Unlimited Wireless Internet

In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004 10:12:54
-0700, Scott en Aztlan <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:03 GMT, "R.M" <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>I am on a Package
>>called "Media Works" that has unlimited data for only $19.99 a month.
>> Cingular will tell you that this plan is only for phone WAP access,
>>but it works just fine connected to a laptop, desktop or PDA.
>
>One wonders if this is some kind of oversight, and if someday they
>will close whatever loophole is allowing this to occur...

ATTWS has equally tenuous restrictions on and thus likely loopholes in its
"unlimited" data plans:

* $25/mo for phone device only ($.001 per KB for connected devices)

* $50/mo for PDA (or Blackberry) only

* $80/mo for PDA and laptop (req. for UMTS)

As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell the
difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and laptop, all of
which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

---

› See More: Unlimited Wireless Internet

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:45:50 GMT,
John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

>In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004 10:12:54
>-0700, Scott en Aztlan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:03 GMT, "R.M" <[email protected]>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>I am on a Package
>>>called "Media Works" that has unlimited data for only $19.99 a month.
>>> Cingular will tell you that this plan is only for phone WAP access,
>>>but it works just fine connected to a laptop, desktop or PDA.
>>
>>One wonders if this is some kind of oversight, and if someday they
>>will close whatever loophole is allowing this to occur...
>
>ATTWS has equally tenuous restrictions on and thus likely loopholes in its
>"unlimited" data plans:
>
>* $25/mo for phone device only ($.001 per KB for connected devices)
>
>* $50/mo for PDA (or Blackberry) only
>
>* $80/mo for PDA and laptop (req. for UMTS)
>
>As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell the
>difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and laptop, all of
>which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.

I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.

--
Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/>

John Navas wrote:
> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004
> 17:45:50 GMT, John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004
>> 10:12:54 -0700, Scott en Aztlan <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:03 GMT, "R.M" <[email protected]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am on a Package
>>>> called "Media Works" that has unlimited data for only $19.99 a
>>>> month. Cingular will tell you that this plan is only for phone
>>>> WAP access, but it works just fine connected to a laptop, desktop
>>>> or PDA.
>>>
>>> One wonders if this is some kind of oversight, and if someday they
>>> will close whatever loophole is allowing this to occur...
>>
>> ATTWS has equally tenuous restrictions on and thus likely loopholes
>> in its "unlimited" data plans:
>>
>> * $25/mo for phone device only ($.001 per KB for connected devices)
>>
>> * $50/mo for PDA (or Blackberry) only
>>
>> * $80/mo for PDA and laptop (req. for UMTS)
>>
>> As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell
>> the difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and
>> laptop, all of which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.
>
> I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
> ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.
>

What about a Bluetooth phone? you can connect to the intrenet through the
phone via BT. Not sure how the language in teh contract is worded in that
area.

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:23:50
GMT, "Trey" <[email protected]> wrote:

>John Navas wrote:
>>
>> In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004
>> 17:45:50 GMT, John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

>>> As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell
>>> the difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and
>>> laptop, all of which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.
>>
>> I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
>> ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.
>>
>
>What about a Bluetooth phone? you can connect to the intrenet through the
>phone via BT. Not sure how the language in teh contract is worded in that
>area.

Quite clear it's prohibited, and easily tracked by the carrier, since only an
ATTWS-provided handset can be used.

--
Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/>

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 10:10:16 -0700, John Navas wrote
(in article <[email protected]>):

> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <[email protected]> on Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:23:50
> GMT, "Trey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> John Navas wrote:
>>>
>>> In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004
>>> 17:45:50 GMT, John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>>> As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell
>>>> the difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and
>>>> laptop, all of which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.
>>>
>>> I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
>>> ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.
>>>> (
>>
>> What about a Bluetooth phone? you can connect to the intrenet through the
>> phone via BT. Not sure how the language in teh contract is worded in that
>> area.
>
> Quite clear it's prohibited, and easily tracked by the carrier, since only an
> ATTWS-provided handset can be used.
>
>

I use a T637 BTT and connect with my PowerBook. I told the rep this when I
signed up and that the MediaWorks package would serve well for this.

His answer: ok.

When I look at my bill, it show the data transferred. I t is obvious that no
phone is going to transfer that many MB's on a weekend night. I was picking
up email from the coffee shop, and cruising the text/Avantgo versions of news
web sites.


