Question about Internet useage/aircard??

[CampingChristy]

I am with AT&T. And I am not happy at this time. It seems like all companies are out to gouge you any which way that they can!

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO GOOD OLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! AND THE CUSTOMER IS NUMBER #1??

Anyway, I called my carrier to see about an aircard for our week at The Fort and I was told that the cost for a card is $60 a month for 5gigs of service per month and you will be charged if you go over. I am not an IT person so this is greek to me. How in the world do I know how much useage this and when or if I go over? There will be activation fees and you are locked into a 2 yr contract for the aircard! Are you kidding me, there isn't anything they can offer for short term needs? This is crazy. Please correct me if I am thinking wrong.

I have an iPhone that has internet service. Do any of you IT smarties know if I can use my phone to get service on my laptop? Just wondering. I pay out the nose to have this phone. I love it, but I am just saying.

Thanks for letting me vent, I should just rent the modeum from The Fort for the $10 a day and let it go, right?

Thanks so much my DIS Fiends!

 

[Live4FW]

Christy,

I have AT&T and a Palm Centro and there is a way to "tether" a laptop to the phone and access the internet via either bluetooth or USB connection.

However, I went to check for instructions on how to do this for the iPhone and it appears to be unsupported.

http://www.wireless.att.com/support/laptop-connect.do

There is also a forum specific to AT&T and the iPhone. You may be able to find something in there.

http://forums.wireless.att.com/cng/board?board.id=apple

Good Luck!

 

[CampingChristy]

Thank you so much for the time and research you put into this response. I really do appreciate it!

I will research these links. Thanks again.

 

[Live4FW]

Thank you so much for the time and research you put into this response. I really do appreciate it!

I will research these links. Thanks again.

No problem, I was just there yesterday researching mine. You may want to try some general internet searches. The key word to use would be "tether" with iPhone and At&t

Again, happy hunting!

 

[Born 2 Fish]

We use Verizon aircard,,been happy with it.

 

[RussN]

You cannot yet "tether" your iPhone to your computer without "jail-breaking" your iPhone (you don't want to do this though) as of yet. In a previous Apple conference they did say tethering is coming, but honestly I would look into other "options".

5 GB of traffic is not a lot of traffic but if you're just checking your e-mail, surfing the web and standard "day-to-day" traffic you won't go over this. If your downloading movies from iTunes or Netflix you'll easily blow through this 5 GB limit in a matter of days.

Every carrier (Sprint, Verizon & AT&T) all have the 5 GB cap limit now unless you step up to a enterprise plan which is very expensive.

Honestly I would look at the Sprint or Verizon MiFi 2200. Again it's $60/month for 5 GB of traffic but it is a little wifi router and I believe the Verizon or Sprint Data network is much better then AT&T's data network. Plus you can then take your iPhone and connect it via wireless to the MiFi so it's like having a iPhone on the Verizon (or Sprint) network. This is what I do.

Any case, hope the above information helps. If you need any additional details I would be glad to help. I'm in the IT industry and live off of technology.

 

[clkelley]

However, ALL aircard options are going to involve a 2-year approximately $60 a month committment.

Personally, I would go with the cable modem/ $10 a day from Disney. When I do that, I generally go every other day. For example. Start up the internet about 2pm on afternoon, check stuff that afternoon, that evening, then again just before 2pm the next day, then wait 24 hours and repeat.

 

[BradyBz12]

I've had the Verizon air card for a couple of years now. Works great, runs about $60/mo for unlimited data - but there's a 2 year contract (seems the way of the world these days).

I don't use it a ton, so I recently dropped my plan down to 7mb per month for $40. I mostly use it for email and transferring fairly small files back and forth for work when we're away, so it should be more than sufficient.

Verizon makes it easy to check your usage - each time you start up their software for connecting to the air card, it takes you right to a summary of how much you've used so far that month.

Coverage has been really good - I can actually now get online at our camp in the woods of western ME and I can generally work on my laptop most of the way to FL along 95.

 

[CampingChristy]

Carol, I think you are right! Since I am not ready to get into a 2 yr committment with my wireless company, I think I will just go the Disney route. Thanks for the time suggestions!

