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Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
31–40 of 146 posts
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#32The most important reason why this is a no-brainer is because of the 700Mhz spectrum auction. The open device restriction (or lack of restrictions really) was a key provision that google pushed for.
I'm sure some people are going to say the government is overstepping their authority, but in fact, they aren't. Verizon was overstepping their authority in this case.
Everybody has google to thank for this.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#33I'm on the fence on this one because it doesn't prevent going up on all data plans. Which will just increase Verizon's revenue and probably not cost them much. However, I'm not advocating price controls. But I know how to solve this. Someone needs to become the defacto wireless network that focuses on the network (reliability, bandwidth) and doesn't deal with consumers. Instead they resell to companies who deal with…
However, I'm not advocating price controls.
If what you're implying is that you believe in the ability of the free market to solve the problem, then first we would need free the wireless phone market.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#34Charging for tethering is stupid anyway, as people are just using the bandwidth they are paying for. The only thing I detest more is that AT&T forces me to pay for text messages that I didn't even want.
Agreed. So is Apple's charging for media feeds on an iPhone that I read over my own bandwidth, on my own device, from a 3rd party I have a private relationship with. Yet that stands somehow.
What stands? If the purchase doesn't originate within an app then Apple doesn't get a cut. They have put rules in place basically saying that the private relationship must have formed outside the app (no linking to buy pages), but that is different than what you're complaining about.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#35Does this mean that they can simply charge more for the base fee instead?
Now your bill will add another mystery fee.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#36The most important reason why this is a no-brainer is because of the 700Mhz spectrum auction. The open device restriction (or lack of restrictions really) was a key provision that google pushed for. I'm sure some people are going to say the government is overstepping their authority, but in fact, they aren't. Verizon was overstepping their authority in this case. Everybody has google to thank for this.
Of note... Verizon could theoretically still charge a tethering fee so long as no data was routed through the 700Mhz spectrum.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#37I'm on the fence on this one because it doesn't prevent going up on all data plans. Which will just increase Verizon's revenue and probably not cost them much. However, I'm not advocating price controls. But I know how to solve this. Someone needs to become the defacto wireless network that focuses on the network (reliability, bandwidth) and doesn't deal with consumers. Instead they resell to companies who deal with…
However, I'm not advocating price controls. If what you're implying is that you believe in the ability of the free market to solve the problem, then first we would need free the wireless phone market.
Exactly. I'm a huge free market proponent, but the problem is that the wireless spectrum is a public good/utility. As such, we the public should put stipulations on companies who want to use that public resource.
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#38What about the other carriers like Spring and AT&T?
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#39>> Telecom companies are government-granted monopolies. Why not acknowledge that it's already not a free market situation and cap the profit margin
Why not remove the monopoly?
Re: Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering
#40This is a no-brainer. As others have pointed out, this is a wholly artificial fee. You still have to pay for the data. They're just charging you for how you access the data. Basically it's extortion. Here's something that congress should do. Telecom companies are government-granted monopolies. Why not acknowledge that it's already not a free market situation and cap the profit margin that these companies are allowed…
Tethering charges came out of corporate and at the time tethering often significantly increased the data usage of the device.
And no you didn't always pay for data per KB plans often included tethering while "unlimited" plans charged extra.