Re: Media Net vs. Data Connect

Wow! Are you with Cingular or just some kind of amazing Cingular
Guru! Thanks for the info. Interestingly, since my posting I
received a follow-up email from Cingular confirming that I needed Data
Connect. I see from their chart that it's 44.95 for PDA Connect which
is quite a bit more than the 19.95 for Media Net. I think I'll stick
with that for now - I am wondering about how that will work connecting
to a wireless hotspot - like an airport for example and accessing the
internet that way but with unlimited Media Net might not even need
that. hmmm things to think about - i'll check out the FAQ and link
you provided.

Thanks again for your helpful post.
Fred


On Tue, 28 Feb 2006 15:30:09 GMT, Jud Hardcastle
<I5i5changethistodash5rbo@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <pih8021uiebtf21v6amugh0k65knktkr3d@xxxxxxx>,
nite1wing@xxxxxxx says...
Can someone explain the difference between these two things to me? I
have a new 8125 and in an email from Cingular support I was told I
needed Data Connect and the price for unlimited was 39.95. When I
called to activate I was told that was incorrect and I needed Media
Net so I signed up for unlimited. I'm thinking that the first
recommendation - Data Connect - was the correct one but i can't seem
to get an answer. I also can't find a reference on cingular.com to a
39.95 price?

Any insights appreciated.

Thanks,
Fred

Technically NEITHER was correct for the 8125--there's a third option--
PDA Connect. Cingular's data plans are based on the type of device with
the expectation that the amount of use would be proportional to the
device. So:

Media Net -- intended for phones and the simpler smart-phones -- data
would be email, messages, ring tones etc and web browsing using the
built-in browser, i.e. NO transferring of files like spreadsheets and
such. Connects to WAP.CINGULAR.COM and there *may* be some limitations
as to what can physically be done. Uses a proxy server so there is no IP
number assigned to the phone.

PDA Connect -- intended for full pda phones and perhaps the more
powerful smart-phones (with WM5 it's getting very difficult now to say
where smart-phones end and pdas start but basically pda's have touch
screens and styluses where smart-phones rely on buttons to navigate).
Data expectations would be everything Media Net phones do only heavier
usage plus *limited* transfer of other data. It says in the "rules"
that you may NOT use the pda as a modem to connect to a pc.

DATA Connect -- expected to be used by a pc (either via a card or by
using the phone or pda as a modem) with much heavier usage. Data
compression (acceleration) is available and you can use VPN. Connects to
ISP.CINGULAR.COM, a full ISP, where a temporary IP number is assigned
for the session.

I'm not really sure which APN PDA Connect uses--probably still WAP since
both Media Net and PDA Connect "ban" using the device as a modem.

The 8125 clearly falls into the PDA Connect area unless you need
tethering or acceleration or the VPN you need won't work.

BUT Media Net is SO much cheaper you might stick with it until you see
if it does everything you want. It CAN be used for tethering you just
aren't "supposed" to and they reserve the right to switch you to a
higher plan--something they apparently never have done. And since
"they" are the ones who told you to do that...

One cavet though--the $50 rebate on the 8125 says you must sign up for
"unlimited data plan" where on some of the others it says "unlimited
media net plan". So you might not qualify for the rebate. But the
savings over a year would be worth that.

The data plan info is in the small business section, see:
http://www.cingular.com/sbusiness/data_connect

For some more info see John Navas' FAQ site:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ
.

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