3G Network Area... Question...

[Lee]

So we just got back from dinner at moms a little while ago and started having a discussion about how much the phone line, internet connection and cable costs.

Well i thought i read somewhere that it is possible (so long as you are in a 3G network area) to use some device that would work like a cable box which you connect to your TV and actually get cable channels as if you were still paying for them from the cable provider legally.

I also seem to recall something about there being a lead which you can connect to an iPhone to use that (in a 3G network area) to power your laptop or PCs internet connection.

Does anyone actually know anything about this? I know right now i can wirelessly connect a HD we have in the office to a laptop that we have setup on our main TV to play DVDs that i have digitized and also some movies that i downloaded from the Apple store, could it be possible, 3g coverage allowing, to totally get rid of cable/landline and internet connection bills?

Regards,

Lee

[ponyboy]

i herd that asian is all ready 4g, and sprint has that here now

[Gflix]

I also seem to recall something about there being a lead which you can connect to an iPhone to use that (in a 3G network area) to power your laptop or PCs internet connection.

Hi Lee, That's generally referred to as tethering if I understand your post correct - basically using your mobile phone/network as a modem to connect to the internet. Your ability to do that is going to depend on the device you have and whether the carrier will allow tethering – and most likely involve adding a more expensive data plan to your account… (I’m sure there are sneaky ways around that but inevitably not within terms of service agreement)..

For example I have AT&T, the data plan alone for customers who want tethering is $60 in addition to whatever phone minutes plan the customer is on… Not exactly cheap, I don't think I would save any much by switching from cable ISP and in my case I simply wouldn't have confidence the ATT 3G network would be a dependable alternative. Alas, it's a non-issue as ATT only allows teathering on certain phones, my iPhone not yet one of them.... (soon though, apparently- they are obviously very busy trying to figure out how to charge us all more $)..

Not sure about the TV thing yet....

Chris

[LiveTwinksCam]

Hi Lee, That's generally referred to as tethering if I understand your post correct - basically using your mobile phone/network as a modem to connect to the internet. Your ability to do that is going to depend on the device you have and whether the carrier will allow tethering – and most likely involve adding a more expensive data plan to your account… (I’m sure there are sneaky ways around that but inevitably not within terms of service agreement)..

For example I have AT&T, the data plan alone for customers who want tethering is $60 in addition to whatever phone minutes plan the customer is on… Not exactly cheap, I don't think I would save any much by switching from cable ISP and in my case I simply wouldn't have confidence the ATT 3G network would be a dependable alternative. Alas, it's a non-issue as ATT only allows teathering on certain phones, my iPhone not yet one of them.... (soon though, apparently- they are obviously very busy trying to figure out how to charge us all more $)..

Not sure about the TV thing yet....

Chris

Fully agree.

Using cellular as your internet connection isn't a good idea, as the connection speeds aren't always consistent. If I were to do this, though I'm an AT&T customer and an avid iPhone user, I would do Verizon for data and buy their mi-fi device that allows several devices to connect to the cellular data connection like a wifi device. Again, limited to 5gb per month. You would burn that up in 1 day looking at all that porn you like.

[LiveTwinksCam]

Fully agree.

Using cellular as your internet connection isn't a good idea, as the connection speeds aren't always consistent. If I were to do this, though I'm an AT&T customer and an avid iPhone user, I would do Verizon for data and buy their mi-fi device that allows several devices to connect to the cellular data connection like a wifi device. Again, limited to 5gb per month. You would burn that up in 1 day looking at all that porn you like.

Here is the link to the mifi device on Verizon.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/m...KNC-PaidSearch

[Lee]

Yeah i was reading some stuff about the iPhone not being able to tether on the ATT network, that kinda sucks, especially as i know 8 years ago in the UK i could use my basic Nokia phone to connect to any PDA or laptop, i guess that just shows how much behind the rest of the world the US is when it comes to cell phone technology.

Regards,

Lee

[Gflix]

Yep! I believe the 3G and 3GS iPhones are both technically capable of tethering, AT&T just won't allow it at this time. Supposedly that is changing in the near future as iPhone customers in the UK are now able to tether...

All best,
Chris

[LiveTwinksCam]

A lot of phones are able to tether, I was tethering my cell phone like 5 years ago and had no problem. Just AT&T doesn't allow the iPhone to tether yet, probably because their weak ass network can't handle that mass amount of iPhone users that may want to tether.

All other phones on AT&T and other carriers can tether no problem. So it's just an iPhone and AT&T thing at the moment.