NextG Data Usage - an Experiment.

Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will
need to replace his CDMA phone soon. Part of that was the internet side
of things.

I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.

That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.

Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the Samsung
NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom right menu
option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting to incur data
charges before you have a chance to abort the operation. It might help
explain my first bill's high data charges for relatively ****all 'net
usage, other than experimenting and setting up bookmarks.

---

› See More: NextG Data Usage - an Experiment.

"Emjaye" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will
> need to replace his CDMA phone soon. Part of that was the internet side
> of things.
>
> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
> up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
> the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.
>
> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
> 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.
>
> Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
> about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the Samsung
> NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom right menu
> option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting to incur data
> charges before you have a chance to abort the operation. It might help
> explain my first bill's high data charges for relatively ****all 'net
> usage, other than experimenting and setting up bookmarks.
>

That's why anyone with a clue never uses Telstra, unless they are forced to
for coverage.



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

Emjaye wrote:
> Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will
> need to replace his CDMA phone soon. Part of that was the internet side
> of things.
>
> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
> up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
> the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.
>
> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
> 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.
>
> Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
> about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the Samsung
> NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom right menu
> option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting to incur data
> charges before you have a chance to abort the operation. It might help
> explain my first bill's high data charges for relatively ****all 'net
> usage, other than experimenting and setting up bookmarks.
>

So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web sites?
How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with minimal use
of fancy graphics???
e.g.
http://wap.wz.com.au/

You can also access BOM products using the ftp server which provides
plain text pages:
ftp://ftp2.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/fwo/IDV10450.txt

If you were using the net before WWW ruined it with advertisements and
bloated pages you would know how useful the gopher and ftp pages of the
BOM were. I miss gopher. All the info you needed without the crap.
WAP with WML formatting has at least provided a useful compensation.

"Kubalister" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Emjaye wrote:
>> Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will
>> need to replace his CDMA phone soon. Part of that was the internet side
>> of things.
>>
>> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
>> up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
>> the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.
>>
>> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
>> 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.
>>
>> Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
>> about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the Samsung
>> NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom right menu
>> option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting to incur data
>> charges before you have a chance to abort the operation. It might help
>> explain my first bill's high data charges for relatively ****all 'net
>> usage, other than experimenting and setting up bookmarks.
>>
>
> So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web sites?
> How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with minimal use of
> fancy graphics???
> e.g.
> http://wap.wz.com.au/
>
> You can also access BOM products using the ftp server which provides plain
> text pages:
> ftp://ftp2.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/fwo/IDV10450.txt
>
> If you were using the net before WWW ruined it with advertisements and
> bloated pages you would know how useful the gopher and ftp pages of the
> BOM were. I miss gopher. All the info you needed without the crap.
> WAP with WML formatting has at least provided a useful compensation.


"bloated image laden web sites"
maybe he wants to look at the weather charts + radar ...

Kubalister wrote:
> So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web sites?
> How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with minimal use
> of fancy graphics???
> e.g.
> http://wap.wz.com.au/

Are you a moron or can't you READ? He specifically said 'text page' for
the local BoM's weather!

>> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
>> up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
>> the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.

>> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
>> 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.

> You can also access BOM products using the ftp server which provides
> plain text pages:
> ftp://ftp2.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/fwo/IDV10450.txt

> If you were using the net before WWW ruined it with advertisements and
> bloated pages you would know how useful the gopher and ftp pages of the
> BOM were. I miss gopher. All the info you needed without the crap.
> WAP with WML formatting has at least provided a useful compensation.

Yes agreed, but there are bugger all WAP or WML pages out there yet.
Maybe now that people can see how expensive Tel$tra are and the need to
keep downloads on mobile devices to a minimum more will start to appear.


--
The views I present are that of my own and NOT of any organisation I may
belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
<http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/client_search.client_lookup?pCLIENT_NO=157452>

Core2Duo wrote:
> "Kubalister" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Emjaye wrote:
>>> Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will
>>> need to replace his CDMA phone soon. Part of that was the internet side
>>> of things.
>>>
>>> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then fired
>>> up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It took me to
>>> the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.
>>>
>>> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's log. At
>>> 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.
>>>
>>> Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
>>> about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the Samsung
>>> NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom right menu
>>> option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting to incur data
>>> charges before you have a chance to abort the operation. It might help
>>> explain my first bill's high data charges for relatively ****all 'net
>>> usage, other than experimenting and setting up bookmarks.
>>>
>> So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web sites?
>> How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with minimal use of
>> fancy graphics???
>> e.g.
>> http://wap.wz.com.au/
>>
>> You can also access BOM products using the ftp server which provides plain
>> text pages:
>> ftp://ftp2.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/fwo/IDV10450.txt
>>
>> If you were using the net before WWW ruined it with advertisements and
>> bloated pages you would know how useful the gopher and ftp pages of the
>> BOM were. I miss gopher. All the info you needed without the crap.
>> WAP with WML formatting has at least provided a useful compensation.
>
>
> "bloated image laden web sites"
> maybe he wants to look at the weather charts + radar ...

Well the 524 x 564 pixel radar images on the web server of the BOM are
much larger than the resolution of any phone or PDA so it would be a far
more intelligent option if data usage is a concern to use a resized
version available from the Weatherzone site for example.

Kubalister wrote:
> Well the 524 x 564 pixel radar images on the web server of the BOM are
> much larger than the resolution of any phone or PDA so it would be a far
> more intelligent option if data usage is a concern to use a resized
> version available from the Weatherzone site for example.

