Free Hotspot on Nexus One making it tough to jump to Evo Ship

[danielkogan]

I pre-ordered my Evo. I was debating on getting the $30 add on for Wifi. Now that the Nexus one was updated with Froyo I am wondering if I still want to jump ship to the Evo? I know that Evo will get Froyo but when and if it does, what if Sprint disables the HotSpot option? Paying Sprint $30 dollars a month more for something Google is giving you free is very discouraging.

I love my Nexus one but that 4.3 screen & 4g coverage is killing me. And now paying an extra $30 per month for the Evo... hmmm.... Nexus one is becoming more and more attractive.

Anywone else stuck in my dilemma? Would you still jump ship to Sprint? Froyo is so darn FAST, made my Nexus fly!

 

[SirSlayer]

I pre-ordered my Evo. I was debating on getting the $30 add on for Wifi. Now that the Nexus one was updated with Froyo I am wondering if I still want to jump ship to the Evo? I know that Evo will get Froyo but when and if it does, what if Sprint disables the HotSpot option? Paying Sprint $30 dollars a month more for something Google is giving you free is very discouraging.

I love my Nexus one but that 4.3 screen & 4g coverage is killing me. And now paying an extra $30 per month for the Evo... hmmm.... Nexus one is becoming more and more attractive.

Anywone else stuck in my dilemma? Would you still jump ship to Sprint? Froyo is so darn FAST, made my Nexus fly!

Not stuck at all. If you have been following Android you will learn that once you root the phone you will be able to use wifi tether for free and not have to worry about the $30 charge. Its nice that they are trying to make money on this feature but to me its just not worth $30 bucks a month for something I may use once or twice in a year.

 

[hitekalex]

Anywone else stuck in my dilemma? Would you still jump ship to Sprint? Froyo is so darn FAST, made my Nexus fly!

Not really.. I just sold my N1 (upgraded to Froyo and all).. and eagerly anticipating to get my hands on Evo in less than 2 weeks.

Evo will be getting Froyo pretty soon - by end of July would be my guess. And Evo has already been rooted, so getting a free hotspot on it is just a matter of installing the right software.

You see - all the software differences can be easily overcome.. But things you will never get on N1 are gorgeous 4.3" screen, front-facing camera, and HDMI video.

 

[Rigmaster]

No problem here. N1 on TMo's not going to offer enough data coverage to matter in the short run anyway. I don't want free tethering that I can't use due to TMo's limited 3G coverage. Haven't heard how TMo's dealing with the free option either. Can't see TMo having data caps on non-Android phones. They'd have a lot of angry customers out there.....

 

[myersn024]

Not trying to start a fight, but I find it funny that a bunch of people here and on other forums like it will totally rip someone for trying to download paid apps for free, but won't think twice about stealing data from their mobile carrier. Rationalize it all you want, but it's pretty much the same thing.

 

[danielkogan]

rooting the phone isn't as easy as rooting a Pre. Not everyone wants to root a phone for a feature Google is offering standard. With T-mob I get prepaid $80 per month and I don't have to think about anything. The evo will get Froyo but when? Sept? Even then will wifi hotspot be disabled?

I just don't want to go through the trouble of rooting a new phone that you shouldn't have to root.

 

[SprintFun]

I pre-ordered my Evo. I was debating on getting the $30 add on for Wifi. Now that the Nexus one was updated with Froyo I am wondering if I still want to jump ship to the Evo? I know that Evo will get Froyo but when and if it does, what if Sprint disables the HotSpot option? Paying Sprint $30 dollars a month more for something Google is giving you free is very discouraging.

I love my Nexus one but that 4.3 screen & 4g coverage is killing me. And now paying an extra $30 per month for the Evo... hmmm.... Nexus one is becoming more and more attractive.

Anywone else stuck in my dilemma? Would you still jump ship to Sprint? Froyo is so darn FAST, made my Nexus fly!

There are other options besides Sprint's $30/month charge. Check out apps like PdaNet, Easy Tether, Barnacle, etc.

