WANTED: EDGE/3-G Capable Cell Phone

[J Kinkaid]

I've changed no settings, I use the phone as dial-up (not cingulars connection manager), I've tried to setup connections on other computers using the same software and same drivers as I did when I set this up. It worked like a charm until that one chase day.

I've tried both wap.cingular, and isp.cingular...neither work.

From what I'm reading in cellular forums, they are really cracking down on the tethering now. They can monitor it, and they can block it, it's as simple as that. All I'm saying is be careful.

Can you tell me what features you have on your online account for data?

 

[Scott Weberpal]

Spent about an hour with a CS rep last night and got everything straightened out. Apparantly Cingular software and any software your phone may come with to connect comes with pre-determined modem strings for connecting to the Cingular server. After my excessive usage on a chase, they simply block that modem string on your account from accessing the Cingular server. So yes, they can block data tethering without blocking data access on your phone.

I simply apologized for going against the TOS, signed up for the legal tether option (Laptop Connect, $59.95/month), and I'm on my way again with data. Being a pre-existing Cingular customer, I can drop the Laptop Connect plan at any time.

Tether how you wish, however, if you're caught you'll likely be forced to upgrade to the Laptop Connect plan to be un-blocked.

 

[J Kinkaid]

Scott I still don't think that Cingular blocked you and that it was just a setting that got messed up . They are just not blocking people at this time

 

[Scott Weberpal]

They are blocking people, and in fact there are numerous threads about pepole being blocked in cellular forums. If a tech CS agent from Cingular tells me I was...I'd tend to believe they are correct. There is no other way to explain it, there were no settings to my phone or dial settings which were changed, and now it works perfectly fine. If you want a better answer, talk to a Cingular Tech.

 

[J Kinkaid]

I have looked all over the howard forums and see no post about where they are blocking people from teathering . It would have helped if you had logged into your online account and posted the features under your account like I asked. I wouldn't trust a Cingular agent they are poorly trained and if you call back chances are you would here a different answer.


At this time cingular is not blocking teathering and you can take that to the bank ! The people that are getting huge bills have PPU=pay per use on there accounts.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

I had MediaMax 200, and the tried the PDA connect plan...one on my account, then the other. I'm not sure how you explain my data working perfectly fine, then suddnely stopping without changing any settings in the phone or dial-up, and not changing anything on my plan. I tried both isp.cingular and wap.cingular. I changed no settings a few evenings ago, and after speaking with a tech I was suddenly able to connect again. My settings, my data plans, etc. have nothing to do with this...NOTHING WAS CHANGED.

If you want to be UN-ETHICAL and tether on a plan you're not supposed to, go for it.

I'll let you think what you want, I'll think what I want.

 

[J Kinkaid]

Calm down there Beavis! I was only trying to help you and you wouldn't even take the time to look at your account online and tell me what features you had listed on your account for data . I might have been able to help you get your connection working again without having to pay $59.

Sorry for trying to help you save a few bucks and hours on the phone with clueless cingular reps. Have a nice day

 

[Scott Weberpal]

It wasn't a rep, it was a tech...

It's not the few bucks I'm worried about saving, I just wanted my data to work. I appreciate any help you were willing to give, but at this point I'm happy with the Laptop Connect plan. I have a little voice inside telling me that regardless of whether or not I can get away with a lesser plan, it's the RIGHT thing to do getting the correct plan. Given I can drop and add at anytime, I'm not worried.

Now that I'm on isp.cingular, I should be able to get somewhat faster speeds, correct?

 

[J Kinkaid]

There is no difference in speeds between ISP and the wap profile. The only difference is wap uses a proxy and can give you false mobile speed test on your phone. The main difference is that ISP gives you VPN acess while wap doesn't .

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

I'm concerned because the first time I got the connection to work, I used the ISP profile, for the laptop connect plans. It wasn't til later that I changed to WAP. I havent called to check the status on my bill... but I'm hoping the data I used that one time while connected via ISP.cingular won't be charged by the kb since I have the Mediamax plan, not the laptop connect plan.

 

[J Kinkaid]

I'm concerned because the first time I got the connection to work, I used the ISP profile, for the laptop connect plans. It wasn't til later that I changed to WAP. I havent called to check the status on my bill... but I'm hoping the data I used that one time while connected via ISP.cingular won't be charged by the kb since I have the Mediamax plan, not the laptop connect plan.

Do you have PPU listed on your account ? How about Data connect ISP ?