[sllug-members]: Cingular now blocking tethered devices?

[Brad Midgley]

Alton

> I've been an at&t/cingular customer for a long time and just last
> weekend, it seems like they started blocking internet access for
> tethered devices.  I sometimes connect my palm & laptop through my phone
> (using bluetooth) but it isn't working now (as of Saturday.)  I can
> still use my phone's built-in browser to access the internet.

I just signed up for cingular and I might end up sending it back. Two 
different reps at corporate told me the $20/mo data plan (via razr v3xx) 
is what I need for tethering. One of those even took me through the 
menus to make usb connection provide for data. A third told me I had to 
use the $60/mo plan but I didn't make a change.

One reason it would be nice to use cingular is it would be handy for use 
with testing when my openmoko phone arrives.

> I have two questions:
> 1) Is anyone else seeing a similar problem w/Cingular?

I first found I had to use blank AP/logname/pass to use data but that 
didn't work when traveling. So sometimes the wap.cingular works but 
sometimes it doesn't but I didn't try that one on the road. Today I had 
to restart the connection a couple of times when it stalled.

> 2) I'm considering switching to sprint and would love to hear everyone's
> feedback on the different carriers available - with a focus on
> affordable internet access.  (It doesn't have to be fast, just inexpensive)

sprint is probably the cheapest with a $40 "official" tethering plan 
with commitment. It's really not bad. They have evdo coverage in a lot 
of areas.

Regardless of the carrier, don't get a windows device if you want 
bluetooth DUN to run faster than 120kbps. treos are a little better but 
motorolas run the fastest DUN I've seen at 600kbps (evdo).

Brad