Verizon Wireless → Verizon Can No Longer Charge For Tethering, FCC Declares

So what the hell ever happened with this??? »techcrunch.com/2012/07/3 ··· eclares/

Because I sure as sh*t can't tether for free. Verizon wants to still charge me if I try.

Well you need to read the details. For one, this only applies to non-unlimited data customers. In the past verizon blocked them or cancelled service if they were detected, that's not allowed anymore.

This is why the new share everything plans all have hotspot access, not because they wanted to but because they were forced to.

You assume I didn't read the details. And individuals not on a share everything plan still get hit with this.

Are you on share everything or unlimited data? If on share everything and it says to call them, call them and get reprovisioned. IF you are on unlimited, suck it up and pay.

You give few details besides a rant and a link to an old story.

I'm on unlimited, and I know quite a few people who are on share everything, and it's the same situation all around.

I just signed up with them this month and have free hotspot. I only have 5Gb plan though

Hotspot has always been included in Share Everything (you're going to pay out the nose to use it, but that's another story)

The old school unlimited plan has to pay $30 for it (and don't complain - it's unlimited tethering on LTE)

If you sir would like to be able to tether AND keep unlimited - just suck it up and pay it! If you do not want too, i'll gladly take the plan off your hands and use it myself

Or I could just Root and get it hacked.

I'm not on the unlimited data plan, but not on the "share everything" plan either. I have 2 gig as do the other phones on my plan. Is tethering available for me, at no cost?

Go ahead, root it and hack it. We'll be here when you come crying that verizon kicked ya off unlimited att style

yes

Well considering that I rooted and hacked three different Motorola Droid X's, three different Samsung Galaxy Nexus', and three different HTC One's, all on Verizon's unlimited data plan, and eneabled free unlimited tethering after doing so on all of them, and Verizon still has yet to kick me off unlimited AT&T style, I think I'll take my chances.

not buying it.

Don't really care. Still doesn't change the facts.

Kinda surprised they dont. Learned something new

I just called VZW and attempted to get tethering activated. The CCR told me that in order to have tethering on my tiered plan, I'd have to buy a 5G plan for $50.00 I told her that one of my phones has a 4G allotment, she said it didn't matter. Is their anyone on a 2G data plan that has tethering for free? Thanks for any responses..

nope, either pay the 20 for 2gb plan and 30 for 2gb tethered for $50 or take the $50 5gb with tethering (you get an extra 1gb this way). The free tethering is only on share everything plans and old 3g only devices

The FCC can not force VZW to do that. The FCC could and would be sued if they tried to enforce that as they are not a legal body to issue anything on a private network such as that. Do not have the power tell VZW what they have to do such as give things away. If that was the case anyone could demand free HSI and the FCC would have to issue the order if had enough demands.

I wouldn't call them powerless. FCC is in charge of the spectrum that verizon purchased and agreed to certain rules when the spectrum was auctioned. They can and have taken them to court over verizon breaking these rules in the past.

Verizon agreed to not restrict anything on any 700MHz device, thus why Verizon's LTE devices come SIM-Unlocked out of the box, this also included the data as well - they are not to treat any data differently (including tethering)

Verizon agreed to this when they were allowed to purchase their 700MHz block, so they need to buck up and quit crying about it as that's the deal they made.

Verizon is in compliance.

Can't you just use Foxfi like most people?

»VZW HTC One M7, KitKat, and FoxFi Problems

I'm a little confused here. I used to be grandfathered for the unlimited, but decided to get the Samsung Galaxy S4 at discount (knowing I would loose the unlimited).
So they put me on the loyalty plan of 2gb per phone on the acct.

I have two phones on the acct. but nothing mentions the word "share"

And if I'm reading this thread correctly, I should be able to tether free?
It prompts me to call Verizon if I want to tether, so what am I missing here?

I do have the paid version of FoxFi but if I am supposed to be getting tether free I would like to know.

The FCC can very well place restrictions on spectrum usage. Thats why all 700Mz "4GLTE" devices are unlocked.

If you were an unlimited data customer, who then upgraded using the "discounted price" -- you were moved over to the 2G data plan. This does not include tethering access. If you want carrier enabled tethering, you will need to "upgrade" to the $50/5GB data plan which includes tethering.

or

You can change your plan from limited minutes (individual line is somewhere around 450-2100 depending on the plan) to one of the "More Everything" plans, which then gives you Unlimited Talk and Text, plus X amount of data depending on the data package you choose.

NOTE: If you switch from the "America's Choice" plan (which I assume is the current plan you're on) to a "More Everything" plan, any Employer-related discounts will only apply to the "Data" charge for your account.

For Example:

Old plan - Phone Line - 450 minutes (15% discount) - Retail: $39.99/month - Discounted Price: $33.99
Old plan - 2G Data Allotment (12% discount) - Retail: $30/month - Discounted Price: $26.40

Total Price: $60.39

New plan - Unlimited Talk/Text - $40/month Smartphone Access
New plan - 2G Data Allotment (with Hotspot/Tethering @ 15% discount) - Retail: $50/month - Discounted Price: $42.50

Total Price: $82.50

Edit: Or since you already have a paid version of FoxFi, you could just use that to tether. IMHO being an Unlimited VZW data customer in the past (switched to AT&T due to better pricing), I fought tooth and nail to maintain that status (although I also paid the $30/month fee for Unlimited LTE Tether Data).

My Foxfi also works fine with PDA Net

Thanks for explaining this.
Amazing they couldn't tell me all this on the phone.
Got more and better info here than I did with Verizon.

Glad I could help.

Sadly I don't think many of the VZW CSR's understand the changes either.

Or do what I did and use the app PDANet. Either way, it's up to you.