Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan

I am really hoping someone (especially VZW Customer Service) can help me out and clarify things for me. I have been reading a lot about the FCC ruling and Verizon's agreement to allow tethering free of charge to tiered 4g phones. I know this topic has been addressed many times but was unable to find anything that can help me specifically.

-I have a 5gb data plan (not unlimited and obviously tiered) with a new 4g phone

-This is a regular tiered, usage based plan, and not a share everything plan.

According to Verizon's agreement with FCC (par. 15)

http://www.fcc.gov/document/order-and-consent-decree-verizon-wireless-pay-125-million

"Verizon Wireless modified its pricing plans to allow customers on usage-based plans to tether their devices without paying an additional fee, while

customers on unlimited usage plans must continue to pay an additional fee to tether their devices."

When I called VZW CS, I asked am I on a usage based plan. The response was YES. I followed up with do I have to pay for mobile hotspot and was told YES. I followed up again with this line from the FCC and was told "well its not really 100% usage based...you pay for texts separately... voice plan is separate.." it sounded like the CS rep was fumbling in the air for excuses.

Why do I have to pay for the mobile hotspot and can I get a CS to PLEASE help me.

Thanks to all!

Accepted answers

Ann154

The individual tiered data plans were introduced and available for customers starting July 2011. These plans were in place before the ruling and therefore exempt from the ruling.

Even though you added the data plan in July 2012, you choose a older plan type. If you had selected a Share Everything plan at that time, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

All comments

Tidbits

If you are on the old grandfathered plans then you do not get tethering. If you write a letter to the FCC they'll tell you this themselves. It is like Hawaii where if your house was built before 1984 you don't need to follow current housing regulation. If we tear down the house and rebuild then it needs to follow current regulations.

budone

What is the exact name of the plan you are on. You can see this if you log into your online account

dimap52

He's probably on the Nationwide 5 Gig data plan $50. He could just drop to the 4 Gig w/ Hotspot plan for the same price.

At this point in time I really wish US carriers would stop trying to turn tethering/hotspot into a cash cow and just open it up on all plans, all carriers, no exceptions, Better yet, update all android smart phones to use the standard android .apk so there just wouldn't be an issue, they would be open and just WORK. Other countries don't charge for tethering anymore, even CANADA doesn't, and their rates are worse than ours.

Sure VZW now includes tethering in the Share Plans, but you can be sure the exorbitant pricing for these plans reflects that charge, be it in the ridiculous $40 access fee or in the $50 for ONE gig. One way or another they buried the tethering carge in the plan. So it's NOT free.

To add insult to injury, tablet tiered plans with the SAME price and data allowances as smartphones CAN use the hotspot without additional charges. There is no excuse why TABLETS on say a 2 Gig plan for $30 can tether but SMARTPHONES cannot.

This tethering issue makes me mad like no other when it comes to wireless pricing in the US.

Tidbits

dimap52 wrote:
He's probably on the Nationwide 5 Gig data plan $50. He could just drop to the 4 Gig w/ Hotspot plan for the same price.
At this point in time I really wish US carriers would stop trying to turn tethering/hotspot into a cash cow and just open it up on all plans, all carriers, no exceptions, Better yet, update all android smart phones to use the standard android .apk so there just wouldn't be an issue, they would be open and just WORK. Other countries don't charge for tethering anymore, even CANADA doesn't, and their rates are worse than ours.
Sure VZW now includes tethering in the Share Plans, but you can be sure the exorbitant pricing for these plans reflects that charge, be it in the ridiculous $40 access fee or in the $50 for ONE gig. One way or another they buried the tethering carge in the plan. So it's NOT free.
To add insult to injury, tablet tiered plans with the SAME price and data allowances as smartphones CAN use the hotspot without additional charges. There is no excuse why TABLETS on say a 2 Gig plan for $30 can tether but SMARTPHONES cannot.
This tethering issue makes me mad like no other when it comes to wireless pricing in the US.

