Verizon deleted the tethering application for Android and took away the freedom of tethering from users, a fine of 100 million yen

ByDavid_shankbone

America's mobile phone carrier Verizon Wireless (Verizon Wireless) has requested that the application for tethering published on Google Play be deleted, and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) It will be imposed a fine of 1.25 million dollars (about 100 million yen).

Verizon Wireless To Pay $ 1.25 Million To Settle Investigation | FCC.gov


FCC slaps Verizon with $ 1.25 million fine for blocking 'tethering' apps - The Hill's Hillicon Valley


From 25th JulySOFTBANK MOBILE launches service of platinum band (900 MHz band)Did. This is because the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has decided to allocate, but in the United States at this timeFrequency auctionIt is done.Radio frequency auction done in 2008Verizon Wireless purchased 7 out of 10 licenses for Block C (746 to 757 MHz, 22 MHz width of 776 to 787 MHz) at 4.7 billion dollars (about 370 billion yen).

Since then, Verizon Wireless has offered 4 G LTE using this band and increased profits by quickly deploying services.

Verizon Wireless provided tethering for $ 20 a month (about 1560 yen), but Google Play (Android Market) offers an application that enables tethering without using the tethering application provided by Verizon It was done.

ByDoctorserone

According to Verizon's terms, when using tethering, it was necessary to pay additional fee and use our own service. Verizon argued that users who tethering are taking additional fees because they use more data than users who do tethering, but not only from users of data communication unlimited plans, but also from users of metered plans I was taking an additional charge (basic charge).

With the application published on Google Play, everyone was free to use tethering. Verizon Wireless, of course, contacted Google and notified you to remove this tethering app and the app has been deleted. However, in the auction described above, when Verizon Wireless purchases the bandwidth of Block C, rules have been stipulated that the company can not restrict the user to freely select a terminal or a service, and the application was deleted There is a storytelling by the FCC that things are contrary to this rule, and the problem came to emerge.

Local time July 31, Verizon Wireless reconciled with FCC. We paid a fine of 1.25 million dollars (about 100 million yen) as a fine to the Treasury Department, and withdrawing the deletion request for the tethering application above, I decided to practically recognize that tethering can be used without charge. It is said that Google is already doing the restoration work of the application.

By the way, since the rule that FCC brought this time was set at the time of auction to the last, it does not apply to AT & T, T-Mobile, Sprint Nextel which provides similar services other than Verizon · Wireless.