FCC complaint filed against Verizon tethering

A complaint to the FCC, sent by reform group Free Press claims that Verizon Wireless is violating U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules by blocking users from using third-party tethering applications on Android smartphones.

"Verizon's conduct is bad for the public and bad for innovation. It also appears to be illegal under the FCC's rules that govern Verizon's LTE network," says Free Press policy counsel Aparna Sridhar. "Users pay through the nose for Verizon's LTE service, and having done so, they should be able to use their connections as they see fit. Instead, Verizon's approach is to sell you broadband but then put up roadblocks to control your use of it."

According to the Free Press, by asking Android maker Google to block third-party tethering apps, Verizon is ignoring FCC net neutrality conditions it agreed to when winning a large piece of mobile broadband spectrum in 700MHz auctions in 2008.

"Having lost that policy battle but won the auction for the spectrum licenses, Verizon has adopted a new regulatory strategy: simply ignore the rules on the books," says Sridhar. "The Commission must move quickly to investigate and stop these harmful practices."

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