Cannot tether without paying fee?

[Kochers]

After the FCC, Verizon settlement concerning Verizon's practice of charging for enabling the ability for phones to tether, I thought I was fine. However, since the latest update, I have been unable to tether my device. Every time I attempt to do so, it says it is "checking my subscription status" and then informs me I don't have the plan that covers this "service" (a service which my phone, not Verizon, is performing). I figured I would check here to see if there is something I can do to correct this issue rather than going immediately to the FCC to complain about Verizon's non-compliance.

I have the older Family Share Plan, with a dedicated 2GB data plan for my line individually.

[#2]

You can go and find a 3rd party tethering app on Google Play and use that. You don't have to use Verizon's. Verizon's tethering plan comes with 2 GB of data extra. So using a 3rd party app doesn't give you that extra 2 GB.

[vzw_customer_support]

anonymuss, thanks for helping us support Kochers with information regarding options to tether a wireless device. Our new Share Everything plans include the Hotspot feature, which gives you the ability to provide an Internet connection for additional wireless devices: http://bit.ly/xdDajD

LasinaH_VZW
Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[dangermousedale]

Hi Lasina.  It's been about a month since you posted this accolade to Anonymous.  I've utilized Beetmobile, PDANet, and Foxfi interchangeably over the years (even before the FCC ruling that said Verizon couldn't remove such apps from their playstore, I would grab the apps from such wonderful sources as the Amazon Appstore). So finding this post where you praised "Anonymous" for such a suggestion was a joy. I exclaimed "Finally! a Verizon Representative with a Conscience!!"

I'm sure as so many are noticing, suddenly, over the last few days/weeks, these apps are starting to fail on our devices (Foxfi even has a warning pop up when accessing it which states when the Note 3 upgrades to KitKat, "WiFi mode may no longer be allowed after the phone system update to Android 4.4."...they even boldly recommended we ignore the system update message if WiFi mode is important to us....believe me, I'm giving that warning a tremendous amount of consideration...like there's a 1% chance of me allowing that upgrade to come through on my Note 3...

But then it hit me....That's odd?!? why would WiFi mode be in jeopardy LasinaH_VZW? I mean, even you acknowledged these were viable options to utilize the data we already pay for.....Are you still employed with Verizon? If so, can you provide any insight in to how exactly those of us that have been using the 3rd party apps to wirelessly tether  from our Verizon devices and are now finding that Verizon has decided to allow 3rd party apps to appear on their playstore but prevent us from actually using those same apps for the data we already pay for?

I'm hoping you can reassure me that, once again, Verizon hasn't chosen to show the lack of goodwill they have for their longtime customers that still have grandfathered data plans or any data plans really.  Assure me please, that while the FCC ruled against you saying you had to return the tethering apps to the playstore, you haven't opted to give us the middle finger and say "fine, but good luck customers trying to use those apps as we develop techniques to block the usage over our network". 

[Ann154]

Perhaps Google fixed the loophole in the Android OS code.

[dangermousedale]

Hmm...are you saying Google has caused the hotspot issues I'm reading about over all the tech blogs that coincidentally are associated with Verizon customers using apps like Foxfi? or are you saying I shouldn't be afraid of allowing the upgrade, that a fix will come through with the KitKat upgrade? That, like Obi Wan Kanobi, Google is my only hope???

[dimap52]

The thing is, ALL of these third party tethering apps rely on  exploits that google SHOULD fix in the name of security. Therefore there is no guarantee that these apps will work when upgrades are rolled out. Somtimes developers will find new exploits to use  to  restore functionality, sometimes not. The  real issue is that these hacks need to exist at all.  Android HAS a perfectly fine tethering app which, if the carriers left it alone, would work just fine, as it does on networks whose carriers (mostly in other countries) choose not to mess with it. Same goes for windows and iPhone.

The  culprits are  the  carriers who insist on their privilidge to monetize tethering as a 'service"  that they do not in any way actually provide, rather than leaving it the OEM provided phone functionality that it truly  is.

[dangermousedale]

100% agree. We shouldn't have to use these at all.

[#9]

Then get on the More Everything plans.

[OpiusRex]

sirguy,

Getting on a new plan does not help we who have plans already that are lower cost and still carry unlimited data.  Let me say that again... UNLIMITED DATA. That I have already paid for. Asking us to pay an extra $30 a month, which is quite hefty, just to tether our phones, a feature that is hardware related and already a part of the phone, accessing the data we already have paid for, is ridiculous and exploitative.

I would also like to mention that those of us who are grandfathered have also been told that if we utilize the upgrade price, locking us in for another two year plan, will nullify the old plan and bring us into a new plan. I have thus had to purchase my own phone, not Verizon's phone, my own hardware, to access my plan. I too am now looking for a new solution short of installing a new OS on my already personally bought phone. I feel that Verizon's new tactic of blocking such hardware access is a violation of my personal property rights and my purchase.

I just ended up upgrading to the new KitKat 4.2 and have lost all tethering and hotspot options that I have had in the past on my Droid Razr MAXX HD. and am looking for any patch or fix to get around this issue as well.

[dimap52]

I really wish  Verizon, ATT  and Sprint would cut the cr*p on tethering and just open it up on all tiered usage plans as

T-Mobile has done and most other countries (even Canada) do. Just send an update unlocking the  native tethering

function and be done with it. It's not reasonable to charge for tethering on capped allowances when the carriers can

reap the profits from tethering overages.

[vzw_customer_support · Accepted solution]

@dimap52,

Let's bring back the love for VZW! I definitely want you to enjoy your service with VZW.

With our Share Everything plans you can use the mobile hotspot on your device at no additional charge. The data used while using the mobile hotspot is deducted from your data allowance. Visit http://vz.to/W24dla to view everything about our plans.

I'm here if you need further assistance.

JohnB_VZW

Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport

[TheRealRoadie]

Can you do this on a grandfathered unlimited data plan?

[#14]

You can not have unlimited data on Share Everything.

[Ann154]

TheRealRoadie wrote:

Can you do this on a grandfathered unlimited data plan?

The mobile hotspot feature can be added to your account for $30 per month for an unlimited hotspot if you have a 4G LTE smartphone.

[trehajt1]

I have 4 verizon phones - each with 4gb data limit.  I am happy with that - as going to share everything is actually more expensive in my case

Having said that - can I use mobile hotspot at no additional cost.  I could use foxfi until I just upgraded my phone plan to Droid Maxx (did not realize I would lose foxfi wifi)

Thanks!

[#17]

dimap52 wrote:

I really wish  Verizon, ATT  and Sprint would cut the cr*p on tethering and just open it up on all tiered usage plans as

T-Mobile has done and most other countries (even Canada) do. Just send an update unlocking the  native tethering

function and be done with it. It's not reasonable to charge for tethering on capped allowances when the carriers can

reap the profits from tethering overages.

A) Just download a 3rd party tethering app. As long as your on a tiered data plan Verizon can't stop you from using it.

B) T-Mobile's tethering is only included on the unlimited plan. Also limited to 2.5 GB.

C) As more people move to Share Everything this is moot point. Eventually everyone will be on it. It's at 46% as of Dec 31st. That's a 4% increase since quarter 3. So by the end of the 1st quarter it should be 50%. Probably 60% by the end of 2014 if not more.

[DOUGHFACE1]

As a dis-satisfied customer,who is also on a much better plan,I could not agree with you more! What the heck,even though now the charge was reduced to $26 something,it is still ludicrous to expect us to pay more for something we already have and our phones are already equipped to do.