Tethering and prices

blackcobra487 · 04-19-2008, 02:38 AM

I'm trying to find a relatively inexpensive way to tether a cell phone for the very occasional time I would like to access the internet from my carpc. I'm have a contract with Verizon now, but to tether with them is $60 a month. There is the hack for it, but I can't seem to find the software I need, which is "Qualcomm QPST v.2.7 Build 215" I had luck with Cingular, about a year ago, tethering my L7 with MPT and the Media Max they offered. I used this on my laptop just fine. I'm just curious to know how anyone who's tethering, is tethering and how much they're spending to do so. Any insight would be great.

FordNoMore · 04-19-2008, 02:10 PM

I'm in the same boat - just want something cheap for occasional use. When I looked a few months ago it looked like T-Mobile was the only provider that actually allows tethering on their data plans without paying some extra "tethering fee". Here's some info: http://www.smartdevicecentral.com/ar.../202242_1.aspx

blackcobra487 · 04-19-2008, 02:40 PM

Thanks, I'll take a look into it.

inh · 04-21-2008, 03:10 AM

www.sprint.com/sero google @mail.sprint.com for an email adress

$30/month unlimited data, get a pda phone and http://www.junefabrics.com/index.php for either Palm or PocketPC depending on the phone. All set!

kelmk · 04-21-2008, 01:18 PM

Cool. I just ordered their wireless broadband for $50/mo with this. Normally $60/mo
I'll call them and see if I can get my corporate discount too.

black_mamba · 04-24-2008, 06:23 PM

I am tethering with Sprint's Touch and the $15 PowerVision plan. You can tether cheaply using any Windows Mobile phone and the provider's cheapest unlimited data plan, usually around $10-15. These plan's usually do not allow tethering, just data on the phone itself. The thing about WinMo is that it has a built-in internet sharing utility. Depending on your carrier, you may have to do a couple reg hacks the make it work the way you want it to. For instance on my Touch, without the reg hacks I would have had to manually start a data connection before starting Internet Sharing. Now I just start Internet Sharing and it will activate the data if it's not on already.

Another thing to consider is a WinMo phone with built in WiFi. There's an app out there that will turn the WiFi into an AP, so you can even have a mobile AP with you at all times. True you can tether without this app, but who doesn't already have WiFi? No need to setup phone drivers or bluetooth modems. Just makes it real easy. BTW, my Touch does not have WiFi and I miss it just for this function.

Otherwise the cheapest is T-mo. I used to have them and their data plan is only $20/mo and explicitly includes tethering. It also includes any T-mo hotspots (Starbucks, etc). Works great except that they do not have 3G, only EDGE. Speeds are good enough for just browsing or anything light, but a dog for anything else.

Bugbyte · 04-24-2008, 08:48 PM

If you live in an area that supports iDEN, you might consider using a boost mobile phone. $10 a month, no contract, phone costs about $45. Look for the Boost Mobile thread on this forum.

HiJackZX1 · 04-26-2008, 06:28 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by black_mamba

I am tethering with Sprint's Touch and the $15 PowerVision plan. You can tether cheaply using any Windows Mobile phone and the provider's cheapest unlimited data plan, usually around $10-15. These plan's usually do not allow tethering, just data on the phone itself. The thing about WinMo is that it has a built-in internet sharing utility. Depending on your carrier, you may have to do a couple reg hacks the make it work the way you want it to. For instance on my Touch, without the reg hacks I would have had to manually start a data connection before starting Internet Sharing. Now I just start Internet Sharing and it will activate the data if it's not on already.

Another thing to consider is a WinMo phone with built in WiFi. There's an app out there that will turn the WiFi into an AP, so you can even have a mobile AP with you at all times. True you can tether without this app, but who doesn't already have WiFi? No need to setup phone drivers or bluetooth modems. Just makes it real easy. BTW, my Touch does not have WiFi and I miss it just for this function.

Otherwise the cheapest is T-mo. I used to have them and their data plan is only $20/mo and explicitly includes tethering. It also includes any T-mo hotspots (Starbucks, etc). Works great except that they do not have 3G, only EDGE. Speeds are good enough for just browsing or anything light, but a dog for anything else.

Also because it is Windows, you can just go into the registry and turn off the stupid PAM feature. Those are the beauties of having Windows.

nsgrossman · 04-26-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by inh

www.sprint.com/sero google @mail.sprint.com for an email adress

$30/month unlimited data, get a pda phone and http://www.junefabrics.com/index.php for either Palm or PocketPC depending on the phone. All set!

inh, this is possibly the best cell deal I've ever seen. Currently I pay $10 to be added to a verizon family plan and $15 for unlimited txt. I get 0 data and must share 700 minutes. With this I can have 150 more minutes AND unlimited data for only $5. AMAZING MAN THANK YOU!!!!

-Nate

yonu · 05-09-2008, 12:37 AM

hey guys how about suncom's unlimited data at $5? it is what I am using and it works fine