The new T-Mobile 'unlimited' web access offer

Can anyone confirm when this is going to start?
Also, I am presuming the use of Skype is disallowed ... but does this also
apply to the 'Pro' option which allows a laptop connection?
Thanks!

In article <442d0112$0$4999$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, cmp@notvalid.com
says...
> Can anyone confirm when this is going to start?
> Also, I am presuming the use of Skype is disallowed ... but does this also
> apply to the 'Pro' option which allows a laptop connection?
>
>

April 1st officially apparently...

The consumer version has already started because it was accidentally
added to the "My T-mobile" options and some people have already added
it.

I've been told that the "Pro" version has no restrictions other than a
2GB fair use policy. However although several people have supported
(eventually) the consumer details I've only heard about the "Pro"
version from one person.

Steve.

Stephen Henson wrote:
> In article <442d0112$0$4999$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, cmp@notvalid.com
> says...
> > Can anyone confirm when this is going to start?
> > Also, I am presuming the use of Skype is disallowed ... but does this also
> > apply to the 'Pro' option which allows a laptop connection?
> >
> >
>
> April 1st officially apparently...
>
> The consumer version has already started because it was accidentally
> added to the "My T-mobile" options and some people have already added
> it.

What's the difference between the consumer and pro versions?

Does anyone know if unlimited web access can be applied to the SIM only
tariff?

Andrew Woodvine

In article <1143802334.828738.141960@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
andrew@woodvine.com says...
>
> What's the difference between the consumer and pro versions?
>

Again I've been told this...

Consumer version is £7.50 a month including VAT. Has restrictions
including no VOIP, P2P, no streaming and no modem access (laptops). It
does not have a usage restriction as such but the other restrictions
will limit the amount it can be used.

The Pro version is £8.50 a month not including VAT. Has no restrictions
other than a maximum usage of 2GB a month.

The wording about what happens when you break the restrictions isn't
quite clear but I believe it means you get several initial warnings
which if ignored are followed by speed throttling.

> Does anyone know if unlimited web access can be applied to the SIM only
> tariff?
>

I specifically asked about that (I've just joined the SIM only tariff
myself) and I've been told yes it can. I can't check under "My T-
mobile" for the package since I haven't got a PIN yet.

Steve.

In article <1143802334.828738.141960@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
andrew@woodvine.com says...
> Stephen Henson wrote:
> > In article <442d0112$0$4999$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk>, cmp@notvalid.com
> > says...
> > > Can anyone confirm when this is going to start?
> > > Also, I am presuming the use of Skype is disallowed ... but does this also
> > > apply to the 'Pro' option which allows a laptop connection?
> > >
> > >
> >
> > April 1st officially apparently...
> >
> > The consumer version has already started because it was accidentally
> > added to the "My T-mobile" options and some people have already added
> > it.
>
> What's the difference between the consumer and pro versions?
>
> Does anyone know if unlimited web access can be applied to the SIM only
> tariff?
>

Update... some info is now appearing on T-mobile site.

There's no mention of it being an add on bundle and no mention of the
"Pro" version at this stage. Some people have also reported that the
option to add the bundle has disappeared from "my T-mobile". That is
hopefully because it was added prematurely in the first place and it
will appear again tomorrow.

Steve.

In article <MPG.1e972577dcfc3eba98969a@news.clara.net>,
nospam@nospam.invalid says...
>
> Update... some info is now appearing on T-mobile site.
>
> There's no mention of it being an add on bundle and no mention of the
> "Pro" version at this stage. Some people have also reported that the
> option to add the bundle has disappeared from "my T-mobile". That is
> hopefully because it was added prematurely in the first place and it
> will appear again tomorrow.
>

Second update... the "pro" version wont apparently be available until
17th April.

Steve.

