BB Bridge not needed w mobile hotspotting?

**Fuzzballz** · 02-20-2013, 01:59 AM

So I thought I was married to BB phones since I have the Playbook and use it over bridge quite frequently. But then I realized if I get a non-RIM device, can't I just enable its WiFi and use the PB over WiFi? Since the FCC came down on the carriers last summer and said they couldn't charge consumers extra per month for connecting to the 4G network via WiFi, it's as free as the PB's bridge connection.

I would lose the ability to do SMS on the PB as well as the ability to use the phone as a remote control for the PB, but is there anything else I'd lose?

Thinking of making the switch to Android and I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything here.

No flames please.

thx

**HigherThanMars** · 02-20-2013, 02:46 AM

Wifi hotspot or phone tethering is not free, at least in the US. I have Tmobile and it costs $15 a month for that feature and you must have at least 5gb data plan. Imo blackberry duo with phone/playbook bridge is the best it gets. I can pretty much use playbook as my phone minus the actual calls. I can text, check email, take notes and surf Web in class with no wifi, all without my 9900 leaving my pocket. It's the bees knees haha. I have a 2gb plan and I have only been using a little over 1gb per month so it's not a problem with overages. Use whatever device you want, but personally Bridge is one of the main reasons I got a playbook. Good luck

**Fuzzballz** · 02-20-2013, 08:28 PM

Don't argue with the lawyer

Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering | ZDNet

It applies to the 4G spectrum, and may apply to T-Mobile or perhaps just Verizon, I don't know. If you have a 3G phone they can still charge for it.

**ta2hallm** · 02-20-2013, 08:38 PM

I don't think mobile hot spot is as thrifty with data usage as BlackBerry Bridge, but that advantage seems to be gone with BB10. I haven't missed my bridge too much yet since I got my Z10, but I think I will soon, and I really hope they bring some form of it back. If you don't think you will miss having your PB as a Window into your phone then going to Android might be a good choice for you.

Posted via CB10

**Toodeurep** · 02-20-2013, 08:42 PM

I use "Open On" about 50 times a day. Absolutely love it. Also with my limited data plan I prefer to access the world through the phone using data once rather than once for each device.

**HigherThanMars** · 02-21-2013, 02:59 AM

Originally Posted by Furballz

Don't argue with the lawyer

Let my Wi-Fi go: FCC rules Verizon can't charge for Wi-Fi tethering | ZDNet

It applies to the 4G spectrum, and may apply to T-Mobile or perhaps just Verizon, I don't know. If you have a 3G phone they can still charge for it.

I'm not trying to argue. Just telling you that it's not free on Tmobile, I don't know about other companies, have always been on Tmobile. My 9900 has 4g and it costs $15 a month for wifi hotspot. If you can prove me wrong and wifi hotspot is free on Tmobile, I'd actually really appreciate it.

**diegonei** · 02-21-2013, 07:58 AM

Again, people confuse Bridge with "internet sharing". Any phone with mobile hotpstop will share internet with your PB. Any smartphone with BlueTooth can share internet with your PB.

Now, what can Bridge do:

Share internet connection;
Open on: Ask your phone to open stuff (images, urls, documents, music) on yout PB;
Remove control: use your phone as a remove control and keyboard;
Presentation mode: An easy interface for you to work out presentations over BT;
PIM access: View and edit the PIM (contacts. calendar, notes, tasks) data from your device on your PB;
SMS Bridge: Use the PB to read/write SMS messages and have the phone send them;

Do you need a blackberry to use a PB? No. Do you lose functionality if you leave a BB smartphone when you're used to Bridge, yes.

**Fuzzballz** · 02-21-2013, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by diegonei

Share internet connection;
Open on: Ask your phone to open stuff (images, urls, documents, music) on yout PB;
Remove control: use your phone as a remove control and keyboard;
Presentation mode: An easy interface for you to work out presentations over BT;
PIM access: View and edit the PIM (contacts. calendar, notes, tasks) data from your device on your PB;
SMS Bridge: Use the PB to read/write SMS messages and have the phone send them;

Thank you very much, this was exactly what I was looking for. I guess the reason I didn't know about those other things was because I simply don't use them much. What I did use the bridge connection for was:

Internet browsing
Accessing Dropbox via Bluebox on PB
Sending occasional SMSs

The first two can be accomplished with Mobile Hotspot, and I really only sent SMSs via the PB a handful of times. Ironically I like the hardware keyboard better for SMSing, and now I'm switching to an Android device with none. Oh well!

Thanks very much, I don't think I'll miss Bridge all that much and that was what I wanted to figure out with this thread. I appreciate it.

**Carl Estes** · 03-21-2013, 01:48 PM

Using Bridge with a PB will incur NO charges for data (except for ATT which blocks the Bridge Function, But you can correct that issue @ RROY.com by downloading his ATT Bridge App. They will no longer see the "Bridging")

Any other carrier WILL charge extra for the Mobile Hotspot, on top of your standard Data Plan for your Blackberry. Been there and done that! They equate it to "Tethering", different name, but same effect.

C