T-Mobile Internet Unlimited ?

[sd]

Right now I'm cruising on my optonline connection for $30/month with free cable tv. Yet I'm so busy these days I hardly go online. That with the fact that I am cheap, I was thinking about going back to dialup internet(free for me). However, I don't have a landline phone at home, so I'd like to see if I can try dialup through my cellphone. My first idea is to get a bluetooth adapter $30 and use my t68i cellphone as a dialup modem. That doesn't seem too hard, but I haven't been able to find any data on the speeds I would be getting. Has anyone actually tried this? And what speeds should i expect??? Also, I plan to buy a sony ericson z600 if and when it comes out on tmobile, so I'm guessing bluetooth will still be my only option. My second idea is that of tmobile unlimted internet for $19.99 a month. How does that work? Can it be used with my laptop through bluetooth? What are the speeds for that and what kind of connection is it? Anyone in my general situation have any good strategies to getting on the internet through their cell phone for the cheapest price?

[Matt]

Using your phone as a modem is called CSD (Circuit Switched Data). Speeds are 9.6kpbs and the usage is billed in minutes according to your regular voice plan. Using a laptop card and the GPRS data network will get you speeds about dialup, maybe a bit less. That is unlimited usage, $29.99 if you are not a TM voice customer, and $19.99 if you are a TM voice customer.

[sd]

by circuit switched data, do you mean through bluetooth? I'm thinking about buying a Belkin Bluetooth USB Adapter - Network adapter - USB - Bluetooth - 721 Kbps. But if it only gives me 9.6 kbps I don't think i would. I remember 9.6 kbps was possible through the IR port on the cellphone, i guess its the same for bluetooth? In that case I will just dialup through IR. Anyone done that before? Links on how it can be done would be appreciated.

[sd]

nevermind, i searched online and found out how to do it myself. Its not bad for a free backup internet connection, if u have the time to wait for things to load. Maybe its not time for economical wireless internet yet. Im good for now.

[jrt]

Matt is partly right.

The unlimited internet account will allow you to use your phone as a modem; CSD and use minutes, (Which you can do anyway, BTW), but if you dial #777 instead of your ISP, you will get a GPRS connection, use NO minutes and be able to surf all you want - my connection averages about 33K or so and is quite useful. This can be done with any data capable phone -- not just the wireless PC cards.

But it drops a lot.

j