I came across these several years ago:

http://www.darkside.com.au/map30.php
http://www.darkside.com.au/map60.php
http://www.darkside.com.au/map120.php

They fetch the latest BoM radar image for Melbourne and crop the picture
and send it to your phone. 30 km, 60 km and 120 km radius of Melbourne.

I don't know anything about the site or who runs it, I can't even
remember how I found them in the first place but I make use of the 120
km radius map regularly.


--
The views I present are that of my own and NOT of any organisation I may
belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
<http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/client_search.client_lookup?pCLIENT_NO=157452>

Simon Templar wrote:
> Yes agreed, but there are bugger all WAP or WML pages out there yet.
> Maybe now that people can see how expensive Tel$tra are and the need to
> keep downloads on mobile devices to a minimum more will start to appear.
>

Don't hold your breath! WAP has been around for a LONG time and people
still don't understand why a WML page is more useful on a mobile than a
HTML page (hell, 99.99% of people couldn't explain the differences
between the two) so rather than complain that a WML page isn't available
from a server they'll just stop using their phones for internet access
because it's too expensive.

thegoons wrote:
> That's why anyone with a clue never uses Telstra, unless they are forced to
> for coverage.

Now before you start running off chanting that Telstra is evil and all
Telstra customers are devil worshippers please consider that ALL the
mobile phone carriers charge ludicrous rates for casual data use so it
doesn't make a rats ass difference if you access data through Telstra or
any other carrier - you'll still get screwed.

Kubalister <[email protected]> wrote
> Emjaye wrote

>> Today I demonstrated the NextG Internet service to a friend who will need to replace his CDMA
>> phone soon. Part of that was the internet side of things.

>> I decided to reset the data logs (time and data amounts). I then
>> fired up the internal web browser and clicked on the bookmark. It
>> took me to the text page for the BoM's local weather forecast.

>> That little exercise took nearly 200 kb according to the phone's
>> log. At 1.5c/kb that's around $3 just to look up a basic web page.

>> Another exercise. I reset the timers. Fired up the browser. That took
>> about 42 kb to do. So, that's something to be wary of, using the
>> Samsung NextG phones. The main menu page has "Bigpond" on the bottom
>> right menu option. It's easy to click on accidentally, thus starting
>> to incur data charges before you have a chance to abort the
>> operation. It might help explain my first bill's high data charges
>> for relatively ****all 'net usage, other than experimenting and
>> setting up bookmarks.

> So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web sites?

Pity the BoM's local weather forecast doesnt qualify.

> How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with minimal use of fancy graphics???
> e.g.
> http://wap.wz.com.au/

How about telstra has enough of a clue to price their data service
more reasonably when they spruik net access with NextG ?

Tad radical, I know.

> You can also access BOM products using the ftp server which provides plain text pages:
> ftp://ftp2.bom.gov.au/anon/gen/fwo/IDV10450.txt

You wouldnt have to fart around like that if telstra priced the access more viably.

I'd like to be able to use google.maps instead of whereis because the
****ed whereis system doesnt even have street numbers outside the
major citys and google.maps even has individual property boundarys
shown on normal residential streets in any decent sized town, and
leaves whereis for dead.

And whereis has an even more crap bloated web site anyway.

> If you were using the net before WWW ruined it with advertisements and
> bloated pages you would know how useful the gopher and ftp pages of
> the BOM were. I miss gopher. All the info you needed without the crap.
> WAP with WML formatting has at least provided a useful compensation.

Pity that even telstra doesnt bother with their whereis, whitepages, yellow pages etc.

thegoons said....

> That's why anyone with a clue never uses Telstra, unless they are forced
> to for coverage.

That just about covers me, I'm afraid.

Tell me - what do the other carriers charge for their mobile data
services from mobile phones?

Kubalister said....

> So it's Telstra'a fault that you're surfing bloated image laden web
> sites? How about using sites that are designed for mobile use with
> minimal use of fancy graphics???
> e.g.
> http://wap.wz.com.au/

Thanks for the benefit of your superior knowledge. I dunno how us mere
mortals would get on, otherwise.

Kubalister said....

> Well the 524 x 564 pixel radar images on the web server of the BOM are
> much larger than the resolution of any phone or PDA so it would be a far
> more intelligent option if data usage is a concern to use a resized
> version available from the Weatherzone site for example.

The Weatherzone wap site is a "trial" at the moment. I don't know
whether that means it is a trial to see how popular it is in order to
gauge its viability or whether it's a trial before it's a charged
service.

Whatever, it seems to load a bit better than the BoM's version.

Core2Duo said....

> "bloated image laden web sites"
> maybe he wants to look at the weather charts + radar ...

I have 6 websites currently loaded. My bank's netbank service, the BoM's
weather radar for Victoria, the BoM's Victorian regional weather
forecasts, Telstra's Yellow Pages and White Pages and The Age's website.

I am unaware of mobile specific sites for the above services.

Regardless, the amount of data that my phone downloads would be typical
of any other mobile customer who may not have the "experience" of
Kubilaster with respect to maximum Internet utilisation. Not all of us
spend every waking minute in front of a computer and surfing the 'net.

Emjaye wrote:
> Core2Duo said....
>
>> "bloated image laden web sites"
>> maybe he wants to look at the weather charts + radar ...
>
> I have 6 websites currently loaded. My bank's netbank service, the BoM's
> weather radar for Victoria, the BoM's Victorian regional weather
> forecasts, Telstra's Yellow Pages and White Pages and The Age's website.

The Age has a text only version available: http://www.theage.com.au/text/