Verizon Confirms Motorola DROID Tethering Add-On for Additional $30 in 2010 (Updated)
Verizon has confirmed that it will allow tethering on the forthcoming Motorola DROID for an additional $15 on top of the required $30 data plan for the device, pricing both device data and modem access at $45 per month. Verizon will begin to offer the service in 2010. Update: Verizon has clarified to PhoneNews.com that […]
Sprint to Ban Tethering on Smartphones Next Year, Other Plans Revealed
Sprint executive David Owens has confirmed that the carrier will ban tethering on smart devices next year as a part of its future smart device development plans. The ban will be placed on smart devices activated on the carrier’s current lineup of Everything plans. Other plans include Android OS updates for the HTC Hero and […]
Google Pulls Phone as Modem Apps, Doesn’t Block Other Sales Channels
Google appears to have taken its first anti-developer step following the release of the Android Market. Google has removed all phone as modem applications from the Market. These applications took advantage of a java/Dalvik proxy layer, which enabled a virtual network passthrough to a computer, or other device. This is a similar technique that iPhone […]
Preliminary iPhone 3G Tethering Plan Details Surface
Preliminary details have surfaced regarding the forthcoming iPhone 3G tethering capability which PhoneNews.com previously reported on. The plan will resemble the BlackBerry tethering option on AT&T whereby interested customers will have to pay an additional $30 per month on top of the $30 monthly charge for iPhone data access with a couple of caveats. The […]
AT&T CEO Confirms iPhone 3G Tethering Available Soon
AT&T CEO Ralph De la Vega has confirmed after months of speculation and rumors that the carrier and Apple will officially offer the capability to use the iPhone 3G as a modem. Speaking at the Web 2.0 internet summit this morning, the CEO confirmed that it would be available soon, but did not give a […]
Sprint Drops Phone as Modem Pricing to $15
Sources in Sprint are reporting that current plan holders are in for a discount. Sprint has dropped the price of Phone As Modem add-ons on new plans, to $15, down from the previous $40 per month. This appears to only take effect on current offerings; Sprint’s Simply Everything, Sprint Everything, and Everything Plus plans. The […]
Did the FCC Just Ban Phone As Modem Restrictions?
The FCC’s recent ruling against Comcast may have struck a powerful blow against carriers prohibiting Phone As Modem usage, or require more expensive plans to have such utility. Since carriers started cracking down on users who chose to use their phone as a modem, hackers have fought back. For years, we’ve chronicled ways to bypass […]
Where in the World is WMWifiRouter? (Updated)
WMWifiRouter, the tool that allows users to share their Windows Mobile device’s internet connection via Wi-Fi, has disappeared from the web. The tool utilized several hacks in the Windows Mobile platform, which essentially converted any Windows Mobile 5.0 AKU3 or above device into a Wi-Fi hotspot. The program was one of the first reliable methods […]
Verizon Starts Phone-As-Modem EV-DO Offerings
Verizon made waves with offering the first minutes-only 3G access with their NationalAccess network (using 1xRTT). Now, Verizon will offer EV-DO pricing that matches their aircard plans. Verizon has turned on similar tracking technology that is used in Sprint phones, and will deny EV-DO tethering to users that do not have the $60/unlimited plan on […]
Sprint Increases Phone-As-Modem Confusion (Updated)
Update: Sprint Business today launched their first TV ads promoting PAM as a part of their Mobile Broadband initiative. Sprint’s history of tethering has been extremely checkered. Sprint went from touting tethering with the launch of Vision, to rolling out Unlimited Vision and barring tethering. Then, when it became clear Sprint was not enforcing tethering […]