[jdbower#CB]

It's one of those tough things to actually justify. If you're a power user you'll probably get caught much faster and have a much steeper fine so it's well worth the $30/month to be legit. If you're an occasional tethering user like me you can just enable and disable the tethering feature on demand for $1 a day - it'll probably take me over a year to rack up the price of TetherBerry even at half off and I don't have to set aside an emergency fund for a huge bill should they decide to crack down. As an added benefit, official tethering works with Linux.

[IDsweetcheeks]

I just dont think its a good idea; because it DOES go against contract. We CAN figure out that you are tethering w/out a plan. It comes through as a different data frequence in the billing system.

Casual or Frequent user... doesnt matter. I dont understand why its such a burden to cover an additional $30 for the tethering anyhow...
I did the math...

Conventional BBA Aircard: device $99 w/ 2yr contract appx.
$59.99 per mo seperate line seperate chg.

Blackberry... no extra line, no extra contract, $59.99 data on berry, email, bbm, browser, tether. Same price right?
Cant one see where the bargain is? If you REALLY think about it.

I'm not going to say what to do and not to do... because then I'd be a hypocrite when I download an occasional song from limewire... just be careful about it. I wouldnt put it past VZW to cxl an account for fraudulent use.

[rosariorose9]

I bought it yesterday, but after reading all of these posts I'm not at all comfortable using it. Don't think I want to keep the app. So, how do I 'return' it?

Also, I don't see anywhere on the Verizon Wireless website the $1 a day 'option' others have referred to in this and other threads - only the monthly rate. Is there a VW site link anyone can provide?

Thanks much.

[cdf3]

It's one of those tough things to actually justify. If you're a power user you'll probably get caught much faster and have a much steeper fine so it's well worth the $30/month to be legit. If you're an occasional tethering user like me you can just enable and disable the tethering feature on demand for $1 a day - it'll probably take me over a year to rack up the price of TetherBerry even at half off and I don't have to set aside an emergency fund for a huge bill should they decide to crack down. As an added benefit, official tethering works with Linux.

Tethering on demand sounds like a great way to use the service if you don't really need it that much. Have you tried doing this to confirm that you was actually billed $1 for the one day you used it within a billing period?

[jdbower#CB]

Also, I don't see anywhere on the Verizon Wireless website the $1 a day 'option' others have referred to

The monthly rate is $30 (for personal users, I think business it's $15 but they pay and extra $15 for data services so it's a wash), but since you're not locked in for a month you can cancel it at any time. Pro-rated this comes out to be about a dollar a day (except for February when you may get hosed for a few cents )

Tethering on demand sounds like a great way to use the service if you don't really need it that much. Have you tried doing this to confirm that you was actually billed $1 for the one day you used it within a billing period?

I haven't checked, I enabled it for testing to get it running under Ubuntu when there was a first month free option. Even if you get an extra day tacked onto the end if you're a bit slow to cancel it, I'd probably end up using it for the duration of a business trip (maybe 2-5 days) so a few bucks extra once every few months won't break the bank either.

[vatothe0]

I was able to use BT tethering just fine under Ubuntu NBR fyi. Just needed an upgraded BT package.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[jdbower#CB]

I was able to use BT tethering just fine under Ubuntu NBR fyi. Just needed an upgraded BT package.

Same here under Verizon, for those interested in the mildly related topic I believe this is the post that walked me through it. Using BlueTooth over needing a USB cable was an added plus

[rosariorose9]

The monthly rate is $30 (for personal users, I think business it's $15 but they pay and extra $15 for data services so it's a wash), but since you're not locked in for a month you can cancel it at any time. Pro-rated this comes out to be about a dollar a day (except for February when you may get hosed for a few cents )



I haven't checked, I enabled it for testing to get it running under Ubuntu when there was a first month free option. Even if you get an extra day tacked onto the end if you're a bit slow to cancel it, I'd probably end up using it for the duration of a business trip (maybe 2-5 days) so a few bucks extra once every few months won't break the bank either.

Thanks for the response, but there would seem to be a HUGE difference between cancelling the service and 'toggling' it on and off at will. Has ANYONE successfully done the latter??

[rosariorose9]

By the way, jd, always find your post on cdfreaks VERY instructive...

[jdbower#CB]

Thanks for the response, but there would seem to be a HUGE difference between cancelling the service and 'toggling' it on and off at will. Has ANYONE successfully done the latter??

