Android 2.2 Froyo: Nexus One and Motorola Droid Free Tethering?

By Alan Ng

21 May, 2010 Cell Phone Information, Cell Phones 4:40 am

One of the best things about Google’s new Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, is that it comes with support for tethering and wireless hotspot abilities. We have a report for you to read now, which hints that free tethering may be available for some handsets.

As reported from Phandroid, we have now learned that the support of tethering within Android 2.2 handsets will be down to the carrier. They will be in charge in terms of fees, although Phandroid states that the Nexus One and Motorola Droid could get free tethering support since they are directly tied to Google Experience.

A particularly worrying fact for consumers though, is that carriers have the ability to disable tethering on 2.2 if they so wish to do so.

While tethering is obviously a great addition, you should expect it to come at high costs per month. Let us know your thoughts on this.

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Android 2.2 Froyo

Michael

I hope Verizon doesn't end up being douche bags by disabling tethering on the Motorola Droid or by charging for it in the 1st place…. (holding breath)…
- Ed
  
  While I think it would suck for a cell company to stop tethering or to charge for it……well too much for it anyway. One thing people have to remember is that the phone maker (HTC, Motorola, Nokia, etc.) or Operating System (MS Mobile, Android, Symbian, etc.) is not the phone company and Google, while super heavily influentuial is not the cell phone company either. I wouldn’t be so quick to blame the OS or the manufacturer. The actual cell company can, if it wants, charge for activity carried on its network. Target your frustration where it belongs…..at the cell company. Way too easy to blame Google or the manufactuer or the OS configuration. Plus, be realistic, why shouldn’t a cell company be able to charge some fee for using it’s bandwith or even give it away free if they want. Just because a phone can do something doesn’t mean it should be free. I hope it is though.
  - eskion
    
    If they mess with tethering in 2.2, I will stick with my rooted 2.1 with free tethering until 2.2 is rooted, and verizon can eat me. They shouldn’t limit our phones capability because they want to be douchebags
    - nitrofumes
      
      You read my mind bro
Wahmuk

It'll sell more phones and win them more customers if they don't screw it up.
Povl

Well, carriers did previously say that they didn’t just want to act as data pipes. I guess we can all see what they actually want: Added value. For themselves, obviously!

We have already seen ISPs and carriers try to put extra taxation on MSN instant messages, and deliberately disrupt VoIP, to eliminate competition.

As consumer, all you can do is to “vote with your feet”: Move to a carrier with more reasonable terms and conditions. Complain about this, spend as much time and resources as you possibly can on their help lines.
jeff

i pray they dont block it thats my only means of internet for right now
Arrow

So Google are now following Apple's mistakes. Worst thing they did was make iPhone tethering chargable by the operator…
- John
  
  Uh, you're not reading this very thoroughly friend, Google is the one making it possible to tether in the first place…its the carriers that have the right/ability to charge/block at their discretion.
  There is no point in blaming Google when it's not even up to them.
  - Whitefire
    
    Lol, amen brother.
- RJ Moore
  
  the iphone never had tethering…unless you jailbrake it and then you still have to pay for it
valvin

Will you be able to tether your moto droid with an apple macbook pro?
- nissanpimpsa
  
  Yes my moto droid is rooted and I have both the wired tether and the wifi tether(wireless hotspot) and when I was at school using the wifi tether (my first time using it) I hadn’t put a password on it and a mac book pro connected to my phones wifi and I got mad so I booted him from it haha .
  
  SIDE NOTE: I also have had 4 computers(2 computers/ 2 laptops) and 1 I-Touch connected VIA wireless tether & 1 laptop connected VIA USB tether & my droid on the internet… all had internet & suprisingly(*sp??) Fast considering how many computers were connected all on 1 3g phone
  
  The DROID is the worlds greatest intellegent phone(IMO)!!!
http://www.facebook.com/Ryan57ford Ryan Chapman

Its funny, because if your like me and are running a custom rom on your droid (currently running the ultimate droid rom) you already have free WIFI tethering, I use it all the time, and its free…

For anyone running a stock droid, you have no idea all the tons of things your missing out on…
- DynamicLynk
  
  Cyanogen ftw or Bugless beast.
Droidsburnapples

WE SIGNED A CONTRACT THAT SAYS HAS AN UNLIMITED DATA PACKAGE, IF THEY CHARGE FOR THE THETHERING MONTHLY AND NOT THE APPS LIKE THE DEVELOPERS DO THEY WILL LOSE A LOT OF PEOPLE AS CUSTOMERS.
- http://lukenova.com Lucas
  
  Actually, you signed a contract that said you had 5gb of data, more than likely…
  - Aric
    
    Incorrect, it's actually unlimited… Looking at my account, it states the following:
    
    559,589.64 of Unlimited data used
Epell

1. Nexus One is getting stock android upgrade with tethering.

2. The service providers do not have ways to distinguish between tethering traffic and phone-web traffic.

3. T-mobile does not have control over the OS of Nexus One.

4. A wireless company with free tethering will have definite advantage over those who do not have free tethering.

I’m beginning to think that google’s push for Nexus One was in anticipation of event such as this.

I gotta say, the guys at google do plan two steps ahead.
Dwayne

if you’re already paying for unlimited data, what does it matter if that data goes TO your phone or THROUGH it to a laptop or netbook? I think that’s double billing us if they charge for tether… and that’s ghetto wrong! besides the ability to tether a 2.1 Droid already exists with PDANET in the market
- Dwayne
  
  and remember it was Verizon itself that entered into an exclusivity agreement with Skype… with that, and/or Google Voice, and tether… why pay for anything other than a data package… Google may single handedly bring down and make extinct the phone companies!!
Bryan

Verizon has had tethering available on other models of their phones in the past, and they have always charged for it. You currently pay $30 a month for an unlimited data plan for your mobile phone. However, if you want a wireless card for your laptop you pay $60.00 a month for 5 Gigs. In the past the charge for thethering was simply the difference in these two prices, essentially $30.00. Otherwise noone would by their data plans. The one drawback to tethering with verizon is still the inability to use data features and voice features simultaneously however.
- Chris
  
  HOWEVER….the Palm Pre Plus has free wifi tethering now (unlimited) so there is a glimmer of hope haha
spary

Moto plans to update its phones to 2.1 first… what the heck?? How stupid! http://briefmobile.com/motorola-upgrading-phones-…