Confusion about Cingular Media Net unlimited

Hi,

My business partner went to buy a V551 phone today with
Media Net unlimited. We were under the impression
internet access was not tied to the rate plan minutes.
A cingular 'data' person was in the store and told
him internet access time came out of the plan minutes.
This is contrary to the Cingular FAQ. We are in South
Carolina..and not sure whether this guy knew what he was
talking about. But my partner punted on the phone until
we can determine the facts. Any of you care to enlighten us?

TIA.

---

› See More: Confusion about Cingular Media Net unlimited

The sales person was wrong. All data on Cingular is billed by data
rates of kilobytes not by plan minutes. Here is a link to Cingular's
web page that describes media net. Also if you want Media net you will
need to sign up for a voice plan. If you just want data you might just
want to look at a data card with a data plan.

https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_faqs#faq1

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 19 Sep 2005
20:00:29 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

> My business partner went to buy a V551 phone today with
> Media Net unlimited. We were under the impression
> internet access was not tied to the rate plan minutes.
> A cingular 'data' person was in the store and told
> him internet access time came out of the plan minutes.
> This is contrary to the Cingular FAQ. We are in South
> Carolina..and not sure whether this guy knew what he was
> talking about. But my partner punted on the phone until
> we can determine the facts. Any of you care to enlighten us?

Yes for CSD. No for GPRS.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 19 Sep 2005
22:38:47 -0700, "Wirelessjuan" <[email protected]> wrote:

>The sales person was wrong. All data on Cingular is billed by data
>rates of kilobytes not by plan minutes. Here is a link to Cingular's
>web page that describes media net. Also if you want Media net you will
>need to sign up for a voice plan. If you just want data you might just
>want to look at a data card with a data plan.
>
>https://www.cingular.com/media/media_net_faqs#faq1

CSD comes out of plan minutes. GPRS does not.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

"John Navas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <[email protected]> on 19 Sep 2005
> 20:00:29 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>
> > My business partner went to buy a V551 phone today with
> > Media Net unlimited. We were under the impression
> > internet access was not tied to the rate plan minutes.
> > A cingular 'data' person was in the store and told
> > him internet access time came out of the plan minutes.
> > This is contrary to the Cingular FAQ. We are in South
> > Carolina..and not sure whether this guy knew what he was
> > talking about. But my partner punted on the phone until
> > we can determine the facts. Any of you care to enlighten us?
>
> Yes for CSD. No for GPRS.
>
> --
> Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
> John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

John is correct here. But in case you don't know a CSD from a GPRS let me
explain.
CSD is circuit switch data. You are actually using your phone as a modem to
dial into an ISP (whether Cingular or anyone else). This usage can go
against your bucket of minutes and then be billed @ $ 0.40/per minute after.

GPRS is the other "internet service" that you have on your phone that does
not dial into anything but is actually similar to a computer being "on" a
network. This usage is bill by the amount of data transferred (by the
kilobyte).

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sat, 24 Sep 2005 00:07:43
GMT, "Cliff" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"John Navas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> In <[email protected]> on 19 Sep 2005
>> 20:00:29 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>>
>> > My business partner went to buy a V551 phone today with
>> > Media Net unlimited. We were under the impression
>> > internet access was not tied to the rate plan minutes.
>> > A cingular 'data' person was in the store and told
>> > him internet access time came out of the plan minutes.
>> > This is contrary to the Cingular FAQ. We are in South
>> > Carolina..and not sure whether this guy knew what he was
>> > talking about. But my partner punted on the phone until
>> > we can determine the facts. Any of you care to enlighten us?
>>
>> Yes for CSD. No for GPRS.

>John is correct here. But in case you don't know a CSD from a GPRS let me
>explain.
>CSD is circuit switch data. You are actually using your phone as a modem to
>dial into an ISP (whether Cingular or anyone else). ...

<quibble>

A GSM phone has no real dialup modem, just a sort of virtual modem which
makes a connection to a carrier's IWU (Inter Working Unit), located in some
service center. The IWU has the actual modem that can make analog data calls
and/or fax calls over the PSTN (public switched telephone network). If the
carrier doesn't provide an IWU, or if your account isn't provisioned for CSD
(Circuit Switched Data), then a GSM phone cannot data and/or fax calls. If
your account is provisioned for CSD, then all you need is to install the phone
as a modem with Windows Dial-Up Networking. For more information, see my
webpage <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/tech/cingular/fax.htm>.

</quibble>

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>