Tethering Apps Are Back, Not With T-Mobile
| by Spencer Gardner on April 2nd, 2009 |
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Well folks, it’s here. We thought Google would permanently deem the G1’s tethering abilities to be innocent due to its opensourceness and free-reign policy. Times have changed, however, and now it seems as though Google has hit their first “Oops! Not everything can be accepted!” roadblock. Recently, the Andwebz have been inundated by news that Google has blacklisted the tethering apps available in the Market. Following this news, Google has now restored the tethering apps to the worldwide Market – that is – except for those of us in the “land of the free”. Yes, you guessed it: T-Mobile isn’t digging the whole tethering game.
Is anyone feeling betrayed, right now? Just me? Certainly I never expected the tethering policies of a carrier to change simply because of a new OS. Maybe a little change would be nice, though. There are a couple of reasons I feel personally betrayed. The first is the fact that when I joined T-Mobile’s bandwagon, I thought that the T in it’s name stood for Tether, which makes perfect sense. I mean, who wouldn’t want to join a carrier that had hardware from HTC, software from Google, and was named Tether-Mobile? Reallyseriously?
Secondly, Tether-Mobile needs to realize that I am legitimately pissed right now. Me personally. And while I’m at it, I was talking to this Tether-Mobile rep yesterday about a billing issue and she really, really bugged me! Come on T-Mobile! I thought this was ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE. WHO’S WITH ME!? GRAB YOUR PITCH FORKS HEADPHONE JACK ADAPTERS AND LET US MAKE WAR!
[Editor's note: Phandroid.com does not condone any physical actions against the supposed Tether-Mobile party. However, Phandroid.com does fully endorse any and all complaints that can be filed to aforementioned party.]
[Editor's note: Hehe, and the editor didn't even write this stuff. I hacked the system, baby! I am writing this on my own! Ooh, and speaking of hacking...]
[Real Editor's Note: Spencer has since been fired for hacking the system. Hehe jk. Love, Rob]
1. robamay wrote on April 2, 2009
I’m with ya, Spencer. I look at it this way:
When I am at home or within range of a reliable and trusted wireless network, I take the burden off T-Mobile by not using their network. And an EDGE network at that. I am really disappointed that 3G has still yet to roll out here in St. Louis, MO.
You would think that TMO would be gracious enough to let me tether my laptop when I am traveling and not able to connect any other way.
2. Marcel wrote on April 2, 2009
I sympathize with your concerns.
Very funny!!! :)
3. Abu wrote on April 2, 2009
Google’s carrier specific blocking is also bad for the Android Market. Let’s take user X, who sees an ad for a really cool application they really want. Maybe it is so cool that they even buy an Android phone because of this one application. Imagine their anger once they try to buy the app, and it is not to be found in the Market because Google/their carrier has decided it is not allowed for said carrier. The end result is likely that the user will ditch the whole Android platform, and bitch and moan about it so much that a number of other people will come to the same conclusion.
4. Wayne wrote on April 2, 2009
I think what upsets me the most is that there was a mandatory 5 dollar raise in price to switch from my dash to my g1 and I could tether with the dash within the TOS. I live in an area where we don’t have 3G…it’s all edge so I would be on the same network as I was before. So I ask you what was the 5 dollar price difference for if the service is still the same. BTW, The market still allows me to download updates for Wifi Tether.
5. shoob wrote on April 2, 2009
I’m as much pissed as anyone else who got t-mobile. They make us pay good money 4 the unlimited data. WERE paying 4 it n I don’t understand that y think that they hav the right 2 limit sumthing that we pay 4 and is considered “unlimited”. That’s our money n we should be able 2 use sumtin we PAY 4 any dam time we want 2. They need 2 seriouly change some of those stupid policies.
6. Blank wrote on April 2, 2009
shoob: I have T-Mobile, and I’m not “pissed”. You’re paying for the right to use their network. If they want to limit you in any way, it’s their call. And nothing about the plan has ever been “unlimited”, aside from SMS. They may change it in the future, they may not. For all any of us know they have sound reasoning to remove the tethering app from the Market.
7. Marly wrote on April 2, 2009
I updated my tether app from the market today and I am on Tether-Mobile.
8. Tuan wrote on April 2, 2009
http://blogs.computerworld.com/why_tethering_is_stupid_and_unnecessary
9. Shompol wrote on April 7, 2009
They can not limit my rights to tether. They can limit bandwidth or maximum time or volume. But how I use it is none of their business, and it shouldn’t be!
Do you have a terms of contract for water in the shower? No, you just pay for water!
10. Yadda wrote on July 5, 2009
The T in T-Mobile is actually for Telekom; they’re part of the German company Deutsche Telekom, housed in Bonn, Germany. But the whole tethering situation DOES suck.