Sprint says laptop cable is 'stealing'.

Bruno wrote:

> Not sure about this either. I mean what happens when you dial a
> land-line? The endpoint is analog (unless you use Vonage/VOIP) but
> what's the difference between that and an analog modem?

Not sure of the technical details. It *used* to be that CDMA digital phones
couldn't just be hooked up to a computer and used as a modem. OTOH, I did so
with a data cable for a Kyocera 2325, a CDMA digital phone I used on
Verizon. I'd have to defer to someone who knows more about CDMA than I do to
give details...

>>Did you check that the capability was enabled in the Sprint phone before you
>>bought it, instead of assuming it was?
>
> This was after I had the phone for a while. SPRINT would give out no
> information about it when I was researching trying to use the phone as
> a modem. I went with NOKIA's information and only learned after
> trying to connect that it wasn't supported with SPRINT's model because
> of their firmware/customizations.

Exactly. For future reference, never rely on the manufacturer's specs
because they *always* customize their firmware for each carrier. (The
manufacturers really *ought* to put such a disclaimer on their websites,
because this isn't necessarily common knowledge.)

> I'm not excusing that I should have done more research, I'm
> complaining that it's simple functionality that should be enabled by
> default.

Can't argue there.

> What purpose does it serve to turn this functionality off? I mean I'm
> using airtime on their network that I paid for every month.

If you pay a flat rate for Vision and end up costing a lot more than the
average user, you do cost them money (just stating a fact here, not trying
to argue).

> BTW: I read you're posts about you're WireFly experience and we
> decided to go with them for our new phones. They should arrive
> tomorrow. WireFly rocks! Thanks for sharing you're experience.

K. Just so you know, they do have some pretty poor reviews on C|Net. I was a
little distressed after reading them (talk about not doing your homework
first!) But most of the problems were with rebates - so just make sure you
get your paperwork in immediately. Our rebates aren't due for another 5 1/2
months.

I did get pissed reading a flyer that directed us to FreeIpods.com, which is
essentially a pyramid scheme. Our deal included a free MP3 player with each
phone, and there was no way I'm going to deal with FreeIpods to get it. But
then we found the actual paperwork that said we'd get the free MP3 forms to
fill out after 45 days (ok, fine, fair enough). So I apparently had no
reason to be irritated... (but why they included the FreeIpods flyer, I have
no idea, it was rather confusing)

Do make sure you read all of the details on whichever offer you decide to go
with.

I will say this much for them: quick credit approval, number port completed
within 24 hours (on BOTH phones!), phones arrived on time. Three big items
weighing in their favor. I'm a little concerned about whether we'll be able
to get the rebates, but we'll just have to wait and see. You may want to see
if you can pull up the Wirefly/inPhonic reviews on C|Net.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: [email protected] Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

---

› See More: Sprint says laptop cable is 'stealing'.

In article <[email protected]>,
Steve Sobol <[email protected]> writes:
> Bruno wrote:
>
>> I wanted to do something similar with my Sprint Nokia phone and my
>> laptop when I'm on-call and have to check on some servers. Since some
>> of the locations I go to don't have land-line service available, (ie:
>> visiting family who only use cell phones.)
>
> It used to be that you could only do this with analog cell phones
> (apparently, the boxes themselves did some kind of encryption). Don't know
> if it's still true.
>
>> NOPE... Sprint disabled that functionality for my phone, even though
>> the Nokia model my phone is based on has that capability from the
>> factory.
>>
>> Needless to say I was quite angry with Sprint as those Nokia data
>> cables don't come cheap and the amount of data I would be sending
>> would be trivial (2-3 minute connection at most.)
>> And that's only once a month!
>>
>> Is it too much to ask for a little flexibility?
>
> Did you check that the capability was enabled in the Sprint phone before you
> bought it, instead of assuming it was?

I bet SPCS doesn't go out of their way to warn owners, much less
prospective buyers, that they cripple the manufacturers' products
that way. Any takers?

