Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering

Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by thetabyte on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @07:11PM (#4320148)

While this is wondeful, ZDNet misses something huge picked up on Ars.

"The FCC concedes that Verizon may charge $20 per month for customers who retain grandfathered unlimited data plans." http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/07/tethering-apps-must-b...

So I won't be benefitting from this. The most ridiculous, bullshit part of all of this is that unlimited plans aren't unlimited anyway. They have "Fair Access Policy" data caps (5GB for Verizon IIRC) that are just like the modern plans with a tad higher caps. They just advertise differently. It's the same damn thing. And I don't get free tethering. Ridiculous.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by pasbesoin on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @10:11PM (#4320823)

Neither did they require Verizon to refund collected fees. Since this was apparently a clear violation of the licensing agreement (i.e. it was never "correct" or "permitted" under that agreement), I'd argue the FCC should have made them make the affected consumers whole.

Now that might have sent a significant message with respect to ending this kind of bullshit, and to deliberately -- I'd argue, maliciously -- pushing the limits of what they can get away with.

I don't know how many users actually knuckled under to these fees. But even it it didn't represent an enormous amount of revenue, refunding it would have been a nice exercise for their management and administration to undergo. (I don't care how much of a "hassle" it might cause them.)

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by MichaelApproved on Wednesday August 01, 2012 @12:37AM (#4321209)

"Neither did they require Verizon to refund collected fees.[...] Now that might have sent a significant message with respect to ending this kind of bullshit, and to deliberately -- I'd argue, maliciously -- pushing the limits of what they can get away with."

Your suggestion doesn't go far enough. If I were Verizon playing with these rules, I'd still try to collect fees. If were caught, I'd refund those fees and go about my business. No harm, no foul.

My point is that it's not really a penalty to just refund the money you took illegally. There must be punitive damages to make the risk of breaking the law more than just a profit or break even proposition. It should be a profit or lose more money than the risk is worth proposition for companies.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by thetabyte on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @11:09PM (#4320990)

This is an excellent point, and a possible opportunity for class action lawsuit?

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by ipsin on Wednesday August 01, 2012 @01:35AM (#4321326)

Sorry, class action lawsuits don't exist any more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT%26T_Mobility_v._Concepcion

(That is, if your contract includes an arbitration clause)

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by zecho on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @11:32PM (#4321056)

This is a certainty, I'm sure.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by mey on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @07:52PM (#4320342)

I always wondered if it'd be worth it to start a class lawsuit over "unlimited" data plans.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by vampirechicken on Wednesday August 01, 2012 @12:28PM (#4323866)

Class action lawsuits only ever really benefit the plaintiff counsel.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by mey on Wednesday August 01, 2012 @12:53PM (#4324044)

While I doubt cash rewards would be possible, simply removing the data cap would be an impressive victory.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by vampirechicken on Wednesday August 01, 2012 @02:24PM (#4324698)

I'm more interested in seeing that the new plans don't raise my costs for capped plan that provides the amount of bandwidth I need. If I use 2.5gb a month on my unlimited for 29.99 plan. if my wife uses 1.5gb, then the new shared everything plan raises my bill by ~20 dollars without adding any real value. I don't need unlimited talk and text.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by Ixiaus on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @08:02PM (#4320378)

Verizon is ending the grandfathered in unlimited plans though... (can't find the press release ATM)

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by ceras on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @08:14PM (#4320419)

Only if you buy a new phone through Verizon, I think. If you keep your existing phone, you'll still have an unlimited plan indefinitely.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by praxulus on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @09:17PM (#4320627)

I believe you can buy a phone elsewhere and maintain your plan too. It's the contract renewal that happens when you get a subsidized phone that will remove your unlimited data.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by melvinram on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @09:37PM (#4320715)

I don't remember the source on this but I believe that will only be true for 3G access plans. To use it with a 4G device, you'll need to upgrade your data plan and that means that you'll need to agree to the new terms.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by Rapidwire on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @10:23PM (#4320875)

That's not true. I have a 4G phone and was able to keep my existing, unlimited plan for the same price.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by ben1040 on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @09:37PM (#4320713)

You can buy one at full retail price through Verizon and keep unlimited, but there's no point in that when you could buy used off eBay/Craigslist and save relative to the $650 off-contract price.

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Re:Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi... by wpietri on Tuesday July 31, 2012 @10:28PM (#4320890)

Well, the point for me was less screwing around. My phone was dying while traveling, so I went into the nearest store. They in effect offered me a $400 subsidy if I signed a new 2-year deal and gave up unlimited data. I was happy to pay the full price to avoid that and still walk out with a new phone.

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