Why does Sprint "allow" limited laptop Vision access?

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 03:29:10 GMT, "Bob Smith"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Joe, I'd like to reply right now, as I've gone through all the links on
>Verizon, and I have yet to see anything with regards to connecting with a
>cable. They are in the process of updating their site, and the info is not
>available right now. I'll repost when they are finished updating their site.

Here's a little help...

Follow this link (paste it together if it gets split across lines).
I'm using zip code 75051 for shopping purposes.

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...Sort&catId=328

Scroll to the middle of the page, where you'll find this...

"Long distance and roaming rates for international calls (where
available) will vary. Requires a NationalAccess capable PC card or
phone with its compatible Mobile Office Kit with specific software and
preferred roaming list as programmed by Verizon Wireless. Digital
service, features and promotions are not available in all areas, may
not follow you across the entire NationalAccess Calling Plan Voice
Service Home Airtime Rate and Coverage Area and may be limited to the
Verizon Wireless digital network."

Scroll to the bottom of the page where you can read the TOS, and see
what is considered to be abuse.

Then, click on this link to find info about the mobile office kit...
(you might have to paste this link back together as well)

http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/m...ileoffice1.jsp

Looks to me like like the mobile office kit is designed to connect a
laptop to a phone to get Internet access...

Joseph Huber
[email protected]

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› See More: Why does Sprint "allow" limited laptop Vision access?

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 03:48:25 GMT, "Kovie" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>There's also the question of why they don't have limited-use plans. I can't
>imagine that rolling out such a plan would massively increase the number of
>tethered users beyond today's "under the radar" users to the point where it
>might impact their network capacity. But perhaps it would, or perhaps there
>are other reasons that only Sprint knows about. Anyway, we're all just
>speculating here and none of this will change the current state of affairs.
>Unless, of course, Sprint gets its product ideas from this forum... ;-)

I also cannot imagine that offering limited-use data plans would bring
the Sprint network to its knees, but who knows. We can only hope that
Sprint will eventually offer us occasional-use users a reasonably
priced legitimate means of attaching our laptops to phones.

Joseph Huber
[email protected]

"Joseph Huber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 03:48:25 GMT, "Kovie" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>>There's also the question of why they don't have limited-use plans. I
>>can't
>>imagine that rolling out such a plan would massively increase the number
>>of
>>tethered users beyond today's "under the radar" users to the point where
>>it
>>might impact their network capacity. But perhaps it would, or perhaps
>>there
>>are other reasons that only Sprint knows about. Anyway, we're all just
>>speculating here and none of this will change the current state of
>>affairs.
>>Unless, of course, Sprint gets its product ideas from this forum... ;-)
>
> I also cannot imagine that offering limited-use data plans would bring
> the Sprint network to its knees, but who knows. We can only hope that
> Sprint will eventually offer us occasional-use users a reasonably
> priced legitimate means of attaching our laptops to phones.
>
> Joseph Huber
> [email protected]

Which was basically the point I'd been trying to make all along. And given
that there is currently NO Sprint plan that allows tethered use, it seems
weird that they sell phones that technically allow this, or don't disable
this capability on the server end. It almost seems as if they want people to
do this, or don't really care so long as they don't abuse it. So then why
not just make it an approved use and charge for it? Perhaps they have no
easy way of metering such use? I guess it's just one of those strange
anomalies that in the end you stop wondering about and just make the most
of, like broken parking meters and unfunded tax cuts. ;-)

Kovie
[email protected]zen

"Joseph Huber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 03:29:10 GMT, "Bob Smith"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Joe, I'd like to reply right now, as I've gone through all the links on
> >Verizon, and I have yet to see anything with regards to connecting with a
> >cable. They are in the process of updating their site, and the info is
not
> >available right now. I'll repost when they are finished updating their
site.
>
> Here's a little help...
>
> Follow this link (paste it together if it gets split across lines).
> I'm using zip code 75051 for shopping purposes.
>
>
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/s...Sort&catId=328
>
> Scroll to the middle of the page, where you'll find this...
>
> "Long distance and roaming rates for international calls (where
> available) will vary. Requires a NationalAccess capable PC card or
> phone with its compatible Mobile Office Kit with specific software and
> preferred roaming list as programmed by Verizon Wireless. Digital
> service, features and promotions are not available in all areas, may
> not follow you across the entire NationalAccess Calling Plan Voice
> Service Home Airtime Rate and Coverage Area and may be limited to the
> Verizon Wireless digital network."
>
> Scroll to the bottom of the page where you can read the TOS, and see
> what is considered to be abuse.
>
> Then, click on this link to find info about the mobile office kit...
> (you might have to paste this link back together as well)
>
>
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/m...ileoffice1.jsp
>
> Looks to me like like the mobile office kit is designed to connect a
> laptop to a phone to get Internet access...

Thanks for the links Joe. Looks like Verizon is just offering a different
set of calling plans that include data usage. On the plan you cited, $55 for
400 minutes (plus taxes & surcharges), from the text at the top of the page
from the first link,

"Browse the Internet, access email at speeds up to 144 kbps. Offers monthly
airtime allowance for both Internet access and domestic calls. No long
distance or roaming charges."

it sounds like both calling in & out, and data used on line only allow for
400 minutes, with extra minutes costing $0.35/min. In addition, one must be
on a contract. I didn't see any N & W minutes for those plans, nor "In
Calling" options available Is that about right?

So, if I am reading this right, on the plan you cited, one can average 13
minutes a day during the month (or 18-20 min/day for weekdays only) for
incoming voice calls, out going voice calls, and data usage. It's nice that
Verizon offers these alternative plans, however it doesn't really sound like
a good deal to yours truly. I'll keep what I have, do what I do data wise
occasionally with SPCS for $85/mo for 1200 AT min, PCS2 PCS, F&CA, unlimited
N & W, for my three phones, with Vision on two of my phones, even if it
isn't specifically allowed.

Bob