PPC-6700 only phone for free Power Vision tethering ever?

[mrmarshmellow]

I've read that the PPC-6700 is the only phone that you can tether for free with Power Vision. Instead of paying $25 for the phone as modem for up to 40megs, you can pay $15 and get unlimited EVDO data.

All new powervision phones automatically log your tethering by switching the username so Sprint can tell when you are surfing from the phone or from the device. The PPC-6700 doesn't have this ability and Sprint can't charge you for it.

In the future, do people think pda phones like the Treo 700p will tether for free? I'm guessing probably not. Does the 700w on Verizon tether for free on EVDO?

Thanks.

This PPC-6700 sure is buggy. I switched from a Treo 650 and I liked the Treo way better. Only if that thing had EVDO...

[mercenary]

I've read that the PPC-6700 is the only phone that you can tether for free with Power Vision. Instead of paying $25 for the phone as modem for up to 40megs, you can pay $15 and get unlimited EVDO data.

All new powervision phones automatically log your tethering by switching the username so Sprint can tell when you are surfing from the phone or from the device. The PPC-6700 doesn't have this ability and Sprint can't charge you for it.



Where did you hear this?... I was hoping the really could not tell :)

[mrmarshmellow]

Here is the info from a previous link about the 6700 being the only phone with free tethering.


Here is what you need to know about EV-DO and tethering (for those of you in Rio Linda, that means to be able to use your phone as a modem). With some exceptions, Sprint considers any handset user who uses 500 MB or more of data tethering (there are some exceptions... PDA users generally are skipped for example). Until now, they have had no way to meter this other than raw data usage. However, EV-DO phones bring new concerns about tethering for the carrier that has been known for letting free tethering go under-the-radar.

After all, this was the company who even had their PR department slip up and admit just about everything above.

Sprint will formally allow EV-DO tethering. There may be dialer software return (something seen before the launch of Unlimited Vision), data cables will return even to stores. But, there's a catch, the phone has a meter. All EV-DO phones will carry a built-in sensing ability for a PC modem connection. When you connect with a PC (or Mac, or Bluetooth DUN), the device will change its internal username.

Here's the unnecessarily technical part...

Previously, Sprint has followed a practice of having a username@sprintpcs.com being the catch-all username for a Vision account. This is known as the NAI, which we have covered previously. There is also ESN@hcm.sprintpcs.com which serves as the IOTA username for specific device identification. Got it? Good, if not, search. Tethering will use username@mobile.sprintpcs.com as a new, third NAI. When the modem event occurs, the device changes the connection username automatically, and then bars access to ##DATA# so that it cannot be changed back (in theory, we haven't tried yet, and we're sure it will be blocked in firmware updates if such a hole is found).

Back to the non-technical...

Now, because the device can now identify that the device is tethering, and so can the network, it can prompt you to change plans (similar to adding Picture Mail to your account when attempting to send a picture). The good news is, the plans are not evil, they actually are pretty fair. It's call the Fair & Flexible for Data plan, and it basically is Power Vision at $25/month with 40 MB of data, plus a $.001/KB charge that caps out at $70. You go over $70 worth of usage (70 MB) and you are not charged. This is $10 less than Sprint and Verizon's aircard-only rates. The good news? Your handset usage will no longer be billed against your bucket for tethering.

So, EV-DO will change everything... almost. The PPC-6700 is the current sole exception, it still falls under old rules when it comes to tethering. This is because Sprint did not want to lose the PPC-6700 or invest added R&D time to add the system outlined above. Because of this, it will continue to tether with a standard (Power) Vision Pack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's the link: http://www.sprintusers.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-81851.html

[Darkdashing]

so is the ppc 6700 still considered the only phone that can tether for free with EVDO? I'm worried/curious since I just got it working nicely and I just got the ppc 6700 :)

[toidi]

It makes perfect since that the 6700 can do PAM without a plan, when ever you do something internet related the phone dials #777 on its own, esentially it is tethering, so unless sprint comes out with a special 6700 data plan(i hope they dont) we should be fine

[Jonathanlc2005]

so can the 940 and 9000... lol

[mrmarshmellow]

Well you can disable the NAM on the 940 and 9000 but it's pretty obvious and sprint can figure out if you are tethering by looking at the packets. With the 6700, it's like a mini computer anyway and you can download apps that use internet data so easily hidden.

[Jonathanlc2005]

well its already disabled i heard. but as long as i dont get streaming music videos or download songs. im ok... like maybe 15 megs is fine a month or something

[Darkdashing]

well its already disabled i heard. but as long as i dont get streaming music videos or download songs. im ok... like maybe 15 megs is fine a month or something

what's disabled? NAI? the 6700 is the only phone out now with no NAI (and therefore no way to track PAM usage) is the 6700.

Can someone who tethers add to this?

thanks

[flakito]

I haven't been charged for tethering, and I've used the phone whenever I'm at work. I use it to download large files and play America's Army online. The building has it's own firewall and accesses a data center's network that uses websense. So my access to alot of resources are restricted, so I tend to use the phone quite often.