If I traveled a lot an aircard would be the way to go, but for one week it doesn't make good sense!

UNLESS, anyone wants to loan me theirs for the week?? j/k

Take Care!

 

[RussN]

I think your on the right track by just paying the $10 for internet (I missed this part until I re-read everything).

FYI - For future use you can also rent the 3G broadband cards too if you only use it a couple time of year and are in a place that doesn't have internet access (such as a long road trip):

www.rent2roam.com or www.rovair.com

Have a safe and wonderful trip!

 

[BradyBz12]

FWIW before I had my air card I used WDW's internet. I timed it to get 2 days worth of connections out of the $10/24 hours and it worked just fine.

 

[bama_ed]

Your iPhone has a web browser built in and soft keys so while it's not as convenient as having your laptop you can still cruise the net. Writing longer emails or msgs will be tougher but it works.

I work "in the business" so to speak and want to remind everyone of the business model customers prefer. And that is low-cost entrance (i.e. subsidized) model. The air-card may be $60 per month but a portion of that over a 2-year contract goes toward subsidizing the cost of the card itself. You may have only paid $20 plus the monthly fee when you signed up but the card cost your carrier alot more than that. Same is true for the iPhone which I hear are heavily subsidized by AT&T up front. It's the same business model used on inkjet printers (low cost, sure, but have you priced an ink cartridge lately? ). Was also used by Gillete when they developed double-edged and triple-edged blades (give away the handle portion, charge your left arm for a pack of blades).

Most equipment can be sold at a higher, no-contract price but that price is set to "encourage" you to get the lower-priced one with a contract. iPhones aren't made for tethering which burns your monthly minutes rather than run bits across your data plan.

Yep, Carol is right to confirm your backup plan-rent the modem from the Fort.

Bama ED

 

[BobT]

FYI...
If you have Verizon and have a standard Verizon phone that can be used as an air card, you can go using the phone as the air card route. Good news is you do not need to sign any commitment. Cost is $49.99/month, but if you activate the air card option (by going to or calling a Verizon wireless store/person), only once, per billing cycle, you only pay the pro-rated rate per day of activation. Works out to be about $1.67 per day. You just have to remember to tell them to de-activate it as soon as you are done. I used this service (not really marketed heavily by Verizon for obvious reasons - $$$) every time we go to the Fort.
Also, you will need to have a cable going from the micro USB port in your phone to a USB port in your PC. And, you will need Verizon's software installed (A free download). Only works on 1 PC at a time.

 

[PrincessNana]

We bought the ATT aircard and service when we went to the Fort this summer. It was the slowest thing we've ever had. We're so disappointed but we're stuck in a contract. It works alittle better when we're away from any other wifi areas, but its definitely not fast. I wouldn't waste my money on it.

 

[kc5grw]

You cannot yet "tether" your iPhone to your computer without "jail-breaking" your iPhone (you don't want to do this though) as of yet. In a previous Apple conference they did say tethering is coming, but honestly I would look into other "options".

You don't have to jailbreak the iPhone to tether. From the iPhone go to http://help.benm.at/ select the Mobile Configs Download, then country, carrier etc. Reboot the iPhone. You should now be able to go to Settings -> General -> Network -> Internet Tethering and turn tethering on and off. This will only work for OS 3.0, if you've recently upgraded to 3.1 it doesn't work any longer, although he is supposed to be working on an update.

 

[medic9016]

Look on Ebay and buy an air card for the service you use. Pay the activation fee and add it to your service a few days before your trip. When you get home suspend the card on you service. That way you are not in a contract. You will only get charged for the time it is used.

 

[Shan-man]

For what it's worth, with my Mac and a my last two phones with bluetooth I was able to "wirelessly tether". The Mac just recognized the phone (a PocketPC and a Razor) and asked if I wanted to use it as an internet device. If you have a bluetooth laptop it might be worth a try.

 

[AuburnJen92]

based on how old your laptop is, i have an old air card that i will get rid of for a song...you can then sign up for a service without a contract..it is on sprint...

i have unlimited data every month, but it is carried over from my original contract...i have had an aircard for many years now

my husband is at the fort now using it

i use it at work for personal stuff and my regular 'puter for business and love it...it is worth the 60 bucks to me