Mobile Hotspot, free 'til 5/15/11

chimpsnest · Mar 15, 2011

Just noticed this little ditty regarding mobile hotspot: "Verizon said it will allow customers to use the mobile hot spot feature for free until May 15; afterwards, customers will need to pay an additional $20 per month (2GB data cap)."

Read more: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-19736_7-20043272-251.html#ixzz1GfzSBWRL

Will that affect our wireless tether? They are implementing a data cap? I'm confused. (what else is new)

Russ36363 · Mar 15, 2011

Sounds like they need some stress testers on the network. What better than the consumers...

chimpsnest · Mar 15, 2011

Russ36363 said:
Sounds like they need some stress testers on the network. What better than the consumers...

What about wireless tether for root users? Wonder if that will be affected? I don't think I'm supposed to even have that on my Eris, but I do, but I also don't use it a ton either.

Hmmmm

Russ36363 · Mar 15, 2011

chimpsnest said:
What about wireless tether for root users? Wonder if that will be affected? I don't think I'm supposed to even have that on my Eris, but I do, but I also don't use it a ton either.

Hmmmm

What's the difference between the two? I've always taken the two as the same, except that Mobile Hotspot is just the official, non-root version of the feature.
I'd be confused if it was anything else than 4G, but it seems like they want a lot of 4G usage to test stuff out. Or they'll probably not mention anything come May 15th and have thousands of users activate hotspot and get charged $20 for it.

Magicadder · Mar 15, 2011

Russ36363 said:
What's the difference between the two? I've always taken the two as the same, except that Mobile Hotspot is just the official, non-root version of the feature.
I'd be confused if it was anything else than 4G, but it seems like they want a lot of 4G usage to test stuff out. Or they'll probably not mention anything come May 15th and have thousands of users activate hotspot and get charged $20 for it.

The 3g wireless hotspot app from big red has DHCP functionality with an infrastructure wireless signal... so kinda like a wireless router.... vs. Wireless tether for root, which is an ad-hoc client. This only allows one device to connect.... thy is unless they have changed the app since I last used it 4 months ago.

Plus... imo... the 3g hotspot app is a little more stable.

So the big question for the hotspot users is ... the rumored unlimited LTE. will it be capped?.. will we grandfather into it when big red switches to tiered data?

Sent from my "I feel like force closing right now" DROIDX using XDA App

wes_s · Mar 15, 2011

I bet we can enable free 3g mobile hotspot like on the incredible by editing settings in the dialers hidden menu (i cant remember what it was on the inc, hopefully it will be the same on the T-Bolt)

julesism · Mar 15, 2011

Magicadder said:
The 3g wireless hotspot app from big red has DHCP functionality with an infrastructure wireless signal... so kinda like a wireless router.... vs. Wireless tether for root, which is an ad-hoc client. This only allows one device to connect.... thy is unless they have changed the app since I last used it 4 months ago.

no offence but well over 4 months ago I used Wireless Tether for Root Users on my N1 and my dInc and was able to connect more than one device. You may have tried an old/outdated version. I agree that it does have stability issues from time to time but I feel it is a much better app than the stock big red hotspot app.

Magicadder · Mar 16, 2011

julesism said:
no offence but well over 4 months ago I used Wireless Tether for Root Users on my N1 and my dInc and was able to connect more than one device. You may have tried an old/outdated version. I agree that it does have stability issues from time to time but I feel it is a much better app than the stock big red hotspot app.

Good call... your right... I did not have all the info on the wifi tether app.

It seems to me that the hotspot app also has way more overhead than the wifi tether app which automatically makes the wifi tether app a better call.... thx for the corrections

Just goes to show, you can't be right all the time.... lol

Sent from my "for no reason, im locking up on you" DROIDX using XDA App

andydumi · Mar 16, 2011

I wonder how they will treat this change. Because including the feature then changing it to pay is a change of the contract terms that might let people out of contracts...

Either way a free tether solution should be possible.

bkiminfinity · Mar 16, 2011

andydumi said:
I wonder how they will treat this change. Because including the feature then changing it to pay is a change of the contract terms that might let people out of contracts...

Either way a free tether solution should be possible.

my thinking about the contract change would be that there would be no specific feature on your plan allowing the mobile hotspot for the thunderbolt, it would simply be available with the phone to whoever gets it. therefore when 5/15 comes and payment for hotspot is required you would have to add the feature to your plan for continued use. i don't know all of the specific details but i know that for most contracts you can edit features without charge or breaking/editing the contract (e.g. adding insurance, increasing minute/text allotments, carrier-based gps services) and the only contract changes that are solid are minutes + data that is required. that is my $0.02 on that issue, not sure if there is solid documentation on verizon's policy.

i do agree that with moderate usage free tether is an easy solution to this.

chimpsnest · Mar 16, 2011

bkiminfinity said:
my thinking about the contract change would be that there would be no specific feature on your plan allowing the mobile hotspot for the thunderbolt, it would simply be available with the phone to whoever gets it. therefore when 5/15 comes and payment for hotspot is required you would have to add the feature to your plan for continued use. i don't know all of the specific details but i know that for most contracts you can edit features without charge or breaking/editing the contract (e.g. adding insurance, increasing minute/text allotments, carrier-based gps services) and the only contract changes that are solid are minutes + data that is required. that is my $0.02 on that issue, not sure if there is solid documentation on verizon's policy.

i do agree that with moderate usage free tether is an easy solution to this.