I have the A900.

[Darkdashing]

I haven't been charged for tethering, and I've used the phone whenever I'm at work. I use it to download large files and play America's Army online. The building has it's own firewall and accesses a data center's network that uses websense. So my access to alot of resources are restricted, so I tend to use the phone quite often.

I have the A900.

when you dial using your computer, do you use a username and password when you dial #777? I'm just curious because I didnt enter one and got connected.

[flakito]

Nah, I believe that's how you're supposed to do it.. No username/password.

[Misu]

Been tethering with my a940 since I first bought the thing back in Nov. '05 - no problems. Hubby has been teathering with his a920 since he bought his phone back in, I believe, Jan or Feb of this year. Again, no problems.

Of course, we both have NAI turned off...

[Darkdashing]

I got a charge for data usage so I'm trying to find out what happened now through e-care--I tethered for about 10minutes to try it out over BT and mac. Lets hope they're not cracking down. Btw, my cycle began the 31st and I tethered the 29th so know it was from that one time.



(I have sero, ppc 6700 and unlimited pv)

[vasanda]

A few questions
- I have sanyo 8200 can they detect on this phone?

- If I get a powervision and keep my grandfathered vision plan will it be any faster?

[zinc]

I got a charge for data usage so I'm trying to find out what happened now through e-care--I tethered for about 10minutes to try it out over BT and mac. Lets hope they're not cracking down. Btw, my cycle began the 31st and I tethered the 29th so know it was from that one time.



(I have sero, ppc 6700 and unlimited pv)

Did you find out why you were charged for data usage?

[Bobp123]

ok so let me get this straight, is there no way sprint can detect if you are using your ppc 6700 as a modem, or is it you can use it as long as you dont go crazy dl'ing multiple gigs of files. can someone clarify thanks.

[jesus-hernandez]

I got a A920 and I tether using my MacBook Pro via Bluetooth and so far I haven't been charged. Of corse, I had to turn off modem NAI.

So, my guess is that the 6700 is not the only Sprint phone that you can tether without being charged.

Where did you hear this from?

[toxic]

Hey everyone, I just hung up with a Sprint rep after an $89 charge appeared for data usage. I upgraded my Treo 650 to a 700p and even though I had unlimited Vision from before, the phone data usage on the 700p was considered separate and therefore I was charged.

In addition, he said that without a $40 a month / 20MB plan I would not be able to use the phone tethered, it just won't connect. I of course will test this when I can :)

Hope that helps.

[winger]

Hey everyone, I just hung up with a Sprint rep after an $89 charge appeared for data usage. I upgraded my Treo 650 to a 700p and even though I had unlimited Vision from before, the phone data usage on the 700p was considered separate and therefore I was charged.

In addition, he said that without a $40 a month / 20MB plan I would not be able to use the phone tethered, it just won't connect. I of course will test this when I can :)

Hope that helps.
There is a u/l PAM for $40, do NOT get the 20MB plan, with normal webbrowsing you WILL get overages. Like yesterday, my first full flown day using my new PAM, I used over 100MB alone just browsing SU, website, and a few videos.

[rennyn]

ok so let me get this straight, is there no way sprint can detect if you are using your ppc 6700 as a modem, or is it you can use it as long as you dont go crazy dl'ing multiple gigs of files. can someone clarify thanks.

Correct. Although you can still go semi-crazy. With NO tethering, I used 1.5 gigs of data transfer in less than 2 months. So I'm sure they're used to the 6700's and some other PDAs using a lot of data. People who stream a lot will use even more than that.

[winger]

.... People who stream a lot will use even more than that.
yeh check out http://www.slingmedia.com/us/slingbox/slingplayermobile.php

and at say a conservative 150kb/sec.... you do the math data use on an 1/2 hr of your favorite sit-com or news show.

[rennyn]

yeh check out http://www.slingmedia.com/us/slingbox/slingplayermobile.php

and at say a conservative 150kb/sec.... you do the math data use on an 1/2 hr of your favorite sit-com or news show.

Well I donno if 150k/sec is conservative. Slingplayer uploads from your internet connection, and not many people have over a 1 megabit upstream that would be required to send at that speed :)

More realistic for most people is 40k/sec. Although even that is a lot in just a half hour :)

[winger]

Well I donno if 150k/sec is conservative. Slingplayer uploads from your internet connection, and not many people have over a 1 megabit upstream that would be required to send at that speed :)

More realistic for most people is 40k/sec. Although even that is a lot in just a half hour :)
my isp caps uploads at 386kbps and I have not been below 100kbps yet on my ppc (for past couple of months) and now tethered on my laptop (with PAM since I signed up a couple of days ago). Normally, I see 120-170 on my PPC and 150-250 on my laptop.

