Help finding the right wireless service

[gai-jin]

I'm looking for info on how I can get my ipaq h5455 connect to the net when on the road. I have sprint service currently, with a sanyo 4900 phone. I have the USB cable to connect this phone to my laptop, but am given to understand there's no way to connect this phone to my ipaq.

This started me shopping around. Unfortunately, While I work in a decent sized area (Moline, IL area) I live an hour from there, where sprint just added coverage within the last year. For years, it's been only US Cellular or GTE available in this area, others are just starting in. TMobile and ATT both offer coverage maps which show that I'm right on the EDGE of the coverage area, give or take a few miles, so I may or may not get signal at home.

Looks like Tmobile has a great data plan package, something in the neighborhood of $40 a month for unlimited access. However, the tmobile affiliate in our area is not yet GPRS compatible.


AT&T wireless offers bluetooth in the T68 phone, but AT&T's data plan seems much less reasonable, at $20/month on top of a regular cell plan for only 8MB of data.

I can't afford a sprint plan for $100/month to get unlimited data usage.

Other carriers in my area include US Cellular and Verizon wireless, but I'm not aware of data plans offered by either company.

What services do others out there use? 8MB doesn't seem like much, but is that enough for a pda? Will the T608 ever come out and solve my problem for me? :)

Thanks for reading!
gai-jin

[Janak Parekh]

I'm looking for info on how I can get my ipaq h5455 connect to the net when on the road. I have sprint service currently, with a sanyo 4900 phone. I have the USB cable to connect this phone to my laptop, but am given to understand there's no way to connect this phone to my ipaq.
Basically, yes, that's the case.

If you want to stay with Sprint, which may very well be the most cost-effective option, your best bet is to get the LG 5350. Since it's serial, you can get a Gomadic (http://www.gomadic.com/) or similar cable to interconnect that with your iPAQ. Of course, I no longer see that phone on Sprint's page :( -- so you might have to shop around a bit for it.

--janak

[gai-jin]

Staying with sprint would be ideal, since I work for a 3rd party reseller of sprint I'm able to get an employee plan for a great price. However, we haven't had the 5350's for some time. And, as I don't deal directly with the phones, I am not familiar with how that phone compares to a sanyo 4900. I'll have to see if I can find one, then read up on it a bit.

Anyone else have thoughts on this one?

[Janak Parekh]

I know a couple of PPCT members use the 5350 with a Pocket PC with success. If you do a search on this site and type in "5350", you should find a number of relevant links.

Good luck!

--janak

[ddavtian]

I have LG5350, unlimited Vision and it works very well with 3955 (with small cable form Gomadic).

I found sprintusers.com forum very useful before I got this phone.
I haven't used 4900 phone and cannot compare with LG. But you can find all necessary info in sprint's forum.

Good luck :?

[absolutVenky]

Have you checked SupplyNet (http://www.thesupplynet.com)? They have several cables in development that are slated for release next month, including for the 4900. The cables are pricey though.

[gai-jin]

Yes, I just found that cable at the supply net a few minutes ago... $70 seems a bit steep, but it might be worth it.

Then again, getting a pcmcia card would at least put me on a legitimate data plan, rather than using #777 and skirting the TOS...

Hmm...

Gai-jin

[absolutVenky]

Yeah, the cable is pricey, but considering that you can work within your existing vision plan it is much much cheaper than the PCMCIA card and data plan. Also from what I've heard the PCMCIA option is not that great from a battery life standpoint.

It is unlikely that you will abuse the TOS when using the vision plan with a PDA. The service is quite unusable with just the cellphone, so it makes sense that PDA use should not be discouraged. But of course since when has "sense" prevailed with telecom pricing? ;)

[John Blasdell]

> Other carriers in my area include US Cellular and Verizon wireless,
> but I'm not aware of data plans offered by either company.

Verizon has a high-speed network (in some areas) for about $70 a month, but they also offer FREE data access on their regular cellular (low-speed) network. You burn minutes out of your cellular plan during Peak time, but since most Verizon plans offer unlimited off-peak voice and low-speed data at no extra cost, you can sit in your hotel room, at your campsite, at the airport...whatever, and manage e-mail or surf after 9 p.m. local time or all weekend.

I previously had CDPD service for my PDAs, and Verizon's low-speed network is MUCH better. Much quicker initial connections, faster throughput, and better coverage.

