PC Mobile unlimited data!?

**StealthRhino** · 07-29-2012, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Musiq Soulchild

You have a buyer already?

Not exactly. I've got someone who asked me to let them know if I want to get rid of it. Right now I don't use very much data and the per minute charge keeps me from using the voice much.

IF I can figure out a way to keep my number without destroying the plan, I would probably try to go for a best offer type thing.

**StealthRhino** · 07-29-2012, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by cmstlist

I think you can change the number but not keep the old one. Most carriers do not seem willing to port a number out *and* keep an account active for you afterwards.

The only idea I had was to get another PC mobile sim and swap the phone numbers. Not sure if they would do that. If I can't get my number back, I probably will keep it for now.

**DataDude** · 08-07-2012, 02:41 PM

Hey guys,

Just wanted to throw something out there. What would you people say is the best way to describe this plan?

I've seen a lot of "no restrictions, full tethering, absolutely unlimited data" descriptions - some people even compare it to the Fido unlimited GPRS data plan.

However, correct me if I'm wrong but this is basically an unlimited mobile browser plan. Not to say it isn't good - of course it is, and it currently doesn't block any ports/throttle/so on - but comparing it to the Fido plan is a bit of a stretch, yes? Tethering would be blocked if your phone requested permission from the carrier, and it wouldn't be impossible to think that one day the plan could be throttled/restricted in some way as it was always meant to be a mobile browser plan. I've also heard the "abuse threshhold" is around 15 GBs.

Am I understanding this correctly?

**Ian Brantford** · 08-07-2012, 09:55 PM

That's pretty accurate. It's clearly intended to be an on-handset option for light usage with consumption in the tens or perhaps hundreds of megabytes. The fact that they only disabled some specific tethering protocol and do no other monitoring other than for the highest consumption points to the fact that they simply aren't spending the money on accounting. Frankly, that's probably the way to go for them.

I would expect that "abuse threshold" to come down if many of us started consuming multiple monthly gigabytes of consumption with this option. The Fido option is obviously a premium one at $50/month, so Fido hasn't seen fit to unilaterally terminate service for those few who use it liberally, even with 100+ GB/month.

In both the PC Mobility and Fido cases, it's clear that providing data is nowhere near as expensive as the providers make it out to be. Current marketplace data caps are more about what prices the market will bear than about total monthly consumption. If prices were in line with network operator costs, we'd be charged based on time of day or on expense of protocols (with some apps frequently "calling home" and disrupting the network).

**migo** · 08-09-2012, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by StealthRhino

Not exactly. I've got someone who asked me to let them know if I want to get rid of it. Right now I don't use very much data and the per minute charge keeps me from using the voice much.

IF I can figure out a way to keep my number without destroying the plan, I would probably try to go for a best offer type thing.

If you don't use voice much, I don't really see the problem with just getting a new number.

**DataDude** · 08-28-2012, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Ian Brantford

That's pretty accurate. It's clearly intended to be an on-handset option for light usage with consumption in the tens or perhaps hundreds of megabytes. The fact that they only disabled some specific tethering protocol and do no other monitoring other than for the highest consumption points to the fact that they simply aren't spending the money on accounting. Frankly, that's probably the way to go for them.

I would expect that "abuse threshold" to come down if many of us started consuming multiple monthly gigabytes of consumption with this option. The Fido option is obviously a premium one at $50/month, so Fido hasn't seen fit to unilaterally terminate service for those few who use it liberally, even with 100+ GB/month.

In both the PC Mobility and Fido cases, it's clear that providing data is nowhere near as expensive as the providers make it out to be. Current marketplace data caps are more about what prices the market will bear than about total monthly consumption. If prices were in line with network operator costs, we'd be charged based on time of day or on expense of protocols (with some apps frequently "calling home" and disrupting the network).

Right, that's along the lines of what I was thinking. I saw a few people advertizing PC Mobile UMB plans as no restrictions/totally unblocked/similar to the Fido unlimited data plan. I wondered whether that was completely accurate or whether in fact it's more of a "loophole" that people happen to be able to use at the moment, but which could change any time.

**StealthRhino** · 09-08-2012, 01:53 PM

OK. I've decided to sell my sim with the 0.25/day UMB. I'll live with losing my current number.

Now my problem is figuring out what a fair price is. I've seen some prices but they seem ridiculous. I can't believe that somebody would pay $1000 for this plan! At the same time, I don't want to get less than I should for it. Anyone care to give me a reasonable price for one of these?

**DataDude** · 10-06-2012, 02:34 AM

Originally Posted by StealthRhino

OK. I've decided to sell my sim with the 0.25/day UMB. I'll live with losing my current number.

