WebNetta: As a contributor to the “WiFi Tether for Root Users” app, what is the reaction the group had to the app being pulled by Google?

 

Seth: We were surprised, because we had hoped Google would work to keep the Market free from the control of cell carriers. This was one way that Google could have differentiated itself from Apple, but chose not to.

 

WebNetta: Did Google give you any warning before the app was taken down?

 

Seth: The first contact they gave us was a notice that it had already been removed from the Market in all countries. We were later given a notice that we had been restored in non-U.S. markets because T-Mobile and other carriers do not have a policy against tethering in other countries. Those are the only communications we’ve had with the managers of the Market.

 

WebNetta: What plans does the group have for future apps?

 

Seth: We have recently added Bluetooth tethering to our application, to allow for better battery use. In addition, we’ve included more information about data usage and other user interface improvements. This new release can be downloaded from our Google Code website. We each also have some individual projects, such as the Target game now available on the Market and a program in progress based on the jFlubber podcast helper.

 

WebNetta: Have you gotten any reaction from Google over the Tether Petition app in the Marketplace?

 

Seth: No direct contact has been made from Google to us after they reinstated us in non-U.S. markets. I believe this was due to community responses to our banning, but I don’t know if the petition was up on the Market at the time. We certainly thank them and others for the publicity and support.

 

WebNetta: What kind of response from the users have you gotten regarding the Tether Petition app?

 

Seth: We have read some of the comments on the petition’s Market page and appreciated the support. I don’t know of any direct communication from users because of it, but it definitely raised awareness of our work and the banning. User support after the banning has been quite uplifting and encouraged us to continue providing and improving the program.

 

WebNetta: How do you feel about your wifi app being pulled and yet the bluetooth tether “tether Blu – Free Edition” app remains?

 

Seth: According to that application’s description, it only allows users to tether a wifi internet connection and not the cell connection. While the new Bluetooth-enabled version of our program allows for this particular use, we aren’t willing to restrict our users in that way and, thus, we also allow them to tether their cell connection over Bluetooth. I appreciate that the author of tether Blu wants to provide this functionality to Market users, but wish that Google would leave Terms of Service enforcement to carriers and allow developers to provide as much functionality as possible to users.

Thanks again Seth for the interview. You can download and install the coveted Tether app from right here. 

Engadget’s Joshua Topolsky reported back on September 23rd of last year that T-Mobile’s CTO Cole Broadman said the following during an interview with Ryan Block:

When asked about what T-Mobile’s reaction would be to users creating tethering or unlocking apps for the phone, he was surprisingly even-keeled, noting that while the company didn’t encourage the practice, they wouldn’t lock down the OS or update the software to break those applications. Our impression was that as long as their use was relegated to a small percentage of owners, T-Mobile likely wouldn’t take action, though he did voice concerns over tethering apps and their effect on the network, with a clearly guarded eye to letting users have free reign.

So T-Mobile won’t lock down or break the OS to stop Tethering apps but strong-arming Google in to removing apps isn’t the same thing. Nice logic there T-Mobile.

Tethering apps and the network? First, T-Mobile now sells a USB 3G adapter you can use on laptops, so if they were so concerned about data usage they wouldn’t be selling the USB 3G adapters. Second, when I had Total Internet with my Dash I was able to login to WiFi at any Starbucks with my laptop, it was wonderful. I was also able to thether my Dash to my laptop via USB and surf around using Edge.

When I got my G1 they made me switch to the G1 Data Plan and only the G1 can connect to the WiFi (I found this out after being on T-Mobile support for an hour), no laptops allowed unless I pay extra for the Hotspot plan. To me data is data it shouldn’t make a differience if my G1 or my Laptop is sending data over my 3g plan I pay for.

It is like an ISP saying that you can only use desktops on your broadband connection, no laptops allowed. To me T-Mobile is just another data pipe to the Internet, I pay for service and I should be able to use it how I see fit ,on whatever device I see fit to use it on. This is one of the reasons I have and use the Tether App on my own G1.

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Seth Lemons, a contributor to the tether app “Wifi Tether for Root Users” has this to say:

This raises some interesting questions about this “open” platform. Android phones are supposed to be released for other carriers in the future, right? Does this mean that apps in the Market have to adhere to the ToS for only T-Mobile, even when other carriers sign on? Will all apps have to adhere to the ToS for every carrier that supports Android phones? Why is all of this enforcement Google’s job, in the first place? If T-Mobile wants to force people to pay for broadband plans in addition to their phone data, it’s their job to either make that attractive to users or strongarm them into it by, say, instituting data caps. Playing cop for cell carriers doesn’t really seem like the ideal way to establish credibility as a promoter of free software and a strong development community.

Aside from the issue of “authorized carriers,” there are some otherwise valid uses of tethering software which users are now being denied. One of the apps banned was for tethering Internet over Bluetooth. With wifi tethering, the Internet has to come in from the cell carrier, but Bluetooth tethering allows a user to connect their phone to a wireless router and then share it with a device that has Bluetooth but no wireless card. This use, by definition, can’t violate the T-Mobile ToS, since it doesn’t require their data plan at all. And that’s not even to mention phones which have been set up to use other carriers who allow for tethering.

To add to the irony, one of the folks who helped develop the initial tethering scripts works for Google, I’m told. Another Google employee has forked Wifi Tether, added Bluetooth support to it, says he and his office-mates use it on their commute, and has even given us a patch we can merge in when we get the time. I know they’re not any more responsible for this policy than I am, but it just makes me giggle to know that there’s an underground presence inside the machine. Hopefully they (and you) can help us push for a really open Android instead of the same greedy corporate power plays we see from other mobile platforms.

We hope Google gets the message that Android Market isn’t T-Mobile Market.

Related posts

• WebNetta Interview: Seth Lemons a contributor to the “Wifi Tether for Root Users” app. (0)
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• Rooted RC33 Posted, JFv1.41 *Updated* (0)
• How to Downgrade your G1 to get Root. (0)
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