GSMlaptopQuestion <johnson.jim73@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
> I guess most of you know by now that most of the US cell phone
> companies charge 2-3 times as much for data service in laptops and
> PDAs as for phones, even fancy phones that can browse the web like the
> AT&T Tilt or the Sidekick (with Sprint).
>
> But one of the best things about GSM is you can move a card from one
> phone to another.
>
> So, if I have a data phone with GSM from AT & T or Sprint, and I
> tem****ally move the GSM card from a phone to a laptop modem, will it
> work? If so, will AT & T or Sprint (or other cell phone co's that take
> GSM) know I have done this, and start charging me more?
It's worse than that actually. If they figure out you've done this,
they'll charge you per kB for the data used and you might have a phone
bill like this:
http://www.switched.com/2007/12/14/man-gets-slapped-with-85-000-cell-phone-bill/
> Incidentally, does anyone know whether there is a difference in terms
> of capability or speed between the "Media Net" that is available for
> AT & T prepaid cell customers and the data service available for AT &
> T monthly cell customers?
Technically there's no difference that I can tell, though my AT&T Tilt
is configured for isp.cingular as the tethering access point and
wap.cingular for media net on-phone browsing stuff. It appears these
are configurable.
The im****tant difference is that if you tether without a tethering
data plan, you're violating your terms of service.
However, it isn't (or at least wasn't a year ago) hard to find a
misinformed rep who'll sell you the $40 unlimited data plan and tell
you that you can use it for your laptop too. They're wrong, you need
the $60 PDA connect plan for that use, however if you can get an AT&T
employee to tell you that the $40 plan is sufficient, then at least
you've got something defensible to say if/when you get that $60k phone
bill.
Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://toddh.net/
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