 

[hitekalex]

Not trying to start a fight, but I find it funny that a bunch of people here and on other forums like it will totally rip someone for trying to download paid apps for free, but won't think twice about stealing data from their mobile carrier. Rationalize it all you want, but it's pretty much the same thing.

I am not trying to have a fight, but you're completely wrong.

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

 

[ashykat]

I am not trying to have a fight, but you're completely wrong.

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

+1

 

[MyFishWagon]

I am not trying to have a fight, but you're completely wrong.

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

Good point.....

 

[RiverOfIce]

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

Actually, you are committing a crime. It is called thief of services.

Theft of services is the legal term for a crime which is committed when a person obtains valuable services

 

[stevenw00]

I am not trying to have a fight, but you're completely wrong.

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

Isn't that like loading up your plate at a buffet and then going back to the table and sharing it w/ your friends?
It does matter how you use it, and there is a reason why Sprint specific states that tethering, etc. is limited/banned, etc. My understanding is that the $30 is for the hotspot, not the tethering, so I don't know why that seems to get talked about so much. Maybe I am confused.

I have no dog in this pony show... I hate that Sprint is limiting it, I'll probably bypass it someday if I need to, I'm just stating a point.

 

[TheBiles]

The EVO has already been rooted. We will have our free Froyo hotspot soon enough.

 

[jadoe05]

rooting the phone isn't as easy as rooting a Pre. Not everyone wants to root a phone for a feature Google is offering standard. With T-mob I get prepaid $80 per month and I don't have to think about anything. The evo will get Froyo but when? Sept? Even then will wifi hotspot be disabled?

I just don't want to go through the trouble of rooting a new phone that you shouldn't have to root.

Rooting this phone might not be a piece of cake, but remember you will always have other forum members to help you out. It is even possible(likely) someone will come out with a one click root for the EVO. Noone knows when the EVO will get Froyo. And more then likely it will be disabled. It really won't be too much trouble to root it after the root is released as I said before you have the help of others here.

 

[VGPOP]

My co-worker has the Nexus One while I have G1 (until June 4th). He downloaded Froyo and was able to use hotspot with my phone.

My G1 recognized it immediately. Really cool.

I have a question about this.

If Froyo has this capability to use phone as hotspot, then why Sprint is charging $30 bucks for you to use this service?

I mean, what's the deal with that?

I just realized I asked the same or similar questios as OP.

I didn't read his thread.

 

[Rigmaster]

Going to be awfully weird for Sprint if TMo allows this with N1.

 

[neodorian]

If Froyo has this capability to use phone as hotspot, then why Sprint is charging $30 bucks for you to use this service?

I mean, what's the deal with that?

Because they can. This is their branded commercial app. Same way carriers used to sell people ringtones for $1-2 each. Sure, you could get them for free all over if you knew how to transfer them (hell, I even did that on my old Sanyo flip back in the day) but lots of folks don't bother looking. Likewise, some carriers like Verizon or ATT charge for stuff like Telenav whereas Sprint offers it included or you could use Google for free.

Point is, they offer their solution and it will work out of the box. It will also work with Wimax and I have no idea if anyone else has hacked together a way to share the Wimax connection over Wifi they way they can with EVDO. I would guess that the Sprint version will be the only 4G hotspot app for a little while at least.

Count yourself lucky that you are smart enough to browse forums for this stuff. Can't blame a company for trying to make a buck as it's what all of them exist to do. At the same time, you have lots of resources at your disposal to find less expensive ways to do the things you want to do.

I've been tethering my phones for years and never paid more than a simple one-time price for an app I really liked and wanted to support (the original WMWifiRouter). Plenty of free and cheap ways to do it.

 

[eieio]

Business users will pay the fee and think its a godsend and thank Sprint for it.

 

[adseguy]

If Froyo has this capability to use phone as hotspot, then why Sprint is charging $30 bucks for you to use this service?

I mean, what's the deal with that?

