Comms Overload
PHONE WANG!
(“Phone Wang” is a pre-emptive warning that I will be talking about phones, you may look away now)
Chris P this week became the first person in the world to carry two PDA phones: his outgoing xDA and his new T-Mobile wenched mDA Vario II. Obviously the new one is faster at 400MHz and because of its conventional design, it means he can answer the phone without needing to spin the screen round 180degrees.
He has the T-Mobile Web ‘n’ Walk plus tariff which means he’s on the internet constantly (unlike O2’s £2.35/megabyte) and signed into MSN constantly. This is a very strange concept, as it will mean that instead of SMS, IM can be used. Despite our efforts to take the mickey out of T-Mobile, it seems that the signal in 2G and 3G is very good round here in Warwickshire and the only decent data tariffs (their plus package is 3GB).
I researched for a MSN client and it seems that mess.be have java clients for pretty much all phones. I got one for my Sony Ericsson K800i and it works fine (there are nokia clients too). It seems the data rates are fairly small, but I still don’t reckon anyone could use it economically unless they are on a data tariff. But its there if you want it. Might be useful for those communicating with friends when abroad for long periods? Just letting you know it exists.
Nathaniel Ho
23 Nov 2006 16:56
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Tags: 3G Mobiles Phones Technology
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Comments (8)
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8 comments by 4 or more people
[Skip to the latest comment]David Haggart
3, subject to a fair-use policy, include free MSN messaging on many of their contracts.
23 Nov 2006, 17:49
Hamid Sirhan
How much does the constant internet access cost? (Web n walk +) It seems quite interesting but is bound to be prohibitively expensive at this stage.
23 Nov 2006, 17:51
Robert Southgate
you generally have to get it with an existing T-Mobile contract, the Plus version which “allows” messaging/VoIP/Streaming and a whole lot more, costs £12.50/mth, the basic version which just allows browsing/email is only £7.50/mth, in theory you could use messaging/voip etc on it as well, but if T-mobile found out, you’d be cut off most likely, or be charged extra or something.
23 Nov 2006, 17:56
Nathaniel Ho
The 3-mobile method wouldn’t be very viable, solely because its on 3. Only recommended if you like unmanagable risk.
Unfortunately Web ‘n’ walk I think is only available on that disease called “18-month contracts”
Like Rob said there’s 3 levels,
web/mail £7.50
3GB £12.50
and one other one that’s pretty much unlimited but I dunno how much it is.
23 Nov 2006, 17:59
Hamid Sirhan
But is it unlimited bandwidth?
23 Nov 2006, 18:40
Hamid Sirhan
Wait that makes me sound like an unseasoned noob. Ie VOIP mentioned isn’t going to be small in terms of bandwidth usage.
23 Nov 2006, 18:41
Robert Southgate
You don’t need an 18mth contract for Web’n’walk, just an existing T-mobile contract, i was wrong about VoIP though, that’s only allowed on the top tariff which is £22.50/mth and gives you 10GB bw.
23 Nov 2006, 19:18
Nathaniel Ho
On the £12 and £22 quid ones they don’t mind if you run “always-on” programs. Even Bittorrent!
23 Nov 2006, 21:59
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