Technology On Vacation

[Nixy]

They've had all sorts of problems with not having enough capacity to handle all of the iPhones in NYC. They have stopped selling iPhones for extended amounts of times to try to cope with it.

There should be an iPhone on Verizon within the next six months, according to engadget.

She wasn't necessarily on the ATT network though. Her iPhone is from an overseas carrier so she could have ended up connecting to TMobile or something instead when she turned on her phone and connected as a "roamer". ATT's problem sounds like lack of network capacity for the demand they created for themselves. I expect that the problem wasn't only evident on iPhones, but was probably CAUSED by the huge influx of iPhones...no?

 

[Altron]

She wasn't necessarily on the ATT network though. Her iPhone is from an overseas carrier so she could have ended up connecting to TMobile or something instead when she turned on her phone and connected as a "roamer". ATT's problem sounds like lack of network capacity for the demand they created for themselves. I expect that the problem wasn't only evident on iPhones, but was probably CAUSED by the huge influx of iPhones...no?

Yup. Since AT&T is the only iPhone carrier, all of the iPhone users are on AT&T, and they use a lot of data. AT&T doesn't have a great network in the first place, so millions of iPhone users completely overload it.

 

[Altron]

No, AFAIK its a Tmo/Nokia only feature. Its called HotSpot @Home, and is bascially a GSM->SIP client for the cell radio. Here's a bit more info: http://mobile.engadget.com/2007/06/27/hands-on-with-t-mobile-hotspot-home/

If a phone is wifi-enabled, it has the capabilities of using a local WLAN for data instead of the carrier service. This saves you if you're on a metered plan, and of course is faster. Tethering is usually locked via software on the phone by the carrier and offered for a fee. That's why you see it listed separately. Used to be more common to silently include it in your plan (just needed the special USB cable), but lately with the marketing of air cards and the inclusion of wifi on the phone they've added it as a separate option.

Alternatively, with an OS like Android, you can root the phone to allow superuser privileges to access and enable tethering without any plan changes. You could tether via usb, bluetooth, or create an adhoc wifi network for multiple clients, not just your laptop. Not that I've ever done that or anything...

Yeah, I know Verizon has some bullshit tethering plan that costs $20 a month (on top of the $30/month you're already paying for the unlimited data plan) and has a 2GB limit.

There are currently a couple of Android apps that allow for unlimited tethering without the plan... I was reading that you can do it completely free by rooting the phone, or there's like a $10 app that does it for you.

So, for a Verizon androidOS phone, you could use the local wi-fi for data, but can't make calls over it? lame.

 

[valkyrie]

Yeah, I know Verizon has some bullshit tethering plan that costs $20 a month (on top of the $30/month you're already paying for the unlimited data plan) and has a 2GB limit.

There are currently a couple of Android apps that allow for unlimited tethering without the plan... I was reading that you can do it completely free by rooting the phone, or there's like a $10 app that does it for you.

So, for a Verizon androidOS phone, you could use the local wi-fi for data, but can't make calls over it? lame.

I don't think I can do this with my Nokia 6301. My plan is up in January, maybe they'll have a special this Xmas on the Android phone and service plans.

 

[Mirlyn]

Yeah, I know Verizon has some bullshit tethering plan that costs $20 a month (on top of the $30/month you're already paying for the unlimited data plan) and has a 2GB limit.

There are currently a couple of Android apps that allow for unlimited tethering without the plan... I was reading that you can do it completely free by rooting the phone, or there's like a $10 app that does it for you.

So, for a Verizon androidOS phone, you could use the local wi-fi for data, but can't make calls over it? lame.

PDANet I believe has a free version that blocks HTTPS and the paid version allows full access. Instead of paying for an app, I rooted mine and have custom ROM that allows wifi tethering (and supports WEP for added security).

Tmobile has the hotspot option, Sprint has (or had?) another idea which is (was?) a cell repeater that used your internet to route calls in low-signal areas. I heard about the Sprint option from a tower engineer I spoke to, so I don't know if it ever came out or not. Its up to the provider to allow and provide the option, so its not an OS-related feature. Otherwise, you use something like fring or skype or google voice or other mobile voip carrier instead of or in addition to the cell number on your plan.