Data Plans -- what gives

I don't get the rationale for Cingular's distinction between unlimited data
with a Smartphone ($19.99) vs unlimited data on what they consider a PDA
($39.99). Two phones, one I have and one I want to buy, both run Windows
Mobile 5, but are categorized differently, though the primary difference is
only whether there is a QWERTY keyboard -- which tells you nothing about
data load.

Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited data
and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs Windows
Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the 2 year
contract period.

Alan

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› See More: Data Plans -- what gives

On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:24:27 -0500, "exjd" <[email protected]> wrote in
<[email protected]>:

>I don't get the rationale for Cingular's distinction between unlimited data
>with a Smartphone ($19.99) vs unlimited data on what they consider a PDA
>($39.99). Two phones, one I have and one I want to buy, both run Windows
>Mobile 5, but are categorized differently, though the primary difference is
>only whether there is a QWERTY keyboard -- which tells you nothing about
>data load.
>
>Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited data
>and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs Windows
>Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the 2 year
>contract period.

True, but here's how to beat the system:

1. Get either SIM-only service, or service with the cheapest phone on
current offer.

2. Buy a non-subsidized smartphone or PDA from a 3rd-party. (More
expensive than subsidized, but the difference is a lot less than $480.)

3. Put your SIM in the smartphone.

4. Properly configure the smartphone. (See FAQ below.)

Voila!

--
Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

Alan,

Personally, I know two people who have successfully added the MediaNET
Unlimited ($20/month) service to their Cingular using a 8125 "Pocket
PC" phone.

I was with one of them when they added the service, we were in a
Cingular store and he just asked the sales clerk to add MediaNET
Unlimited to his account, the clerk ask "Do you have a Smartphone", he
answered "yes" and the service was added.

They didn't ask to see the device.

I helped him configure the 8125 to use the WAP.CINGULAR gateway and
he's had to problems, even "tethers" data from the 8125 to a laptop
with it, at least i know we did that once without any problem (I do it
quite often with my 2125, but tethering over a MediaNET account is a
subject for a whole new thread, and it's an old discussion at this
point).

Cingular doesn't audit what device is connecting to their gateway. GSM
SIM card that goes in a 2125 Smartphone is interchangeable with the SIM
that goes in 8125 Pocket PC phone, Cingular, Cingular doesn't audit
what device you using for the MediaNET service, only what gateway
you're coming in on, which must always be WAP.CINGULAR, not
ISP.CINGULAR






..
exjd wrote:
> I don't get the rationale for Cingular's distinction between unlimited data
> with a Smartphone ($19.99) vs unlimited data on what they consider a PDA
> ($39.99). Two phones, one I have and one I want to buy, both run Windows
> Mobile 5, but are categorized differently, though the primary difference is
> only whether there is a QWERTY keyboard -- which tells you nothing about
> data load.
>
> Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited data
> and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs Windows
> Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the 2 year
> contract period.
>
> Alan

Alan,

Also wanted to point out, in my previous post. I'm not trying to state
what is or is not Cingular's written policy, if you want to go by their
written policy then forget.

What I'm telling you is what we know about their technical limit on
enforcing their written policy. Their current infrastructure isn't able
to audit at the level required to enforce their written policy. You can
use an 8125 or one of the their Windows based Pocket PC phones with a
MediaNET account, providing you've configured everything right on the
phone you'll have no problems.

Is this the right thing to do? Well, like you, I find Cingular's data
plan policy irrational, a quick scan of their public relations over the
last 24 months, proves they aren't really an ethical company.

Are you stealing anything from them? You mention the QWERTY keybaord
being the only difference, well I actually have a bluetooth QWERTY for
my 2125, so you're absolutely right, there is no logic to their data
plan in regard to MediaNET stipulations.






Alan wrote:
> I don't get the rationale for Cingular's distinction between unlimited data
> with a Smartphone ($19.99) vs unlimited data on what they consider a PDA
> ($39.99). Two phones, one I have and one I want to buy, both run Windows
> Mobile 5, but are categorized differently, though the primary difference is
> only whether there is a QWERTY keyboard -- which tells you nothing about
> data load.
>
> Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited data
> and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs Windows
> Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the 2 year
> contract period.
>
> Alan

"exjd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> ...though the primary difference is only whether there is a QWERTY
> keyboard -- which tells you nothing about data load.

If you really want to know the differences, the user guides area available
for download. I have not researched the Blackjack, but the 8525 provides
unlimited data for $39/mon and specifically states tethering to a notebook
or PDA is permitted.

> Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited
> data and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs
> Windows Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the
> 2 year contract period.

Some post Cingular cannot tell what device is connected. That's not true. In
addition, Cingular and another company, in the last 90 days, agreed to a
settlement in a legal suit regarding identification of user and/or device.
Now that they pay more to use patents issued and referred to by over 100
other patents, they may elect to pass those costs to the users.

