[jimflamesfan]

Since people on this board seem to be experts at various topics.

I've been lookin' to try to use a cell phone for decent internet access. I live in Halifax...cable lines don't reach here...DSL is unavailable.

Satallite may be available, but quite expensive.

I have successfully connected to the internet using a Motorola W315 pay as you go phone (SimpleFreedom)...connected to a USB cable, and using some kind of driver disk that I got on EBAY.

It seems to connect at around 57.6KBPS but uploading is VERY slow (which is part of what I want to do - upload stuff to our church website).

Right now with Dial-up I can only connect at around 31.2KBPS b/c our phone lines are so bad.

Anyway...I've heard that different phones with different modems have different speeds...here's what I've come up with...

GSM modems - 9.6KBPS
CDMA modems - 14.4KBPS
CDPD modems - 19.2 KBPS
GPRS modems - up to 115KBPS
Edge - 384 KBPS
EVDO - 1.5 - 2.4 mbps

My question is...has anyone had a phone with an Edge or EVDO modem built in? Does it work fast for the internet? Was it hard to set up? and do they charge you extra $ for using Edge or EVDO?

Those are my questions. I was able to connect using a Motoroloa W315 and the cable. I actually used the phone as a modem, and used Netzero as my provider...and it acted just as the phone - I didn't have to pay any extra data charges...so if some kind of Razor with an EVDO modem would work, that would make me very happy. Anyone have any experience with this?

[Hold My Own]

I just got the HughesNet sat high speed internet...MUCH MUCH faster than my sprint card...right now Sprint doesnt offer EVDO...I suggest that...the equipment is pricey but it's worth it in the end

[El Scorcho]

Alltel has EVDO and it's on par with DSL. (0.5Mbps-0.75Mbps) I have an EVDO smartphone that I've used as a modem from time to time, including a one week period when i had no Internet connection at home. It worked pretty well.

I would, however, suggest buying a dedicated EVDO modem and data plan if that's what you intend to use it for. A lot of phones work as modems (doing what is usually referred to as "tethering"), but since they're not designed to do that as their primary function they can be flakey. The dedicated EVDO modems work great.

If Alltel has EVDO coverage in Halifax, I'd definitely go that route. They have two PC Card Slot modems, one Express Card Slot modem and one USB modem in their lineup.

[jimflamesfan]

Thanks for all of your help. Alltel does have coverage in my area...I think that EDVO would work here...

I'll check it out. I still may be too cheap to do it. What I was doing was using the phone as a modem, and then using Netzero as by IP provider. I was basically calling the # through the phone. It seemed to work okay for me.

I was figuring by 'tethering' I could just add my ISP # as my favorite unlimited #, and thus sort of get higher speed internet without paying for the data plan. (Yeah, I'm cheap). I tested this with a very cheap pay as you go phone, and it did work...but the phone just had a simple CDMA modem.

In other words, $9.95 for Netzero ISP, plus $5 a month to add a unlimited # = only $15 a month more for fast internet - plus Netzero uses some sort of proxy server, which can make things a little faster, even if i only can connect at 114KBPS, that would still be decent.

I think data plans start at around $49 a month, which still is a little steep for me, but it may be my only option.

I have a friend with Satellite in the area, he seems to say it's hit and miss depending on the time of day your online.

Thanks!

[ALUmnus]

Also check out Ntelos, I've heard good things about their service.

[jimflamesfan]

Thanks. I don't think Ntelos is available in Halifax, though.

BTW, I've heard that what I have suggested above about using the phone just to dial the ISP may be illegal. I'm not sure. According to other boards, people have gotten bad letters from their carrier when they use their phone to dial an ISP without a data plan - so it looks like I'm stuck buying a data plan to be completely legal...although I'm not sure. I may ask at the Altell place...not sure what they'll tell me.

But here's where I need to vent.

I was able to successfully connect my cheap pay-as-you-go phone and use it to connect to the internet. It didn't cost me any more than what a call would. However, it has a cheap 1x CDMA modem that won't go at broadband speeds.

Now, from what I've heard, other people have used the same connection with a EVDO phone, that has faster download speeds...and they connect to their ISP using the phone as a modem...and then their carrier monitors their usage and cancels them if they don't upgrade to their data package.

My beef with this is as follows:

Back in the day, I used to have a 14.4 modem...later I upgraded to a 28.8 and then 33.6 and finally 56K. NEVER did the phone company charge me more because my connection was faster...I was simply using the line.

Now with my cell phone...the CDMA modem or the 1x network doesn't cost more...you can simply use it. However, you try using the EDVO modem and they see that you're downloading too much, then they threaten to cancel if you don't sign up for their data service.

Correct me if I'm wrong...but the only thing that would change is you would use and pay THEM as your ISP instead of the one you use now (like Netzero). Technically, Motorola makes the phone with the faster modem...why should they be able to tell me which ISP I use. That would be like a phone company saying you could only use their long distance.

