Good News: FCC Tells Verizon To Stop Blocking Tethering Apps
by Joe White
August 1, 2012
For some time now, iPhone carriers have been striking out at jailbreakers using unauthorized tethering apps (like MyWi), and forcing such users to officially subscribe to a paid tethering plan. Though some jailbreak tweaks promise to hide unauthorized tethering from carriers, it looks like Verizon customers will soon have the option of using such packages without being charged by the carrier.
As GigaOM reports, the FCC has reached a settlement with Verizon Wireless:
that will allow customers of the nation’s largest wireless network to use tethering apps from the Android market, and thus circumvent the $20 monthly fee Verizon charges for using a phone as a mobile hot spot [sic].Of course, jailbroken iDevice owners will also have the option of using an unofficial tethering solution, to avoid the additional charges Verizon applies for mobile hotspot users. If you're a Verizon iPhone customer looking to take advantage of such a tethering solution, we'd recommend you check out MyWi. Though this jailbreak tweak comes with a heavy price-tag of $20. It has received regular updates since launching and provides users with an excellent means of hooking-up to the Internet while on-the-go. Just make sure you don't go over your monthly data allowance, because this will result in additional charges being applied to your account. Sadly, AT&T hasn't reached a similar agreement, meaning iPhone users using this carrier will have to continue working "above board" in the tethering department. There's always the option of dropping $30 on PDANet, which promises to hide unauthorized tethering from carriers, but some users may not want to take a risk with the high-priced tweak. For more information, be sure to check out GigaOM's original article. Source: GigaOM Via: iDownloadBlog
