Google plays ball with carriers to kill tethering apps, violates spirit of the ‘open access’ it bid $4.6B to protect

[Commentary] It seems a few American carriers have started working with Google to disable access to tethering apps in the Android Market in recent weeks, ostensibly because they make it easier for users to circumvent the official tethering capabilities offered on many recent smartphones — capabilities that carry a plan surcharge.

Sure, it’s a shame that they’re doing it, but from Verizon’s perspective, it’s all about protecting revenue — business as usual. It’s Google’s role in this soap opera that’s a cause for greater concern. You might remember that Google made a big splash a little over three years ago during the auction for the C Block 700MHz spectrum that Verizon now uses for its LTE network, intentionally driving up bidding past the $4.6 billion open access trigger without really having any intention to win it. This isn't the first time Google has pulled apps (tethering apps, even) per carrier agreement, but it is the first time they've come dangerously close to tangling with the new 700MHz regulations as a result.