They are being forced to. People are replacing their home internet with tethering which carriers has always expressed that they are NOT meant to replace landline services. I bet carriers wouldn't have given a hoot if people used it here and there and not everyday for hours on end.

As for tablets vs. smartphones. There's a difference. 1 device vs. 2+ devices. On a tablet plan only your tablet can use the bandwidth. On a smartphone you could have up to 5-8 devices which will eat more bandwidth. I am honestly more surprised that the smartphone with tethering is the same price over more expensive.

If you don't like US prices I guess you didn't look at every country. There are data plans with less than 3G speeds costs more without tethering in the world. It's a luxury not a right and people forget that.

budone

I agree. I love the new VZW Business account commercial. Share that data bucket with up to 25 employees, so you can worry about other things. I tell ya if I had 25 on a shared data plan, I would be dreading seeing the bill every month

dimap52

No. There are plenty of studies showing that US pricing ranks right up there by factors of 5-10 or more compared to data pricing in other countries. The simple fact is that US wireless pricing STINKS. It is exorbitant and predatory. A healthy balance of RESPONSIBLE regulation and competition would fix that, but we have neither. Wireless lobbyists have the FCC in their back pockets, Verizon is suing FCC over net neutrality, AT&T wants all telecom regulation abolished, and for what? To control content, delivery, and monopolize the industry to jack up prices even further.

As for tablets, you are wrong there too. Tethering on tablets works the same way tethering on smartphones does. So if it's not gimped, it will serve the same 5 to 10 devices that hotspot on a smartphone will. Yet the pricing is inconsistent. That's what torques my gears. It's the SAME digital radio tech in ALL of these devices, regardless of form factor. Jetpack, USB modem, cell phone, tablet, new connected devices, functionally all the same yet pricing for data plans is all over the map.

Tethering fees are but a small part of the bigger problem with outrageous and inconsistent business models driven by investor demands rather than reasonable and fair prices for the consumer.

But our regulatory commissioners are too weak-stomached, bought and owned by the corporations to do anything about it.

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Tidbits

dimap52 wrote:
No. There are plenty of studies showing that US pricing ranks right up there by factors of 5-10 or more compared to data pricing in other countries. The simple fact is that US wireless pricing STINKS. It is exorbitant and predatory. A healthy balance of RESPONSIBLE regulation and competition would fix that, but we have neither. Wireless lobbyists have the FCC in their back pockets, Verizon is suing FCC over net neutrality, AT&T wants all telecom regulation abolished, and for what? To control content, delivery, and monopolize the industry to jack up prices even further.
I have seen those studies as well. It's an incomplete study. There are countries with less than 3G speeds and charges 3x more than the US. Also they neglect the fact that the size of the countries that are cheaper are astronomically smaller than the US as a whole. So maintenance will be astronomically cheaper. Also they neglect to mention deals that has to be made to offer services where carriers don't have down pipes. Think about it for a minute, and stop listening to the propaganda going on. These "reports" only look at what's on the surface.
As for tablets, you are wrong there too. Tethering on tablets works the same way tethering on smartphones does. So if it's not gimped, it will serve the same 5 to 10 devices that hotspot on a smartphone will. Yet the pricing is inconsistent. That's what torques my gears. It's the SAME digital radio tech in ALL of these devices, regardless of form factor. Jetpack, USB modem, cell phone, tablet, new connected devices, functionally all the same yet pricing for data plans is all over the map.
Only if you turn on tethering which I have not seen a tablet that can do it without modification to the software to make it do so. I am willing to bet you a $1,000,000 to the fact if you give me a computer I can use 100x more data in 1 hour than I can ever do with a tablet or smartphone. Now you are adding devices into the argument. Tablets, USB Modems only allow only themselves to connect. It doesn't allow multiple devices to connect and in turn use more data. Jet Pack and smartphones allow more than one connection at a time. I don't see why the prices should be different.
Tethering fees are but a small part of the bigger problem with outrageous and inconsistent business models driven by investor demands rather than reasonable and fair prices for the consumer.
Honestly if you don't agree with the pricing why bother? Honestly don't getting the services will do more than complaining about it while fitting the bill. It would do more than regulation. We'll end up paying more taxes just to get those things cheaper. Did you know people compare Europe to the US and how expensive we are, but fail to realize places like Germany take 50% of your paycheck in taxes(Yes I have lived there). You know how everyone complains about taxes right now right?
But our regulatory commissioners are too weak-stomached, bought and owned by the corporations to do anything about it.
See just above
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YPYPYP

