Which phone and plan for Internet?

Hello group - I want to purchase a phone and data plan so that I can
connect to my laptop and use via USB cable. can this even be done. What
want is a pass-through connection and use the internet connection that
the phone gets but in high speed. If this can be done, what kind of
speeds can I expect to have.

I know I can buy one of those cards for the laptop but I want to be
able get more use out of the device than what a card can give.

I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.

Thanks in advance.

---

› See More: Which phone and plan for Internet?

The correct plan is the tethering $59.99/month unlimited plan. It was
$79.99 but I believe they have now permanently reduced it to $59.99. There
are much cheaper unlimited plans that at last report will get you on but are
intended for web use via the phone only. If Cingular catches you tethering
with one of those plans expect a bill of possibly several hundred dollars
and possible service cancellation. I'll let others recommend a phone.

Fred

"Mickey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello group - I want to purchase a phone and data plan so that I can
> connect to my laptop and use via USB cable. can this even be done. What
> want is a pass-through connection and use the internet connection that
> the phone gets but in high speed. If this can be done, what kind of
> speeds can I expect to have.
>
> I know I can buy one of those cards for the laptop but I want to be
> able get more use out of the device than what a card can give.
>
> I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
> like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1a_qg.52013$fG3.26883@dukeread09...
> The correct plan is the tethering $59.99/month unlimited plan. It was
> $79.99 but I believe they have now permanently reduced it to $59.99.
> There are much cheaper unlimited plans that at last report will get you on
> but are intended for web use via the phone only. If Cingular catches you
> tethering with one of those plans expect a bill of possibly several
> hundred dollars and possible service cancellation. I'll let others
> recommend a phone.
>

Just finished a meeting on some of this. Cingular has 3 different servers;
1) A WAP server - used for "phones"
2) A PDA server and 3) ISP server. The WAP server does not support full
internet functionality (VPN or SSL for example. The PDA server supports
greater bandwidth applications, but still has B/W limits. The third server
is for laptop connect, either via tethering or laptop card.

Can you use a WAP connection tethered? Sure, will it work right...not
likely. Plus, Cingular now has different levels of first tier support, tied
to the IMEI and plan codes on the account. If you have a phone and WAP code,
when you call in, you get the normal box of rocks for c/s. If you have a
PDA, you get someone who knows your device (Blackberry, Treo, 8125, etc). If
your account indicates laptop connection, then the people know that they
need to look at things specific to that type of connection (MediaNet, PDA,
Laptop all have different configurations at the system level)

Mark

On Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:54:43 GMT, "Mark W. Oots" <mark_ctc@(no
spam)ameritech.net> wrote in
<[email protected]>:

>"Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:1a_qg.52013$fG3.26883@dukeread09...
>> The correct plan is the tethering $59.99/month unlimited plan. It was
>> $79.99 but I believe they have now permanently reduced it to $59.99.
>> There are much cheaper unlimited plans that at last report will get you on
>> but are intended for web use via the phone only. If Cingular catches you
>> tethering with one of those plans expect a bill of possibly several
>> hundred dollars and possible service cancellation. I'll let others
>> recommend a phone.
>
>Just finished a meeting on some of this. Cingular has 3 different servers;
>1) A WAP server - used for "phones"
>2) A PDA server and 3) ISP server. The WAP server does not support full
>internet functionality (VPN or SSL for example.

True, but it works fine for most things.

>The PDA server supports
>greater bandwidth applications, but still has B/W limits. The third server
>is for laptop connect, either via tethering or laptop card.
>
>Can you use a WAP connection tethered? Sure, will it work right...not
>likely.

Actually works right.

>Plus, Cingular now has different levels of first tier support, tied
>to the IMEI and plan codes on the account. If you have a phone and WAP code,
>when you call in, you get the normal box of rocks for c/s. If you have a
>PDA, you get someone who knows your device (Blackberry, Treo, 8125, etc). If
>your account indicates laptop connection, then the people know that they
>need to look at things specific to that type of connection (MediaNet, PDA,
>Laptop all have different configurations at the system level)

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

While it is possible to get a big bill from billing system errors, that
can be adjusted to the correct amount. I speak from experience.

The real actual risk of being disallowed from a MEdia Net package, as
*****ed out in the terms of service, is movement to the most favorable
valid plan, which would be $60/month versus $20/month, or $40.


On Wed, 5 Jul 2006 21:59:15 -0400, "Fred" <[email protected]> wrote in
<1a_qg.52013$fG3.26883@dukeread09>:

>The correct plan is the tethering $59.99/month unlimited plan. It was
>$79.99 but I believe they have now permanently reduced it to $59.99. There
>are much cheaper unlimited plans that at last report will get you on but are
>intended for web use via the phone only. If Cingular catches you tethering
>with one of those plans expect a bill of possibly several hundred dollars
>and possible service cancellation. I'll let others recommend a phone.

