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Earlier this month consumer advocacy firm Free Press filed an FCC complaint over Verizon's attempts to kill offtethering apps, something the group states violates the conditions attached to 700MHz spectrum acquired during the AWS auction. Verizon says it was Google, not Verizon, that removed the apps. "Verizon does not block applications," the company said in a statement. Verizon may not have removed them, but they wanted them removed. A source familiar with the application take-down says that Verizon pointed Google to those apps as a violation.
So while Verizon blames Google for pulling tethering apps because they "were in violation of terms of service," it was Verizon who made sure that tethering apps were a TOS violation in the first place. Google's also culpable in helping Verizon and AT&T cripple phones and filter applications to force more users to pay additional tethering fees, and it's clearly another sign that Google's supposed dedication to openness just isn't what it used to be.
The Free Press, a consumer advocacy group, claims Verizon asked Google to disable tethering applications that allow users to turn their phones into mobile hotspots because the operators hope to charge extra for that feature. By supposedly disabling tethering, Verizon could manage an increasingly heavy data load on its network. As networks expand and devices grow more data-hungry, the demand on spectrum continues to grow.
For Verizon, if the FCC determines that the tethering apps are being disabled and rules to reverse this practice, affirming Free Press' case, it will mean the company will need to shrink its already tight spectrum margins and put pressure on a better, longer-lasting resolution to the problem.
By. Android Phone Tips
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