I'm looking at getting the wireless internet from Alltel. I wanted to use the Franklin CDU-550 USB Data Card on my desktop, do you guys think this would be a good choice? One thing I noticed is that it says, "Alltel Wireless will bill you $25.00 for activation on your first bill and $59.99 per month (plus taxes & fees) each subsequent month, " I thought it was only $25 a month for their service? Is there a difference in the price of their internet service if you use the Franklin CDU-550AL USB Data Card other than simply tethering a phone to your computer? Thanks
Yes, if you're tethering a phone to your computer, and thereby using the phone as a modem, Alltel charges $25/month in addition to your normal phone plan... probably because they assume you won't be doing it very often and that you won't be using a whole lot of data. With the data cards, however, if you buy the card at the reduced price, they start a 2-year contract, complete with the activation fee and $60 fee per month, because they assume it will be your primary internet connection and you'll be using it quite often (thereby costing the company more in data.)
Heh, yeah, well, I don't make the rules... Personally, I'd say tethering is a much better deal, of course, but I don't think you can use the phone for calling while it's tethered to a computer (somebody tell me if this is right?) and it's a little simpler for newbies (ie, most customers who come into a store and don't hang around internet message boards) to set up a data card than the tethering arrangement. The data card setup is almost as simple as plug and play. My theory? They're trying to get as many people on a data card contract as possible, before tethering becomes within the realm of skills (and vocabulary) of most wireless users.
I wish you did make the rules, that way maybe the price would be the same as the tethering hey? I figured it was too goo to be true. I didn't want to tie up my cell phone to the internet so I guess I'll just go get a Samsung U520 and solely dedicate that to the internet and pay the additional fee for another phone. Anyone know if the U520' s are any good for internet accessing or doesn't it make a difference on what phone you use as long as it's EVDO capable?
Tethering: 1. No new "line" or "equipment' to buy except the cord/software (Advantage) 2. Fairly easy to set up (Advantage) 3. Lower cost at $25/month for unlimited internet (Advantage) 4. Can't charge phone while using it as modem (Disadvantage) 5. Can't USE phone for voice calls while using it as modem (Disadvantage) Data Card 1. Doesn't tie up phone during use (Advantage) 2. Never runs out of power (Advantage) 3. Requires more expensive equipment and new line (Disadvantage) 4. Higher cost at $59.99/month for unlimited internet (Disadvantage) What works best for you? Only the end user can decide. We sell equal amounts of both, for the most part.
While using your phone to tether on EVDO you still will receive incoming calls (not the same on certain 1x areas). And some have the cords can charge and do data at the same time, or you could use bluetooth DUN and plug in the phone. Data cards also get a little better speeds typically.
please forgive me for asking this,but can you use your night and weekend minutes for tethering instead of paying the 25 bucks a month? I hate to commit to paying this every month if I dont get enough use out of this. I have the samsung wafer and would be getting the data kit from alltel. thanx in advance
Yes you can, it only uses minutes. And if it is n/w and your plan has unlimited then it is unlimited for that time period....
thanx for the reply.... i just worry about a surprise on my bill. right now i have been using wi-fi hot spots in travel centers at night and paying 5 dollars a day for it for only a few hours a night. seems like a logical inexpensive option.thank you
I was think about the using the phone thing myself. Say you have an EVDO capable phone wouldnt you be able to make and recieve calls due to the fact that EVDO uses individual signalling as apposed to Voice and 1X using spread spectrum? I know on 1X and GSM the phone is pretty much kaput until you end the data session.
While tethering with EVDO your phone will pause the data session and let the call come in and you can answer it or press ignore and it will resume, once the calls is ended it automatically resumes. But you would have to either pause or disconnect the data to make an outgoing call. I'm not quite sure how to pause it manually while tethering. It only takes seconds to reconnect though....
So you guys are saying I can use a phone I currently have on my Alltel plan to connect to the internet and circumvent paying the $25 a month? The time just comes off you minutes for the month with no extra charge on your bill? Is it therefor limitless on nights and weekends? Do you get the same service or is it different if you were to pay the $25? I'm also afraid of getting a surprise on my bill if this isn't true! I don't want some $300 extra charge because I've been accessing the net and haven't paid the $25! Thanks
Yes. Same service. As far as a surprise bill. They can change the policy at anytime. But they likely won't and if they did there would be some mailer or alert to it most likely.
alltel also offers wifi service now if your worried about it when traveling. check alltel.com for details
Not that anbyody pays attention to bill inserts or direct mails....and that is so frustrating to those of us in CS. CS: They did send this out for the last six months as a bill insert Customer: I don't look at that stuff, I just throw it away. CS: "That's not our problem (not that we'd say that, but boy do we think it).
If you tether the phone to a laptop are you getting essentially the evdo rate that the data card gives? Thanks Tim
With Alltel the minutes you are using the data is counted against your minutes. Nights and weekends are free during normal hours it costs anytime minutes. I don't think every carrier does it this way though. As far as speeds it depends on the handset. Most average about anywhere from 150 to 300 kbps less then a normal data card. So you will likely get around 600-700 in a good coverage area instead of 900 or more as an average.
Thanks for the info. I have been using the "backdoor " with verizon but the rumor is that will close down in November. The speed was 1x but better than nothing out here in the mountains of Julian, (San Diego)(firebug country) california. I will seriously consider shifting to alltel. Also the $25 dollars for unlimited usage is a good deal too. Tim
