Verizon Official Tethering Coming?

MarysvilleMojo · Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 9:29 pm Post subject:

Just because Verizon does not support tethering does not mean you can't. If you can get your device to work as a tethered modem all you have to do is SWITCH your data features from PDA to the full Aircard data features. Which means it's more expensive, but you do not need to have both as stated earlier. If you have a full feature data plan you can tether and use it on the device. The 2 different data features have you provisioned exactly the same, it's backend billing that makes them different...

So the answer is yes you can tether if you can come up with your own modem drivers; all you need to do is be able to convince the rep you speak with to change your data features (thats the tricky part Very Happy

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Scott · Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:47 am Post subject:

So are you also implying that data limits are *different* between 'PDA' and the 'full Aircard data' features? Or is feature cost the only difference?

bpmcclure · EVDO User Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 55

I think I understand the issue here, but let me make sure. If I can get my device to act as a modem, all I need to do is tell VZW I want to be billed at the higher connection card rate for that data plan, and I will be legal and not in jeopardy of being cut off? Anyone got any experience with this approach? Thanks for the information, it was most useful. Bruce

mohlin · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 1:10 pm Post subject: tethering

They don't offer a $59.95 offer for 6600 and 6700. They don't support tethering for the ppc phones, only the phones.

Scott · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:54 pm Post subject:

Could be all about how you approach it for now...

Verizon's PDA device bluetooth features comparison pdf indicates that the VX6600 allowed for bluetooth tethering (and one would assume USB tethering as well). They don't specify data plans, just functionality.

Simply calling VZW support may be hit and miss, since wider tethering support is only now emerging at Verizon. Older devices must be re-configured to allow for it functionally (if that is even possible) and all the customer sales support/tech reps must be educated as to what works and which plans to use... not to mention that overall policy may still not be fully formed.

So depending on the rep you speak with, they may get caught up on whether the device supports it or not (even if you have tethering working) as well as which plan you're *supposed* to have. None of us probably wants to pay for both unlimited PDA EVDO data and unlimited EVDO broadband... so perhaps just the unlimited EVDO broadband is fair. Of course the rep will have to remove one and add the other... IF they can do this and/or know how.

MarysvilleMojo's post further up^ is very similar to information in this post in the USB EVDO device thread (which just adds to the info in this thread).

MarysvilleMojo · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject:

bpmcclure · EVDO User Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 55

Got this from our VZW corporate rep today, which seems to validate all that has been written so far. Maybe the CS reps are getting the word now so you an change your plan if needed.

Correct you can connect some phones to your computer and use it as a data card.

The service cost $59.99 to do this.

Now, if you connect it without paying for the service it will work but Verizon has a "new" program that scans all of our accounts and if they find out someone is using it without paying for the service then they will backdate the charges from the beginning and the customer also get a letter from Verizon that they have violated their contact and their service might be terminated. ((( This is just new. We just found out how to figure out who is using the service without paying for it)))

xenophon · EVDO Addict Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 2004

If it is $60/month to tether a phone on Verizon, it would probably make more sense to get a laptop card instead at the same rate. If tethering, you can't use the phone at the same time, if using a separate laptop card you can.

Sprint is $40/month to tether so you'd have to weigh if it is worth an extra $20/month to talk on phone at same time. Business users often on the road would probably still want a laptop card. In the case of Verizon, seems having a laptop card would be the better way to go in any case - but there would be the cost of the card.

tz1 · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:13 am Post subject:

They don't "support" tethering phones, but the servers at the other end really don't care or can't tell the difference between a VX8100 with Vcast and my KPC650 (at least if you edit the VX8100 file so it doesn't use the DUN login, but uses the VCast login for both). The VX1800 is not at all supported for EVDO tethering in any way but would work with either serial, USB, or bluetooth connection to my PC, but I only tried it to test how well EVDO worked for short time before I got the KPC 650.

MarysvilleMojo · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:45 pm Post subject:

MarysvilleMojo · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 11:50 pm Post subject:

dekips · EVDO Newbie Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

I called verizon today to add BroadbandAccess to my blackberry's unlimited data account, this was only 15$ extra.. after adding that to my account i updated the blackberry to 4.0.2 of the device s/w and download VZAccess_RIM.exe and it works like a charm. disabled Venturi and get 600-700kbit downloads. 160kbit-200kbit on the upload as well.

jasonkemm · EVDO Newbie Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 1

Here is the Support for tethering:

http://www.junefabrics.com/index.php

The program is PDA Net, works great on the XV6700.

Denali · EVDO Newbie Joined: 28 Aug 2005 Posts: 6