EVDO Tethering (Discuss in this Thread Only!)

[SteveDu]

Wow I didn't know it seems like the tethering issue here at VZW is just as bad as in the GSM market...

Now As many of you might already saw... I am thinking switching from the GSM to CDMA and take advantage of EVDO since I travel between EVDO coverage areas (San Diego <-> Los Angeles).

My problem is, I really don't know what I am suppose to do now... I am a very heavy data user and talking on the phone? Barely but I do need it. Generally I don't tethering since it's just way too much hassle. You Cingular people who are "grandfathered" with the old unlimited $20 GSM data plan know that it's not suppose to be combined with a PDA/Smartphone since... since I dunno. But I never got charged for using it in the device which it's not suppose to be running on (Last Palm OS "smart"-phone on earth) nor I ever got a call from Cingular even I have the MPx220 on my profile (I changed phones without resign contracts).

So VZW people Should I go with the SCH-i730 and an unlimited EVDO plan (I don't plan to tethering... or if I HAVE to I'll try to) - OR - Get a PCMCIA Data card and pay for $60 with voice plan?

Another thing (sorry for asking so much... first time step into CDMA market)... if they mean by have a qualified voice plan ... do they mean I can combine a voice service on a PC Card? I remember seeing something like that before but I am not sure... or I just have to get a phone for basic voice?

Thanks a lot folks... I really want to try the EVDO out.

[robrecht]

Air card will work with a laptop but not with the great majority of PDAs. My understanding is that you also need a voice plan with a phone. Seems like the Air card works especially for business users who plan on using a lot of data exclusively on a laptop.

Samsung PDA phone is nice 'cause it also has WiFi (and a qwerty keyboard) and you can get unlimited data plans for a little cheaper than with an Air card (but you're not supposed to tether to a laptop) or you can get limited data plans. If I hadn't already bought a new PDA (w VGA) last year, I would probably have gone with the Samsung when it came out. But there are a few quirks to the Samsung and there's a lot of new stuff coming out (maybe not so fast for Verizon) so spend some time on the PDA forums before you make such a huge investment.

Tethering with a phone allows one to use it with either a PDA (when you don't have it with you) or your laptop (when you do), which is nice versatility. But you're in a gray area at best WRT what Verizon allows. Many feel they are much safer by only tethering at 1xRTT speeds rather than at 1xEVDO speeds. Many aren't too worried. One person on this board was warned by someone investigating high data usage that he shouldn't be tethering. The great majority of Verizon employees do not have a clue what they are talking about, especially when it comes to data plans and tethering. I've been told about 5 different things so I choose to follow the answer that I like (from someone I trust). The death squads haven't killed me yet but I need to travel incognito and I do look over my shoulder every once in a while when I see blue rays coming at me from the bushes or kiosks at the mall.

Does that help? Good luck!

[SteveDu]

Thanks a lot for your information! Really appreciated.

So I went to a corporate store today and spent about an hour in there talking to the sales rep and trying out the i730 phone. Well it's a pretty slick phone though I would love to see it running on Windows Mobile 5 instead of WM2003SE but it's a smartphone after all.

The sales rep did offer me discount on the phone however I found out that I have no choice but to use the 59.99 BroadbandAccess on the i730 which I really don't mind but is it POSSIBLE to bind a cheaper service such as VCast or basic 1xRTT service (To my understanding... it's just like EDGE to GPRS in GSM right? If there is EVDO coverage how do the service provider tell what speed you are using if it's just all dial #777 anyway?) or something like that to take the advantage of EVDO and browse the Internet and running Internet-based applications on the PPC? Even the sales reps told me it's possible just he doesn't know how nor he is telling me where to get those information.

For $20 extra a month compare to what I am paying now I really don't mind to switch over but I just wonder if there is a way to save... Guys, if you have information about that or tricks you would love to share, please? I really appreciate this.

I haven't switched yet because 1)Phone price 2)Haven't figured a way to save on data service 3)Porting number questions/problems 4)Contract length but I am seriously considering switching over ... What are you folks opinion? Thanks I really want to make a good decision.

[robrecht]

... however I found out that I have no choice but to use the 59.99 BroadbandAccess on the i730 which I really don't mind but is it POSSIBLE to bind a cheaper service ...

I thought the unlimited data plan for the i730 was $50 and that there were also cheaper data plans with data limitations.

[Hal_07726]

Steve- as has been discussed previously:

1. There are ways to get Tethering to work.

2. We know that at least one member on HF has received a call from VZW giving him a warning to stop tethering with his phone.

3. In my own conversation with a VZW Data Support employee I was told that they were detecting (she did not tell me how) data tethering calls and were "Terminating" accounts (and charging the ETF) for people "as we speak."

4. One posting that I have read about the new LG 9800 (in store on 10/1, online now) supports DUN/Tethering out of the box. However, I have not heard how you need to pay for the service (meaning if you need the $59.99 BA plan) more info on the phone can be found in the LG forum under Verizon -> Phones -> LG forum.

This is how I look at it- If your checking email once in a rare while, or doing something similar to that, rare short occurances.. VZW will probably leave you alone (though, you are still violating the TOS) However, if your using this regularly you are much more likely to be caught. At the moment- they are giving warnings first- if you want to risk that they don't change their mind with that and see if you get a warning-- then you can always add the data plan later.


