PC Mobile unlimited data!?

[Fortissimo]

[QUOTE=Ian Brantford;14609083]No, enabling a hotspot is not the same as tethering. Tethering involves specific connection protocols (which are easily detectable by the carrier) to make your handset behave just like a modem, a specific type of "bridge" device, and of course it only works with a single client device. Hotspots make your phone act like a WiFi router, which looks like a single Internet-connected client device to the external network, but like a local IP switch with NAT to your own device(s). Hotspots require traffic inspection if the carrier wants to block them.

However, I don't know enough details about the tethering protocols to say what the variations are. Assuming that the earlier posts by Musiq Soulchild and cmstlist above must be confusing the above connection types, I did some experiments and... they are right! Well, at least in some cases it all all good. While my Blackjack reports that tethering is refused by the carrier (on PC Mobile, but not on Fido), my Nexus S will tether on PC Mobile. I should point out that the Nexus S has controls that are expressly labelled as "tethering" over USB or Bluetooth. I used USB.

I don't have a wide variety of services to try, in aid of detecting blocked ports. With tethering on USB, Web browsing works fine, including Flash videos such as on YouTube. On WiFi hotspot, MS Outlook Exchange and VPN worked. I only tethered to a Windows 7 PC with minimal apps.; Android won't natively tether to Windows XP on my corporate laptop. However, I expect to upgrade it to Windows 7 this week. I will try VPN & Exchange afterwards and let you know what happens.

BTW, the Nexus S was able to support both tethering via USB and running a WiFi hotspot simultaneously.[/QUOTE

I think you are confused how tethering is detectable by carriers. on GSM and UMTS, tethering is not detectable by carrier. On CDMA, it is, but it is because providers lock down the config of the phones, and they set up different access for tethering and on device data use, so they can bill accordingly.

On the iPhone, provider has to enable native tethering, but that is only because Apple made it so. You don't have to use an iPhone of course. But is it detected by the provider? Not really, it all goes through the same APN. (Deep Packet Inspection sure, but that's not what we are talking about).

I think it's the providers like Rogers who has bastardized the terminology earlier when they try to separate tethering data plan and non ones. It has since expanded to any off loading data from the data device (the cellular phone) to another device, regardless of method and path.

In the traditional sense, tethering referring to the old method of connecting a cellphone to a computer to get data connection, usually via a cable, serial connection, and later on, USB connection. That is a pure DUN modem connection, which is still used on some connections, but I doubt provider is still taking this purist definition.

[Edgedamage]

I am willing to trade my sim card with UMB & 416 number for a iPhone 4. Never abused the data.

[DataDude]

Does anyone know if I can use the PC Mobile plan with a locked Bell iPhone 4S?
Also is "personal hotspot" on the iPhone actually blocked, or set up with a pay-per-use APN? Anyone can confirm?

[Fortissimo]

Does anyone know if I can use the PC Mobile plan with a locked Bell iPhone 4S?
Also is "personal hotspot" on the iPhone actually blocked, or set up with a pay-per-use APN? Anyone can confirm?

I really can't say for the 4S, as I don't have one. But I have used it on my 4 (now sold) for months with no problems. I have to set up the proper APN first (or else it'll charge the data very expensively!). Then I also have blocked Facetime and Game Center as mentioned in the other long thread, to avoid the mysterious SMS charges (although not too expensive but still annoying). Then it almost works except for Hotspot. I have to use a tethering enabler utility that I found in Cydia to make it work again, which I'm not sure if you have to or not, but if so, then you need to jailbreak your phone (the other stuff, such as APN can be done without jailbreaking). Unfortunately, the 4S only has tethered jailbreak for now, as untethered jailbreak is not available yet (if you don't know what this means, then you probably shouldn't even try this, buy a different phone to avoid the hassle).

And the PC Mobile SIM works on most, if not all Bell's locked phones. With the iPhone 4 and 4S, you need to carefully cut down the SIM, and some people have damaged the SIM and have to buy another one. The problem is, if you do that, you won't know if PC Mobile customer service rep will inadvertantly kill your unlimited data option, and you will never get it back as it's GONE! So it is a rather risky thing to do now the plan is gone. I did it very carefully and it's cutting into the metal area. You can buy a SIM cutter tool, but even that is not a guarantee. THE PC Mobile SIM has larger metal contact areas than today's MicroSIM.

I am thinking if I should sell you one of my PC Mobile SIMs with that service, it's w/ Vancouver number. I really don't know what is a fair price so I guess I will have to think about it first.

[DataDude]

Interesting. There's another gentleman on here asking for $100 - I've offered $75, not sure either what a fair price would be. On one hand, it's unlimited data, man! On the other hand, there are certainly some drawbacks to be aware of.

I do know all about jailbreaking and I'd be happy to do it. Let me ask you this--if I were to jailbreak my 4S (tethered for now of course) do you know if I can still use the native personal hotspot feature, but change the APN? Or would I have to buy a separate app such as PDANet or MyWi?

[georgethegreek]

Will the PC Mobile unlimited data work with a tablet like the IPad 2?

