Verizon plans to disable the HTC Thunderbolt’s hotspot feature after what they called a “promotion” for free tethering ends. Tethering, the feature on smartphones that allow customers to use their carriers as internet hotspots for notebook, desktop and tablet computers, in the opinion of Verizon, is a service that is chargeable.
Many find the fee to be ridiculous, as some sort of backdoor way of charging customers an extra fee–piling on top of the relinquishing of unlimited data plans. It appears as yet another way for Verizon to skim money off the top. They are crossing a boundary. No longer does it seem like they have the customers’ best interests in mind. Rather, Verizon comes off as trying to increase their bottom line.
Tethering is a feature that every Android device is born with. To truncate the customers ability to tether, or charging them for the practice comes off as over the top. Many Verizon Wireless and AT&T customers feel that they’re rights are being stepped on.
Tethering in its simplest definition is a usage of data. Because customers now have to pay for that data, ranging from $30-$80 dollars for an allocated amount of bytes, they should have the right to decide how they use that data. Verizon and AT&T believe that they can charge the data you already payed for by adding an extra charge to Tethering.
