Sony Ericsson T616 Owners

shakes · 01-19-2004, 11:03 AM

To all of you who own the T616 ...

Have you used it's bluetooth capability to connect to the net with your carpc? care to share your experiences?

how fast is it? does it connect and disconnect by itself or do you have to do it manually ... etc. just share any of your thoughts as i'm looking into getting this phone in march.

Alric · 01-19-2004, 11:42 AM

Hi Shakes,

I haven't connected from the CarPC but I regularly connect from my Powerbook or Palm Tungsten|T.

You can connect in either of two ways; the phone can be a regular modem and allow you to use a dial-in ISP or using GPRS through your cell phone company network. I use both ways since GPRS is not available everywhere.

T-Mobile just uncapped its GPRS service so there is no data limit on downloads! In comparison other companies bill $40 for 1 or 2MB of data.

Over GPRS speed is ok, Certainly not cable modem or ISDN but maybe just a tad faster than 56k. Using dial-in speed is noticeably less than 56k. For either method I use RSS feeds or the mobile version of websites for browsing.

Definitely worth it. I can't wait to do it from the CarPC.

Cheers,

shakes · 01-19-2004, 12:35 PM

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to be going with Cingular (I get a discount through my job) and they offer wireless internet for $4 a month I think ... and it just uses your minutes.

So when you connect via GPRS from your palm or laptop do you have to manually open and close the connection?

Squid · 01-19-2004, 01:23 PM

I have a T616 on the AT&T network... the GPRS data works pretty good... I'd say its
like a 56k dialup. I pay $12 for 4 megs a month...

I don't have my carPC installed yet, but I use my Ipaq & laptop with it all the time.
I just installed a small d-link bluetooth dongle on my lappy and it works great.
Its like a dial-up for a ISP, so I'm assuming if you set it to dial when internet needed
it would... should... maybe... connect itself...

I had doubts how good it would work, but I just used it doing 90 mph down the
highway and I was IM'ing and reading some news sites no problem.

shakes · 01-19-2004, 01:27 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Squid

I had doubts how good it would work, but I just used it doing 90 mph down the
highway and I was IM'ing and reading some news sites no problem.

and driving at the same time?

ryuandwings · 01-19-2004, 01:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by shakes

Thanks for the input. I think I'm going to be going with Cingular (I get a discount through my job) and they offer wireless internet for $4 a month I think ... and it just uses your minutes.

So when you connect via GPRS from your palm or laptop do you have to manually open and close the connection?

I am not totally positive, but the $4/mo wireless internet by Cingular is not GPRS and very slow. If you get GPRS, you would pay fee for some MB.
I suggest you talk to Cingular before you sign up, so you won't be surprised.

shakes · 01-19-2004, 02:09 PM

indeed i will ... i don't know anything abou cingulars service other than the useless information they have on their page aimed at the masses. All it really tells you is you can "check your e-mail from anywhere" etc. useless crap.

All I know is there's a Wireless Internet option where you pay a flat fee and it uses your minutes and a Wireless Internet Lite (or something like that) where you pay by the meg.

I'll chat with someone at the store sometime (of course they probably won't know anything but what's in the brochure)

Hcomplyr · 01-20-2004, 12:07 PM

good old t-mobile $20 for unlimited internet, nextel has the same thing for $180 (used to be $100) no thanks

Alric · 01-20-2004, 12:27 PM

T-Mobile also has the only customer service representatives that know what they are talking about.

They are also the only company that will GIVE you the unlock code of your GSM phone; to increase its resale value or international use.

Cheers,

streetknight · 02-21-2004, 01:32 AM

kinda late but i have a t616 with cingular and wel after countless trys to hook up just thru dialing my isp. i found out that u have to get software from them to hook up the bluetooth modem. and i pay for 7bucks for 1mbs which is really nothing going to try to hook it up thru my isp and pay by my mins.

let me know what happen to ur hook up shakes

Alric · 02-21-2004, 01:36 AM

Yes, both Cingular and AT&T do that. Only T-Mobile has open CDM or GSM dialing and unlimited data.

Why would you chose anyone else?

Cheers,

shakes · 02-21-2004, 12:03 PM

i haven't gotten my t616 yet ... waiting for my contract with sprint to run out at the end of the month.

i'm going to go in and talk to someone at cingular to ask such questions. i doubt they'll know tho. from what i understand cingular has two wireless internet networks ... the new, expensive stuff is GPRS, and the old stuff is i dunno. but it's slower and that's what you can get for $4 a month to use your minutes. the GPRS stuff is what you pay by the amount of data downloaded.

i dunno ... we'll see.

Quote: Originally Posted by Alric

Why would you chose anyone else? [tmobile]

because i get a 15% discount on cingular service through my job

it may not be enough incentive and i may end up with t-mobile anyway ...

t-mobile doesn't have the t616 tho right? they have the t610? what's the difference?

shakes · 02-21-2004, 12:12 PM

oh ... and i really want rollover ... does t-mobile do something like that?

shakes · 02-24-2004, 12:50 PM

Ok guys... i'm really starting to look more at tmobile. It's looking a lot better than cingular minus the rollover.

But i'm looking into their wireless internet options ... They don't seem to list any per meg based plans anymore. They only talk about this 'T-Zones' crap. Is that GPRS?

Check this out: http://www.t-mobile.com/services/tzo...ceoverview.asp

What's the difference between the $5 and $10 plans?

Which plan will I need to browse the net from my PC throuh my phone?

shakes · 02-25-2004, 01:33 PM

btt