Using own ISP as alternative to mMode/T-zone/etc...

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DKH - 12 Nov 2003 05:24 GMT

Can anyone tell me if it is possible to use my own ISP instead of the
carriers GPRS network as an internet provider with either a cell or a palm
type handheld.

For example

1) Can I use a Nokia 6800 with all of its features when I dial up my own ISP
as the internet link or am I stuck with the use of the GPRS network???

2) Can I use a handspring treo 270 or the new 600 with the "Blazer" software
and dial up my ISP to get data, or are they also forcing me to use the GPRS
network for data???

I read on the newsgroups that you can use either the IrPort or Bluetooth to
connect to a palm via a phone, but is that also via the GPRS network??? or
are you dialing up an ISP for data???

I had a Palm VIIx with the built in wireless radiotransmitter, I think it
used the "verizon wireless" network for data, but I never activated it. They
wanted 49.95 a month!!! I used a Palm Modem instead, dialed up my already
paid ISP and connected to the net with that and surfed with the "Blazer"
software. Now I know I could not do "Web Clipping" on the VIIx but I
probably could have if I had a IIIxe with the same set up. But that was no
big deal to me, I could check my email, view pages and do almost anything
with some limitations.

I think since the large amount of "Minute" one can get and the "Unlimited"
nights and weekends it can be more economical to use an ISP that I already
pay for. Instead of signing on to an additional "DATA" plan for an extra
2.99 - 19.99 a month. I understand that data rates may be faster on the GPRS
network as compared to the analog modem mode I would use. I also understand
that after the 24th due to LNP there may be data rates that are very cheap,
and other carriers may have ideas for "Free" data plans. ATTWS use to have
limited free service with the "Personal Pocketnet" but I was also "CUT-OFF"
by ATT a few months ago, and they have been trying to get my to go to GSM
before 11/24.

has anyone done this before??? Either with ATT or any other carriers or any
other type of devices Palm/Blackberry/Phones/Handhelds???

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Tony Clark - 12 Nov 2003 06:32 GMT

Greetings

> Can anyone tell me if it is possible to use my own ISP instead of the
> carriers GPRS network as an internet provider with either a cell or a palm
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> 1) Can I use a Nokia 6800 with all of its features when I dial up my own ISP
> as the internet link or am I stuck with the use of the GPRS network???

Not with ATT. Other providers support this kind of connectivity but I am not
sure who.

> 2) Can I use a handspring treo 270 or the new 600 with the "Blazer" software
> and dial up my ISP to get data, or are they also forcing me to use the GPRS
> network for data???

See above

> I read on the newsgroups that you can use either the IrPort or Bluetooth to
> connect to a palm via a phone, but is that also via the GPRS network??? or
> are you dialing up an ISP for data???

If you had a provider that supported this capability then you would get your
data from your ISP through a connection from your cellular company. Think of
it as a pass-through connection. You are not really connecting the phone to
a modem at your ISP. You are connecting to your cellular provider whose
equipment connects to the modem at the ISP.

> I had a Palm VIIx with the built in wireless radiotransmitter, I think it
> used the "verizon wireless" network for data, but I never activated it. They
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> big deal to me, I could check my email, view pages and do almost anything
> with some limitations.

You can still do that with ATT's GPRS service but it will cost you. ATT has
a 79 unlimited plan or other plans that charge by the Kbyte. It's a bit
pricey but if you need that kind of wirelees connectivity then you don't
have many choices. Supposedly T-Mobile has a cheaper unlimited GPRS plan.

> I think since the large amount of "Minute" one can get and the "Unlimited"
> nights and weekends it can be more economical to use an ISP that I already
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> has anyone done this before??? Either with ATT or any other carriers or any
> other type of devices Palm/Blackberry/Phones/Handhelds???

The data plans I have seen from other providers require a voice plan as
well. This is specific to the US, I don't know about Europe or Asia/Pacific.

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 13 Nov 2003 04:30 GMT

> > For example
> >
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> Not with ATT. Other providers support this kind of connectivity but I am not
> sure who.

Just about everyone else except AT&T! T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint,
Cingular (TDMA) and Nextel allow "CSD" (Circuit Switch Data) calls
that use your voice minutes. (Some include the feature for free, some
charge a few bucks a month over your voice plan.)

