Sprint's Simply Everything Plan cannot do phone-as-modem

[justing]

So I just got off the phone with Sprint after switching to Simply Everything, and not only does the plan not support phone-as-modem, but they don't have have the ability to add it to the plan! Meaning I can't even pay for the ability to use my phone as a modem under the plan. Stupid.

"E-mail includes use of ActiveSync, Microsoft Windows Mobile with Direct Push?, VersaMail, IBM Lotus Notes Traveler? or BlackBerry Internet Services (BIS). Direct Connect and Group Connect (20 maximum participants) allow connection to other Nextel Direct Connect subscribers. Offer and service plan features not available in all markets/retail locations or for all phones/networks. Sprint may terminate service if a majority of minutes or a majority of kilobytes in a given month are used while roaming. Services are not available for use as a modem, in connection with server devices or host computer applications, other systems that drive continuous heavy traffic or data sessions, or as a substitute for frame relay connections. Other Terms: The Nationwide Sprint Network reaches over 262 million people."

Looks like I'm switching back to my old plan.

[CMEC]

T-mobile offers it for free, as long as you have a data plan.

[justing]

CMEC, not sure what that has to do with anything, but for what it's worth, Sprint includes it with their unlimited data plan as well. What I'm talking about is their new Simply Everything plan.

[JazzeeJEF]

I went to the site and i thought it said it doesnt include blackberry. I will have to check again

[camattin]

Several users in a couple of the forums I follow have gotten PAM added (for $15/mo) to the Simply Everything plan. You probably just hit upon a bad CSR (I talked to 3 CSRs who said PAM couldn't be added with the BB PowerPack).

Send an email to customer care and have them try to add it for you.

[CMEC]

Originally Posted by justing

CMEC, not sure what that has to do with anything, but for what it's worth, Sprint includes it with their unlimited data plan as well. What I'm talking about is their new Simply Everything plan.

Well it should be included in their "Simply Everything plan". What I was trying to show you is just how bad Sprint is as a cell phone provider! Just in case you were not aware! Thanks

[mkfrmn]

It isn't included due to the fact that if it was it would be abused and could kill connectivity. Bandwidth isn't infinite, and by charging for it, it helps keep things under control, while insuring that only those who actually need it are using it. PAM can be added to the Simply Everything plan, at an additional cost as it can be added to the unlimited access blackberry plan for an additional cost. And the SA plan is compatible with a BB, you'd pay the $99 for BIS access and I believe it's $20 extra for BES, but I'm not 100% sure about the exact pricing.

And Cmec, T-Mobile is still using Edge, so you really can't compare that to Sprint's offering. Once T-Mobile rolls out their 3G services, should they still give it to you free, then it'd be worth a mention.

[CDV]

How about this one...
I have Sprint with a Blackberry that worked fine as a "phone as modem" using Windows XP. Now I have Windows XP 64 bit and they say it does not work, but it took three separate hour long calls with Sprint tech support and three separate Sprint people before they last said: OH but 64 bit does not work with this phone"... AAAAAHHHHHHH

Any thoughts?

CDV

[zerohour]

I have been using my BB as a modem for 2 months now. No extra charges, no problems on xp 32.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[javeluke]

Originally Posted by CMEC

Well it should be included in their "Simply Everything plan". What I was trying to show you is just how bad Sprint is as a cell phone provider! Just in case you were not aware! Thanks

But, any of us could add on a whole now laptop card plan on top of our phones and still be paying less than att, and have faster speeds.

Stop trolling, it's a waste of time

[mystic205]

justing,
suggest you search the forums before posting..
there are plenty of posts about setting up your phone as modem, as there are posts regarding folks paying or not paying for this service and folks getting a "its included" to a tacit "ok, just use it, dont abuse it"" from CSR on the topic..
Personally i went the laptop card route as i use the functionality daily.. much more convenient

[MisterB]

Well, I've got a BB simply everything plan, and I'm replying to this post on my laptop that is teathered to my BB. So, obviously whoever told you this wouldn't work is wrong...

[Curve63049]

Originally Posted by MisterB

Well, I've got a BB simply everything plan, and I'm replying to this post on my laptop that is teathered to my BB. So, obviously whoever told you this wouldn't work is wrong...

This particular "Catch 22" has been discussed in prior threads.

As has been discussed in prior threads on this subject, the issue is NOT whether a BB on a Simply Everything plan (or the Everything Data Family Share plans) has the actual physical ability to be used to tether a laptop or desktop PC (aka, phone-as-modem) - the physical capacity is there. You can use Smartview or set up your BB with as dial-up network (DUN) and be tethering - regardless of whether you actually pay for PAM or not.

The issue has been (and, is still) whether tethering a BB under a Simply Everything plan (or the Everything Data Family Share plan) is (a) an available add-on option; (b) if not an available add-on option, whether *actually* tethering without the "add-on" option is a violation of Sprint's terms of service (TOS); and (c) whether, if a customer violates the TOS what will (or could) happen to that customer.

With regard to (a), no, officially it's not an available "add-on" option. It's doesn't appear as such on Sprint's website and as reported here on numerous prior occasions by reports of discussions with Sprint's CSRs.

With regard to (b), yes - technically actually tethering/PAM without a PAM plan is a violation of Sprint's TOS for those on Simply Everything (and Everything Data Family Share plans).

With regard to (c), apparently not much at all will happen. Countless people have reported tethering without the (unavailable) PAM "add-on" . . . including me . . . without being charged for it (after-the-fact) by Sprint.

Of course, it is possible , in theory, that Sprint could do something against those of us who tether without a PAM. Namely, charge us (after we've used the data) for the "extra" unauthorized use. That means you might open your bill one month to a big surprise. Or, it's possible, Sprint could drop you as a customer.

Tips to keep that possibility from happening include NOT abusing tethering (staying well under 5GB per month) .

I think what's "stupid" on Sprint's part is this: that it apparently doesn't have the technical capacity (or the business will) to prevent users who do NOT have a separate "add-on" PAM plan from actually tethering. If you can't or won't STOP people from using your network in an unauthorized manner . . . you might as well try to collect *some* money from them by making it an available "add-on" option.

[thatsmegc]

My biggest question now that I have gone though and got it working (Everything Data 450). Do we know of ANYONE who has been caught doing it?

I have read countless threads on here and other boards about it, as well as starting my own. I have never seen 1 person say "I got caught and hit with a huge bill." While I have seen probably 100 posts saying "I do it all the time and never been charged a cent."

I'm really curious to hear from someone who got caught, and if they were stuck paying or if they were able to plead ignorance and get sprint to take the charges off and say don't do it again.

I'm on it right now, I've probably used 5MB just surfing the web, not big deal but if they charge me $.03 a KB I believe is what it is, then it quickly becomes a huge bill.

[humphrind]

After reading this, I think I talked to a very naive person. But I talked to a Sprint Rep who told me that my phone CAN be used as a modem, with almost any windows computer. I needed to have a broadband account with sprint to do that.

She specifically told me that if I had a broadband account, I would not need to purchase a USB modem, I can use my BB instead.