If your business relies on you having the wireless access, Tten the $60 a month for a data plan is a bargian. Especially if you travel. That's only 6 days at the average $10 per night most hotels charge for in-room broadband access. Of course, if you go to Starbucks a lot- you can just hop on their free WiFi.


I don't think anyone beats VZW for their coverage and it costs them a lot more to have that kind of coverage- and they charge for it. This includes charging for things that other vendors give you for free (like sending photos directly to your PC via bluetooth or Loading ringtones from the PC...)

So- in summary- I don't think you have a way to save on data service that is going to be reliable and safe for anytihng but the most sporadic of usage.

[SteveDu]

Ahhh I see! Hey thanks a lot! So there are two different data plans for the PDA/Smartphone? The sales rep told me that the "Basic Internet non-EVDO" for $50 and the "BroandbandAccess" EVDO plan is $60. If I understand it correctly, they dial up differently (EVDO is #777 and 1xRTT is something else?) and that's how the network can tell the differences?

Tethering... lol oh boy oh boy did I ever even TRIED to bother XD I have to agree on you Hal_07726 about the bargin part and be careful with tethering. For me I just need a smartphone OS and high speed Internet function (EVDO) with a good coverage and service.

I guess I'm going to the Verizon store now and port it over... hey thanks a lot guys! I'll sure update on the status

BTW anyone heard if there will be an update for the i730 to run Windows Mobile 5?

[Hal_07726]

I wish I knew, Steve... I still don't understand all the data plan stuff here. I have the e815 and I would love to have a data plan so I could tether to it... however, I belive I must buy the PCMCIA hardware and have a data plan attached to that-- rather than tether to the phone and not buy more hardware.

This might be different for the new LG phone that shows up in stores on Sunday... I understand that they have the "DUN" profile turned on by default. Perhaps we will see, come october, the ability to add data packages to phones- instead of buying seperate hardware.

Since you don't need to tether- a PDA with the RTT (or EVDO) plan should be great for you...

[robrecht]

For anyone still following this discussion, there's another thread here where wtfm8 describes being warned about his 200+ GB data use over several months. Dylan also describes being hit with a $1400 bill for data charges after he removed VCast from his plan, added mobile web, and Verizon mistakenly put him on a per kb data plan. It was also explained to him that he was only allowed to use 14.4 kbps analog modem speeds. They cancelled the charges BTW.

Mods, merge?

[slvrscoobie]

I just a 120$ in charges for 1 day between my billing cycle and trying to get an extra free month of Vcast from a flier i got in the mail, i guess they screwed up the simple proccess and put me on something that charged me for Vcast AND k/b
7mb = 119$
she didnt know how i was getting charged so she reversed that and took off vcast and the charges.. so this is the Second time my accounts looked over by verizon for K/b usage and always been told "i dont know why your getting charged" and reassuring me that i can use it free

[Shr00m]

It seems a sure thing Verizon can track users. Does setting up a public proxy in WebSessions make one any more transparent?

I am wondering the same thing.

BTW, does anyone else have a problem proxying and getting the meesage:
For web access dial *611?

[lewton]

What is a good speed for Verizon's EVDO?

[BFEINZIMER]

I'mnot sure if anyone has also had this happen to them...

I used EVDO through VCAST for 2 weeks. I was warned by one of our members that most likely I would get a call from VZW and sure enough I did, you all remember that post on here...

As of sevral weeks ago after some troubleshooting and some long phone calls, all data usage on my phone # has been blocked...sadly I am considering ditching my 5+ year old # for a new one....

I was never charged for any data usage, which I know I used alot of...I figure thats because our family has been long timers of VZW, back when VZW bought AirTouch Cell here in SoCal...

Hopefully I won't deal with the ETF because of the v710 settlement...

See for yourselfs...

STOP THE THERTHING AND PAY!!!

[appleguru]

STOP THE THERTHING AND PAY!!!

********. Until VZW offers me an unlimited data plan that I can legitimately tether on, I'll be doing all the tethering I want. And since I've tried calling and adding such a plan (to no avail), I can do so with a clean conscience. If they don't want my money, fine by me. And if they try to hit me with big charges, they wont be getting a cent from me. (And their customer service department will be sick of me from calling 10 times a day if they EVER try to shut off my data access).

Seriously.

I say fight them. Call vzw and ask for broadband access on your e815. If enough people call, they might just "have" to add it (and if they don't, they wont be hearing the last of me )

It's cases like this that makes me wonder who put the morons in charge at verizon....

[andrewperon]

to add on a nice note here because i'm sure people are dying to know unless this has already been asked, but if you use a 1xRTT phone to tether on the weekends, which should be a minute by minute charge, not KB like EVDO, does it count towards your free N/W? Just so you know, yes, I have NationalAccess unlimited, a data cable, mobileoffice kit, and VZW connection manager.


Oh, and...

for 1xRTT connections, the settings are as follows:

Dial: #777

usr:web
pass:web

for EVDO connections, the settings are as follows:

Dial:#777

usr:<your 10 digit phone number here>@vzw3g.com
pass:vzw

Now, this only works with verizon. for the list of other provider's numbers, and more information on bluetooth tethering via pocketpc or Windows/Mac, go to:Aximsite Tutorial

This is for Dell Axim pocket devices, but the access numbers and usr/pass combonations are good for any type connection. Hope this helps, and hope someone can answer my question(s).


Oh. and another quick question.

With 1x connection via data cable, what kind of internet connection speed can I expect?

[appleguru]

for 1xRTT I'd say somewhere in the 14.4kbps range...