Thread: wireless modem

why not use your mobile phone as a modem, i think what ever you put that sim card into it will always be classed as a phone call ?

Originally Posted by richard4u2

why not use your mobile phone as a modem, i think what ever you put that sim card into it will always be classed as a phone call ?

it becomes very expensive
i know you can with dodo but need to buy 2types of credit
why not just go with a prepaid wireless modem

Not quite what you asked for, but you could consider using an iPhone as a modem (although Telstra are a killer - Optus has fantastic iPhone deals but horrible service, coverage & reliability).

Getting Started - Apple iPhone 3GS and Apple iPhone 3G Support from Telstra

Hi,
We use a bigpond wireless broadband modem with a laptop, and my wife has her telstra prepaid 3G.

If we want to make non urgent, cheap phone calls, we use Skype on the laptop.
The data usage is way cheaper than the mobile phone rate.

We use the mobile for receiving calls and making short immediate calls only.

Skype is good for sending text messages up to 160 characters, and I find it easier on a keyboard than the phone buttons.

cheers

Someone in our company did exactly this.

We had a wireless 3G modem, but they decided not to wait for the sim to be sent & activated. A process that takes about 48hrs.

They decided to insert a spare sim card from an unused mobile phone. It worked well.

Then the bill arrived.

As the sim that they had used was supposed to be used only for phone calls, and did not have a data plan attached, the resultant bill for 3 weeks usage was...... $48,000...

Needless to say, the phone supplier was not particularly interested, as the company does have a very good data plan, but it has to be allocated to the specific sim. Oh, and the boss wasn't really pleased either...

Yeah most phones can be used as a modem ( in fact i'm online now with my Next G phone attached to the laptop ). Conect USB from phone to USB on the laptop
Just make sure you have a data plan. The 300mb per month ( then slowed ) plan I have is about $29 pm.
Good for times you are off the main internet. Just don't go watching to much streaming video. it'll chew it up in an hour or so.

I have a next g phone that I use while travelling as a modem and phone.

The phone is on a $20 per month plan and I buy a "data Pack" from Telstra whenever I travel. AFAIR it is $89 for 2 gigs per month. I activate it the day I leave and cancel it the day I return.
Works for me.
Regard sPhilip A

Hi,
My son did similar to that described by Basis135, playing with his new phone accidentally download a large file with no data plan.
Checked his online bill, and was well over $100 and couldn't really afford it.
Rang Telstra to see what his options were, and they offered to activate a data plan pre dated to the day before.
Big T does have a heart some times.
cheers