Cell Phones for Internet: Part 2

[Joey Ketcham]

Well I had a cell phone with me yesterday which gets it's service via Alltell. It works fine around Pittsburg to dialup to the internet, but then I got down into NE Oklahoma and when I tried to dial out gave me some error about Analog or something... :cry: :cry:

 

[Paul Stofer]

Best phone I have seen to use for Dialup to the internet is the Nokia 5160 with Cingular service. This is what I have and it works great. Last year I was in the middle of BFE / Harper County KS and I still had a full signal. When you are talking on the phone it is in digital mode, then when you connect it to your internet card and dial up to the internet on your computer the phone automatically switches to analog mode. If you want to stick with dialup internet via cell, try that. Otherwise maybe start looking at getting an aircard or wxworx?

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Do you have many problems with Cingular with it dropping out and such?

 

[Paul Stofer]

No, not really. The only problems I have are just outside of Lawton OK where there are probably hardly any cell towers. Other than that, I never have problems. Again, when I was chasing in the middle of KS last year I was the only one in the group that had a signal. Cingular has very good coverage... The Nokia 5165 will even work for this. Then look at getting the King of Hearts PC card and your good to go! You can find the phone on ebay for under 20 bucks, and the PC card under 60 *roughly* ...

 

[Bart_Comstock]

I have a PalmOne Treo 650 from Cingular and I close enough to Green Country that I often find my self chasing there and I never have a problem with connections. The great thing about the Treo is that not only can you use it to connect your laptop to the web, but it has wireless Bluetooth also you can even surf the web on it. As for wireless card I really was impressed with my Sony Ericsson card from Cingular. It's faster than a cell phone connection and it works every where your cell phone works.

 

[Justin Walker]

I use cingular service to access the internet while chasing. I have used it all spring. Cingular doesn't have good service in western KS or western NE...but who does!! Cell service is great in the SP's, haven't chased north of NE yet, but i'm sure I will come June. However...it is a little pricey for a new customer. I would suggest getting the unlimited package, looking at radar and such can really eat up the Mb's. :cry:

 

[Bart_Comstock]

I agree with Justin, I'm in KS right now (Garden City) and my service is pretty sketchy, I either have 4 to 5 bars or no bars, but every where else I've been this year I haven't had any trouble. I was however able to connect to the web on my cell phone in some scarce areas that my pc card could not find a "Official Cingular Network." I haven't been north of NE yet. Oh, and definitely go with the unlimited plan.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

I, too, use Alltel for internet service over cellphone. It works great (though slow @14.4kb/s) in Nebraska. Pretty much all of Nebraska, at that; Alltel has built a digital CDMA network to cover nearly the entire state.

However, once I crossed the border into Kansas, things got screwy. My Alltel plan is such that my phone should work anywhere in the country. It did get a digital signal in Kansas, and from the maps I've seen, Alltel has their own Kansas network (no partnering). However, attempting to connect to the QNC internet connection in Kansas was a no-go. The phone connected fine and would even start to get data, but the network would kick me off after fifteen seconds or so; not long enough to pull down a radar shot. I'm not sure why this is; I plan to ask Alltel about it.

From what I've read, Verizon is the real "perfect" cellular data solution. Large digital network, FAST connections in large cities, 14.4 QNC connections elsewhere, and it only uses your minutes. That, and they allow you to change your minutes plan without penalty. Bulk up in the spring, cut back in the winter. Alltel lets you do that now, too, I believe.

 

[Justin Walker]

That, and they allow you to change your minutes plan without penalty. Bulk up in the spring, cut back in the winter. Alltel lets you do that now, too, I believe.

Cingular is the same way...you can have the data plan just for the chasing season, then cut it off until next spring. Also, Cingular data plans don't use your precious daytime cell minutes!! But, the cool thing with this is you can still use your cell phone while using the data plan.