Legal implications of selling cellular data

[moose-en-a-gant]

Here's my thought: A person buys data, they have a quota, I'm talking about cellular networks. In any area, a tower or provider is more prevalent / stronger than others. What if, a person could install an app that allowed them to broadcast / be as a hotspot while getting paid per kb "sold". Technically I am not breaking the law am I? I mean that person 'paid' for that data. What is the difference between selling it to someone for money on their behalf (and mine) as opposed to wasting it on useless activities like browsing social media sites... ?

 

It would be an app that has both parties, "searching" and "transmitting".

 

What is "illegal" about this?

 

Aside from obvious problems like security

 

[requinix]

Likely not illegal per se but you may be breaking your contract/ToS with the provider, which could lead to all sorts of problems.

[Zane]

If you sell a good or service it must be taxed, at least in the US it has to be.  Therefore buying a bunch of data [quota] and then selling it would be not much different from buying a bunch of cellphones and selling them.

 

All I can tell you is that the data [quota] that you are selling better be bought at a wholesale price first or you're doing it all wrong.

 

Even if you do manage to buy a ton of wholesale data to sell. the usage of that data will still be subject to the policies put forth by the providers of such data[quota]

[moose-en-a-gant]

No it's a sell per use, kind of deal.

 

A person needs good internet, one guy, person A, has say cricket (me haha) with terrible service, and another person, person B, has say ATT (past me).

 

Person A opens up the app, and looks for people broadcasting...

 

Person B has the app as well and is broadcasting <- this is not like this of course to save on battery 

 

So, when both parties have "shaken hands" eg. "Do you accept to sell data to this person"... continue

 

Then person A starts to receive data from person B. Person B starts to receive money per kB used... ideally they both have bank accounts set up.

 

The problem is the financial aspect, does it actually make money?

 

And thank you for your responses, very much. It is nice to talk and not just disregard as "dumb" or whatever...

Edited January 11, 2015 by moose-en-a-gant

[kicken]

This is specifically for Verizion, but I'm sure all other companies have something very similar:

Customer Agreement

WHAT ARE VERIZON WIRELESS' RIGHTS TO LIMIT OR END SERVICE OR END THIS AGREEMENT?

We can, without notice, limit, suspend or end your Service or any agreement with you for any good cause, including, but not limited to: (1) if you: (a) breach this agreement; (b) resell your Service;

So while (probably) not strictly illegal, they would most likely terminate your service if they discovered you doing this, which if you're trying to make a business out of it they probably will.

 

There may be other legal issues though resulting from your selling services, such as taxes, regulatory fees, whatever.

 

As usually, whenever you want legal advice, ask a lawyer, not the internet.

Edited January 11, 2015 by kicken

[moose-en-a-gant]

Yeah it was mostly a curiosity as I'm not able to develop per platform right now, talking objective c, java, c# hmm...

 

Anyway thank you for your responses.