You know: I have a laptop. I occasionally travel to places that have
sub-standard dialup service or in which it would be exceedingly
inconvenient to use a land-line, but where SPCS service is good. It
would be nice if I could tether my laptop to my SPCS phone and get a
decent/solid connection for minimal email work and maybe SSH'd
console connections for server admin purposes. It would be nice if
the time to do that just came off my minutes, with the traditional
charge for going over. I wouldn't even mind if, if I had free nights
and weekends, data connections came out of anytime minutes always.
But from reading these threads, it looks to *me* like SPCS does
everything they can to prevent using their service in a transparent
manner. Shades of Microsoft!

I've been a relatively long-time, relatively happy SPCS customer.
But I'm not so excited about SPCS anymore--for a variety of reasons.
I read stuff like this thread, and the customer service issues, and I
think I see my days with SPCS soon coming to an end.

SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
with this kind of behaviour.

--
Jim Seymour | "There is no expedient to which a man will not
[email protected] | go to avoid the labor of thinking."
http://jimsun.LinxNet.com | - Thomas A. Edison

Yes tapping into their service in such a manner as to avoid paying for
it sounds like stealing to me.
Sprint PCS does go out of their way to tell prospective buyers what
they can do with Sprint PCS phones and service. They do not promote use
connected to any other device. The tos does specifically state such use
is not allowed.
The manufacturers make different products. They make a Sprint PCS
product, a verizon product, a product for each carrier that contracts
for them to be made. They make them to include which features the
carrier wants included. Features are assembled in or not as the carrier
wants. They are not pre-built and then opened up to take stuff out.
That would be too expensive.
I do not work, have never worked, for any phone manufacturer, or
carrier, especially the carrier's handset procurement department. But,
this is how their relationship seems to me. It would be great if
someone who does was at liberty to post to this news group.

Jim Seymour wrote:
> I bet SPCS doesn't go out of their way to warn owners, much less
> prospective buyers, that they cripple the manufacturers' products
> that way. Any takers?
>
> You know: I have a laptop. I occasionally travel to places that have
> sub-standard dialup service or in which it would be exceedingly
> inconvenient to use a land-line, but where SPCS service is good. It
> would be nice if I could tether my laptop to my SPCS phone and get a
> decent/solid connection for minimal email work and maybe SSH'd
> console connections for server admin purposes. It would be nice if
> the time to do that just came off my minutes, with the traditional
> charge for going over. I wouldn't even mind if, if I had free nights
> and weekends, data connections came out of anytime minutes always.
> But from reading these threads, it looks to *me* like SPCS does
> everything they can to prevent using their service in a transparent
> manner. Shades of Microsoft!
>
> I've been a relatively long-time, relatively happy SPCS customer.
> But I'm not so excited about SPCS anymore--for a variety of reasons.
> I read stuff like this thread, and the customer service issues, and I
> think I see my days with SPCS soon coming to an end.
>
> SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
> with this kind of behaviour.
>

In article <[email protected]>,
Paul Miner <[email protected]> writes:
> On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:05:41 -0000, [email protected] (Jim Seymour)
> wrote:
[snip]
>>
>>SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
>>with this kind of behaviour.
>
> Actually, they do, and they're working on ways to fix it. As
> customers, we should read that to mean they're working on ways to be
> able to charge for usage rather than just giving it away. They are a
> for-profit business, after all.

Of course. No profit, no business. I understand how it works. But
I abhor "hidden"... er... "features." Esp. when said "features" just
*happen* to be advantageous to the vendor to the disadvantage of the
customer.

Let me draw an analogy. Some people in the mass email marketing
business say that if one registers for some product or service
on-line, and fails to un-check the pre-checked "spam me" boxes at the
bottom of the page, in a very small font, light-gray-on-white-
background , it's the spamee's fault. My position is that if a
concern like that purposefully goes out of its way to make it
unlikely I'd even *notice* the "spam me" option, much-less de-select
it, it's *their* fault I get spammed.

IOW: Do *not* try to fox me, no matter how subtly, then blame it on
*me* if you succeed.

