:
·VOIPo
2 edits | Karl and others...Will someone PLEASE point me to where in Verizon's TOS/AUP or any other document where it states that for the "Email and Web for Smartphone" plan it states that you are limited to 5GB per month.
I keep hearing everyone spout this misinformation with no proof. Yes, there is a limitation of 5GB for the tethering portion but I have yet to find this limitation for the basic web and email for smartphone only.
Here is the description straight from a link in my account for what the plan is:
And here is what is in the link from the "Additional Terms and Conditions
Put up or shut up...
No where in anyof the above does it state that the data for the device itself is capped at 5GB with overage fees. | |
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See 15 replies to this post | |
Hpower
Roflmao
join:2000-06-08
Glendale, CA
·Charter Pipeline
1 edit | $$$ More ways to make $ for Verizon. Someone has got to put a damn spot to this crap seriously. These cellphone companies are sqeezing us way too damn much. ENOUGH ALREADY. I have verizon too since I only got it when I was working at worst buy so I got a decent deal. Kinda wish I didn't get a new phone n extended my contract and just stopped using a cellphone lol. Well that would be hard in today's world
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The Internet is about to go down....it is actually. | |
| | elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·SONIC.NET
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: $$$ said by Hpower :More ways to make $ for Verizon. What's wrong with that?
Profit is not a four-letter word.
If you don't like it, buy some VZ stock.
said by Hpower :These cellphone companies are sqeezing us way too damn much. ENOUGH ALREADY. I have verizon too since I only got it when I was working at worst buy so I got a decent deal. No one is being "squeezed". Buying that new phone, signing a two-year contract, getting a data plan and text/SMS usage are all voluntary acts. Besides, in a karmic sense, you deserve to suffer the same fate as you recommended to all of your customers. | |
| glinc
join:2009-04-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
1 edit | mmmmm There is no cap on cellphone the $30/$45 data plan and Connect/Premium plans. Only cap is when you use your phone as a modem and with pc cards.
and the additional $30 for smartphones to tether it's been there long before the droid came out.
$30 to tether if you are on a $29.99 data plan and $15 if you are on a $44.99 data plan. | |
| | bn1221
join:2009-04-29
Cortland, NY | Tethering The additional 30 a month gets you 5 GB. I can tether my BB for 15 a month and I get 5 GB for tethering and 5 GB on my BB | |
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sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ
·Optimum Online
| Just wanted to note... Because I know you'll all be very excited... For exactly $29 less than the cost of PDANet I enabled tethering on my iPhone yesterday. Very slick I must say, even if it's not "open source". Apparently I'm also unlocked if I feel like jet-setting off to Europe or something...
I think the carriers are going to start sniffing the cheaters out though. I use no data, and I only need to tether maybe once every few months (work). These people are fucking nuts if they think I'm going to pay another $30/month or something for a feature I might use 6 times a year. And I'm a "good" customer who will always be way, way under the invisicaps.
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with every mistake we must surely be learning | |
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