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 16:45:39 +0100, Steve Henson
<nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:

>In article <MPG.1e972577dcfc3eba98969a@news.clara.net>,
>nospam@nospam.invalid says...
>>
>> Update... some info is now appearing on T-mobile site.
>>
>> There's no mention of it being an add on bundle and no mention of the
>> "Pro" version at this stage. Some people have also reported that the
>> option to add the bundle has disappeared from "my T-mobile". That is
>> hopefully because it was added prematurely in the first place and it
>> will appear again tomorrow.
>>
>
>Second update... the "pro" version wont apparently be available until
>17th April.
>
>Steve.

I spoke to a T-Mobile agent this PM to get the new unlimited data
option added/changed on my account. But was told even though the new
Flex-T Web&Walk option is on the Web site for new customer account
orders they won't be able to add on to existing accounts till Tomorrow
the 1st.

I'm hoping I will be able to have it added to my account...

I'd been eligable for an upgrade for a few months, with no new phone
available that particularly appealed. I was holding out for the Nokia
6280, but then just a week ago when I found out it was only a S40
phone decided to go with the N70 instead. Seemed silly to have 3g
available and not use it. I went with the Flex-T 30 package with 25%
discount and 30 free Video Calling minutes per month for the 18 month
contract period.

When the phone arrived I decided it was not for me - also I was
planning on letting the wife or daughter have the phone - but was a
bit scuppered because their u-fix contracts don't support Video
Calling.

I arrange to return the phone - but said I'd stick with the new
contract as no doubt before long there would be a suitable new phone
available.

I then find out about the new unlimited data option, which I'd really
like - With that I'd be tempted to keep the N70 (the returns envelope
has only just arrived today).

Obviously I don't want to loose the free video calling (I've been told
I won't as it is on my account) and I don't want to loose the 25%
discount.

The agent has said she will call back Monday - keeping my fingers
crossed.

Steve Henson wrote:
> In article <MPG.1e972577dcfc3eba98969a@news.clara.net>,
> nospam@nospam.invalid says...
>> Update... some info is now appearing on T-mobile site.
>>
>> There's no mention of it being an add on bundle and no mention of the
>> "Pro" version at this stage. Some people have also reported that the
>> option to add the bundle has disappeared from "my T-mobile". That is
>> hopefully because it was added prematurely in the first place and it
>> will appear again tomorrow.
>>
>
> Second update... the "pro" version wont apparently be available until
> 17th April.
>
> Steve.

Thanks for that update, Steve. I could see the FlexT+W&W tariffs on
their website today but couldn't see any mention of the pro - fingers
crossed for the 17th! I certainly like the sound of 2Gb of 3G data at
that price - seems pretty reasonable.

Do you know if you need a special 3G-enabled SIM with T-Mobile or would
the one bought through the SIM-only page in the Shop do the trick? (and
just automatically switch to 3G mode when in a 3G phone)

One thing I was wondering - with their consumer version how will they
block laptop access? Do they just mean that only WAP sites will be
available on it? (which will be a bit rubbish if so!) Because if
normal HTTP port 80 is available for browsing then whats to stop a user
using their phone as a Bluetooth modem (as many of us already do)?

Cheers

Alan

hi mine has started today 7.50, per momth unlimited if your found using it
froma alaptop or p2p u will b restricted we will c
"me" <cmp@notvalid.com> wrote in message
news:442d0112$0$4999$db0fefd9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Can anyone confirm when this is going to start?
> Also, I am presuming the use of Skype is disallowed ... but does this also
> apply to the 'Pro' option which allows a laptop connection?
> Thanks!
>

In article <df-dnWrFRrsfHrPZRVnyiw@pipex.net>,
ajr@nnnnooooosppaam.alanjrobertson.taanyway.co.uk says...
>
> Do you know if you need a special 3G-enabled SIM with T-Mobile or would
> the one bought through the SIM-only page in the Shop do the trick? (and
> just automatically switch to 3G mode when in a 3G phone)
>

I don't have a 3G phone myself so I don't know for sure. The consensus
in the forums is that any recent SIM whether it is a USIM or not will
work with T-mobile and 3G.

Anyone know what a T-mobile USIM looks like?

