Using your laptop on the Sprint PCS Network

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Todd Allcock) wrote:

> Of course, as you said, actual data transfer AMOUNTS are tracked, and
> it's hard to imagine anyone racking up 500MB/month on their phone
> looking up weather and sports scores!

If actual data amounts are tracked, why aren't 5 lines of code added and
that number shown for you on the SprintPCS web site?

---

› See More: Using your laptop on the Sprint PCS Network

In article <[email protected]>,
"John Richards" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Greg Comeau" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > O/Siris <0siris@sprîntpcs.com> wrote:
> >> You've been told, repeatedly, that we *can*=20
> >>and we *do* track it. Call in as a Vision user, and you can find out=20
> >>how many KB you've used.
> >
> > I assume one can find this out online or with a * dial'd number too?
>
> Amazingly, no.

Sure makes one think its not tracked, otherwise why is it not displayed
for the customer along with # of SMS Messages and minutes used on the
Web site or at *4 ?

In article <[email protected]>,
"John Richards" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "O/Siris" <0siris@sprîntpcs.com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
> >> then there can only be one of two
> > conclusions since SprintPCS could then automatically bill for such usage.
> >>
> >> 1. Sprint Can not in fact automatically tell when your phone is being
> > used as a modem on Vision.
> >>
> >> and/or
> >>
> >> 2. Sprint is actively using its wink-wink-nudge-nudge policy of letting
> >> users use their cell phone as modem.
> >>
> >
> >Logical fallacy, Phill, as has been repeatedly pointed out to you,
> >and you now prove you repeatedly ignore.
> >
> >Look up the word "priority" sometime.
>
>
> Whether one describes the policy as:
>
> A. Sprint does not consider the policing of casual handset modem use to
> be a high priority,
>
> or
>
> B. Sprint is using a wink-wink-nudge-nudge policy of letting users use
> their cell phone as modem [for casual use],
>
> the net effect is the same.
>
> It's a matter of semantics.

If its "A", why have a statement in the TOS, that tends to destroy the
credibility of the TOS.

And if its B - why does our lowly (self described) "OUT OF THE LOOP"
Sprint employee insult me for saying so?

Either way SprintPCS is doing something illogical.

In article <[email protected]>,
Mike <[email protected]> wrote:

> O/Siris wrote:
>
> > Logical fallacy, Phill, as has been repeatedly pointed out to you,
> > and you now prove you repeatedly ignore.
> >
> > Look up the word "priority" sometime.
> >
>
> False Dilemma
>
> Definition:
>
> A limited number of options (usually two) is given, while in reality
> there are more options. A false dilemma is an illegitimate use of the
> "or" operator.
> Putting issues or opinions into "black or white" terms is a common
> instance of this fallacy.
>
> Proof:
> Identify the options given and show (with an example) that
> there is an additional option.

Thank you Mike. That gentleman has a bad habit of making educated
guesses, and then treating his guesses like fact.

In article <[email protected]>,
"Bill T" <[email protected]> wrote:

> > 1) Find and download the phone drivers for your particular model.
> > 2) Connect the USB cable to your phone and then to the USB port. Your
> > computer will recognize new hardware. When it asks for the drivers, browse
> > to where you downloaded the phone drivers.
> > 3) Set up a new DUN, putting #777 in the phone number field, and leave
> > your
> > username and password fields empty.
> >
> > After that, you should be good to go.
>
>
> Thanks.
>
> Just got the cable and got everything working in 2 minutes. A test download
> got me approx. 100 kb/sec., much better than a dial-up. My regular
> connection is wi-fi broadband, so I won't be using my phone as a frequent
> laptop access. BUT, it is great to know that I have this option now
> available.

Wink-Wink-Nudge-Nudge

Todd Allcock wrote:

> O/Siris <0siris@sprîntpcs.com> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>
>> That kind of deliberate lying is at the heart of why you've been
>> labeled a troll, Phill. You've been told, repeatedly, that we *can*
>> and we *do* track it. Call in as a Vision user, and you can find out
>> how many KB you've used.
>
> While I hate being put into the position of defending our resident
> troll, I think his point is that SPCS can't (or doesn't ) know if any
> _particular_ data transferred is to a phone or to a tethered device.
> So a tethered MB looks the same as a direct-to-phone MB.
>
> Of course, as you said, actual data transfer AMOUNTS are tracked, and
> it's hard to imagine anyone racking up 500MB/month on their phone
> looking up weather and sports scores!

