Carriers Block Wireless Tether App on Android Market

Major US wireless carriers, with the exception of Sprint, have finally blocked some tethering applications from being installed on connected devices via the Android Market. Although Wireless Tether requires Android users to root their handsets, it has proven to be a popular app, letting users share their cellular data connection with other devices for free.

This move on the part of carriers including AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile is not surprising considering their requirements that tethering users sign up for a special data plan. Of course these data plans cost extra money, which is the reason why some Android fans decided to install tethering themselves and use their existing data plan allotment.

Carriers frown on this behavior, and AT&T for one has gone after users for unauthorized tethering, automatically upgrading data plans when it can track down these users. According to Examiner, other apps have also been blocked on some networks including Easy Tether, PDAnet, Klink, Tether for Android, and Internet Sharer.

Although the Wireless Tether app can still be used, the fact that carriers are making them more difficult to find and install means they are starting to crack down on the practice. Carriers have moved to limit data usage by smartphone customers as their networks are struggling to keep up with demand. With more Android devices hitting the market, this trend is bound to continue.

According to Android Market, Wireless Tether makes it possible to use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections to share your mobile data plan with additional devices including notebook computers and tablets. Wi-Fi encryption is supported, and depending on your Android device Wi-Fi transmit power can be reduced automatically to save battery power. Settings for the Wi-Fi network including channel, SSID name and others can be customized with the app.