>"Mickey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Hello group - I want to purchase a phone and data plan so that I can
>> connect to my laptop and use via USB cable. can this even be done. What
>> want is a pass-through connection and use the internet connection that
>> the phone gets but in high speed. If this can be done, what kind of
>> speeds can I expect to have.
>>
>> I know I can buy one of those cards for the laptop but I want to be
>> able get more use out of the device than what a card can give.
>>
>> I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
>> like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>>
>

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

On 5 Jul 2006 17:43:46 -0700, "Mickey" <[email protected]> wrote in
<[email protected]>:

>Hello group - I want to purchase a phone and data plan so that I can
>connect to my laptop and use via USB cable. can this even be done. What
> want is a pass-through connection and use the internet connection that
>the phone gets but in high speed. If this can be done, what kind of
>speeds can I expect to have.
>
>I know I can buy one of those cards for the laptop but I want to be
>able get more use out of the device than what a card can give.
>
>I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
>like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.

Your V557 will work with MPT tethered to your laptop on MEdia Net, but
note that MEdia Net packages are not intended by Cingular for tethering.
See my other responses and the FAQ below for more information.

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

"Mickey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello group - I want to purchase a phone and data plan so that I can
> connect to my laptop and use via USB cable. can this even be done. What
> want is a pass-through connection and use the internet connection that
> the phone gets but in high speed. If this can be done, what kind of
> speeds can I expect to have.
>
> I know I can buy one of those cards for the laptop but I want to be
> able get more use out of the device than what a card can give.
>
> I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
> like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
Mickey.....
Seriously look into a Verizon Data card or EVDO enabled PDA/Fone.
Cingular is pathetically slow. It's ok for sending E-Mail..but thats about
where it ends.
Verizon's Data service for non Verizon customer is expensive ($79.95/Mo.)
but it flat out works.
Cingular is a tad cheaper, but it's almost worthless.......Should you take
*MY* word for it? NO WAY!

Test it out yourself! try a Cingular data connection. Bookmark it with one
of the many speed test URL's
Then do the same tests on Verizon.To give you an idea how much better the
Verizon card is.....
I use mine to watch FULL SPEED NTSC video at 550K on a laptop from my video
server at home.
Why 550K? that's all the bandwidth I have left for uplinking from
home.Cingular can't even dream of doing that.
On Cingular, your internet sessions will be slow and rathered labored....
Bottom line.... $59= snails pace $79= rocket ship. BTW Verizon Datacard is
$59 a mo. if you have a Verizon cell account.

Mickey <[email protected]> wrote:
> I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
> like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.

The v551 works fine with MEdiaNet, tethered, running Nortel VPN client, and
doing everything that I would expect to do via WiFi, except Skype and Cisco
Softphone. The v557 should be identical, with possiby increased upload
speed. Speeds range from 30kbps in the fringes to 100kbps in the big city.

The data plan that you should be using is not MEdiaNet but Laptop Connect,
which is $59 per month.

The language at http://www.cingular.com/media/media_legal says "Cingular
reserves the right to remove customers from MEdia Net packages for the use
of a wireless device as an interface to other devices or networks, as
determined by Cingular, including but not limited to device tethering. "

This does not say "move you to the correct package", favorable package, or
anything of the sort, but "remove customers from MEdia Net packages", which
would leave you at the pay-per-use plan of $0.10 per KB, $10/MB.

Of all of the second and third hand stories, I don't recall one saying that
they were suddenly subscribed to a $59 package. They seem to be a removal
from the MediaNet package, leaving them at pay-per-use.

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

On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 22:27:53 +0000 (UTC), [email protected]
wrote in <[email protected]>:

>Mickey <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I own a Moto V557. It seems that the Mobile Phone Tools and cable act
>> like they will support what I want to do but needed some advice first.
>
>The v551 works fine with MEdiaNet, tethered, running Nortel VPN client, and
>doing everything that I would expect to do via WiFi, except Skype and Cisco
>Softphone. The v557 should be identical, with possiby increased upload
>speed. Speeds range from 30kbps in the fringes to 100kbps in the big city.
>
>The data plan that you should be using is not MEdiaNet but Laptop Connect,
>which is $59 per month.
>
>The language at http://www.cingular.com/media/media_legal says "Cingular
>reserves the right to remove customers from MEdia Net packages for the use
>of a wireless device as an interface to other devices or networks, as
>determined by Cingular, including but not limited to device tethering. "
>
>This does not say "move you to the correct package", favorable package, or
>anything of the sort, but "remove customers from MEdia Net packages", which
>would leave you at the pay-per-use plan of $0.10 per KB, $10/MB.

I disagree.
<https://onlinecare.cingular.com/my-account/legal/service-agreement.jsp>:

If you misrepresent your eligibility for any Rate Plan, you agree to
pay us the additional amount you would have been charged under the
most favorable Rate Plan for which you are eligible.