[rennyn]

my isp caps uploads at 386kbps and I have not been below 100kbps yet on my ppc (for past couple of months) and now tethered on my laptop (with PAM since I signed up a couple of days ago). Normally, I see 120-170 on my PPC and 150-250 on my laptop.

ahh yeah if you're talking about kbps then yeah.. you should be seeing the full 386kbps on your phone, it can handle that easily, which works out to about the 40-45k/sec I was talking about.. or 72 megs for a half hour of show watching. Not too shabby.

[winger]

ahh yeah if you're talking about kbps then yeah.. you should be seeing the full 386kbps on your phone, it can handle that easily, which works out to about the 40-45k/sec I was talking about.. or 72 megs for a half hour of show watching. Not too shabby.
Ahhh, i see the hold x KBbps/8 = Kbps formula (or did I get that backwards) ? LOL we talking same thing using different units of measure.

I never gotten over 300kbps on my ppc (maybe due to comcast line quality, overhead, etc.) but I have maxed out at 460-480 (constant/steady) when using wifi.

Tell ya, sling works great on the PPC and tethering, even at 100 kbps, IMO

[2wyce]

ive been tethering ever since i had my audiovox vm4050 back in october 04... never have i been charged and i use it EVERY day for at least 3 hours straight. i now use the 6700 with evdo, so i know in that time i probably consume double the data amount as before. never had a problem.

[phatsacks]

ive been tethering ever since i had my audiovox vm4050 back in october 04... never have i been charged and i use it EVERY day for at least 3 hours straight. i now use the 6700 with evdo, so i know in that time i probably consume double the data amount as before. never had a problem.


That's VERY comforting to hear, and those with data charges is scary.

2wyce are you using the upgraded ROM? Maybe new ROM users are getting charged?

I'm using my 6700 for the first time with DUN right now, and I'm worried. I spent over an hour on the phone with customer service and finally got someone who said "Sir, you are using a PDA phone, your phone basically is a computer and you can use a usb cable to connect your laptop to your device and won't be charged anything extra."

I had her put these notes in my account and I will refrence the day incase I do get charged and will get the money credited (I had her include that fact in the notes).

What I'm needing help with now is that my phone does not say "Dialing #777" like it does when I use the internet on it directly. I set up basic DUN and set the number to dial as #777 with no username (just like the phone) and it works. However, is it suppose to be this way? Is it suppose to say "Dialing #777" on my phone when using DUN?

Anyone who responds, can you please include if you are using the newer ROM? (I am)

Thanks to all!

[sprintsplint]

Many of you say it is not possible to be tracked while tethering with a PPC 6700 but then there are posts like this from the previous page:

I got a charge for data usage so I'm trying to find out what happened now through e-care--I tethered for about 10minutes to try it out over BT and mac. Lets hope they're not cracking down. Btw, my cycle began the 31st and I tethered the 29th so know it was from that one time.
(I have sero, ppc 6700 and unlimited pv)

So which is it? Is it possible that Sprint can track us? Does anything special need to be done to the PPC 6700 like NAI disabling to prevent tracking or can you use tethering with the 6700 right out of the box? What about the latest firmware that came out last March, did that change anything?

Thanks for the help but there is some contradictory info floating around and I am trying to get definitive answers. Thanks again.

[sheureka]

Sprint is not tracking tethered data usage on the 6700 - darkdashing (on a different forum) said those charges were for some other account. Relax everybody. - sheureka

[phatsacks]

Sprint is not tracking tethered data usage on the 6700 - darkdashing (on a different forum) said those charges were for some other account. Relax everybody. - sheureka

<3 thanks!

[TheXenocide]

I'm having a bit of a problem reproducing the results reported here. I have just recently received my PPC 6700 and when using the WModem software to tether to my PC I receive a chilling alert declaring that I can not log on to PCS while tethered to my PC. Previously I used the A900 drivers to tether with my A680 and my DUN settings on my PC have remained the same. I dial #777 with no username/password. Any assistance would be helpful as I'm kinda broke and this is my only connection.

Thanks,

Xeno
P.S. The PPC 6700 is still great.

[winger]

Sprint is not tracking tethered data usage on the 6700 - darkdashing (on a different forum) said those charges were for some other account. Relax everybody. - sheurekaHmmm. what if a person used 3GB in one given month w/ a PPC6700, would this raise some eyebrows???

[jesus-hernandez]

I think it's all automated, computers don't care how much they get, ;-)

[phatsacks]

Hmmm. what if a person used 3GB in one given month w/ a PPC6700, would this raise some eyebrows???

Well with wintorrent (Windows Mobile 5 Torrent), and streaming music, TV (slingbox), I'm sure many many people rack up more than 3GB a month with the PPC6700 as is. I constantly use www.logmein.com with it directly on the pda, and am going to install slingbox software on it soon. I don't torrent much, but the point is, that PPC6700 extreme users (there are a lot out there), probably naturally use that much anyways.

[TheXenocide]

So am I being ignored or does nobody know the answer to my question? :( - I'm loving the phone and I got a big taste of EV-DO :D.