Selling phones, or any other equipment, with features disabled,
without *prominently* making a note of it, *on* the product
(advertisement) page, is sneaky and under-handed, IMO. It sounds
like SPCS is doing that. SPCS just lost another "point" in my book.

>
> Please don't take any of this as a defense of Sprint's policies. I
> don't necessarily agree with much of it myself.

Understood. Even if you were defending Sprint, there's room in my
world for honest disagreement.

--
Jim Seymour | "There is no expedient to which a man will not
[email protected] | go to avoid the labor of thinking."
http://jimsun.LinxNet.com | - Thomas A. Edison

Sprint is correct and you are stealing from them. SprintPCS is in the
business to make money. You should not steal data service from them. It is
no different than stealing cable TV service. If you want to use data
services on your laptop, then do the right thing and get a Sprint Laptop
Data Card. They different plans and if you need unlimited use, you can
sign-up as a business user and get unlimited data service for $80.00.

-mij



"Jim Seymour" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Paul Miner <[email protected]> writes:
>> On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:05:41 -0000, [email protected] (Jim Seymour)
>> wrote:
> [snip]
>>>
>>>SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
>>>with this kind of behaviour.
>>
>> Actually, they do, and they're working on ways to fix it. As
>> customers, we should read that to mean they're working on ways to be
>> able to charge for usage rather than just giving it away. They are a
>> for-profit business, after all.
>
> Of course. No profit, no business. I understand how it works. But
> I abhor "hidden"... er... "features." Esp. when said "features" just
> *happen* to be advantageous to the vendor to the disadvantage of the
> customer.
>
> Let me draw an analogy. Some people in the mass email marketing
> business say that if one registers for some product or service
> on-line, and fails to un-check the pre-checked "spam me" boxes at the
> bottom of the page, in a very small font, light-gray-on-white-
> background , it's the spamee's fault. My position is that if a
> concern like that purposefully goes out of its way to make it
> unlikely I'd even *notice* the "spam me" option, much-less de-select
> it, it's *their* fault I get spammed.
>
> IOW: Do *not* try to fox me, no matter how subtly, then blame it on
> *me* if you succeed.
>
> Selling phones, or any other equipment, with features disabled,
> without *prominently* making a note of it, *on* the product
> (advertisement) page, is sneaky and under-handed, IMO. It sounds
> like SPCS is doing that. SPCS just lost another "point" in my book.
>
>>
>> Please don't take any of this as a defense of Sprint's policies. I
>> don't necessarily agree with much of it myself.
>
> Understood. Even if you were defending Sprint, there's room in my
> world for honest disagreement.
>
> --
> Jim Seymour | "There is no expedient to which a man will
> not
> [email protected] | go to avoid the labor of thinking."
> http://jimsun.LinxNet.com | - Thomas A.
> Edison

Well let me give you a bit of my hell. I have had Sprint for 7 years. A business account no less. I have had multiple phones and used them as modems. Even purchased the data kit from sprint. Now with the newest phone and being out of town. I figured that I could use the modem at night unlimited.NOTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! I received a bill for an additional $883. And Sprint so far is unwilling to adjust this bill. Sprint offers data plans at $80 a month unlimited service. But they are still unsilling to work with me. I refuse to pay an additional $800 for something they offfer at 80 bucks. If anyone has any suggestions about Sprint customer care. I would love to hear it. Otherwise I am afraid I am going to default on this bill. I just plain dont have it!

"locnard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Well let me give you a bit of my hell. I have had Sprint for 7 years. A
> business account no less. I have had multiple phones and used them as
> modems. Even purchased the data kit from sprint. Now with the newest
> phone and being out of town. I figured that I could use the modem at
> night unlimited.NOTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! I received a bill for an additional
> $883. And Sprint so far is unwilling to adjust this bill. Sprint offers
> data plans at $80 a month unlimited service. But they are still
> unsilling to work with me. I refuse to pay an additional $800 for
> something they offfer at 80 bucks. If anyone has any suggestions about
> Sprint customer care. I would love to hear it. Otherwise I am afraid I
> am going to default on this bill. I just plain dont have it!