I just got my data plan in July, I was using a feature phone before so not sure how I can be on a grandfathered in plan. I posted my plan in response to a question below

YPYPYP

here is a screenshot of my plan. I have a 5gb corp data plan

YPYPYP

I have the 5GB data plan with corporate email for $50. I could drop down to the 4GB plan with mobile hotspot for $50 but then I would need to add $15 for corporate email for a total of $65. To me that seems like paying for mobile hotspot!

budone

I think the corporate email may be what would keep tethering from being included

YPYPYP

Why should that matter? the FCC statement didn't make any qualifications related to corporate data plans so not sure why Verizon would do that.

Thats also not what the rep told me, she said something like "well the tiered plans dont count only the share everything plans...."

I appreciate everyone's help with this. I am trying to understand whats different about my account that would exclude me from the FCC statement and I still cant figure it out. I would love for a VZW CS rep to help clarify things (if they even can)

Tidbits

It's like with laws. They are not retroactive. Washington State for example when they legalized pot. People who committed the crime before they legalized it are still in jail, or going through the legal process(they may get a lighter sentence) for the crime. It's like the building codes in Hawaii that after 1984 all homes must have a dual wall construction, but any home built before that does not have to have dual wall construction.

I honestly don't think the new pricing scheme they are charging you for tethering... It's astronomically cheaper with more phones on the plan than without. Too me it looks more like a bulk structure than a individual per line basis like it was before. I have 10 lines and I save over $100 than I would than on the old structure.

dimap52

Actually on the old tiered plans they don't "charge" you for tethering either. What they charge you for is 2 additional Gig of data for $20, and the line item on the feature list for tethering, 4G HOTSPOT PROVISIONING is $0.00.

So in this way, even the old plans "comply" with the new FCC rules. Right. As if 6 of one or half-dozen of the other makes any difference when it all comes down to dollars and cents.

YPYPYP

I don't think its the same case as its not like a law changed, rather Verizon was accused of doing something wrong the entire time and just recently settled. They were doing something the FCC said they shouldn't be doing so as part of a settlement all users who were effected should not be anymore. That is why I don't agree that the FCC should allow Verizon to pick and chose who is involved in the settlement and who is not.

Tidbits

yeedle13 wrote:
I don't think its the same case as its not like a law changed, rather Verizon was accused of doing something wrong the entire time and just recently settled. They were doing something the FCC said they shouldn't be doing so as part of a settlement all users who were effected should not be anymore. That is why I don't agree that the FCC should allow Verizon to pick and chose who is involved in the settlement and who is not.

Verizon didn't choose. It's doesn't work retroactively. If it did then everything would be affected no matter what industry or laws. Like I showed examples of above. Imagine you owning a 1950's vehicle then you had to comply with smog in California, or HSTA rules on driver and passenger air bags. So if you are still using the old terms they are not in violation, but if you are under the new terms then Verizon has to comply.

If you think in this respect... Let's say they did something completely in carriers favor and you were under the terms you would be exempt from those terms set forth after the changes. I guess that's when you'd be completely glad you were on the old terms and it isn't retroactive.

Verizon_Support

Yeedle13, no worries, I can address your concerns regarding the Mobile Hotspot feature for Smartphone devices. Our new Share Everything data plans include the Mobile Hotspot feature which allows you to provide a wireless internet connection for additional wireless devices. For example, a Smartphone can provide a data connection for an ipod, tablet, or game system. However, the data usage is debited from the data plan allowance. Click http://bit.ly/xdDajD for plan details. ^LH