Tethering Option coming to Verizon droid in 2010

[webby]

I am carefully watching the release of the droid, and watching to see if the tech wizards manage to root it, as I have a rooted G1, and prefer the many advantages of rooting, including tethering. In that regard, I just read elsewhere that Verizon says tethering is coming to the droid in early 2010, in the form of a $30 per month option. Story here:
Verizon confirms Droid tethering option, hefty price tag - Network World

If I traveled a lot and stayed in chi chi hotels that charge 12.99 per night for wifi, then I would gladly pay the $30 per month, but I use my rooted G1 only infrequently to tether when my home broadband goes down, for an hour or so, perhaps once every month or two, and I never abuse tethering. So tethering is not worth $30 per month to me.

Anyway, I wonder, given this news from Verizon, if they will 1) try to block droid owners from rooting their phones, and/or 2) try to catch droid owners (who have not purchased the $30/mo option) using their phones to tether, and if they do, slap them financially or cancel them.

It is factual that in the past, on VZ's so-called "unlimited" smartphone data plans, if you went over 5 gig per month, they just cancelled your account, end of story -- pretty draconian. Whereas T-Mobile has a 10 gig per month limit, and if you hit it, they just slow down your data transfer rate, nothing more.

Time will tell. Should be interesting ...

 

[New2u]

The smartphone data plan truely is unlimited. The plan your confusing this with is the mobile broadband access plan, which the unlimited is capped at 5GB. But i have a feeling they will be trying to find those that do it, I don't think they will have much control over blocking the ability to do it or not, because you can just find another way around it.

 

[webby]

The smartphone data plan truely is unlimited. The plan your confusing this with is the mobile broadband access plan, which the unlimited is capped at 5GB. But i have a feeling they will be trying to find those that do it, I don't think they will have much control over blocking the ability to do it or not, because you can just find another way around it.

What is the difference between "mobile broadband access plan" and "smartphone data plan"? What device(s) specifically does the "mobile broadband access plan" apply to?

I have read several specific accounts of smartphones that folks had on verizon with so-called "unlimited" data plans. They exceeded 5 gig data in a month's time, and their accounts were abruptly cancelled.

 

[New2u]

If a normal smartphone data plan is cancelled because you went over 5GB, you can sue verizon. In their terms and conditions related to the smartphone plans, there is no limit on the data usage out of them. The mobile broadband access plan is used in conjunction to either tethering, or they also offer usb broadband card that you can use to get internet on for devices such as laptops and the like.

 

[webby]

If a normal smartphone data plan is cancelled because you went over 5GB, you can sue verizon.

Of course you can. But who in their right mind is going to do that? The cost of an attorney and legal costs would far outweigh any damages you could show. Ones monetary losses might be enough to justify attempting to recoup in a small claims court, if one wants to go to the trouble, though I am sure verizon would fight it vigorously, to avoid setting some kind of precedent.

For myself, I am just aware of that these incidents have occurred with VZ. I am also aware that VZ has a great 3G network. Every company has its pluses and minuses. It is good to be cognizant of these factors and how they might affect (or not) one personally before one picks whom one does business with. As always in business, caveat emptor.

 

[ieatscones]

revive this for no reason