A promotional period, mmmm, yes, nice work VZW, well played

andydumi · Mar 16, 2011

bkiminfinity said:
my thinking about the contract change would be that there would be no specific feature on your plan allowing the mobile hotspot for the thunderbolt, it would simply be available with the phone to whoever gets it. therefore when 5/15 comes and payment for hotspot is required you would have to add the feature to your plan for continued use. i don't know all of the specific details but i know that for most contracts you can edit features without charge or breaking/editing the contract (e.g. adding insurance, increasing minute/text allotments, carrier-based gps services) and the only contract changes that are solid are minutes + data that is required. that is my $0.02 on that issue, not sure if there is solid documentation on verizon's policy.

i do agree that with moderate usage free tether is an easy solution to this.

Maybe. But it is being advertised as a feature now and its therefore included in the plan. And if that feature changes price, then that can be a breach. Much like the past few years with changing text message rates where people got out of their contracts.

If V puts the V hotspot app on there then its even further endorsement for the feature.

I gues well wait and see, but I agree, a free hotspot app for when i go on a trip once in a blue moon will be good enough.

chimpsnest · Mar 16, 2011

andydumi said:
Maybe. But it is being advertised as a feature now and its therefore included in the plan. And if that feature changes price, then that can be a breach. Much like the past few years with changing text message rates where people got out of their contracts.

If V puts the V hotspot app on there then its even further endorsement for the feature.

I gues well wait and see, but I agree, a free hotspot app for when i go on a trip once in a blue moon will be good enough.

Yeah BUT (there's always a but, lol), they are specifically saying that the hotspot is only free until 5/15, so I don't think it would be in breach of anything. Kind of like when you buy a PC and it has anti-virus or MS Office free for a certain period (maybe?).

Robertjm · Mar 17, 2011

What I might expect is we'll have a charge on our invoice for $20 and then a credit on the first two bills to offset the charge. That way we're charged from the get go.

bkiminfinity · Mar 17, 2011

Robertjm said:
What I might expect is we'll have a charge on our invoice for $20 and then a credit on the first two bills to offset the charge. That way we're charged from the get go.

hah, such an evil plan.....wouldn't surprise me if this were true though. it would be a safe way to avoid breach of contract while at the same time suckering in any tbolt owners who don't pay close attention to their bills. it's nothing new to charge $0 for something and then start taking money, as long as the customer doesn't manually remove the service. i think my bank offered things like this for free credit checks, free for a month or two and then it'll start charging, unless i were to call in and cancel the service. if verizon follows this it'll be up to diligent account owners to avoid unwanted charges.

Deleted member 2027727 · Mar 17, 2011

andydumi said:
I wonder how they will treat this change. Because including the feature then changing it to pay is a change of the contract terms that might let people out of contracts...

Either way a free tether solution should be possible.

This is a little ridiculous that more people aren't using common sense with this. You can't get out of your contract this way, and why not? You're clearly being told that you are being GIVEN this feature for FREE until 05/15/2011. Don't bother writing that date down, because the contract you sign probably mentions this promtion, then you'll probably get a flyer, an email and and ad show up in My Verizon clearly stating "4G Mobile Hotspot FREE on Thunderbolt Until 05/15/2011". You might even get a letter in the mail welcoming you to this free trial. Then likely at least 2 reminders as the free trial is about to end, likely mail and email. You might even get a text message on your phone. Then, on 05/15/2011, it's probably going to stop working and you will probably be told the new rate of 2 GB/$20 for the feature (and no obligation to keep it) and you'll be asked if you want to add it.

So if you decide to ignore this clear forum post that has told you, all the news articles and then Verizon's very thorough warnings about the feature change, then no...you don't get out of your contract with no termination fee. You get a medal for being cheap. You were clearly told this multiple times and it's nobody's responsibility but your own.

bkiminfinity · Mar 19, 2011

Just wanted to update this thread as I just got my tbolt and have news on the topic. I asked about the free mobile hotspot while my phone was being activated and the Verizon sales rep told me that hotspot is currently free for all tbolt users. Duh. But then she added that the feature itself isn't on anyone's plan and it is just purely free use for now. The catch is that it is only free until 5/14, and on 5/15 mobile hotspot will be A LA CARTE. Meaning that if you do not add mobile hotspot feature on the 14th and use it on the 15th, you will be charged per megabyte of usage at whatever Verizon charges, instead of the feature being automatically added to your plan. So lookout for that tbolt users and don't get caught on huge usage charges!

javawolfpack · Mar 20, 2011

I was wondering if anyone has gotten the wifitether to work or the other root/free tethering solutions working to test if there are notable speed difference between these solutions and the mobile hotspot? I think I remember reading that tethering via USB got better speed tests than the mobile hotspot. But was wondering if anyone had run benchmarks on the other tethering options? I'd do it but I don't get my TB till likely Tuesday.

erikjonpeterson · Mar 20, 2011

Wifi tether from the market works great on rooted s-off tbolt.

isdnmatt · Mar 20, 2011

I think every person should have the following added to their features. I'm not sure what they plan to do on 5/15?

Mobile Hotspot, free 'til 5/15/11

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