Cell Phone Net Connection?

[Tony Laubach]

Re: Sprint

Just be careful and don't overdo your usage. Sprint expressly forbids people to tether their phones to their laptops. Enforcement is spotty, but if you start downloading tons and tons of data and they notice, they'll revoke your Vision plan and possibly charge you for each kb.

I didn't have to overdo my usage; had 8 minutes of my very first connection going this route with Sprint and went to check my current usage and saw 8 CASUAL USE PCS WIRELESS WEB MINUTES which I was charged about $3 and change for. When I called to inquire about this, they were kind enough to credit me for the usage, but informed me that I was not able to use my phone as a modem and that no plans covered this "feature".

Bummer!

 

[David Drummond]

Make sure you have the Vision package added to your plan, you shouldn't see a charge for that then.

 

[Tony Laubach]

Make sure you have the Vision package added to your plan, you shouldn't see a charge for that then.

I do have a Vision Pack; the $15 one. No dice... I wonder if they've changed their policy on this recently (as in new contract users after such-and-such date...) because I can't seem to get around it! :cry:

 

[Edward Ballou]

Make sure you have the Vision package added to your plan, you shouldn't see a charge for that then.

I do have a Vision Pack; the $15 one. No dice... I wonder if they've changed their policy on this recently (as in new contract users after such-and-such date...) because I can't seem to get around it! :cry:

That's very odd, I've been using that on and off for about a year now and have never really seen anything like "Casual Use Wireless Web".

I wonder if it's because I have a PDA phone with Sprint and they expect more of that to happen with the phone. I mean, what do you expect, they offer Bluetooth Dial-up Networking with the phone.

I had one relatively good chase with it and got no flak from Sprint about it. I've always thought if they called me out on it that I'd tell them it's not my sole internet connection and that I'm doing it for safety of myself and others. I don't think there's any harm in saying that.

For buying that phone outright at $600 and paying $110+ a month, Sprint should respect me and continue allowing it and I'll continue to give them props for it.

 

[David Drummond]

Hmmm, let me test it again. It was working for me before the last contract renewal, but I don't usually use it since I have a Sprint Aircard too. Are you using the dialin 777 or something else? Are you able to use the web on your phone and not get charged?

I used some yesterday using my phone's browser and it shows up as regular minutes used.

 

[David Drummond]

Ok, I am running some tests, I'll check my usage later and see if it shows up.

 

[Kurt Silvey]

I’ve read on some other boards that Sprint has shutdown the tethering of phones to laptops as of Feb 1st. Supposedly you cannot use the #777 to connect anymore or you will be charged. David please let us know how you came out with your live test.

 

[Edward Ballou]

I just did this just the other day...I will watch out as well.

EDIT: There is nothing on my current usage page that shows any usage of a Wireless Web except for text messages sent.

 

[David Drummond]

I was able to log in through my tethered phone through #777 just fine. Browsed around for about 10 minutes and logged off. In fact, that last post I made above I did while I was on it.

Just checked my usage, nothing other than my plan minutes was used.

 

[David Drummond]

You know, I am starting to think that some of those folks posting on various forums about getting huge charges or the nastgrams from Sprint about it are using it as their regular internet connection.

 

[David Drummond]

Tony, do you by chance have a second phone on your account? I have a second one on mine and a couple of months ago when I used the phone itself (no computer) to look at something on the web it charged me wireless web minutes. I got to checking and I only have the vision plan on my primary phone, not the secondary one, so that was why I got charged on that one.

 

[Tony Laubach]

Tony, do you by chance have a second phone on your account? I have a second one on mine and a couple of months ago when I used the phone itself (no computer) to look at something on the web it charged me wireless web minutes. I got to checking and I only have the vision plan on my primary phone, not the secondary one, so that was why I got charged on that one.

I only have the one phone and it has the $15 Vision Pack on it. Haven't used it since the other evening as I am waiting to see if someone knows the loophole. I see that someone made mention of the Feb. 1 date and I wonder if because I did it AFTER that for the first time that I was hosed.

 

[David Drummond]

I only have the one phone and it has the $15 Vision Pack on it. Haven't used it since the other evening as I am waiting to see if someone knows the loophole. I see that someone made mention of the Feb. 1 date and I wonder if because I did it AFTER that for the first time that I was hosed.

Nah, can't be that. I did that test a couple days ago and they didn't nail me with it.

 

[Eric Friedebach]

I have an AirCard 580. Sometimes in fringe areas, the “watcherâ€￾ software will lock onto a roaming signal which is of no use. I configured the card like a modem, where it will redial until it gets through instead have to keep launching the Sierra Wireless app over and over (kind of like the old days of dialups and busy numbers).

The phone number? #777. Doing it right now.

 

[David Drummond]

I have an AirCard 580. Sometimes in fringe areas, the “watcherâ€￾ software will lock onto a roaming signal which is of no use. I configured the card like a modem, where it will redial until it gets through instead have to keep launching the Sierra Wireless app over and over (kind of like the old days of dialups and busy numbers).

The phone number? #777. Doing it right now.

Is that on Sprint or something else? My Sprint Aircard works completely differently than that.