Re: DataConect

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:47:22 +0100, in
<cspk66h0jtbk7sii8rct10k8tu3hlnqk8u@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
<not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:

>The ATT site suggests they offer a pre-paid data service for $35 per month
>but when one follows the link it appears that one must also buy a device and
>take a 2 year contract. Is there any way to get SIM only pre-paid data
>service without a contract or new equipment? http://tinyurl.com/3yqe653
>
>How about T-Mobile or any reseller of either of those?

T-Mobile sells pre-paid no contract data service without a device; e.g.,
Even More Plus Smartphone Unlimited Web & E-mail for $40/month
<http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Internet-Email-cell-phone-plan>

--
John FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://wireless.navas.us>
FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

On 2010-08-17, Anthony R. Gold <not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:56:13 -0700, John Navas <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:47:22 +0100, in
>> <cspk66h0jtbk7sii8rct10k8tu3hlnqk8u@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
>> <not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> The ATT site suggests they offer a pre-paid data service for $35 per month
>>> but when one follows the link it appears that one must also buy a device and
>>> take a 2 year contract. Is there any way to get SIM only pre-paid data
>>> service without a contract or new equipment? http://tinyurl.com/3yqe653
>>>
>>> How about T-Mobile or any reseller of either of those?
>>
>> T-Mobile sells pre-paid no contract data service without a device; e.g.,
>> Even More Plus Smartphone Unlimited Web & E-mail for $40/month
>> <http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Internet-Email-cell-phone-plan>
>
> Thanks. Are those Real World prices - pay $40 to get one month of service on
> some arbitrary phone number and then walk away - or are there hidden extras
> such as "activation fees" etc.

Though I don't see mentioned anywhere easy to see it I'd be surprised if
there weren't an activation fee, which might be in the ball park of $36.
These are paid-monthly plans (and the plan mentioned above seems to
be post-paid, not prepaid, for voice charges) so they'll want enough
information to do a credit check.

Also, T-Mobile's 3G service is in a band (1700 MHz) used by very few
other UMTS carriers, so you'd have to be very lucky to own equipment
which supported it if you didn't buy the equipment from T-Mobile.

Dennis Ferguson

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:29:36 +0100, in
<kevl66hbh5cf76288vstd39pg9i4ottm3n@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
<not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:

>On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:56:13 -0700, John Navas <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com>
>wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:47:22 +0100, in
>> <cspk66h0jtbk7sii8rct10k8tu3hlnqk8u@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
>> <not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> The ATT site suggests they offer a pre-paid data service for $35 per month
>>> but when one follows the link it appears that one must also buy a device and
>>> take a 2 year contract. Is there any way to get SIM only pre-paid data
>>> service without a contract or new equipment? http://tinyurl.com/3yqe653
>>>
>>> How about T-Mobile or any reseller of either of those?
>>
>> T-Mobile sells pre-paid no contract data service without a device; e.g.,
>> Even More Plus Smartphone Unlimited Web & E-mail for $40/month
>> <http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Internet-Email-cell-phone-plan>
>
>Thanks. Are those Real World prices - pay $40 to get one month of service on
>some arbitrary phone number and then walk away - or are there hidden extras
>such as "activation fees" etc.

Pretty much RW prices: There is a stated activation fee, but a T-Mobile
store will usually waive it (especially if you ask nicely). And there
are also the usual taxes.

--
John FAQ for Wireless Internet: <http://wireless.navas.us>
FAQ for Wi-Fi: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi>
Wi-Fi How To: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_HowTo>
Fixes to Wi-Fi Problems: <http://wireless.navas.us/wiki/Wi-Fi_Fixes>

On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:01:40 -0500, in
<slrni6m1m4.6hs.dcferguson@akit-ferguson.com>, Dennis Ferguson
<dcferguson@pacbell.net> wrote:

>On 2010-08-17, Anthony R. Gold <not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:
>> On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:56:13 -0700, John Navas <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:47:22 +0100, in
>>> <cspk66h0jtbk7sii8rct10k8tu3hlnqk8u@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
>>> <not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The ATT site suggests they offer a pre-paid data service for $35 per month
>>>> but when one follows the link it appears that one must also buy a device and
>>>> take a 2 year contract. Is there any way to get SIM only pre-paid data
>>>> service without a contract or new equipment? http://tinyurl.com/3yqe653
>>>>
>>>> How about T-Mobile or any reseller of either of those?
>>>
>>> T-Mobile sells pre-paid no contract data service without a device; e.g.,
>>> Even More Plus Smartphone Unlimited Web & E-mail for $40/month
>>> <http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Internet-Email-cell-phone-plan>
>>
>> Thanks. Are those Real World prices - pay $40 to get one month of service on
>> some arbitrary phone number and then walk away - or are there hidden extras
>> such as "activation fees" etc.
>
>Though I don't see mentioned anywhere easy to see it I'd be surprised if
>there weren't an activation fee, which might be in the ball park of $36.

A T-Mobile store will usually waive the activation fee.

>These are paid-monthly plans (and the plan mentioned above seems to
>be post-paid, not prepaid, for voice charges) so they'll want enough
>information to do a credit check.

1. Prepaid, not postpaid.
2. No credit check.

>Also, T-Mobile's 3G service is in a band (1700 MHz) used by very few
>other UMTS carriers, so you'd have to be very lucky to own equipment
>which supported it if you didn't buy the equipment from T-Mobile.

Many places (on- and off-line) sell devices compatible with T-Mobile 3G.
EDGE is compatible with AT&T.

--
John

"Assumption is the mother of all screw ups."
[Wethern’s Law of Suspended Judgement]

On Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:46:53 +0100, in
<2v5n66hv2imerourkv36474vvk252ndj5e@4ax.com>, "Anthony R. Gold"
<not-for-mail@ahjg.co.uk> wrote:

>On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 17:01:40 -0500, Dennis Ferguson <dcferguson@pacbell.net>
>wrote:
>
>> Also, T-Mobile's 3G service is in a band (1700 MHz) used by very few
>> other UMTS carriers, so you'd have to be very lucky to own equipment
>> which supported it if you didn't buy the equipment from T-Mobile.
>
>Thanks and yes, I'm sure my Nokia device does not support 1700Mhz, so it
>could not use their 3G network. Would I have use of GPRS on their 1900MHz
>GSM band with these data plans? I don't need great bandwidth and I am just
>looking for email, support for AGPS and some occasional web access.

You would have access to GPRS and EGPRS (EDGE), which is decently snappy
if your Nokia device is of a relatively high Class.

--
John

"Assumption is the mother of all screw ups."
[Wethern’s Law of Suspended Judgement]