Google bans tethering app from Android Market?

Don't expect to find tethering applications on the T-Mobile G1.

(Credit: CNET)

Google has reportedly pulled a tethering application from the Android Marketplace to mollify its first wireless carrier partner.

Android, which Google says "brings Internet-style innovation and openness to mobile phones," will apparently not support applications that violate the terms of service of its carrier partners, namely T-Mobile in this particular case. Seth, a developer who worked on an application called "Wi-Fi Tether for Root Users," said Tuesday that the application was pulled after Google pointed out that T-Mobile, the only wireless carrier shipping an Android phone, doesn't allow tethering.

Tethering, the act of connecting your mobile phone to your Mac or PC to use it as a modem, is allowed by some mobile carriers with the purchase of an extra data plan but forbidden by others. Their concern is that data sent and received via personal computers could overwhelm a wireless network, but some carriers, such as AT&T, are fine with the practice so long as you pay extra.

Google's apparent refusal to allow a tethering app is also confusing since Android handsets are expected to be eventually available on carriers around the world, some of whom permit tethering, and unlocked versions of the T-Mobile G1 are available for use on any network.

Is Google planning to create versions of the Android Market for specific carriers, where some applications are allowed and some aren't? While that may be business as usual in the mobile world, it's not exactly the strictest definition of "open."

For years, wireless carriers have been denounced as the force holding back innovation in this industry, fairly or unfairly. And Android, as originally envisioned by Google, was supposed to help break down those walls and become "an unprecedented mobile platform that will enable wireless operators and manufacturers to give their customers better, more personal and more flexible mobile experiences," according to the press release that announced Android's arrival in 2007.

In the past, Google has wrestled with the conflict between creating a truly open platform and the need to manage compatibility requirements and balance carrier relationships. The company did not respond to a request for comment on the Wi-Fi tethering application.

[rapier1]

This is what happens when plans meet reality. Google, at this point, has to bend to the will of their only carrier. No way around it and still be a viable presence in the market.

[Allan Ziskey]

Guess I have no need to wait for a "good" Adroid phone now. It is freaking ridiculous that Google has caved just like most phone manufacturers...damn Verizon and their grubby greedy policies! To think I had hoped that Verizon would would carry on the great policies that Alltel held. It's so moronic that I can tether from my Motorola 815 but any of the "smart" phones out there want to lock me down. I may have to actually rethink the Blackberry option.... Bastards!

[Michichael]

The G1 is on t-mobile, not Verizon. Just an FYI. And it's Android. Load it via developer mode. Done.

[Stormspace]

Dude. Lady I know was charged .50 for transferring a ringtone via bluetooth on Alltel. I grilled her about how she did it, and she's 100% certain it was a bluetooth transfer. I've also seen that many of the Alltel phones are more locked down than ATT's phones, not to mention all craptel phones are CDMA and can't be swapped around like GSM phones.

[Synthmeister]

But, but, but Apple and AT&T and the other telcos are so evil, bad and nefarious for doing this and Google was going to be our Mobile Messiah come to earth in the flesh and now the iPhony prophecies of the Google's mobile minions are going all haywire and I'm still waiting for the four horsemen of the Android Apocalypse to appear and I can barely see two models so far.

Meanwhile the twin proprietary towers of Apple and RIM are creating more iPhone phantasms and Blackberry Balrogs even as we speak, threatening to overrun the entire planet and galaxy with their hordes of ever self-reproducing app-store-spawn.

Oh Google, bring forth a mobile OS king to rule them all, we beg you, we beg you.

[ibeetle]

I bow before you. You took the post I was going to write and made if far, far better. I would have made stopped after your first paragraph, but you really put whipped cream and a big ass cheery on top with what followed those first few sentences.

[Synthmeister]

Hey, and I left out the Zunified, flesh-eating WinMobile Zombies lurking around the edges of the kingdom just waiting to pounce on poor, unsuspecting, cell-phone orphans, widows and illegal immigrant software engineers.

[Seaspray0]

Bravo, synthmeister! encore! encore!

[Eddie-c]

ATT & Sprint are perfectly happy to allow tethering - for a fee, naturally. T-Mobile, again, demonstrates why it is last in the field. I dealt with these idiots in 2004 and they didn't even recognise the E-Sig act and wanted corporate customers to go to a T-Mobile store when dealing with liability transfers. (Sure, they've now stopped that asinine practice but, T-Mobile, you gotta get a clue)

[hellomad]

there is a project called build your own open source mobile/cell phone by some MIT student group. take a look there if you cant adjust with the so called butt smooching.... between corporates. they gives out the recipe of a perfect cellular phone DIY. but then again, if you are like those first got first bought then stick away from the open source GPL guide to make your own cell phone. again google is your friend. look for open source cellphone do it yourself. well, i guess its right, there is more than one way reaching solution, provided you know what you are doing. and frankly the process of building a cell phone is so difficult and pain in the ass, you may consider buying a brand new/used cellular device. good luck.

[Magallanes]

the problem is not the OS, Android for the case is just a linux distro with a special virtual machine. The real deal is to interconnect the OS and the hardware (drivers in a mobile scale).

[Maccess]

Some phone companies even promote tethering. They show it in their ads. How is Google going to deal with that?

So much for being an Open platform. I was looking forward to an Android, but since every Nokia SmartPhone with 3G and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Cable port supports tethering, I guess I'll have to stay with those.

[jfrankman]

Actually the cat is out of the bag despite Google's brown-nosing of TMobile. You can still install the wifi for tether by going to their website. Google just removed it from the Market, but that does not mean you can't install it. Google's action though cowardly is not that big of a deal. This is because you can't root your phone from the market either and this is required for this particular app to work. So those who are interested in this application will already be familiar with installing software outside the market anyway (its just a matter of clicking a link on their website). I use wifi tether, and it is really geared towards advanced users anyway since it requires you to root your phone. But there are other options out there from pdanet and others where you don't have to root your phone to use tethering:

http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=15039&news=Google+Android+PdaNet+T-Mobile+G1+Tethering+Software

Maybe I'm over optimistic here, but this is only a minor skirmish that was lost. This thing is not over yet.

[Androidal]

After few days Google allowed tethering app on <a href="http://androidfeeder.com/android-market/">Android Market</a>, but only for users outside the T-Mobile US.

[Bralda-him]

Odd thing is, I am on Rogers, I have the Rogers tethering plan, and yet I still have to root my phone...which can not be done at the moment...in order to use Wi-Fi Tether. HOW LAME IS THAT!? I have to void my warranty in order to use a service that my carrier offers, just because some carrier in another country gets a little pissy? Fracking hell! If I we can't get a root hack worked out in the next few weeks I'm going to tell Rogers and Android where they can stick their phone!