My computer automaticaly builds up several documents on a daily basis,
around 5 megabytes worth, and then uploads them to an ftp site, as well
as putting them in my Treo's host PC's synch directory.

When I'm home, I retrieve them over the USB, by synching.

When I'm away from home, I retrieve them over the air.

If I were away from home for a month, I'd easily build up over 150MB of
traffic, not including email and web browsing.

I have little doubt that SPCS can easily determine that your non-PDA
phone is doing an awful lot of traffic that is non-http protocol.

A PDA phone like my Treo would probably look an awful lot like a PC. I
wouldn't be too surprised to learn that SPCS could distinguish between
traffic originated by my Treo and traffic routed through the Treo.

In any event, it's clearly in Sprint's (and their customers') interests
to properly balance the network load. That would be why SPCS might not
mind the occasional usage of a phone to supply your notebook with
network access, but would actively discourage chronic usage.

In the latter case, you would find too many people overloading the
network as they cancelled their dialup ISPs in favor of similar or
better data rates from SPCS. And the legit phone and data users would
therefore more often find the network unable to meet their needs.

I would rather have SPCS make it explicit that using the phone as a
modem is permissible for no more than, say, 1 hour per month. After
that, you get charged the non-Vision data rates, or perhaps it would eat
into your anytime minutes in some defined ratio. That would accomplish
the same thing as the current situation, and leave the customers knowing
where they stand.

That said, I think we Treo users get a damn good deal. I've never
bothered to look into setting up a "modem" connection through my phone.
I can do most of my away-from-home 'net work directly on the Treo. At
$15/month, all I can eat. Very cool!

When I absolutely need network access away from home, I use the free
dialup connection (10 hours/month) included in my Road Runner account.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
>....
>In any event, it's clearly in Sprint's (and their customers') interests
>to properly balance the network load. That would be why SPCS might not
>mind the occasional usage of a phone to supply your notebook with
>network access, but would actively discourage chronic usage.
>
>In the latter case, you would find too many people overloading the
>network as they cancelled their dialup ISPs in favor of similar or
>better data rates from SPCS. And the legit phone and data users would
>therefore more often find the network unable to meet their needs.
>
>I would rather have SPCS make it explicit that using the phone as a
>modem is permissible for no more than, say, 1 hour per month. After
>that, you get charged the non-Vision data rates, or perhaps it would eat
>into your anytime minutes in some defined ratio. That would accomplish
>the same thing as the current situation, and leave the customers knowing
>where they stand.

I agree. The 2G WW $10/month (some people seem to have gotten it
for $5/month) plus using airtime minutes was very fair and reasonable,
and since there would be a penalty (the monthly fee and use of minutes)
the network could be metabolized in some way, and/or you would pay
Sprint additional fees for overage or whatever which one would think
could somehow be fed back into keeping the technology up to re-balancing
it by their purchasing more equiptment, R&D, etc. Using raw MB,
and such low counts, doesn't cut it: it seems over the head for
the general consumer, incrementally costly for the exec floating around
who's willing to pocket the expense themselves, and could easily
get to be an out of hand expense for company use, whether locally
or as a mobile strategy.
--
Greg Comeau / Comeau C++ 4.3.3, for C++03 core language support
Comeau C/C++ ONLINE ==> http://www.comeaucomputing.com/tryitout
World Class Compilers: Breathtaking C++, Amazing C99, Fabulous C90.
Comeau C/C++ with Dinkumware's Libraries... Have you tried it?

In article <[email protected]>,
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:

> In any event, it's clearly in Sprint's (and their customers') interests
> to properly balance the network load. That would be why SPCS might not
> mind the occasional usage of a phone to supply your notebook with
> network access, but would actively discourage chronic usage.

wink-wink-nudge-nudge go ahead.

So why have a TOS that says you can't do it at all, if you **DO** allow
it.

