Cingular and Internet connections

[William Combes]

It's been a few years since I've connected to the internet via a cell phone. There was a recent thread that appeared to be dominated by Sprint users. Anyone have any advice on the best phone from Cingular to connect to a PC and dial in while out in the field. I'm mainly looking to update a blog and look at SPC, etc..... Thanks in advance.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I use a Motorola MPx220 to connect to my laptop (via Bluetooth or cable, though BT is much easier!) and connect to the internet. It's worked quite well for me... I know other phones work well too, but I can't think of any specific models.

 

[Brett Adair]

Don't use an LG or a Samsung SGH-d357.....I'll tell you that. :roll:

 

[William Combes]

Thanks for the advice. I have a Samsung phone now and will be switching out in the near future. I'd like to go with a Motorola. I wonder if the RAZR would be a good fit?

 

[Dick McGowan]

Don't use an LG or a Samsung SGH-d357.....I'll tell you that. :roll:

Yeah LG's suck, I can't find anyone with an adapter for the internet for one.

 

[Jay McCoy]

Thanks for the advice. I have a Samsung phone now and will be switching out in the near future. I'd like to go with a Motorola. I wonder if the RAZR would be a good fit?

I will tell you the RAZR has an issue about reception. There is no external antenna and no external antenna jack. There were times last year when I had only 1 bar on my RAZR but my partner who had a different style phone but also Cingular had 4 bars. We had to use hers to call anybody let alone use it to dial up. I like Motorola phones but the RAZR is crap if your not in a city. I may even switch back to my old Nokia just because I know I can use it to hook to my laptop.

 

[bill mudd]

Ive been REAL happy with the Motorla V400
BIG benefit is the ability to connect the WILSON TRUCKER antenna!
the V400 has been recently updated to a V551 which is basically the same phone (I also have that and love it too)
you will be cabled (leashed) to your laptop, but I prefer this to the bluetooth
you will have to search the net for the motoralla cable as cingular doesnt have it
Cingular downside - the unlimited plan is now $95 mo. (or it was last year)
Cingular upside - somehow some guys are getting a different package that costs less for the monthly downloads (anyone?)

 

[Justin Walker]

I used Motorola V551 most of last year. It worked well. I just tethered it to my laptop. The phone got good reception and the battery life was short while getting data. You definately would need a car charger with you!

 

[Justin Walker]

Cingular upside - somehow some guys are getting a different package that costs less for the monthly downloads (anyone?)

I think Jeff could help you with that, he has the cheaper plan. I also got stuck with the $100 a month!

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I had been using the old MediaWorks plan, which was $19.99/mo for something like 5000 text messages, 200 MMS, and unlimited MediaNet (internet). A while ago (10 months?) they changed the MediaWorks, chopping the MediaNet down to 2mb but keeping the price the same (go figure). This year, I'll have to go with the $24.99/mo unlimited MediaNet (internet)... That package is designed for internet that you attain using your phone... There is a $44.99/mo (or something like that) for unlimited PDA MediaNet, and the $79.99/mo (promo now $59.99/mo) for DataConnect, Cingular's data plan intended for laptop usage. As others have found out, you can 'tether' your phone to your laptop, and use your laptop to get internet data THROUGH the phone. This means that Cingular won't force you into the God-awfully-high-priced DataConnect package... Of course, there's always the disclaimer that they MAY see this and charge you PPU (pay-per-use, which you do NOT want to have if you rack up the mb's). However, between what I've heard and what I've read on Howardforums, nobody has ever had this happen to them. In the cases where folks do have monstrously high bills (>$500 for data alone), it's because the Cingular rep did not remove the PPU feature when they activated unlimited ($24.99/mo) MediaNet. Of course, you do not want to tell the Cingular rep that you will be tethering, since there's a good change that they will NOT put the unlimited MediaNet package on the plan and force you to go for the higher-priced plan.

 

[bill mudd]

Jeff exactly - they threatened me with the (PPU) pay per use threat on 2 occasions!
so Ill give it another try now that you have explained it so thoroughly, and I really appreciate your candor and indept explaination, I hope others can benefit from this thread as its been haunting me for a while now.

...... is there any changes needed on laptop "cingular settings" to be able to adjust for the change - seems like I tried it without any luck last year?

bill

 

[Marko Korosec]

guys,
maybe someone know how/where can I get just a SIM card for a mobile phone which would be for States. I have just our European SIM card and if I want to use USA networks (with whom our mobile networks have contracts for roaming) then the price is of course pretty expensive. I don't know if its possible to get a card if I am not a resident of USA.
Thanks!

 

[Sheila_Ward]

I will tell you the RAZR has an issue about reception. There is no external antenna and no external antenna jack. There were times last year when I had only 1 bar on my RAZR but my partner who had a different style phone but also Cingular had 4 bars. We had to use hers to call anybody let alone use it to dial up. I like Motorola phones but the RAZR is crap if your not in a city. I may even switch back to my old Nokia just because I know I can use it to hook to my laptop.

There should be an external antenna port on the back of your RAZR. It covered by a little rubber plug. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan on ordering an external antenna and giving it a shot.

 

[James Siler]

I don't remember seeing a external antenna port on the back of the Razr. I will have to take my coworkers phone today and double check. I did just learn that they are installing the UMTS antenna's on the towers here in OKC. Hence why service has been a little on the down side. And right now the only way to get the UMTS service is through the Sierra Wireless 860 or the Novatel U730. They haven't turned on the antennas yet but it will be soon. I don't expect to see any phones till late in the year. As for the using the GPRS loop hole, a guy at the data side of the bizz told me they know about people exploiting the loop hole and are fixing to do a script that will start recognizing people doing this and they will start getting pinged. Weather we do it or not, I don't know. I say this not wanting to make people mad or upset just as a FYI. I have a Nokia 6682 and cause of it having the Opera browser built in I use huge chunks of data so wondering if they would see me as one of those exploiting. That is what the data support guy couldn't answer when I asked how will the script recognize.

As for the Data Plans I have the Unlimited for 59.99 right now (for a limited time) And the Sierra Wirelss 860. We ran a test on the UMTS/HSDPA system in Las Vegas. 3.5 megs a second. As for anyone wanting phones I can get you 30% off of the outright price. And anyone considering an LG phone. Don't. Save your time and hard earned Money. The LG C2000 is the thorn in my departments side right now. If anyone else has any questions that I could try my best to assist in let me know!

 

[Hank Baker]

The treo 650 in my opinion is a really good overall phone for chasing. You have internet access via phone only, or you can use it as a modem for your laptop, you can take low res pics and send them instantly. I am using one for internet acces, Mesonet, wxtap etc. When its not hooked to my laptop, and then using it as a modem for my laptop, it works great. You can pick these up refurbished for about $140.00 with a new contract, otherwise they are about $300.00-$600.00. The plan I am on is the Cingular unlimited data plan, which is seperate from your phone talk minutes.

It also has a port for external antenna. Key board for text messaging etc. it also uses its own SD memory card, you can transfer pics to the phone drive or the memory card.

Because the phone pics on cell phone cameras are not that great, I will be carrying a cheap point and shoot digital camera that uses SD cards, set it to low res 640x480 , be able to shoot remove the SD card from the camera, drop it in the Treo phone and send instant high quality pics via , email, text message etc..
The camera built into the phone will do that all by itself, but the lens on the phone is very limited.