It's confusion to me, the Blackjack supports levels of MIDP and JSR that is
not stated for the 8525.

I think that Cingular's rationale is that because the smartphones generally
have a smaller screen and no full keyboard they would not be nearly as
attractive to purchase unless they gave you a monetary reason to do so, thus
the lower rate plan.

Fred

"RMZ" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Alan,
>
> Also wanted to point out, in my previous post. I'm not trying to state
> what is or is not Cingular's written policy, if you want to go by their
> written policy then forget.
>
> What I'm telling you is what we know about their technical limit on
> enforcing their written policy. Their current infrastructure isn't able
> to audit at the level required to enforce their written policy. You can
> use an 8125 or one of the their Windows based Pocket PC phones with a
> MediaNET account, providing you've configured everything right on the
> phone you'll have no problems.
>
> Is this the right thing to do? Well, like you, I find Cingular's data
> plan policy irrational, a quick scan of their public relations over the
> last 24 months, proves they aren't really an ethical company.
>
> Are you stealing anything from them? You mention the QWERTY keybaord
> being the only difference, well I actually have a bluetooth QWERTY for
> my 2125, so you're absolutely right, there is no logic to their data
> plan in regard to MediaNET stipulations.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Alan wrote:
>> I don't get the rationale for Cingular's distinction between unlimited
>> data
>> with a Smartphone ($19.99) vs unlimited data on what they consider a PDA
>> ($39.99). Two phones, one I have and one I want to buy, both run Windows
>> Mobile 5, but are categorized differently, though the primary difference
>> is
>> only whether there is a QWERTY keyboard -- which tells you nothing about
>> data load.
>>
>> Lots of folks focus on the cost of the phone, but if you want unlimited
>> data
>> and your phone is considered a PDA by Cingular (even though it runs
>> Windows
>> Mobile 5.0 and not Pocket PC), it will cost you $480 more over the 2 year
>> contract period.
>>
>> Alan
>

On Wed, 22 Nov 2006 03:28:09 UTC, "RMZ" <[email protected]>
wrote:

> Alan,
>
> Also wanted to point out, in my previous post. I'm not trying to state
> what is or is not Cingular's written policy, if you want to go by their
> written policy then forget.
>
> What I'm telling you is what we know about their technical limit on
> enforcing their written policy. Their current infrastructure isn't able
> to audit at the level required to enforce their written policy. You can
> use an 8125 or one of the their Windows based Pocket PC phones with a
> MediaNET account, providing you've configured everything right on the
> phone you'll have no problems.
>


I remember that, before signing up with the couple year old MW plan,
that I was under the impression that it would be limited to "normal"
usages that a phone might use. For example, HTML and email would be
included in the cost, since phones did it. I thought that other
protocols, such as telnet, wouldn't be unlimited. However, I have
never seen any extra charges when I've done telnet while tethered, so
apparently they don't check to that level.

VPN supposedly doesn't work, but that may be more due to no public IP
address for a specific phone than blockage.

TMobile apparently goes much further in blocking ports on their
cheaper data plans.

Kevin K <[email protected]> wrote:
> VPN supposedly doesn't work, but that may be more due to no public IP
> address for a specific phone than blockage.

I use Nortel VPN on Cingular MEdiaNet.

--
---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley Lake, CA, USA GPS: 38.8,-122.5

On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 03:37:14 +0000 (UTC), [email protected] wrote in
<[email protected]>:

>Kevin K <[email protected]> wrote:

>> VPN supposedly doesn't work, but that may be more due to no public IP
>> address for a specific phone than blockage.
>
>I use Nortel VPN on Cingular MEdiaNet.

And I use SSH. But there are forms of VPN that won't work on MEdia Net.

--
Best regards, FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS:
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

The newest Cingular plans have talk plans starting at $39 for unlimited
nights/weekends + 450 weekday minutes. To that you can add a $9 +
media net account, $19.99 for unlimited data and unlimited movies with
a 3G phone. They no longer list a PDA $39. data account. However a
flier in a Best Buy catalog lists a $39/month + a voice account for
"laptop connect" or $79 without voice. Nothing listed about a PDA
phone separately.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The newest Cingular plans have talk plans starting at $39 for unlimited
> nights/weekends + 450 weekday minutes. To that you can add a $9 +
> media net account, $19.99 for unlimited data and unlimited movies with
> a 3G phone. They no longer list a PDA $39. data account. However a
> flier in a Best Buy catalog lists a $39/month + a voice account for
> "laptop connect" or $79 without voice. Nothing listed about a PDA
> phone separately.

Walmart was selling the LG CU500:
--with 2-year contract: $50
--with 1-year contract: $100
--with no contract: $200

Cingular was selling the LG CU500:
--with 2-year contract: $100 with $50 mail-in rebate
--with no contract: $300

Currently Cingular has the LG CU500 listed for $250, but the LG CU500
refurbished at $300.

-- Ken from Chicago