> You can still do that with ATT's GPRS service but it will cost you. ATT has
> a 79 unlimited plan or other plans that charge by the Kbyte. It's a bit
> pricey but if you need that kind of wirelees connectivity then you don't
> have many choices. Supposedly T-Mobile has a cheaper unlimited GPRS plan.

$20/month over your voice plan, or $10/month for unlimited WAP access
(which also allows access to most of the net through a connected PDA.)

> The data plans I have seen from other providers require a voice plan as
> well.

T-Mo has an unlimited data-only plan for $30, Cingular, AT&T, Verizon
and Sprint also do data-only (off the top of my head, they charge
around $80/month.)

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Tippi - 25 Nov 2003 19:20 GMT

"Tony Clark" <curiousgeorge1964@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> Not with ATT. Other providers support this kind of connectivity but I am not
> sure who.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> See above

Sorry I don't understand why it depends on the provider. Let me put
the question like this: "If I can connect Treo to my ISP, can I get
Blazer to use that connection instead of GPRS?" Also, "Can I use
Blazer with WAP and not GPRS?"
thanks!

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 26 Nov 2003 01:11 GMT

> Sorry I don't understand why it depends on the provider.

Because no digital cellphone manufactured on the planet Earth actually
has a modem built-in.

In reality, the phone can only send and receive data with a cellular
carrier. That carrier has to get the data to the "real world" either
by using their modems for you (called CSD or 'circuit switch data') or
by direct connection to the internet (GPRS).

Some providers do not have modems at their HQ for you to use, (AT&T
for example) so there is no "real" modem for the "pretend" modem in
your phone to dial out through. In that case you're limited to GPRS-
the only data connection AT&T supports.

Other carriers (Cingular, T-Mo, Sprint, Verizon) offer both kinds of
connections- CSD (slow, 9.6-14.4kbps) using your own ISP through their
modems or a faster "direct connection" (35-144kbps, depending on
provider and technology) that you pay extra for.

> Let me put
> the question like this: "If I can connect Treo to my ISP, can I get
> Blazer to use that connection instead of GPRS?"

Only if, in fact, you CAN connect your Treo to your ISP- with AT&T you
cannot. With T-Mo, Sprint, Cingular, or Verizon, you could.

> Also, "Can I use Blazer with WAP and not GPRS?"
> thanks!

WAP is really a protocol, like "HTML" not a connection. You mean
"CSD", and with AT&T, again, the answer is no.

T-Mo offers unlimited "WAP over GPRS" for $5/month these days, and it
gives to access to POP e-mail and virtually any web page.

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Tippi - 27 Nov 2003 03:29 GMT

elecconnec@aol.com (Todd Allcock) wrote in message

> > Sorry I don't understand why it depends on the provider.
>
> Because no digital cellphone manufactured on the planet Earth actually
> has a modem built-in. [...]

thanks, that's very clear!

> T-Mo offers unlimited "WAP over GPRS" for $5/month these days, and it
> gives to access to POP e-mail and virtually any web page.

um, I'm confused again, wouldn't WAP over GPRS give you only WAP
pages? specifically for the Treo, would Blazer work with this, or only
other WAP browsers like WAPman?

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Todd Allcock - 28 Nov 2003 17:25 GMT

> um, I'm confused again, wouldn't WAP over GPRS give you only WAP
> pages? specifically for the Treo, would Blazer work with this, or only
> other WAP browsers like WAPman?

That's what should happen, but thankfully T-Mo's WAP server does not
discriminate! For whatever reason (probably because they didn't think
it worth the effort/expense/trouble) you can surf any web page your
device allows, even through WAP.

My Nokia 3650 has a WAP browser, but when I connect my laptop or PDA
to it via IR or BT I can surf to any webpage.

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James Hardin - 29 Nov 2003 00:09 GMT

Some people have attempted to speed up the internet access on thier
SprintPCS fones 'vision' service, by changing the phone's internal IP
address information to point to a proxy server on thier home PC or to
a public proxy server. Most have reported that doing this does speed
up the internet as it bypass's sprint's pre-processing of the data -
however the down side is that they loose access to any sprint specific
pages - the Vision home page, short message and email pages. I don't
know if AT&T will allow the user to change the phone's IP default
gateway settings.

> > um, I'm confused again, wouldn't WAP over GPRS give you only WAP
> > pages? specifically for the Treo, would Blazer work with this, or only
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> My Nokia 3650 has a WAP browser, but when I connect my laptop or PDA
> to it via IR or BT I can surf to any webpage.

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