When I purchased my new cell phone a few months back, I went in with a list of requirements and desired features, and planned to spend $200 or so to get a good phone. I ended up with one for $50 that works great. My gripe with Verizon is that when I recently called to inquire about purchasing a Bluetooth-equipped phone, they stated that Bluetooth is a very small market, and they don't plan to offer Bluetooth-equipped phones in the near future. Dumb, dumb, dumb!

Cell coverage is a constantly shifting picture, but I rarely have trouble with Verizon, and it works out in the boonies where other cell phones I have owned didn't. Your best choice depends on the areas of the country where you are likely to be. I have out-of-town friends with Sprint; some like it, others swear at it. In some areas, including parts of Western Pennsylvania, their marketing has surpassed their engineering -- they seem to have oversold their network.

[rasputinj]

I would stick with Sprint, if not go with Verizon, you can either get unlimited data for $99 I believe or use your airtime minutes with their express network for just airtime usage. All you have to do is sign up and get provisioned and you are set. For myself I have been happy with Verizion express network, latancy is good,not like gprs is and my speeds are always around 85kbps.

[gai-jin]

I expect I'll wait and see what comes of thesupplynet.com's cable... if it actually comes out on 8/18 as it says it will, that would be a good solution.

Gai-jin

[Thinkingmandavid]

IN houston for verizon and sprint the unlimited plan is 80$
I wouldnt spend it if you dont need it, it is quiet possible the cost will go down. Tmobile is offering a better deal. If you dont want to leave sprint, which i agree, just stay there, then either buy the cable, or get teh card. mmmm, cable is cheapr in teh long wrong because iti is your only expense to get net acces for your ppc;) if you arent going to be hard core then stick to that:)

[gai-jin]

Considering, as a temp solution to my wireless access needs, switching to a sanyo 6400 for a while... I assume I need a serial cable for the phone, and can that connect to a standard serial/usb sync cable for the ppc, or do I need a special serial port adapter?

Where can I get the cables I need?
Gai-jin

[The Half-Ling]

I would say T-Mobile all the way...I have a t68i with them and their GPRS service is great...plus if you use old school 9k GSM, there is a T-Mobile Accelerator Page that speeds your PPC loading time up...

Unlimited Plan with the for GPRS data is 20$...great deal

They also offer PC Card Modem's if you need those :-p

Jake-

[vovillamor]

I would say T-Mobile all the way...I have a t68i with them and their GPRS service is great...plus if you use old school 9k GSM, there is a T-Mobile Accelerator Page that speeds your PPC loading time up...

Unlimited Plan with the for GPRS data is 20$...great deal

They also offer PC Card Modem's if you need those :-p

Jake-

OK, I've been seriously considering switching to T-Mobile to take advantage of their $20 unlimited data plan. T-Mobile also operates Wi-Fi hotspots at Starbucks coffee houses. Does anyone know if T-Mobile's $20 plan include access to these hotspots?

I've been waiting for a good time to get a T68 Bluetooth phone and switching to T-Mobile, but I've also been waiting to see if any of the other carriers' unlimited data plan pricing become more competive with T-Mobile. I may have waited too long for the T68 though... I heard that they have been discontinued by the manufacturer. There aren't very many affordable Bluetooth phones to choose from, but there are quite few Infrared-capable phones out there.

Also, in choosing a wireless service provider, I think it is important to look not only at what data plans they offer, but also at what hardware they offer. I've found that T-Mobile had the best price on an unlimited data plan, but they don't have a good selection of affordable cell phones [at least not in my area in Southern California]. Cingular and AT&T [TDMA]have a slightly better selection of phones that are more affordable, but don't have as good a price as T-Mobile on an unlimited data plan. Additionally, phones with wireless connectivity via Infrared or Bluetooth seem to be more common on T-Mobile, Cingular and AT&T that they are on Sprint and Verizon [CDMA]. Afterall, if we're talking wireless, shouldn't we go wireless all the way...including between our cell phone and your PDA? I'd really find it inconvenient to have to pull out and plug in a cable every time I want to internet access on my PocketPC

[gai-jin]

Certainly true. I'd be thrilled to get an irda or bluetooth phone from sprint right now. However, I'd be happy with a cable to connect my phone to pda as well. The theory there is, I'll just have to start wearing my scottevest more often. :)

Gai-jin