OK, my rant is over. I feel better now.

[El Scorcho]

Correct me if I'm wrong...but the only thing that would change is you would use and pay THEM as your ISP instead of the one you use now (like Netzero). Technically, Motorola makes the phone with the faster modem...why should they be able to tell me which ISP I use. That would be like a phone company saying you could only use their long distance.

Well, there's a technical difference between the two types of modems you're using.

Dial-up modems place a phone call over an analog POTS line and then "converse" with each other transmit data. With those, you're just using a modem to place a phone call, which enables you to connect to physical Internet-connected networks anywhere in the world.

When you're using an EVDO modem, Cable modem, DSL modem, etc., you're using a device that connects you directly the network that's physically connected near where you are. You're not actually making a phone call, you're just plugging right into the network which is what they're charging you access for. There's no need for an ISP because you don't have to "go" anywhere to use the Internet. The Internet has come to you.

Prior to now you've been dealing with ISP's who were piggybacking on the infrastructure built out by the network providers. Now you're connecting directly to the network itself, no ISP necessary. So while you may be paying more for the access, a middleman ISP is no longer necessary.

[jimflamesfan]

Right now, I'm using my Motorola W315 phone tethered to my computer using a USB and Motorola phone tools...calling 830-0050, the # for Netzero, and I'm on the internet at 115200BPS.

I'm only being charge for the call. Now, I've also connected a Razr v3m, and you can see where it actually calls the #. If you dial, it sounds just like a dial-up modem to me. So I don't see the difference. Except the V3m modem is faster. Maybe I'm wrong...

But it's strange that Altell stopped selling the V3m for U prepaid...they now sell the V3a, the same phone without the EDVO modem. I think it's because they don't want you using the EDVO modem without the data package.

But they even sell the data cable and disk on their website, and it says, "YOU CAN USE YOUR PHONE AS A MODEM". It doesn't say you have to buy extra service.

But anyway, even thought I don't have highspeed...at least with my cheap W315 I've found a way to connect to the internet from anywhere, for a reasonble price. Alas, I may still eventually buy the data package...it seems to be the only highspeed option in the area.

Thanks for all your help, El Schorcho and others

[El Scorcho]

I'm only being charge for the call. Now, I've also connected a Razr v3m, and you can see where it actually calls the #. If you dial, it sounds just like a dial-up modem to me. So I don't see the difference. Except the V3m modem is faster. Maybe I'm wrong...

Let me explain it another way.

Let's say you've got to travel from Dallas to Boston. You have two options. You can get in a car and drive on the highway to Boston using mostly slow two-lane roads, or you can hop in a plane and fly there. Both options get you there, but one will get you there directly and in a much smaller amount of time. For that direct and fast connection, you pay a premium.

It's the same thing using a third party ISP or connecting directly to the Internet. You want information to travel from your house to the Internet. You can either drive your slow dial-up modem across the narrow and congested phone lines to NetZero's Internet connection or you can fly your fast broadband modem directly onto the Internet.

The analogy isn't as sound as it could be, but hopefully that helps clear it up for you.

[jimflamesfan]

OK...I think I understand the difference. To take advantage of the EDVO modem, you have to connect directly to Altell's network.

Here's what I don't understand, though. It's completely puzzling and baffling to me...

If I connect through my regular phone line to Netzero in Halifax using the same #...on a Win98 computer, where you can right click on the little connection to see the speed...it says I'm connected at 31200BPS. That's a regular landline phone

However, if I connect through my cellphone and have my cellphone dial that same number using the USB modem driver from Motorola...and I rightclick on it, it says I'm connected at 115200BPS.

Now, in theory, you would think that 115200BPS is faster than 31200BPS...but it FEELS like I'm going faster through the landline than the cellphone. Any ideas?

But as far as problems with tethering...I didn't see any. Everything loaded, it even rememeber me as being logged on when I came here...yahoo, facebook, flamefans, everything worked fine.

Although, to add one other weird thing...when I connected through a landline, Explorer would always freeze...then I'd have to start Firefox, then close Explorer and restart it. Ever since I connected my cellphone everything works. Even when I unconnected it and went back to the landline modem, everything works. So that's another bonus...although I don't know what I'm doing.

[PAmedic]

simple.

FIREFOX sucks








(glad I could help )

[El Scorcho]

However, if I connect through my cellphone and have my cellphone dial that same number using the USB modem driver from Motorola...and I rightclick on it, it says I'm connected at 115200BPS.

Now, in theory, you would think that 115200BPS is faster than 31200BPS...but it FEELS like I'm going faster through the landline than the cellphone. Any ideas?

The 31.2kbps speed is a measurement of how fast your modem is connected to the modem that you're dialed into. The 115.2kbps speed is a measurement of how fast your computer is connected to your cell phone over the USB cable. Your cell phone is most likely only dialed into your ISP's modem bank at 14.4kbps.