You can get unlimited the Media Max package for $19.99 which allows you to get unlimited Media Net.
And unlike the red check mark's "unlimited" data plan. Ours is really unlimited!

No restrictions, full bluetooth capabilities, Quadband GSM phone. If you travel like me; I'm pretty sure you'll appreciate that.

You still didnt say where you are. I hope we have UMTS/HSDPA in your market. And if you're not, hold on tight; because we're getting ready to deploy like 30-40 more markets in the next few weeks.

That is not accurate.

Cingular specifically states Unlimited Media Net cannot be used for tethering. He would need a $59.99 plan just like with V.

I have a cu500, and tether my phone to my laptop with the media max plan. My bill has not increased at all.

I am not going to offer bad advise to customers. You are at risk of Cingular cancelling your data plan and all usage to be billed at $0.01 per kB. They have every right to do so in their terms and conditions.

Texas is indeed right. I go through this with customers frequently. You need the $59.99 data connect plan.

I thought the 59.99 plan was for wireless cards only?

It's the unlimited data connect feature which is used for wireless cards or tethering.

I think Anx is right, unless he is gonna be doing heavy tethering.... I think he'll be just fine with the $19.99 Media Max package.

It is not a question of whether you can or not, it is a question of offering incorrect advise to a customer. If he is already paying $59.99 with V there is no reason he would not be comfortable doing it the right way.

I tether as well but am not at risk as a customer would be in that regard.

I guess it is a tricky situation. If he is going to use his phone as a modem; then yes. He'd have to get the $59.99 plan. But if he is going to use it for occasionally, then I really don't see the need for the $59.99 plan.
What do you think? Does it sound fair?

It all depends on how much he uses it. Remember though, a couple of days a week adds up real fast when using broadband connect. Plus, and correct me if I am wrong, the LG CU500 is not class 10. Using a seperate data card would be faster as well.

I think that LG phone is class 5. He mainly wants a phone though, that's why I recommended that $19.99 plan. I still don't know if he is in a 3G area. 👀

Anxiovert said:
I think that LG phone is class 5. He mainly wants a phone though, that's why I recommended that $19.99 plan. I still don't know if he is in a 3G area. 👀

Sorry, I am in South Jersey, but I travel a lot to Dallas, Savannah, Kansas and California.

I want to browse the web and then get my work done with my laptop on a tethered connection. I need OBEX, Object Push and Synch in the Bluetooth profiles.

Any rough idea of how much data you would use on each occasion. Really just a ball park figure.

Cingular, like most carriers, has an intended use clause. $19.99 data is unlimted but only when used with a phone's internal browser, hence the amount of data that could be used is not as high as a laptop with an unlimited connection. That is why they offer different price structures. $59.99 is also for unlimited (although the same thing applies, VOIP is not allowed nor is running things like a file server or website that might greatly increase potential usage, intended for laptop internet browsing only)

texaswireless said:
Any rough idea of how much data you would use on each occasion. Really just a ball park figure.

I have to download data files of 125MB a few times a month. Maybe browsing internet 15 hours a month.

I think he was asking because we have different levels of Data Connect packages.

19.99 for 5mb
29.99 for 10mb
39.99 for 20 mb
49.99 for 50 mb
59.99 for unlimited

Of course that's monthly. Also, our data and voice networks are separate. How long you're online doesn't affect billing, only how much you download.

Yes, I would need $59.99 for unlimited. Can you tether the latest RAZR with that plan, unlimited, and turn it on and off like a feature?

What would the bandwidth be?

You could add the $59.99 plan onto your service, but I can't give you a definite answer on if you can take it off. It's listed as a feature to be taken off and on, but I haven't pressed into the contract issue on that. I have no doubt that your line of service that the phone is on will need to be a 2-year contract to get the feature for $59.99

As for using the V3 RAZR, my advice is not to. The V3 uses GPRS which gets about 30-40 Kbps.

If you use a phone with EDGE technology it will run up to 135Kbps.

If you get a UMTS handset you should get between 400-700 kbps. The LG CU500 is UMTS and HSDPA which will give you a maximum of 1.8Mbit/s, but certainly not all the time. The phone you have will make all the difference on this ventu...
(continues)

ralph_on_me said:
As for using the V3 RAZR, my advice is not to. The V3 uses GPRS which gets about 30-40 Kbps.

How about the V3i or other Motorolas?

The CU500 has no GPS or voice dialing according to Phonescoop.

So far none of our phones have GPS. Some of our PDAs do, but no phones. The V3i is EDGE I believe.

There is no voicedial on the 500, but we do have the voicedial service if that's something you use frequently. It's something I never use, and my car kit has it's own memory for voice dial.

