> Are Nextel iDEN phones only available from Motorola?
Moto is the only company that manf. iDEN phones.
> Looking at the Nextel Web site I see the following phones
> available (I'll omit the BlackBerry): i30sx, i35s, i58sr,
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> a) Support circuit-switched data calls?
Yes. You will need plan that includes CSD and time is subtracted from
your cellular mins.
> b) Emulate an ordinary Hayes compatible modem when used
> with a serial cable?
Yes.
> I have never tried Nextel's packet-switched data service.
> Can a (serial equipped) Nextel phone provide access to that
> service without resorting to proprietary software?
Yes, but you need packet data plan from Nextel that will cost you
extra in most cases.
> - Andy Ball
Andy Ball - 26 Aug 2003 03:06 GMT
Hello Dep,
DB> Moto is the only company that manf. iDEN phones.
That's unfortunate. I'll have to use what I can get I
suppose.
AB> Do all of these three phones...
> a) Support circuit-switched data calls?
DB> Yes. You will need plan that includes CSD and time is
> subtracted from your cellular mins.
Okay
AB> b) Emulate an ordinary Hayes compatible modem when
> used with a serial cable?
DB> Yes.
That's good because it gives me a lot more choice as to the
software that I run.
DB> Yes, but you need packet data plan from Nextel that
> will cost you extra in most cases.
I read somewhere that 'PacketStream Gold' was Nextel's
unmetered packet-switched data service. Will this work with
all of their 'Internet ready' phones?
Thanks for helping answer my questions!
- Andy Ball
Ken Levy - 28 Aug 2003 13:16 GMT
Regarding Packetstream Gold, yes, it will work. The service is basically an
implementation of Mobile-IP (as in Internet Protocol) which is what is used
for the browser service. Be aware that two downsides of the PG product.
One, it only offers a non-routable IP address, so you can go outbound
through Nextel's gateway to anywhere on the public Internet from the phone
and work once a connection is established through the gateway. A server
somewhere on the net won't be able to initiate a connection to you, though,
because of the non-routable address. Nextel does offer a routable IP
address on their Total Connect service (which is a metered, per byte sent
service). Second caveat, there are "terms and conditions" surrounding the
"unlimited" PG service. Nextel reserves the right to boot you off the
network if you abuse the service. Examples of banned services, high
bandwidth streaming applications, telemetry applications, etc.
> Hello Dep,
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> - Andy Ball
Andy Ball - 28 Aug 2003 14:03 GMT
Hello Ken,
KL> ...it only offers a non-routable IP address...
I think I would be initiating any connections to machines on
the Internet. Hopefully the 'non-routable' IP address won't
interfere with SSH, which I expect to use most.
KL> ...there are "terms and conditions" surrounding the
> "unlimited" PG service. Nextel reserves the right to
> boot you off the network if you abuse the service.
> Examples of banned services, high bandwidth streaming
> applications, telemetry applications, etc.
It will be nice when I can do videoconferencing and remote
control when I'm out on the road. At present I will mostly
be using text-based applications, with perhaps some light
graphical Web browsing on occasion.
Thanks for the observations, it's good to learn this stuff
ahead of time.
- Andy Ball.