Using the C500 as a GPRS Bluetooth Modem - Success!

[Jason Dunn]

When I got my first Windows Mobile Smartphone with Bluetooth - I try to get it set up to act as a modem for my Pocket PC. I use my Smartphone for email whenever possible, but the bigger screen on the Pocket PC and superior input methods make it more suited for serious email triage (especially when combined with an a great input method such as TenGo). Well, today I managed to get it working! This is a major achievement for me, because I was never able to get it working with my E200, despite having a bunch of very smart people helping me (including someone from Orange).I'm on the <a href="http://www.fido.ca">Fido network</a>, so the kicker was the GPRS modem dialing string. Connecting the Dell X30 to the C500 over Bluetooth was simple, but getting the dialing string working perfectly was not. After some fiddling the solution was two-fold: to go into the advanced settings and uncheck the "Wait for dialtone" box, and to use *99# as the dialing string. That's it - fido/fido is the username/password, and the domain is left blank.I'm loving this C500 more and more - it's the phone I wished the E200 was. :-D

[me]

Is this the same phone that is called SDA, that is supposed to come out soon on T-Mobile in Europe? What is the size like? How does the size compare with other phones?

I prefer the clamshell over candy bar. My carrier is T-Mobile, however. I believe they were supposed to come out first in the US with the MPx220, but now that has changed to ATTW, T-Mo backed out of the deal or something. Is that correct? Boo. Anyone know if T-Mo might pick up the mpx220 later?

If not, I might consider something like this C500, if I want to get a smartphone with Bluetooth available from T-Mobile, and this becomes available in the US. Is it much longer than a clamshell?

Of course one could buy a phone unlocked, and use any GSM phone with T-Mobile, but there are definite advantages to buying from your carrier. My contract has expired, so I can get the same price as a new subscriber, much less than buying it unlocked somewhere. Covered by T-Mobile replacement warranty, which is good.

I've considered buying a non-smartphone Bluetooth clamshell, as the Motorola v600 is now available from T-Mobile. Like you (Jason) I also have a Bluetooth Pocket PC, in my case an IPAQ 2210. I could use that as the "smart" device, and use Bluetooth to connect to the Internet via the phone. But a Bluetooth smartphone sounds tempting as well. I wish the mpx220 would become available on T-Mobile!

[Arne Hess]

Is this the same phone that is called SDA, that is supposed to come out soon on T-Mobile in Europe? What is the size like? How does the size compare with other phones?
The SDA and the C500 are based on the same platform and therefore they have basically the same size.
If you want some comparison shots between the C500 and the MPx220 you can have a look at PPCW.Net (http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=2048):

http://www.ppcw.net/images/column/future_smartphone/front1_small.jpg (http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=2048)

[Kris Kumar]

Is this the same phone that is called SDA, that is supposed to come out soon on T-Mobile in Europe? What is the size like? How does the size compare with other phones?

As Arne mentioned SDA is based on the same platform as the C500. The notable differences between the two are the body style and C500 has joypad (hasn't received good remarks), whereas SDA has a joystick.

SDA comes in two flavors..SDA Business (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6235) and SDA Music. (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=6272)

T-Mobile spokesperson is reported to have said that they are considering releasing these phones in US. :-) But we don't know when. :-(

Regarding T-Mobile and MPx220: I feel the reason why T-Mobile dumped MPx100 and MPx220 is because they had decided to invest in Smartphones with T-Mobile branding. The SDA phones have extra buttons for T-Zones, E-Mail (SDA Business) and Play/Pause/Stop (SDA Music). This customization is a major deviation from the standard Smartphones available in the market. Kudos to T-Mobile for doing it.

[Mike Temporale]

I'm loving this C500 more and more - it's the phone I wished the E200 was. :-D

I think a lot of people are starting to have the same reaction. The small size and greatly improved battery life are going to help propel this phone into the spotlight.