We don't have many UMTS phones, and I think they just discontinued the Samsung ZX20 because it's no longer available for order. Right now our only UMTS phone is the CU500. The next best thing would be EDGE.

Sounds like the V3i may be worth waiting for. Is that available with EDGE tethering and at what bandwidth speed?

EDGE maxes out at 135Kbps I believe. You really wont get the amazing speed without a UMTS handset.

The v3i is still GPRS. Not worth it. cu500 is still his best choice.

It is? Wow, that phone is... geeze. I wouldn't pay $300 for it.

exactly! not worth the money. moto is always way over priced garbage!

See my response to Anx.

The price is the same, $59.99. If you are wanting to spend $59.99 you might as well get a seperate line with a dedicated Data Card. Same price but no need to tether.

I think the tethering is a better option than a data card. It costs you the same monthly, but you have the added initial expense of the data card. Also, adding the data connect to your phone means your handset will also have unlimited data (except for Cingular Video). There are plenty of times when you'll have your phone and no laptop, but if you have your laptop you'll probably always have your phone too.

Isn't the V3 only GPRS? I definitely wouldn't use the RAZR as a modem.

Yeah, the V3 and V3i are just GPRS. I have done tethering with it and it is VERY slow.

I personally prefer using a seperate card but saving $20 a month is cool as well. It would be nice if Cingular would allow CV on the laptop connect feature.

Apparently it's just a bug right now, so even though it doesn't currently support it, it will in the future.

The RAZR, V, and Blackberry are the only phones that can use Verizon's BroadBandAccess Connect right now.

I usually get about 500kbps out of the RAZR so I am happy. Buying an air card was not only an expense but a 1-2 year plan committment, with ETF. There may be more advanced cards coming out later, so I can wait.

With tethering, I can turn it on and off, like a feature. Also, the Bluetooth DUN means no cable, so if you need to move your phone around to get a better connection you can do it.

Ah, the contract thing reminded me of something. Our $59.99 unlimited data connect stipulates a 2 year agreement for the promotional price. I'm not sure if you'd have to leave that feature on your account for the full two years or not. I'm leaning towards not since feature changes aren't automatically compared with the contract dates, but it's something you should be aware of.

But Cingular's RAZR and Verizon's RAZR are two totally different animals. Cingular's version is only GPRS and you do NOT want to tether with that. Tethering with the 19.99 media works will not give you great speeds. If you want the higher speeds, you must get the 59.99 plan.

And do NOT tether anything unless you're on a Data Connect plan.

Period.

I have been known to use more data when I had my 6620 and 6682 than I did when I tethered. To tether occasionally and for brief periods it is ok.

It's absolutely not okay even for short periods of time. It's not about overage charges or even will it or will it not work. It's about provisioning and policy. Tethering is only allowed on a data connect plan.

And the speed limit is ONLY what is posted in that particular area you are driving in, but who obeys that 100% of the time????

And you'll never hear a cop tell you it's okay to speed.

On a side note, is the $59.99 even available as an ADD-ON feature? I don't believe it is even avaiable that way.

If they're putting it onto a phone it is. Of course if it's a data only plan without existing service it's still $79.99. We had an agent data call on Thursday morning, but I'm not sure if it was only Dallas on there. It was supposed to be NTX. Are you categorized as a different market?

WTX is under the NTX umbrella but not always the same promo.

Under the old deal unlimited data was $79.99 standalone, $74.99 as an add-on. Under the new deal unlimited data is $59.99 (with an existing voice line) but I never saw a $54.99 option for an add-on feature.

If he is going to use one phone to tether would that not be what he would need?

I think since the $59.99 is already a discounted price for having voice service, it doesn't get the $5 discount for adding it to a voice plan.

If he's tethering he undoubted needs a data connect plan. There are no exceptions whatsoever.

maybe someone can answer this. if I a customer is tethering a cingy phone to thier laptop by bluetooth what would the download speeds be with that bluetooth tether connection?

Depends on the bluetooth. If it's a USB bluetooth adaptor you'd be limited to the data speed of the USB cable. I don't feel like looking that one up at the moment. Bluetooth itself is aroudn 700Kbps, so if it's built in to your laptop that's the speed you'll get from tethering through bluetooth.

thanks ralph. someone told me that bt was 460kbps so I was just wondering. I appreciate ya.

ralph_on_me said:
Depends on the bluetooth. If it's a USB bluetooth adaptor you'd be limited to the data speed of the USB cable. I don't feel like looking that one up at the moment. Bluetooth itself is aroudn 700Kbps, so if it's built in to your laptop that's the speed you'll get from tethering through bluetooth.

I thought an earlier poster in this thread said that the bandwidth available from the RAZR was much lower.