Turning it on is easy, once I connected I just opened up a web browser and just like when you connect to a pay wifi network it forwards you to a screen where you can sign up. Disconnecting I think is a call to 611 - it would be nice if they added it to the Verizon account app they wrote, maybe I'll have to download that and see if it's there.

By the way, jd, always find your post on cdfreaks VERY instructive...

Thanks, there's a reason I use the same username everywhere

[rosariorose9]

Turning it on is easy, once I connected I just opened up a web browser and just like when you connect to a pay wifi network it forwards you to a screen where you can sign up. Disconnecting I think is a call to 611 - it would be nice if they added it to the Verizon account app they wrote, maybe I'll have to download that and see if it's there.

I have to admit that I have no idea what you're saying. To what do I connect before engaging my browser??

[jdbower#CB]

I did this through Ubuntu by following the links above. In Windows you can probably just create a Dialup Network account to dial #777 with a username of [tendigitphoneno]@vzw3g.com (for example, [email protected]) and a password of vzw (but you may want to check on that, it's been a while since I've set it up). An easier route may be to download VZAM, the Verizon Access Manager which will do this for you as well as install any drivers you need. Once this is done, just open up a web browser and go to any page - you'll be forwarded to the sign up page.

[rosariorose9]

^^^

Thanks so much!!

[rosariorose9]

Spoke with Verizon rep. He said it can be done, but only on a monthly basis. In other words, even if I used it for only one day, I'd have to pay for the full month. He also said it could only be turned on and off by calling Verizon (611). I know that I'm missing something here - and it wouldn't be the first time!! Funny, I had no problem setting up Tetherberry, but I'm really striking out on this one...

[jdbower#CB]

Can't be positive about the pro-rating of the service since I haven't needed to do it myself, but it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't know about the web activation since I don't think it's an advertised feature. Now, whether VZAM is smart enough to know that you're not activated and won't let you connect is another good question but it's easy to test It's also quite possible that if you call again and get another person you'll get a different response - Tier I CSRs are generalists so he may simply not have much experience with adding and removing tethering. Or the CSRs who can be convinced to pro-rate the bill may not know much about tethering...

[Jim from NW Pa]

I wouldn't put too much faith in CSR....... They are great at fixing problems but wouldn't be my first choice for information gathering

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rosariorose9]

At the risk of totally showing my ignorance (if I haven't already done that), what is "web activation." Does that mean initial activation of the tethering service through the web (either by my cellphone or by my laptop) through the Verizon Access Manager?

[vatothe0]

Yes. When you connect to tethering without having it on your account, you are diverted to a page that offers to add it to your account.

[rosariorose9]

Yes. When you connect to tethering without having it on your account, you are diverted to a page that offers to add it to your account.

Thanks for the response.

So, if I understand all this correctly:

1) I should load the VZAM software onto my Blackberry (and possibly also onto my laptop?);

2) I should attempt to tether my BB to my laptop;

3) I will be directed to sign up for the tethering option;

4) Per jdBower, after signing up, I can cancel the service by dialing 611. That will connect me with a Verizon rep who may, or may not charge me for an entire month of tethering service.

How am I doing so far?

[jdbower#CB]

You're getting close! For #1 you load VZAM on your laptop, nothing needs to be done on the BB.

[rosariorose9]

You're getting close! For #1 you load VZAM on your laptop, nothing needs to be done on the BB.

You, my friend, have the patience of a SAINT! I should have been thrown under the technology bus long ago.

Anyway, I'll load the software into my laptop tonight when I get home from work, and we'll see what happens!

Still curious, though, whether anyone has successfully 'pulled off' the $1 a day gambit...

Thanks again.

[Jim from NW Pa]

Tethering is a prorated service... You pay only for the days you use it.

However you can only turn it on or off 3 times in a month

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rosariorose9]

Tethering is a prorated service... You pay only for the days you use it.

However you can only turn it on or off 3 times in a month

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Great! Thanks a million. That's the first concrete thing I've read on that issue.

Can it be turned off without calling 611 and speaking with a rep?

[Jim from NW Pa]

No. You must dial 611.

Also remember that its 3 times on OR off not on and off.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rosariorose9]

No. You must dial 611.

Also remember that its 3 times on OR off not on and off.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Got it. So, you could turn it on, then off, then on again...but not off again in that same period. Curious where that policy is published...

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com