Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
Palmer5555
Newbie

I was told by a Verizon rep that to use the Droid X as a modem, tethered to a laptop or desktop, via  USB cable that you need a the monthly data plan at $29.99 plus another $39.99 per month to use the Droid as a modem. I'm not sure if this is correct or not since there are nnumerous sites that describe in detail how to do this for free, legally. Any thoughts???

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
runnman
Contributor - Level 1

I read it a bit differently...

 

$29.99 SmartPhone Data Plan plus $30/month when tethered.  More than I would care to pay!

 

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/mobilebroadband/?page=products_connect

 

Let me know if I am incorrect.

 

 

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
PJNC284
Master - Level 2

There are no free AND legal ways to tether (aside from the Palm Pre Plus).  It's one or the other.  Yes you can go the legal route and pay verizon $20 for 2GB of usage with the mobile hotspot in addition to the $29.99 that you pay for data on the phone itself.  Or you can go the free route but you're violating your TOS and don't really have a leg to stand on if you go overboard on the usage and get caught.  That said, I'm using the latter since I have the original Droid and Verizon apparently has no desire to offer a "legal" method. 

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
Palmer5555
Newbie

Hmmm, let me rephrase that. Yes, I do plan on paying for the unlimited data plan through Verizon and using the {edit for TOS violation} for the tether ($20 one time fee). Why Verizon needs to charge another $30 per month for that feature makes little sense. There are a few programs that I use, securities trading software, that needs a lot more screen area. I do have a wireless broadband modem for the laptop and it works fine but if I pick up a Droid X and use a tether this will save a considerable amount of $$$ per year since I can use the Droid X as a modem and a phone and have to carry less. I don't plan on stealing anything.

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
williewc
Newbie

its $20 a month for tethering, not a one time fee, and it only gets you 2gb worth of data on your laptop/computer then they start charging overage, where you are getting the 29.99 fee from i dont have a clue

 

 

you pay for your service and add in 29.99 for the smartphone data plan and another $20 a month for tethering, thats it

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
dirkbonn
Specialist - Level 1

williewc wrote:

its $20 a month for tethering, not a one time fee, and it only gets you 2gb worth of data on your laptop/computer then they start charging overage, where you are getting the 29.99 fee from i dont have a clue

 

 

you pay for your service and add in 29.99 for the smartphone data plan and another $20 a month for tethering, thats it


Yes, this is the way I understand it to be, the $20/mo tethering fee and the $29.99 smartphone fee we are required to have.    And keep in mind, a laptop/desktop computer can gobble up 2GB of data in a heartbeat.  Well, maybe not quite that fast but you get my point.

I figure the tethering will be great if you're going on a vacation/road trip/whatever and you can take your laptop with you and have 3G speeds wherever you are.  But you only need to sign up for the service while you need it.  When you return home, you cancel the tethering service and go back to RoadRunner. (Or whatever ISP you have)  Maybe that where the idea of a "one time fee" came from.

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
PiperCrab
Contributor - Level 1

That's what I was thinking as well dirk. I only plan to use the hotspot if I travel somewhere that I can't get free wifi or that I can't  get a VZW signal. I still think they should've included the hotspot feature in the $30 plan. Oh well.

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Re: Using the Droid X as a modem for a laptop or desktop
PacoX
Enthusiast - Level 3

You are still charged a data plan to pull down a 3G signal. You are charged for tethering to compensate for the extra devices your are powering with that 3G signal. Actually not bad if you compare it to buying a mobile broadband card. I always hate data caps though, especially when you are paying for an unlimited plan on one end but are data capped on the other.

 

Carriers don't include tethering into their plans because they are then potentially crowding their networks without being compensating for it so they can build that hardware to handle the strain. Think about how many devices the Droid X can act as a router for at one time. Look at how ATT has and still does comment about iPhone users crowding their networks in various markets.

 

The price of tethering is not exactly in the favor of the consumer, but their is a somewhat legit reason why its priced the way it is. I just wish it was unlimited.

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