> One thing I was wondering - with their consumer version how will they
> block laptop access? Do they just mean that only WAP sites will be
> available on it? (which will be a bit rubbish if so!) Because if
> normal HTTP port 80 is available for browsing then whats to stop a user
> using their phone as a Bluetooth modem (as many of us already do)?
>

No one is too sure if they can detect laptop access and the wording is
confused enough to not make it clear if they even do. Even if they could
detect laptop use various techniques such as running a proxy on the
phone itself might get round that.

I'd say the intention is to stop people going mad and transferring huge
amounts of data. As someone in a forum said "don't take the piss".
Presumably that wording was considered not really appropriate :-)

We have the current rather confused stuff which I'd say (with the IANAL
disclaimer) surely can't be legally enforceable. It basically says "you
can't do any of this plus some other things too which we haven't decided
on yet".

Steve.

How will they know if you're using a laptop? And does using the phone as
a modem with a PDA break the rules? Some phones are PDAs anyway, but a
laptop and a PDA both use the same methods of connecting so whats the
difference- how will they know?

In article <1144061561.14012.0@damia.uk.clara.net>, see@signature.url
says...
> How will they know if you're using a laptop? And does using the phone as
> a modem with a PDA break the rules? Some phones are PDAs anyway, but a
> laptop and a PDA both use the same methods of connecting so whats the
> difference- how will they know?
>

I don't think they can tell. The rule (and some of the others) are
largely there to stop people going berserk and downloading huge amounts
of data.

If in doubt wait for the "Pro" version which will apparenly appear on
17th April and wont have the restriction.

Steve.

Steve Henson wrote:
> I don't think they can tell. The rule (and some of the others) are
> largely there to stop people going berserk and downloading huge amounts
> of data.
>
> If in doubt wait for the "Pro" version which will apparenly appear on
> 17th April and wont have the restriction.

Am I right in thinking that the more people using GPRS in one cell, the
slower it gets? If so, we might see a lowering of the quality of service.

Steve Henson wrote:
> In article <1144061561.14012.0@damia.uk.clara.net>, see@signature.url
> says...
>
>>How will they know if you're using a laptop? And does using the phone as
>>a modem with a PDA break the rules? Some phones are PDAs anyway, but a
>>laptop and a PDA both use the same methods of connecting so whats the
>>difference- how will they know?
>>
>
>
> I don't think they can tell. The rule (and some of the others) are
> largely there to stop people going berserk and downloading huge amounts
> of data.

I believe the issue is not really to do with the *amount* of data, but
how constant the transfers are. An intermittent connection (ie.
download emails in a minute or two, read them at leisure, or download a
webpage, read, download another...) allows the GPRS time slots to remain
reasonably well contended. If you're streaming, or otherwise accessing
resources which keep the GPRS connection fully utilised, then the
contention ratio for the GPRS timeslots increases. One user doing this
might not be a problem, but by applying a policy where these practices
are in effect banned (not through a hard enforcement, but through
monitoring and probabilities) they have some ability to enforce it.

Using a laptop over GPRS is likely to result in higher GPRS
usage/timeslots due to the ease of multiple applications requesting
internet resources (multiple browser windows, email checking every
minute or two, radio streaming, Windows Updates etc).

As other people have pointed out - bandwidth is actually cheap - but
timeslots and cell resources are limited. I doubt a high data usage,
but at intermittent periods is a problem - but medium data usage for a
long period is likely to be more of an issue to mobile networks.

D

Any new info on this supposed 'Pro' version of web 'n' walk? I checked
the t-mobile website but see no mention of it...

Steve Henson wrote:
> In article <MPG.1e972577dcfc3eba98969a@news.clara.net>,
> nospam@nospam.invalid says...
> >
> > Update... some info is now appearing on T-mobile site.
> >
> > There's no mention of it being an add on bundle and no mention of the
> > "Pro" version at this stage. Some people have also reported that the
> > option to add the bundle has disappeared from "my T-mobile". That is
> > hopefully because it was added prematurely in the first place and it
> > will appear again tomorrow.
> >
>
> Second update... the "pro" version wont apparently be available until
> 17th April.
>
> Steve.