Seven years, and you never once read the T & C?

Bob

LOL who reads the leagal stuff. People just wait until we get burned!

Why did you not purchase the unlimited data to start with? You knew the
rules and you are responsible for the charges.


"locnard" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Well let me give you a bit of my hell. I have had Sprint for 7 years. A
> business account no less. I have had multiple phones and used them as
> modems. Even purchased the data kit from sprint. Now with the newest
> phone and being out of town. I figured that I could use the modem at
> night unlimited.NOTTTT!!!!!!!!!!! I received a bill for an additional
> $883. And Sprint so far is unwilling to adjust this bill. Sprint offers
> data plans at $80 a month unlimited service. But they are still
> unsilling to work with me. I refuse to pay an additional $800 for
> something they offfer at 80 bucks. If anyone has any suggestions about
> Sprint customer care. I would love to hear it. Otherwise I am afraid I
> am going to default on this bill. I just plain dont have it!
>
>
> --
> locnard
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Cell Phone Forums: http://cellphoneforums.net
> View this thread: http://cellphoneforums.net/t183279.html
>

Mij Adyaw wrote:
>
> Why did you not purchase the unlimited data to start with? You knew the
> rules and you are responsible for the charges.

"But, officer, everyone was speeding!" <g>

Notan

In article <Ze7Ge.27047$bp.25099@fed1read03>,
"Mij Adyaw" <[email protected]> writes:
> Sprint is correct and you are stealing from them.

I'm not stealing anything from anybody.

> SprintPCS is in the
> business to make money.

Ya think?

> You should not steal data service from them.

Since I'm not using any data services on SPCS, I think it highly
unlikely I'm stealing any.

> It is
> no different than stealing cable TV service. If you want to use data
> services on your laptop, then do the right thing and get a Sprint Laptop
> Data Card. They different plans and if you need unlimited use, you can
> sign-up as a business user and get unlimited data service for $80.00.
[snip]

Fine. Now how 'bout arguing the point I've been making? To wit: It
would appear SprintPCS makes no effort, up front, or even after the
sale, to inform the customer that the phone they're selling them has
been purposefully crippled.

--
Jim Seymour | "There is no expedient to which a man will not
[email protected] | go to avoid the labor of thinking."
http://jimsun.LinxNet.com | - Thomas A. Edison

Mij Adyaw wrote:
> Sprint is correct and you are stealing from them. SprintPCS is in the
> business to make money. You should not steal data service from them.

It's *not* *stealing.* It's using the service in a way other than intended,
but you're still paying for it.

--
Steve Sobol, Professional Geek 888-480-4638 PGP: 0xE3AE35ED
Company website: http://JustThe.net/
Personal blog, resume, portfolio: http://SteveSobol.com/
E: [email protected] Snail: 22674 Motnocab Road, Apple Valley, CA 92307

[

It's *not* *stealing.* It's using the service in a way other than intended,
but you're still paying for it.

--
I agree if nights and weekends are free whats the difference? I used it at night. Also for anyone who dosent already know. I went to sprint today. Turns out any of us who were using 2G phones we were only billed on minutes used. So if used off peak on unlimited minutes you did not inccur any additional charges. But like any business Sprint closed that loophole when they introduced the 3g network.

So ignorance is no excuse but that is how I came to be in the situation I am in. I did not make my post to Boo Hoo my problems. I simply posted to make others aware. My ponit is nobody pays atttention the the neighborhood dog until someone get bit!!

Also the reason I dont have an unlimited plan. Well turns out that plan is only for Data cards not phone as modem.

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:05:41 -0000, (Jim Seymour) wrote:
>You know: I have a laptop. I occasionally travel to places that have
>sub-standard dialup service or in which it would be exceedingly
>inconvenient to use a land-line, but where SPCS service is good. It
>would be nice if I could tether my laptop to my SPCS phone and get a
>decent/solid connection for minimal email work and maybe SSH'd
>console connections for server admin purposes. It would be nice if
>the time to do that just came off my minutes, with the traditional
>charge for going over. I wouldn't even mind if, if I had free nights
>and weekends, data connections came out of anytime minutes always.

