go ahead and write the free app if you think it's that simple. The fact that pdanet exists for a fee seems to say it's not so easy.

apparently ALL modern phones are built to provide to different network ID's. One when the phone uses data and another when a tether uses data. Pdanet and the various Palm and winmo hacks all somehow use the phone id.

Verizon is free to charge whatever the hec they want- if people dont want to pay then go to a carrier that doesn't charge to tether and have fun. It's how the free market works. They charge more for one reason- they can. People have been paying for it and not running to another carrier instead. As long as that's the case they will continue to charge and laugh at us all the way to the bank.

Really, I understand the sentiment of not wanting to pay VZW even more for something most of us feel should be included in the current service package.

However, just because some people indeed develop and give away freely their efforts for some apps, where did this ridiculous notion that everything should be free, and that 'somebody else' should go develop a free app for YOU (I'm not singling any one person out here, there are several who have expressed this sentiment).

What apps have you developed for any phone platform and freely distributed? When is the last time that you went and did a day's work for a stranger (not charity, anybody who has bought this phone is not destitute) and expected nothing in return?

If there's a free app for something, great. I use the old WinMoWIFI on my I760, but if not PDAnet deserves to be paid for their efforts for giving you a high quality option to VZW.