verizon

Android tethering Verizon

Verizon has been widely recognized for delivering its unique and innovative communications, information and entertainment. But the current news buzzing around is that this Android-friendly carrier has initiated blocking all its tethering apps from its devices.

This has been the hottest news in the Droid world for the past few months. The worst news is that even if you manage to load an app from a third app from outside to tether, Verizon is blocking you from doing so. One can get angry but there is nothing to do when there is a company of such huge magnitude. At first Verizon ignored the fact that “Google manages its own applications store, evaluated the applications in question, determined that they were in violation of it terms of service and removed them" and also that "Verizon does not block applications," thereby cutting off access to tethering applications unlawfully “limiting” and “restricting the ability” of its customers “to use the devices and applications of their choice.”  It is somewhat behaving like AT&T, which is monitoring unauthorized tethering and locking down the Android devices.

But there is no use doing this, because eventually it seems that Verizon, instead of allowing, is prohibiting its customers from using free tethering apps likePDANet and Wireless Tether. Verizon is eventually turning out to be the next AT&T! Google had promised it will provide an open and uncensored app market but it is taking its words back! The news is a bit disturbing but people are making a mole out of a molehill with this topic.

Like any Android carrier, Verizon had actually requested Google to filter the tethering apps associated with its network. Google doesn’t filter its own app but only if a company moves forward to it with a request, thereby avoiding conflicts on Terms of Service.

BUT, Verizon’s Terms of Service states that data cannot be used for any applications that tether your device to laptops or personal computers, unless subscribed to Mobile Broadband Connect.". It may seem annoying to a Verizon user. But what he has to keep in mind is the fact that he CAN download tethering apps from a site other than the official Android site. Though it is technical violation of Verizon’s terms and service, but there is nothing within the Android OS or your phone that prevents you from doing it.

It feels bad because we are paying a carrier for a plan and we should be able to use it in the way we like. Moreover tethering a laptop to a phone does not increase the bandwidth. By honoring such app filter requests, Google is simply protecting itself by discontinuing showing the contract-violating tools in its official channel.

As far as the Android system is concerned, Verizon’s idea strikes very hardly because those apps are easily available without any rooting or advanced hacking.

We can do nothing but get angry because it somewhat takes control over how we use our mobile data. But it can’t be helped!