I really can't say for the 4S, as I don't have one. But I have used it on my 4 (now sold) for months with no problems. I have to set up the proper APN first (or else it'll charge the data very expensively!). Then I also have blocked Facetime and Game Center as mentioned in the other long thread, to avoid the mysterious SMS charges (although not too expensive but still annoying). Then it almost works except for Hotspot. I have to use a tethering enabler utility that I found in Cydia to make it work again, which I'm not sure if you have to or not, but if so, then you need to jailbreak your phone (the other stuff, such as APN can be done without jailbreaking). Unfortunately, the 4S only has tethered jailbreak for now, as untethered jailbreak is not available yet (if you don't know what this means, then you probably shouldn't even try this, buy a different phone to avoid the hassle).

And the PC Mobile SIM works on most, if not all Bell's locked phones. With the iPhone 4 and 4S, you need to carefully cut down the SIM, and some people have damaged the SIM and have to buy another one. The problem is, if you do that, you won't know if PC Mobile customer service rep will inadvertantly kill your unlimited data option, and you will never get it back as it's GONE! So it is a rather risky thing to do now the plan is gone. I did it very carefully and it's cutting into the metal area. You can buy a SIM cutter tool, but even that is not a guarantee. THE PC Mobile SIM has larger metal contact areas than today's MicroSIM.

I am thinking if I should sell you one of my PC Mobile SIMs with that service, it's w/ Vancouver number. I really don't know what is a fair price so I guess I will have to think about it first.

[Fortissimo]

Interesting. There's another gentleman on here asking for $100 - I've offered $75, not sure either what a fair price would be. On one hand, it's unlimited data, man! On the other hand, there are certainly some drawbacks to be aware of.

I do know all about jailbreaking and I'd be happy to do it. Let me ask you this--if I were to jailbreak my 4S (tethered for now of course) do you know if I can still use the native personal hotspot feature, but change the APN? Or would I have to buy a separate app such as PDANet or MyWi?

Interesting that you know all about jailbreaking but you don't know what it can or cannot do. Yes, jailbreaking is required to fix the personal hotspot issue with an unsupported APN. But that's all I am ready to give away as this is way beyond the scope of this forum.

[Fortissimo]

Will the PC Mobile unlimited data work with a tablet like the IPad 2?

Is it a 3G version or a WiFi only version? If it is a 3G version I think it should be fairly similar to the iPhone 4 situation. And again, this is way beyond the scope of this forum. There are a couple of iOS related forums here. Data is data, all you need to get a device work is the correct band, standard, and settings (such as APN). Otherwise it's a device related problem, and support from device related forums is best.

[DataDude]

Interesting that you know all about jailbreaking but you don't know what it can or cannot do. Yes, jailbreaking is required to fix the personal hotspot issue with an unsupported APN. But that's all I am ready to give away as this is way beyond the scope of this forum.

Lol I'm well aware of what jailbreaking can do, but I've never had occasion to research jailbreak tethering since my plans have always included it officially. I've now researched it and know a lot more.

[sengook]

I'm sure it's not possible but anyone know if it's possible to go from the old 25c/day UMB to the $25 for 35 cred and get the 7/mo credited umb and 25/mo unlimited text? I vaguely recall this ins't possible anymore that it's gone.

[AahH]

I'm sure it's not possible but anyone know if it's possible to go from the old 25c/day UMB to the $25 for 35 cred and get the 7/mo credited umb and 25/mo unlimited text? I vaguely recall this ins't possible anymore that it's gone.

Once you change ANYTHING in your plan it is GONE FOR GOOD. don't even think about calling in for anything at all.

[cmstlist]

What if I call in to temporarily add something like SMS or a minutes package and later remove it, or change my phone number... Do you think my UMB would survive that trip?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[ceredon]

When I sold my SIM last week, we called in and had the name and address changed and the assured us that the UMB survived the transition. I am not sure if the buyer was going to change the number (we have different area codes and LCA) since his intent was to use a tablet I think. I would think adding SMS or another feature would be safe, but best to check with PC.

Funny story: when I called in the day before meeting the buyer to confirm everything would be ok with the transfer, the guy said all was well, confirmed I had unlimited browsing and the proceeded to try to up-sell me on add-ons with his first suggestion being the $10/100MB data option. I literally laughed out loud and reminded him that he'd just confirmed I had unlimited data on my account. He got a little embarrassed and explained he was 'sort on autopilot'.

[Fortissimo]

Funny story: when I called in the day before meeting the buyer to confirm everything would be ok with the transfer, the guy said all was well, confirmed I had unlimited browsing and the proceeded to try to up-sell me on add-ons with his first suggestion being the $10/100MB data option. I literally laughed out loud and reminded him that he'd just confirmed I had unlimited data on my account. He got a little embarrassed and explained he was 'sort on autopilot'.

Or a trick, if you even say hmmm yea, then you would be added $10100MB and kicked out of the UL data instantly. May be he's clever, never know.

[ceredon]

Or a trick, if you even say hmmm yea, then you would be added $10100MB and kicked out of the UL data instantly. May be he's clever, never know.

They may work for bell but that doesn't always mean they're *****.

The buyer confirmed it after also. All seems well.