Help USB Tethering?

[ltmcgill]

Does VZW charge for USB Tethering? I notice the Mobile Hotspot won't even let you activate it unless you pay for it in advance however if you go to Settings / Wireless & network settings / Tethering & Mobile Hotspot then turn on USB tethering it works with my laptop. It doesn't take you to Verizon's Data Plan website or anything.
It does give 4G speeds too. I was getting 25mbs Download and 15mbs upload speeds on my laptop using it.

 

[gpshslax]

Not sure about the charge ... but thank you for pointing out that this is where the USB tethering setting is.

Comically, it was just yesterday that I realized that when people say ICS they mean Ice Cream Sandwhich and not Internet Connection Shareing (which is what all non-android users mean by ICS). I couldn't figure out why we were all waiting for an update for USB tether since it obviously should have been an included feature since early android.

 

[DSCR]

No charge for usb tethering. Just for the "convenience" of wireless.

That's awesome about the 4g speeds! Thanks!

 

[willis1]

Has the usb tethering always been free? I have always used easy tether, but just tried this and it works too.

 

[TheSuperman]

I use a product called PDAnet for tethering. Works great.
https://market.android.com/details?...ult#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5wbi5oZWxwZXIiXQ..

 

[RandolphNY]

Has the usb tethering always been free? I have always used easy tether, but just tried this and it works too.

Don't broadcast free Its available until you use tons off gigs

 

[Slug]

Tethering without an applicable data plan is against Verizon's TOS, and Android Forums' policy is not to permit discussion of evading such TOS.

http://androidforums.com/verizon/455585-verizons-official-tethering-policy.html

edit: apparently USB tethering is allowable, only wireless tethering is prohibited by these TOS. I apologise for my own confusion.

 

[Frisco]

...edit: apparently USB tethering is allowable, only wireless tethering is prohibited by these TOS. I apologise for my own confusion.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I keep having to go to those links to be sure one way or the other, plus many of the carriers, Verizon included, are still changing details both ways, sometimes unannounced.

 

[Slug]

I thought UK companies were experts at befuddling their customers.... obviously it's a universal skill.

The TOS lined above does read as if any tethering to use a phone as a wireless modem is off-limits, but as I now know that at least one VZW customer asked about and had USB tethering okay'd by a CSR further guidance is being sought.

 

[dguy]

It makes perfect sense to me that USB tethering is free. Verizon now throttles unlimited users who use too much data and they charge extra for everyone else who uses extra. They have nothing to lose and only money to gain by allowing free USB tethering now.

 

[Thom]

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I keep having to go to those links to be sure one way or the other, plus many of the carriers, Verizon included, are still changing details both ways, sometimes unannounced.

Thank you for the correction. It is so poorly written that I assumed you had a new lawyer interpret it a new way.

It makes sense that USB is free. The phone to computer connection costs them nothing.

It makes sense that wireless is not free. The phone to computer connection has to be serviced by them.

The more use they get for their services the better it is for them.

So we can talk about USB and wireless connections. We cannot talk about a free wireless connection.

... Thom

 

[Frisco]

So we can talk about USB and wireless connections. We cannot talk about a free wireless connection.

That pretty much nails it... for now.

 

[seVer]

only problem I have is the battery draaaaaaaaaaain... even plugged in it doesnt seem enough. bleh.

 

[Thom]

Try turning off 4G.

... Thom

 

[Szadzik]

only problem I have is the battery draaaaaaaaaaain... even plugged in it doesnt seem enough. bleh.

Problem is when you plug it into a USB port on your PC instead of the dediated charger that gives the phone twice as much juice.

 

[ksanger]

Enabling WiFi Tethering doesn't cost Verizon money. Just like using the phone's USB port. WiFi isn't Wireless.

Enabling multiple Hot Spots and putting five users on the line causes an increase in data transfers. That = money. We need a FREE single use WiFi capability as we're already paying for a data plan.

Browsing the web and answering email via my laptop shouldn't use much more data than doing the same on the phone.