In article <[email protected]>,=20
[email protected] says...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Mike <[email protected]> wrote:
>=20
> > O/Siris wrote:
> >=20
> > > Logical fallacy, Phill, as has been repeatedly pointed out to you,=20
> > > and you now prove you repeatedly ignore.
> > >=20
> > > Look up the word "priority" sometime.
> > >=20
> >=20
> > False Dilemma
> >=20
> > Definition:
> >=20
> > A limited number of options (usually two) is given, while in reality=20
> > there are more options. A false dilemma is an illegitimate use of the=
=20
> > "or" operator.
> > Putting issues or opinions into "black or white" terms is a common=20
> > instance of this fallacy.
> >=20
> > Proof:
> > Identify the options given and show (with an example) that
> > there is an additional option.
>=20
> Thank you Mike. That gentleman has a bad habit of making educated=20
> guesses, and then treating his guesses like fact.
>=20

You sure do have a predilection for getting the meaning of a post=20
exactly backwards. The criticism was of your post, not mine.

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

In article <[email protected]>,=20
[email protected] says...
>=20
> If its "A", why have a statement in the TOS, that tends to destroy the=20
> credibility of the TOS.
>=20
> And if its B - why does our lowly (self described) "OUT OF THE LOOP"=20
> Sprint employee insult me for saying so?
>=20

Because you've repeatedly ignored C.

And how nice of you to distort past posts. As usual.

Some christian.

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

In article <[email protected]>,=20
[email protected] says...
> While I hate being put into the position of defending our resident
> troll, I think his point is that SPCS can't (or doesn't ) know if any
> _particular_ data transferred is to a phone or to a tethered device.=20
> So a tethered MB looks the same as a direct-to-phone MB.
>=20

Yeah, actually, we do. I've refused (and still do) to discuss how. =20
But we do.

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

In article <[email protected]>,=20
[email protected] says...
>=20
> Sure makes one think its not tracked, otherwise why is it not displayed=
=20
> for the customer along with # of SMS Messages and minutes used on the=20
> Web site or at *4 ?
>=20
>=20

For those willing to think about it, maybe.

You've told at least three times, Phill, that this is an acknowledged=20
fault, and still you persist as if you've not been told.

--=20
R=D8=DF
O/Siris
I work for Sprint PCS
I *don't* speak for them

"Bill T" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > 1) Find and download the phone drivers for your particular model.
> > 2) Connect the USB cable to your phone and then to the USB port. Your
> > computer will recognize new hardware. When it asks for the drivers,
browse
> > to where you downloaded the phone drivers.
> > 3) Set up a new DUN, putting #777 in the phone number field, and leave
> > your
> > username and password fields empty.
> >
> > After that, you should be good to go.
>
>
> Thanks.
>
> Just got the cable and got everything working in 2 minutes. A test
download
> got me approx. 100 kb/sec., much better than a dial-up. My regular
> connection is wi-fi broadband, so I won't be using my phone as a frequent
> laptop access. BUT, it is great to know that I have this option now
> available.
>
> BTW, I got the MiniSync cable; this is one ingenious gadget.
>
>
> Bill T

Glad it worked out for you.

Bob

"Robert M" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "John Richards" <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Whether one describes the policy as:
>>
>> A. Sprint does not consider the policing of casual handset modem use to
>> be a high priority,
>>
>> or
>>
>> B. Sprint is using a wink-wink-nudge-nudge policy of letting users use
>> their cell phone as modem [for casual use],
>>
>> the net effect is the same.
>>
>> It's a matter of semantics.
>
> If its "A", why have a statement in the TOS, that tends to destroy the
> credibility of the TOS.

No more so than having a specific speed limit on each road, yet most
cops won't write you a speeding ticket for going 1-9 mph over the limit.
If you think that destroys credibility in speed limits, so be it.

--

John Richards

"O/Siris" <0siris@sprîntpcs.com> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
>>
>> If its "A", why have a statement in the TOS, that tends to destroy the
>> credibility of the TOS.
>>
>> And if its B - why does our lowly (self described) "OUT OF THE LOOP"
>> Sprint employee insult me for saying so?
>
>Because you've repeatedly ignored C.

I thought you subscribed to the "A" theory. What is "C"?

--

John Richards