Re: [PLUG] Cell Phones & Computers /Nokia/Cingular?

[mike_phillips@urscorp.com]

Just cancelled my AT&T because they are rip off bastards......

Now I'm spending my time between Philadelphia and Chicago, my cell has 
become my main phone, so I needed some serious minutes and coverage. 

Anyways, haven't gone with Cingular, signed up with Sprint instead. Got 
the $49.99 plan for 400/1600 minutes (you get free long distance as well) 
and paid the extra $10 for the wireless web option, got the Samsung 8500 
($200) and data cable ($60) to attach to the laptop. 

Everything works like a charm, the only drop in performance you get when 
using it with Linux instead of Winblows is that is doesn't use the 
BlueKite service which cuts down on the required bandwidth. pppconfig just 
worked perfectly in configuring the phone to connect to an isp. I think 
I'm going to have to tweak it to connect to Sprint's internet service 
(Have to figure out how they do authentication, if at all.) So, I've got a 
14.4 connection from the laptop through the phone. (You can also received 
data and fax calls as well if you so desire.)

I did do some shopping around before I got the service and I found that 
other services did not provide everything in one package like Sprint. For 
the $59.99/month I've got everything and no messing about.

The only thing that may get you with the Sprint service is that only the 
first 50 text messages (pages, e-mail notification etc) are included for 
free.

Overall I'm pretty impressed with the Sprint stuff, their on-line account 
maintenance is a breeze and the minutes usage is accurate and upto date 
and their coverage in the metropolitan areas is good. I haven't dropped 
off their network at all yet. 

Mike


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