==============================================================
Posted with Hogwasher. Mac first, Mac only:
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==============================================================

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:11:31 GMT,
John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:

>In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:45:50 GMT,
>John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004 10:12:54
>>-0700, Scott en Aztlan <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 13:57:03 GMT, "R.M" <[email protected]>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>>I am on a Package
>>>>called "Media Works" that has unlimited data for only $19.99 a month.
>>>> Cingular will tell you that this plan is only for phone WAP access,
>>>>but it works just fine connected to a laptop, desktop or PDA.
>>>
>>>One wonders if this is some kind of oversight, and if someday they
>>>will close whatever loophole is allowing this to occur...
>>
>>ATTWS has equally tenuous restrictions on and thus likely loopholes in its
>>"unlimited" data plans:
>>
>>* $25/mo for phone device only ($.001 per KB for connected devices)
>>
>>* $50/mo for PDA (or Blackberry) only
>>
>>* $80/mo for PDA and laptop (req. for UMTS)
>>
>>As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell the
>>difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and laptop, all of
>>which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.
>
>I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
>ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.

Well, that's not right either -- I was confusing the consumer "mMode"
(consumer data) "unlimited" plan with business "Mobile Internet" (business
data) "unlimited" plans. (ATTWS reps concede that the plans and the website
are confusing.)

<http://www.attwireless.com/global/co...de_terms.jhtml>
Consumer "mMode" "unlimited" ($25/month) is *not* limited to ATTWS-provided
devices and does include UMTS, but costs extra with a "connected" device
(e.g., laptop), although it's hard to see how ATTWS could actually police that
(other than by monitoring usage), as I noted earlier.

<http://www.attwireless.com/global/bu...erms_b2b.jhtml
Business "Mobile Internet" "unlimited" *is* limited to ATTWS-provided handsets
and ATTWS-certified PDAs, and UMTS is only available at the $80/month level.
The $25/month Unlimited Handset Plan, same price as the consumer plan, again
costs extra with a "connected" device (e.g., laptop). ATTWS could obviously
police the use of "connected" since it provides the handsets.

There also a ton of restrictions on use in all these ATTWS plans that seem to
boil down to, "We reserve the right to terminate your service if you make too
much use of it ('unlimited' notwithstanding)." Thus the simple T-Mobile
Unlimited plans <http://www.t-mobile.com/plans/default.asp?tab=internet>
($20/month added to a voice plan, $30/month standalone) look much more
attractive. There's also unlimited T-Mobile HotSpot for $20/month on a voice
plan.

While checking this all out I had an interesting debate with a "data
specialist" who first told me that ATTWS would *only* sell service for
ATTWS-provided devices as a matter "policy" and (after conferring with a
"Supervisor") that she would therefore refuse to enter an order since I'm
using my own non-ATTWS Sony Ericsson Z600 handset, but backed down (after
conferring again with a "supervisor") and offered to try it when I pointed out
that ATTWS knowingly sold me service for that very handset, that no such
policy is documented in my Service Agreement, and that such an undocumented
restriction might constitute an unethical business practice.

Although I've generally had good to very good experience with ATTWS customer
service, this was a big exception -- it took me at least a dozen tries to get
past dropped and misrouted calls to someone that would take ownership, and
even then it took another 20 minutes to get good answers. She confessed that
things were a "bit chaotic given the merger" and apologized several times. So
persistence paid off, and all's well that end's well.

--
Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.attws - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on Mon, 30 Aug
2004 19:52:55 GMT, Gunnar H Reichert-Weygold <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 10:10:16 -0700, John Navas wrote
>(in article <[email protected]>):
>
>> In <[email protected]> on Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:23:50
>> GMT, "Trey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> John Navas wrote:
>>>>
>>>> In <[email protected]> on Tue, 10 Aug 2004
>>>> 17:45:50 GMT, John Navas <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>>> As a practical matter, it would be very difficult for ATTWS to tell
>>>>> the difference between phone (e.g., Sony Ericsson P900), PDA, and
>>>>> laptop, all of which are capable of the same types of Internet usage.
>>>>
>>>> I just read the fine print in the plan, which requires the use of an
>>>> ATTWS-provided handset, thus making this easy for ATTWS to control.
>>>>> (
>>>
>>> What about a Bluetooth phone? you can connect to the intrenet through the
>>> phone via BT. Not sure how the language in teh contract is worded in that
>>> area.
>>
>> Quite clear it's prohibited, and easily tracked by the carrier, since only an
>> ATTWS-provided handset can be used.
>
>I use a T637 BTT and connect with my PowerBook. I told the rep this when I
>signed up and that the MediaWorks package would serve well for this.
>[SNIP]

Media Works is Cingular. The thread above applies to ATTWS.

--
Best regards,
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/>