Verizon Blesses Phone-As-Modem Plans

DigitalDame2 writes "PC Magazine reports that Verizon Wireless has decided to let its subscribers use their cell phones as high-speed modems for their laptops. For $59.99 per month, users of the LG VX9800, Motorola RAZR V3c, Motorola E815, and LG VX8100 phones will connect to Verizon's BroadbandAccess EV-DO network." From the article: "For a while now, Verizon subscribers have illicitly used their phones as modems; various Web sites have information on how to do so. But up until now, doing so has violated service contracts, leaving users open to Verizon cutting off their service or charging high per-kilobyte fees."

Comments

Re:tmobile

[MikeFM]

They told me they raised the price to $30/month and added in HotSpots access. Fine I guess if you spend a lot of time at airports and Starbucks but for me the $20 plan is better. Even for $30/month though it's still a good deal I think.

IR port on phone + Laptop = 9600 baud

[beacher]

Maybe I don't want to spend $60/month - My old Nokia 6340i had an IR port that I could use and get 9600 easily. Slow? Sure. Free data access? You betcha. For the money they're asking, it's probably better to get tmobile hotspot access at Starbucks, or get NetStumbler and an Orinoco card.

Greedy

Maybe Someone Should Tell Verizon

[MikeyTheK]

I have been a Verizon Wireless customer for six or seven years. In that time I have had six or seven verizon phones (I only do one-year contracts). Each time I go to the Verizon store, and buy the current usb to phone interface cable and the new sofware that lets me use it as such. So if I was violating my terms of service, I suppose that Verizon was complicit in it.

Re:*sigh*

[LordMyren]

I only got hassled by the cops once. And I blame it solely on the fact that my cantenna fell apart. I was sitting in an empty drive way across the street, but the neighbors thought itw as overly suspicious.

It'd been like a week since I'd bothered connecting up; it usually is when you've got only a moderately good wifi card with no real antenna. I was probably there way way too long.

With a good cantenna (Whooo Pepperidge Farm canisters!!) I could've been where I normally am; sitting in my car or at a park, far far away.

OTOH, Cingular does offer an unlimited data rate plan for a grand $20/mo. Sure there's no teathering allowed by policy, but there is a nearly dejure unenforcement. As it should be! Its like the Europeans; the laws are only there to pester those who offend, not to crack over the skulls of basically benign citizens. I know quite a few people who are on Cingular for this reason alone. Thats why I got Cingular, and I know quite a few techies and non-techies alike in the same boat.

Re:*sigh*

[DigitalRaptor]

Even where EVDO isn't supported you get on the order of 220kbps.

I've even used my phone --> laptop via bluetooth to get internet access at my cabin where no other internet access is available.

If you're on the fringes of the network (like at my cabin) you only get on the order of 50kbps, but it's better than nothing.