Even without that language, I'm pretty sure that no court would enforce
payment on much higher pay-per-use.

>Of all of the second and third hand stories, I don't recall one saying that
>they were suddenly subscribed to a $59 package. They seem to be a removal
>from the MediaNet package, leaving them at pay-per-use.

I've twice had my MEdia Net package removed accidentally (as confirmed
by Cingular), resulting in thousands of dollars in charges. In both
cases I was able to have those charges reversed, and my MEdia Net
package reinstated. I was also given some additional credits for the
hassle.

I've investigated some other cases like mine, and was able to have them
reversed as well.

As best I can tell this is just a matter of persistence. Those that
persist, come out OK; those that just give up, miss out.

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

John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 22:27:53 +0000 (UTC), [email protected]
> >The language at http://www.cingular.com/media/media_legal says "Cingular
> >reserves the right to remove customers from MEdia Net packages for the use
> >of a wireless device as an interface to other devices or networks, as
> >determined by Cingular, including but not limited to device tethering. "
> >
> >This does not say "move you to the correct package", favorable package, or
> >anything of the sort, but "remove customers from MEdia Net packages", which
> >would leave you at the pay-per-use plan of $0.10 per KB, $10/MB.

> I disagree.
> <https://onlinecare.cingular.com/my-account/legal/service-agreement.jsp>:

> If you misrepresent your eligibility for any Rate Plan, you agree to
> pay us the additional amount you would have been charged under the
> most favorable Rate Plan for which you are eligible.


The difference is between "plan" and "package". Someone else pointed out
that this is a reference to your basic voice plan verses add on features,
sometimes bundled as packages. I don't know if I agree with that, but I do
see the use of a different word.

> I've twice had my MEdia Net package removed accidentally (as confirmed
> by Cingular), resulting in thousands of dollars in charges. In both
> cases I was able to have those charges reversed, and my MEdia Net
> package reinstated. I was also given some additional credits for the
> hassle.

I have had my MEdiaNet dropped twice, due to various incompetence.
Once, I had a data billing of $107 reversed. The other time I caught it
within a couple of days, when MEdidaNet Unlimited was inadvertently changed
to MediaWorks, and I was under my pro-rated 5MB/month limit for those few
days. I was not converted to a Laptop Connect plan in either case.

I can't recommend a MEdiaNet subscription for someone who wants to tether,
because it is obviously not intended for that.

I was subscribed to MEdiaNEt when I bought my phone, and told the Cingular
store agent that I was going to use it to tether.

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

On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 00:38:49 +0000 (UTC), [email protected]
wrote in <[email protected]>:

>John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

>> <https://onlinecare.cingular.com/my-account/legal/service-agreement.jsp>:
>
>> If you misrepresent your eligibility for any Rate Plan, you agree to
>> pay us the additional amount you would have been charged under the
>> most favorable Rate Plan for which you are eligible.
>
>The difference is between "plan" and "package". Someone else pointed out
>that this is a reference to your basic voice plan verses add on features,
>sometimes bundled as packages. I don't know if I agree with that, but I do
>see the use of a different word.

I don't see that as a meaningful distinction.

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

John Navas wrote:
> While it is possible to get a big bill from billing system errors, that
> can be adjusted to the correct amount. I speak from experience.

Anecdotal experiences not allowed here - as you keep reminding us.

> The real actual risk of being disallowed from a MEdia Net package, as
> *****ed out in the terms of service, is movement to the most favorable
> valid plan, which would be $60/month versus $20/month, or $40.

The REAL risk is a $600 charge on yer phone bill.

"Mark W. Oots" <mark_ctc@(no spam)ameritech.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> The WAP server does not support full
> internet functionality (VPN or SSL for example.

I use the WAP server to connect to VPN through my laptop every week day and
have never had a problem.



>
> Can you use a WAP connection tethered? Sure, will it work right...not
> likely.

What doesn't work right?


> Plus, Cingular now has different levels of first tier support, tied
> to the IMEI and plan codes on the account. If you have a phone and WAP
code,
> when you call in, you get the normal box of rocks for c/s.


Who cares about Cingular's support? They are no help anyway. Go to these
groups and howardforums.com for your "support"

John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 00:38:49 +0000 (UTC), [email protected]

> >The difference is between "plan" and "package".

> I don't see that as a meaningful distinction.

It is a Cingular distinction, not a John Navas distinction.

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

On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 13:05:49 -0400, "jay" <[email protected]> wrote in
<[email protected]>:

>"Mark W. Oots" <mark_ctc@(no spam)ameritech.net> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> The WAP server does not support full
>> internet functionality (VPN or SSL for example.
>
>I use the WAP server to connect to VPN through my laptop every week day and
>have never had a problem.

Some types of VPN do work; others don't. As in so many other things, it
all depends.

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