 

[you2]

deleted; the fellow above said what I said - I just didn't see his post until after i responded.
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Now how do I teach my tablet to usb tether and find a miro to standard converter
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With tierd plans I sort of wish the FCC would step in and say once and for all that if you buy x gb of data; you can use that data among your devices any way you wish (as longa s the usage itself is legal of course).

 

[netlawbmg]

I use a product called PDAnet for tethering. Works great.
https://market.android.com/details?...ult#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImNvbS5wbi5oZWxwZXIiXQ..

PDAnet would only get me 8 down and 2.5 up. USB Tethering gets me 25 down and 13-15 up.

 

[HTTR]

Just an FYI, in order to be able to select USB tethering, you need to have the USB cable already plugged in. (otherwise it will be grayed out). With that said...I have never used the tether since I usually have access to wifi. Nice to know it is "OK" though.

 

[cybersnyper]

edit: apparently USB tethering is allowable, only wireless tethering is prohibited by these TOS. I apologise for my own confusion.

I went into a Verizon store today and asked one of the sales associates about this as I wanted to be sure before I got a huge bill from doing this. He stated that they do still charge for USB Tethering...$20 a month for 2GB. Has anyone actually been told different by a Verizon rep?

 

[cbreze]

I went into a Verizon store today and asked one of the sales associates about this as I wanted to be sure before I got a huge bill from doing this. He stated that they do still charge for USB Tethering...$20 a month for 2GB. Has anyone actually been told different by a Verizon rep?

It seems there are conflicting answers to this on alot of different forums. I don't have an answer either other than to just use one of the tether apps, easy tether is a good one and there are others. I have heard that wireless tethering aka hotspot is illegal without a paid plan, but that direct connect aka usb is allowed. So a call to Verizon might be better than relying on the csr in-store. YMMV
Furthermore: they used to redirect you to a sign up screen when you tried to tether. I have not tried it as I use the free hotspot feature, but I've heard that this screen no longer pops up, so maybe that means something as if they are no longer concerned about it.

 

[MobileRob]

I went into a Verizon store today and asked one of the sales associates about this as I wanted to be sure before I got a huge bill from doing this. He stated that they do still charge for USB Tethering...$20 a month for 2GB. Has anyone actually been told different by a Verizon rep?

I have not asked, but have been using the USB tethering that comes with the phone and have not been charged for several months. I am on the unlimited data plan.

 

[gemini846]

It makes perfect sense to me that USB tethering is free. Verizon now throttles unlimited users who use too much data and they charge extra for everyone else who uses extra. They have nothing to lose and only money to gain by allowing free USB tethering now.

Evidence of Throttling?

I assume any throttling is for users who are whoring it out above 5+ GB.

I went into a Verizon store today and asked one of the sales associates about this as I wanted to be sure before I got a huge bill from doing this. He stated that they do still charge for USB Tethering...$20 a month for 2GB. Has anyone actually been told different by a Verizon rep?

I've talked to several people (usually I'm asking when they are going to quit charging for wireless tether) and I've gotten conflicing responses. Normally the reps who know it and do it will tell you tether via wire is free but you have to pay for wireless.

 

[lens pirate]

Is nobody using the built in bluetooth tether? Works great for me.

 

[HalcyonEndures]

Evidence of Throttling?

I assume any throttling is for users who are whoring it out above 5+ GB.



I've talked to several people (usually I'm asking when they are going to quit charging for wireless tether) and I've gotten conflicing responses. Normally the reps who know it and do it will tell you tether via wire is free but you have to pay for wireless.

While I don't really have any proof that I can show you guys in picture form or anything, I'm pretty much sure they do throttle at this point. I've been using my Razr as a USB modem lately at my dad's house when I'm there, seeing as how unthrottled 4G is somewhere around 8 or 9 times faster than the home internet we have. I only use it for large files I'm downloading, and I've already put 25+ gigs on it. I'm on the unlimited data plan, and I noticed a day or two ago that my download speeds went from about 2 MB/s to 1.2-1.3 MB/s. Still better than what I've got, but it won't go above those speeds now.