I just realized I asked the same or similar questios as OP.

I didn't read his thread.

Because as stated a bunch in other threads. The hotspot feature available in Froyo can be disabled by the carrier is they wish. I wonder what sprint will do.....No one can say 100%, but my money says they will block it. kinda like ATT blocked Apple's tethering. It only makes sense.

Oh and to the legality of it all. It's not too hard to see that when you sign a legal contract that you probably didn't read (I didn't either), it states what you can and can't do with your service. Those contracts are always built so they can refuse service to you and no the other way around. So yeah tethering when you aren't supposed to is a breach on contract.

 

[TheBiles]

My co-worker has the Nexus One while I have G1 (until June 4th). He downloaded Froyo and was able to use hotspot with my phone.

My G1 recognized it immediately. Really cool.

I have a question about this.

If Froyo has this capability to use phone as hotspot, then why Sprint is charging $30 bucks for you to use this service?

I mean, what's the deal with that?

I just realized I asked the same or similar questios as OP.

I didn't read his thread.

I always thought it was pretty obvious. The tethering does the same thing as a Sprint Mobile Broadband Card, and if they gave it away with the EVO, no one would buy the full version.

 

[DUBious]

Isn't that like loading up your plate at a buffet and then going back to the table and sharing it w/ your friends?

i see it more as going back to my table and spreading my food over 3 or 4 smaller plates. same amount of food.

 

[eric3316]

I am not trying to have a fight, but you're completely wrong.

There is no such thing as "stealing data" from a mobile carrier. When I sign up for Mobile Data plan, I either get unlimited data usage.. or capped usage. In either case, I am not stealing anything simply by tethering. If I have 2GB/month data plan, it shouldn't matter how I consume that data, on my phone or tethered device.

If it was up to you to decide how to use your data that would be fine, but it's not.

There are a lot of things in life I do not agree with but it doesn't mean I can just ignore them because I don't believe in them......

And just to clear things up, I am totally for getting things for free, but I don't try to rationalize it to make it feel like I am not doing something wrong

 

[stroths]

I can't verify this, but check out this quote from this thread LINK

Sprint can remove features from a phone which enable it to tether. They also can implement roadblocks, or ask that you use specific plans.

However, under the Comcast/BitTorrent ruling from the FCC, a provider cannot punish you for working around those restrictions. A carrier cannot block any specific application on the internet, including the personal use of tethering on a single device.

As such, yes, Sprint can remove tethering from phones. But, legally, there’s nothing stopping you from hacking your phone around that. If you can make it work, it’s legit in the eyes of the federal government.

And, I want to clarify to JJ, that this will not run afoul of the FCC. Sprint has the right to ship devices with whatever capabilities they want. There is no FCC mandate that phones must have the ability to tether, only that if someone can make a phone tether… that the carrier cannot penalize the customer for doing so.

If this is the case, it reminds me of how credit car companies can sell you ID theft protection that will make you not liable for any charges made if your card is stolen. However, by law you are not obligated to pay those anyways (at least not in Texas). Credit card companies know this, but they are allowed to sell you the coverage anyways.

 

[flip603]

I pre-ordered my Evo. I was debating on getting the $30 add on for Wifi. Now that the Nexus one was updated with Froyo I am wondering if I still want to jump ship to the Evo? I know that Evo will get Froyo but when and if it does, what if Sprint disables the HotSpot option? Paying Sprint $30 dollars a month more for something Google is giving you free is very discouraging.

I love my Nexus one but that 4.3 screen & 4g coverage is killing me. And now paying an extra $30 per month for the Evo... hmmm.... Nexus one is becoming more and more attractive.

Anywone else stuck in my dilemma? Would you still jump ship to Sprint? Froyo is so darn FAST, made my Nexus fly!

especially difficult if you're in the new hspa+ areas....speeds better than sprints wimax

 

[SprintFun]

I don't know if Sprint knew that FroYo would bring google sanctioned hot spot when they started working on the device.