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Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

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Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#61

Post by arron61 »

msravi wrote: post #52
arron61 wrote: post #47

Why is this even a surprise? Why is everyone saying it's an open vs close issue? The TOS clearly states that apps that utilize high bandwidth is a violation. Google hasn't enforced this strongly but it is against their TOS. It's the same as in Google banning porn-related material. This is not anything special. Of course Gruber jumps on the course saying it's against their open nature, but please, at least most users…

Which TOS are you referring to? The Android Marketplace TOS? Could you please point to the section of the TOS that mentions this? I find it very strange that the marketplace would be concerned about an application's bandwidth usage.

(f) is deemed by Google to have a virus or is deemed to be malware, spyware or have an adverse impact on Google's or an Authorized Carrier's network;

Using the network's bandwidth to tether (since you didn't pay extra for it or is not authorized to) is deemed as having an adverse impact on the carrier's network.

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#62

Post by macrael »

gaius wrote: post #12

Isn't bidding without intention to actually complete the deal market abuse? It certainly is in financial markets. As in, jail time.

I don't think there is any evidence that Google would not have paid up if they had won with their low bid, they just had no intention of winning the auction. They were confidant someone would pay more. Is that illegal in financial markets?

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#63

Post by abraham »

sp332 wrote: post #8
JonnieCache wrote: post #2

The Galaxy S goes beyond tethering and has a Mobile AP feature which just turns the phone into a wifi access point that runs NAT in front of the 3g modem. People I know who still have 'unlimited' data plans have used this for weeks to provide internet to their whole household in the absence of working cable. I assume this feature is removed in the US carrier-modified firmware builds?

Yeah, I did that on Verizon one time when our DSL went out for a few days. I got a bill for $700 in overages. Sprint is better, it's about $30/mo. for unlimited (yes, actually unlimited) tethering.

Last I checked Sprint 3G had a 5GB/m limit while 4G is actually unlimited.

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#64

Post by sp332 »

abraham wrote: post #63
sp332 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I did that on Verizon one time when our DSL went out for a few days. I got a bill for $700 in overages. Sprint is better, it's about $30/mo. for unlimited (yes, actually unlimited) tethering.

Last I checked Sprint 3G had a 5GB/m limit while 4G is actually unlimited.

Nope, Verizon has a 5 GB limit, but I've had Sprint tethering for 6 months and they've never charged me an overage. But I'm not in a 4G market, maybe the rules are different there?

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#65

Post by [deleted] »

abraham wrote: post #63
sp332 wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I did that on Verizon one time when our DSL went out for a few days. I got a bill for $700 in overages. Sprint is better, it's about $30/mo. for unlimited (yes, actually unlimited) tethering.

Last I checked Sprint 3G had a 5GB/m limit while 4G is actually unlimited.

[deleted]

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#66

Post by abraham »

sp332 wrote: post #64
abraham wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last I checked Sprint 3G had a 5GB/m limit while 4G is actually unlimited.

Nope, Verizon has a 5 GB limit, but I've had Sprint tethering for 6 months and they've never charged me an overage. But I'm not in a 4G market, maybe the rules are different there?

Looks like the 5GB cap is for data only devices.

> 3G: 5GB while on network and 300 MB while off network.

http://shop2.sprint.com/en/solutions/mobile_broadband/mobile...

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#67

Post by joelhaus »

With any luck, Google has negotiated for something in return that will benefit end-users. Namely, that these carriers (ahem... Verizon) will agree to always offer the latest pure Google experience device.

Most likely, Google has negotiated something that advances better/broader net access over the long-term - as this would also align with their own business interests. It's difficult to believe that threats alone could have forced Google's hand.

As far as tethering goes, this seems to be exactly what the spectrum auction reserve price was designed to protect. Second, tethering apps can still be installed, just not via market. While this may be a minor inconvenience, I'm not all that concerned. Big picture/long-term, ubiquitous network access will be critical enough to the global economy, individual health and national security that it will no longer make sense to keep in the hands of private corporate interests within the current regulatory structure.

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#68

Post by Tichy »

rst wrote: post #24
Tichy wrote: post #10

Tethering is built into Android from Version 2.3 (or even 2.3), no marketplace apps needed. Anyway, I don't understand what Google is supposed to do if carriers choose to disable it. Maybe customers should be looking into other carriers if they don't like the way their carriers conduct business.

It was there in "stock" 2.2 as well, on the Nexus One --- but disabled in almost all carrier builds. And Google does have some leverage, if they choose to use it, in the Market compatibility requirements --- there are minimum requirements for both hardware and software if you want to get the Market, or Google's other proprietary apps. (Which, say, the Nook Color flunks --- no camera.) It might be a bridge too far for…

Not sure if access to the market is much of a leverage. I think most players in the mobile game seek to establish their own markets anyway. The phone makers certainly do.

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#69

Post by texas-saluki »

I think it is one thing for AT&T to not want to allow these apps but when Google blocks them based that I am on one network vs another is a problem.

In my case I have a N1 so not an issue as of now, but in the future rooting is the way to go...unless it is eliminated from the ASOP code.

Re: Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps

#70

Post by StavrosK »

shrikant wrote: post #42
seabee wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

€1 per gigabyte is pretty reasonable as overage charges go...

Only for reasonably numerate folks. See http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/2006/12/verizon-doesnt-know-... for a related horror story (Verizon and USA, but the basic point holds - you should understand what they really mean, and logic/reason holds no relevance!)

Tell me about it. My conversation was:

"Hello, could you tell me how much overage costs per MB?"

"The rates are very low, 0.10 eurocents."

"0.10 eurocents? Are you sure it's not 0.10 euros?"

"No, it's 0.10 eurocents."

"So 10 MB is one cent?"

"No, one euro."

"So it is 0.10 euro."

"No, 0.10 cents. Let's say 0.1 cents, for convenience."

"Okay, if it's 0.1 cents per MB, so 10 MB is 1 cent."

"No, 1 euro."

"But how can this be? 1 cent is already 0.01 euro, so 0.1 cents is 0.001 euro."

"Look, the rate is 0.10 eurocents. If you can't understand this, 10 MB is 1 euro."

"Okay, thanks. click"

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