Coronavirus "Support"

A few of the more technologically-minded individuals in my housing estate would like to provide support for our mainly elderly neighbours who are following the Irish Government coronavirus advice for them to self-isolate as much as possible. TeamViewer would, of course, be an ideal tool for such situations. However, I am concerned that, despite absolutely no payments or other benefits being involved, this might accidentally fall foul of TeamViewer's "commercial use" rules.

Are there any suggestions as to how we might avoid this situation?

Sadly, I do completely understand that there may be no good answer to this query as our activity might appear to be indistinguishable from a local support business.

Thanks,
R.

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Esther

Hi all,

Thanks for your posts and feedback.

Like so many other people and businesses, we here at TeamViewer took the needed measures to do our part to flatten the curve. E.g. we send our employees into Home Office and do the best we can to empower as many people as possible to continue staying in contact and staying productive from the safety of their homes.

If you have not read our FAQ yet, I am happy to share the link with you: FAQ on how to get started with TeamViewer during the Corona Virus Crisis

Also - as you were talking about the commercial usage suspicion, please let me cite from the article:

TeamViewer has always been for free and will be free for private use. In general, we ask users to buy a subscription if we detect a commercial usage pattern over a certain period of time. In the context of the global Corona crisis, we are refraining from checking these connections for commercial use. By doing so, we help individuals to stay safe and work from home in case their company is not providing appropriate equipment.

This doesn’t mean that we allow companies, in general, to use TeamViewer for free. We stick to our subscription plans, which are reasonably priced, and offer introduction level packages like our Remote Access product as well as attractive discounts for larger enterprises to make it easier for them to start with a secure, professional and convenient home office solution for their staff as soon as possible.

Our online collaboration product Blizz for online meetings with telephone or video as well as screen-sharing can be used completely for free for up to 5 participants.

Thanks again and stay healthy,

Esther

All comments

Esther

Hi all,

Thanks for your posts and feedback.

If you have not read our FAQ yet, I am happy to share the link with you: FAQ on how to get started with TeamViewer during the Corona Virus Crisis

Also - as you were talking about the commercial usage suspicion, please let me cite from the article:

Our online collaboration product Blizz for online meetings with telephone or video as well as screen-sharing can be used completely for free for up to 5 participants.

Thanks again and stay healthy,

Esther

Bankfodder

I have the same worries. I use it for private use anyway – but now there are additional people who are pretty well housebound and relying on their computers without computer skills.

Teamviewer has already marked me out as a commercial user on two or three occasions and I've managed eventually to get these markers removed. Most recently, my desktop computer – when I access it remotely is marked as "commercial use". Despite the fact that I have filled in the form and send it off several times over the past year, I don't even get a response.

I think we are in exceptional times at the moment and I think that the teamviewer staff ought to be a bit more flexible and responsive. I know it's difficult for everyone and I know that they're running a business but I think there is a general public interest now

JunkMailPC

These are difficult times for the entire world. People from all walks of life are being told to stay in their homes. This drastically increases the need for remote computing ...at least for a little while.

I have recommended TeamViewer to friends and colleagues for about 10 years now.

These past few days, I have recommended and installed TeamViewer onto about 10 new friends' computers. A few of these have gotten the dreaded "commercial license" warning and disconnect.

Please, please, please remove the "commercial license" heuristics from your product for the next few months. Give this gift to the world community.

There is simply no way I am going to babysit all these computers.

Your product just needs to work, no fuss, no hassels. And for free.

If you cannot do this, I will literally be forced to remove TeamViewer from all these computers and find another alternative.

I definitely don't want to do this. I think TeamViewer is the best remote computing product out there. But it absolutely cannot fail for any reason during this crisis.

So I'm literally begging you to remove the "commercial license" checks while a whole slew of new people start to use your product during this crisis. Make this a good experience, and they might stay after this is all over.

If you cannot do this in the next 1 or 2 days, many of us will have to leave your services. :-(

...I understand "**Third Party Product**" is a good alternative?

JunkMailPC

Due to a lack of reply, I have now moved all my friends and colleagues to ***Third Party Product***.

At very least, I think you should have replied to my earlier post. :-(

I cannot in good conscience recommend a product that may auto-disconnect just because it thinks it's found a cheater (when, in fact, it hasn't). Asking my 84-year-old grandmother to figure out why she got disconnected, wait for 10 minutes to try again, or fill out a form explaining she's legit IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE at this time.

I have been very vocal extolling the virtues of Team Viewer for many years now.

I will be equally vocal telling people NOT TO USE TEAM VIEWER from now on.

Hey folks, switch to***Third Party Product*** It's definitely not as mature as TeamViewer, but it's easy enough, and it's 100% free (they don't even have a paid option), and they don't randomly disconnect you!!

TVPalm

In the context of the global Corona crisis, we are refraining from checking these connections for commercial use. By doing so, we help individuals to stay safe and work from home in case their company is not providing appropriate equipment.

@Esther

Thank you so much for this. This is a big deal for your non-commercial users (and others) and I hope that people will remember your kindness when we get back to more normal times.

Regards,

@TVPalm

JunkMailPC

Thank you!! ...it was the right move, and will likely pay back dividends over time.

But even if it doesn't, it was still the right move considering the unusual circumstances we find outselves in.

TVPalm

Thanks, @Bankfodder

Hopefully TeamViewer will develop a better process for detecting cheats and so reduce false positives. Until then, I feel that it would be inconsiderate for me to guide elderly, non-tech users into installing TeamViewer knowing that there's a strong possibility that it could be blocked at any time.

singkcs

I think my case will make you feel better.

After I purchased a business license, I cannot use teamviewer as well. And, there is no support from teamviewer even I paid.

I end up browsing this post when I am trying to find a solution.

TVPalm

Ouch. Fingers crossed that someone from TV sees your post.