This paragraph very closely describes my situation, and the situation
of other business users I know. I'd bet there are a fair number of
users in this situation. Yet, Sprint just seems to not want to
address this issue of occasional use direclty (i.e. disable #777
altogether or come up with some economical plans that permit it); for
some reason they would rather operate with the present "under the
radar" policy. I'm sure Sprint knows that many folks tether laptops
now and then; it's talked about openly here, on sprintusers.com, and
probably many other places. If Sprint wanted to deduct 1.5 minutes or
even 2 minutes from my monthly allotment for every minute of laptop
data access to cover costs, I could live with that.

Many of us were happy campers with this type of "minute" billing plan
for Wireless Web. It's frustrating to have PCS phones available with
modem capability, to have a need to legitimately use that capabilitiy,
and then to have Sprint not allow the use of that capability via TOS
or disabling the feature in the hardware itself. My MM7400 has modem
capability, and I need to use it occasionally. Should a firmware or
software update come out for my phone, do I dare get the update,
knowing that Sprint could very well disable the modem feature?

>SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
>with this kind of behaviour.

You'd think this would be bad behavior, and Sprint would be seeing
some adverse effects. However, FON stock is doing well, and according
to MSNBC, FON presently has an "8" rating (significantly outperform
over next six months). Things are going well, so there probably is no
incentive for Sprint to address this issue.

Joe Huber
[email protected]

They should just disable #777 altogether so that folks cannot steal service
from them that they are not rightfully paying for. I wish they would do it
so that all of these threads on this newsgroup and other Sprint forums would
disappear once and for-all!

"Joseph Huber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:05:41 -0000, (Jim Seymour) wrote:
>>You know: I have a laptop. I occasionally travel to places that have
>>sub-standard dialup service or in which it would be exceedingly
>>inconvenient to use a land-line, but where SPCS service is good. It
>>would be nice if I could tether my laptop to my SPCS phone and get a
>>decent/solid connection for minimal email work and maybe SSH'd
>>console connections for server admin purposes. It would be nice if
>>the time to do that just came off my minutes, with the traditional
>>charge for going over. I wouldn't even mind if, if I had free nights
>>and weekends, data connections came out of anytime minutes always.
>
> This paragraph very closely describes my situation, and the situation
> of other business users I know. I'd bet there are a fair number of
> users in this situation. Yet, Sprint just seems to not want to
> address this issue of occasional use direclty (i.e. disable #777
> altogether or come up with some economical plans that permit it); for
> some reason they would rather operate with the present "under the
> radar" policy. I'm sure Sprint knows that many folks tether laptops
> now and then; it's talked about openly here, on sprintusers.com, and
> probably many other places. If Sprint wanted to deduct 1.5 minutes or
> even 2 minutes from my monthly allotment for every minute of laptop
> data access to cover costs, I could live with that.
>
> Many of us were happy campers with this type of "minute" billing plan
> for Wireless Web. It's frustrating to have PCS phones available with
> modem capability, to have a need to legitimately use that capabilitiy,
> and then to have Sprint not allow the use of that capability via TOS
> or disabling the feature in the hardware itself. My MM7400 has modem
> capability, and I need to use it occasionally. Should a firmware or
> software update come out for my phone, do I dare get the update,
> knowing that Sprint could very well disable the modem feature?
>
>>SPCS has no idea how badly they're shooting themselves in the foot
>>with this kind of behaviour.
>
> You'd think this would be bad behavior, and Sprint would be seeing
> some adverse effects. However, FON stock is doing well, and according
> to MSNBC, FON presently has an "8" rating (significantly outperform
> over next six months). Things are going well, so there probably is no
> incentive for Sprint to address this issue.
>
> Joe Huber
> [email protected]