Android tethering is back, just not for those in the United States

Applications that allowed Android-based phones to act as 3G modems were pulled from the Android Market earlier this week, only to be returned again to everywhere...except in the U.S. According to a report from a developer of one of the apps that was pulled earlier in the week, Google found that the applications were a violation of T-Mobile's terms of service.

But given the open nature of Android, and the operating system's availability on wireless networks other than T-Mobile, Google today brought back the tethering apps, with the proviso that T-Mobile USA users will not have access to them. Because (unlike with the iPhone) Android applications can be distributed outside of the Market, however, those users who want tethering can likely find the download elsewhere.