[Kris Kumar]

I'm loving this C500 more and more - it's the phone I wished the E200 was. :-D

I think a lot of people are starting to have the same reaction. The small size and greatly improved battery life are going to help propel this phone into the spotlight.

I am glad that the phone has crossed over to the other side of the pond. And hopefully soon it will cross the border. ;-)

It will be good to see a review on a new Smartphone from someone in North America. :-)

[revolution.cx]

*99# is your friend, at least on T-Mobile. I've connected several devices through HTC phones using that dial string and nothing else. T-Mobile has never complained even when I've done tens of megabytes of data per day for a week of vacation.

[me]

If you want some comparison shots between the C500 and the MPx220 you can have a look at PPCW.Net (http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=2048):


I just looked there. I still definitely prefer the clamshell design. I wish that the mpx220, or another clamshell smartphone, would become available on T-Mobile.

Or perhaps I should just get the V600, to have a Bluetooth clamshell phone, and use it in conjunction with my IPAQ.

[tvalentin]

I also had problems setting up my C500 to act as a bluetooth modem with my ipaq 5450.

I am on orange uk, and they gave me the following dial string modem commands.
+cgdcont=1,"IP","orangeinternet"

You may have to change orangeinternet to your carriers APN.

Hope this helps.

Tom

[hamishmacdonald]

Right, I just called Orange Mobile's data support number (156). It was so nice to speak to someone who had answers, and was familiar with what I was trying to do.

All this information has been provided here before, but I figured it would be helpful to provide a step-by-step explanation, since I couldn't figure out where to enter all the various strings the other posters had mentioned.

So, to use a Smartphone as a GPRS modem over the Orange network using a Pocket PC and Bluetooth:

1) On the Pocket PC, in Start/Settings/Connections/Connections, click "Add a new modem connection".

2) Name the connection, and choose "Bluetooth Dialup Modem". Click the "Next" button.

3) Enter "*99#" in the number field. Click the "Next" button.

4) Leave the fields on the following screen blank (User name, Password, Domain). Click the "Advanced..." button.

5) Uncheck the "Wait for dial tone before dialing" box.

6) In the "Extra dial string modem commands" field, enter the string
+cgdcont=1,"IP","orangeinternet","",0,0

7) Click the "OK" button in the top-right of the screen.

You're finished!

[Kris Kumar]

Check out this guide - Bluetooth Dial Up guide for iPaq (http://geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=1477)

Unfortunately it does not use a MS Smartphone and the Connection settings are also not mentioned.

Oher Bluetooth guides can be found here. (http://geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=449)

I hope it helps.

[gapfilmvideo]

I am so jealous of all you guys that got this to work....I hate to resurrect an old thread but I am digging deep....I have a cingular mpx220 and an ipaq 2215.....have good bluetooth pairing(file sharing, bluetooth dialing from within outlook-contacts....) but cannot get this much envied feature that you all have been succesful with......I used to do it with my moto v600 and ipaq to dial in to both cingular isp and earthlink(preferred because minutes charge only)......I noticed everyone is utilizing mobile carrier isp.....anybody dialed in to a standard (home) isp ????....any other tips or tricks???? thanks in advance.....

[Jason Dunn]

I noticed everyone is utilizing mobile carrier isp.....anybody dialed in to a standard (home) isp ????....any other tips or tricks???? thanks in advance.....

Hmm - so you mean you don't have a GPRS account, you're trying to use it as a dial-up modem to a phone ISP and use your minutes? I don't know if that's even possible...!?

[gapfilmvideo]

I do have a GPRS account....thus the phone can xmit data(CSD)......and I have done this with previous phone(v600).......

[Jason Dunn]

I do have a GPRS account....thus the phone can xmit data(CSD)......and I have done this with previous phone(v600).......

Ok, so when you set up the Bluetooth pairing between your Smarpthone and your Pocket PC, and then you configured the Pocket PC to use the Smartphone as a GPRS modem, what happened?