TM and Cell Internet?

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Scott Ehrlich - 13 Aug 2006 12:56 GMT

Verizon Wireless offers "backdoor" Internet access, and provides the
ability to dial any ISP for Internet access.

If I were to switch to TMobile and get regular handsets (non
PDA/Smartphones) what are TMobile's Internet options (other than their
hotspot service)?

I reviewed their web site, and it wasn't too clear for this request from
what I saw.

My plan would be to use a PDA via BT to the phone.

Thanks.

Scott

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 14 Aug 2006 00:26 GMT

I chose T-Mo primarily for the cheap data. For $5.99/month you can get
"T-Mobile Web" which is what T-Mobile calls unlimited WAP access over
their GPRS/EDGE network. With their proxy server it gives you access to
the web as well as unlimited POP/IMAP e-mail access. This is a port-
limited service, so you can browse the web, download small files (less
than 1MB) and get e-mail, but not stream audio or video, fileshare, etc.
For "away from home" internet this is good enough for me and a real
bargain for $6!

In addition T-Mobile allows "CSD" connections (like Verizon's backdoor, I
believe) which allows me to dial-up at a _very_ slow 9.6kbps if I need to
make a specific "non-internet" connection like a dial-up VPN to a work
PC, or need to bypass their proxy server for security reasons (i.e.
internet banking).

> Verizon Wireless offers "backdoor" Internet access, and provides the
> ability to dial any ISP for Internet access.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Scott

Signature

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Reply to this Message

Joshua Putnam - 16 Aug 2006 00:06 GMT

> I chose T-Mo primarily for the cheap data. For $5.99/month you can get
> "T-Mobile Web" which is what T-Mobile calls unlimited WAP access over
> their GPRS/EDGE network. With their proxy server it gives you access to
> the web as well as unlimited POP/IMAP e-mail access. This is a port-
> limited service, so you can browse the web, download small files (less
> than 1MB) and get e-mail, but not stream audio or video, fileshare, etc.

A tethering-for-newbies question: how do you set this up? Is there a
good FAQ or directions somewhere?

I have a V360. When I try using Motorola's phone tools "internet
connection" option, it tells me I have to be subscribed to a data plan
to get an internet connection. I have T-Mobile Web, but not an Internet
data plan.

For as little as I use mobile internet, I'd be happy to drop my $60
Sprint data card plan if I could get a slow-but-reliable tethered
connection.

Signature

josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>

Reply to this Message

Joshua Putnam - 16 Aug 2006 05:02 GMT

> A tethering-for-newbies question: how do you set this up? Is there a
> good FAQ or directions somewhere?

That was fast! Got two pointers to the Howard Forums T-Mobile Tethering
FAQ at http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=713383

Two or three minutes and it was working perfectly. Slowly, but
perfectly.

Signature

josh@phred.org is Joshua Putnam
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/>
Updated Bicycle Touring Books List:
<http://www.phred.org/~josh/bike/tourbooks.html>

Reply to this Message

Donna Becker - 16 Aug 2006 05:23 GMT

<That was fast! Got two pointers to the Howard Forums T-Mobile Tethering
FAQ at http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=713383>
I'm confused. I was told I had to pay $29.99 for the add-on data plan (with
hot spots that I don't need). Are you saying you can use your laptop with
the $5.99 plan instead of the unlimited data plan? DonnaB

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 17 Aug 2006 05:38 GMT

> <That was fast! Got two pointers to the Howard Forums T-Mobile Tethering
> FAQ at http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?t=713383>
> I'm confused. I was told I had to pay $29.99 for the add-on data plan (with
> hot spots that I don't need). Are you saying you can use your laptop with
> the $5.99 plan instead of the unlimited data plan? DonnaB

Yes, you can. There are some serious restrictions on the $5.99 plan,
however. You can't download files (including web pages themselves) over
1MB in size, and you must use T-Mo's proxy server, which slows things
down a little (on GPRS I get about a 20k connection speed, on EDGE about
80k.
Most importantly, most internet ports are closed, so although web
browsing and e-mail work, programs needing other ports, like some IM
programs, usenet newsreaders, streaming audio, etc. won't work.

But, for a lousy $6/month, it's a fantastic service.

Signature

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Reply to this Message

bruceR - 17 Aug 2006 14:17 GMT

<elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com>wrote:

> > <That was fast! Got two pointers to the Howard Forums T-Mobile
> > Tethering FAQ at
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> But, for a lousy $6/month, it's a fantastic service.

You can get to any web page using that plan if you use Opera Mini which is a
free download.

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 17 Aug 2006 22:26 GMT

> <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com>wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> You can get to any web page using that plan if you use Opera Mini which is a
> free download.

Which is fine for browsing on the phone. We were discussing connecting a
laptop to the phone for mobile web access on a PC. I'm pretty sure there
is no version of Opera Mini for a PC... ;-)

Signature

Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Reply to this Message

Donna Becker - 14 Aug 2006 00:28 GMT

<If I were to switch to TMobile and get regular handsets (non
PDA/Smartphones) what are TMobile's Internet options (other than their
hotspot service)? > You can get the add-on data plan. It used to be $19.99
for unlimited data. You can use your phone as a modem and T-Mo as the
provider - works great especially if you have an Edge phone (faster than
dialup) - you can start/stop it and it is pro-rated for the period of time
you use it. However, the last time I did this they said I had to get the
plan that includes the hotspots for $29.99/mo along with the unlimited data.
I do not use the hot spots but still it is great to use when traveling (we
RV) as long as you have a T-Mo signal. I have even used it with a Cingular
signal. I used a V600 with bluetooth - worked great. Good Luck! DonnaB
PS Get an Edge capable phone as the V600 was not Edge and the speed was
about the same as dialup. I now have the Samsung 509 with Edge but haven't
tried it yet.

Reply to this Message

Bruce Markowitz - 15 Aug 2006 03:00 GMT

I have the unlimited internet plan. I currently use the Moto V330 which you
can find on Ebay brand new for around $100
It is EDGE enabled, and works equally well with a laptop or my Dell Axim V50
PDA.
The speed is up to around 130K, depending on signal strength, and whatever
their network is doing. It is not fast enough to stream something like
Slingbox, but fine for browsing, AOL etc.

> Verizon Wireless offers "backdoor" Internet access, and provides the
> ability to dial any ISP for Internet access.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Scott

Reply to this Message