Well, I’d pretty much come up with a solution to my hunger for a mobile connection to the Web: SprintPCS Vision’s all-you-can-eat plan. I have determined (thanks to Google’s Usenet archives, no thanks to SprintPCS) that you can connect a Mac to one of their phones and get it to connect to the Net. But you can’t buy the cable in their stores. It’s only available online–for $70.
But here’s the kicker that was never explicitly explained in their advertising or their news releases: the offer doesn’t apply to computers connected via their PC card wireless modems or to one of their new phones via their USB cable.
The relevant passage in SprintPCS’s agreement is here, thanks to Slashdot:
Sprint may deny or terminate service without notice where use is in connection with server devices or host computer applications, other systems that drive continuous heavy traffic or data sessions, or as substitutes for private lines or frame relay connections. Unlimited PCS Vision offer for PCS Free & Clear Plans with Vision is: (a) only available with a Vision capable PCS Phone or PCS smart phone device; and (b) not available with Connection Cards, Aircards, or any other device used in connection with a computer or PDA – including phones, smart phones or other devices used with connection kits or similar phone-to-computer/PDA accessories. Sprint reserves the right to deny or to terminate service without notice for misuse.
Now, it appears that you can probably get away with using this connection occasionally, which is what I want to do. But clearly, they make no guarantee you’ll ever be able to use this service with your computer, or that they won’t deny you service arbitrarily.
That language certainly wasn’t in the agreement I signed. And the salesman represented that connecting through a phone was covered in the unlimited pcs vision service. I don’t see how they would enforce that provision, given that it was not part of the information that lead to deciding to purchase service.
Thanks for the info on the mac hook-up, though! I still haven’t seen mac software for it!
need new replacement phone, this one is not working, how do i get one,
When my Startac died, I bought a used one from somebody on Craigslist.com for $50.
I like the new G3 phones, but they’re still too expensive at $300 and Sprint’s data service for PC’s is overpriced. Maybe sometime next year I’ll spring for it.
The best 3G phone out there, the Sanyo SCP-4900, is only $50 if you renew your contract for a year from the day you buy the phone. So run now to the Sprint store and get one quick!! Plus you get 3 months of vision for free!!!
I bought my phone from costco,sanyo 5300 good unit. Personaly my experince with sprint has been as follows, Web site not interactive, and two weeks behind. 20 to 30 min wait to talk with human being,after entering your phone # five or six times, last four or password just as many. Then you get someone who english is so poor or has the heavest accent you have ever heard, or both! All on a bad connection. At one of the highest rates. Don’t go sprint!!!!!