Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
yeedle13
Enthusiast - Level 3

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!

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
Ann154
Community Leader
Community Leader

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.

I'm most definitely NOT a VZW employee. If a post answered your question, please mark it as the answer.

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
Tidbits
Legend

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.

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
budone
Legend

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

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
dimap52
Specialist - Level 1

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.

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
Tidbits
Legend

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.

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
budone
Legend

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

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
dimap52
Specialist - Level 1

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.  

. , 

Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
Tidbits
Legend

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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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
yeedle13
Enthusiast - Level 3

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

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Re: Mobile Hotspot on Tiered Data Plan
yeedle13
Enthusiast - Level 3

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

vzw.JPG

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