There is a way to circumvent the charge but it involves rooting the phone which is basically reflashing the operating system to use a completly open and unlocked version of the android OS. You then install a free tethering service which goes around the verizon issue. It voids the warranty however and you no longer have auto updates and can also go wrong screwing up the whole phone when you are reflashing the OS. It does work supposedly though. Don't know if i'd be brave and nerdy enough to try it out.