Now my problem is figuring out what a fair price is. I've seen some prices but they seem ridiculous. I can't believe that somebody would pay $1000 for this plan! At the same time, I don't want to get less than I should for it. Anyone care to give me a reasonable price for one of these?

^In all honesty I completely agree, I'm rather shocked with the terrific prices some HoFoers have chosen to ascribe to their UMB plans. I've personally dealt with people who have become offended at the mention that I wouldn't pay that amount for their plans. And I even dealt with one gentleman who told me that he was selling his plan for around what he paid for it, but it turned out he'd actually paid quite a bit less.

But, and this is a heavy but, I've never been in a position of having such a coveted plan, and I suppose simple supply and demands economics might win out. With that in mind I'd say get the most you can for your plan to compensate losing your number, afterall you're selling it not donating it.

One more point I wanted to emphasize, this is UMB with a loophole, not unlimited data. Maybe I'm being picky, but I do think it's fair for people to realize that while it might be unlikely, their usage could be filtered/restricted at any time.

**Ian Brantford** · 10-08-2012, 06:30 PM

The fairest price for a nonessential item is whatever the market will bear. As long as you don't try to misrepresent what's on offer, feel free to ask whatever you like. If you can't sell it after a month, your price is too high or it's not advertised well enough.

I recently came to a different decision about my even more valuable Fido account with unlimited data. While it's been worth $1000+ PER YEAR to keep it, just for the once or twice a year when I needed to not worry about occasionally high consumption, ultimately keeping the number was worth more than any feasible sale price.

If you want to figure yourself a ballpark figure, think about what such a plan would cost with a high-limited account on a conventional carrier. It's likely going to be $30-50/month just for the data option. Given that it's been offered for years and grandfathered since it was removed from new plans, it's likely that a buyer can use it indefinitely, unless he's going to press his luck with 10+ GB/month. So, think about asking for AT LEAST two years' worth of usage at those normal carrier rates. Then you are into the $1000+ range.

**StealthRhino** · 10-15-2012, 03:39 PM

My Sim is back up for sale in the 'plans' section on here.

I thought I had a buyer but it seems that I was being unreasonable by asking for payment by interac

Sent from my Nexus 7 using HowardForums

**sengook** · 10-16-2012, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by DataDude

Hey guys,

Just wanted to throw something out there. What would you people say is the best way to describe this plan?

I've seen a lot of "no restrictions, full tethering, absolutely unlimited data" descriptions - some people even compare it to the Fido unlimited GPRS data plan.

However, correct me if I'm wrong but this is basically an unlimited mobile browser plan. Not to say it isn't good - of course it is, and it currently doesn't block any ports/throttle/so on - but comparing it to the Fido plan is a bit of a stretch, yes? Tethering would be blocked if your phone requested permission from the carrier, and it wouldn't be impossible to think that one day the plan could be throttled/restricted in some way as it was always meant to be a mobile browser plan. I've also heard the "abuse threshhold" is around 15 GBs.

Am I understanding this correctly?

I don't know about the threshold because I had to use my plan for daily use for a month I think I was sure I was burning at least 1GB a day... Don't do this normally but I didn't care if I lost it either. That said I really had either the option to have no internet or to use it and risk losing it. That said I got my internet setup properly as soon as I could.

It still works for me btw and for the occasional use it gets it's great stuff.

I just wanted to comment the absolute threshold isn't 15GB but it could happen any time. NOTE: there are days it just flat out doesn't work though but that relates more to service in the area.

**cmstlist** · 11-24-2012, 11:25 PM

http://www.speedtest.net/android/299912819.png

These are my speeds on PC with my new Nexus 7 3G. I think I'll keep it

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

**Fortissimo** · 01-11-2013, 06:04 AM

With the DC-HSPA+ device (T989D), and friend's S III, also with DC-HSPA+, we have tested it above 20Mbps down, and up is about same as before (regular HSPA+). Very nice indeed even no LTE for us.

Yes, definitely keeper, it is worth keeping even it is 1/10 of the speed now.

**ceredon** · 01-11-2013, 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by Fortissimo

With the DC-HSPA+ device (T989D), and friend's S III, also with DC-HSPA+, we have tested it above 20Mbps down, and up is about same as before (regular HSPA+). Very nice indeed even no LTE for us.

Yes, definitely keeper, it is worth keeping even it is 1/10 of the speed now.

That would be better than 1/10th for me. The very best I've had on LTE is 40Mbps, so 20 on HSPA+ would be great. Still burns that I let my acct expire.

**Fortissimo** · 01-11-2013, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by ceredon

That would be better than 1/10th for me. The very best I've had on LTE is 40Mbps, so 20 on HSPA+ would be great. Still burns that I let my acct expire.

Expired? For how long? IF it is not cancelled you can just refill and get back in the action. I think I had a lapse for a couple of days and nothing bad happened. Sorry to hear that.