[iDriveX]

I want to connect my phone to my laptop via Bluetooth. Which I have already done, I want to use my cell phone's GPRS/EDGE Network to go online with my laptop. So I need a Data Plan....but what do I tell Cingular I need (because I've tried telling them what I want to do and they are like "Yeah we don't support the K750i" or "We don't support doing that with an Apple laptop" or "We don't support that kind of interoperability")

They have the following plans:

MEdia NET - $19.99 Unlimited (unlimited what though? seems to be all about text and multimedia messaging)

Laptop Connect - $59.99 Unlimited (with a 2 year agreement and they talk about having to have a PC Card for your laptop, which I can't do because I have a 12" Powerbook)

PDA Connect - $49.99 Unlimited (with a 2 year agreement and they talk about having to have a Cingular branded PDA to work with it)

Does any body do this with Cingular? Any body know exactly what I need to order from them?

[turtle777]

I don't know about Cingular. With T-Mobile, you add a Unlimted Data Feature (($20) to your calling plan.
From the list above, I would think the $ 19.99 is the right one. The other ones look like special data plans w/o voice feature.

-t

[residentEvil]

Well, you are looking at two different things.

Head to cingular.com and get to the Plans section. Click on Data Plans. There you will see Laptop Connect plans and Data Connect plans. 5MB a month = $19.99. Unlimted Laptop is $79.99 and Unlimted Data is $44.99.

Laptop plans use a PC Card (wireless) to your phone. Data plan is for a wireless PDA.

Looks like the bluetooth connection isn't supported (but i'm sure it works). I'd give the laptop plan a try in a Cingular store to see if you can get bluetooth to work.

MediaNET is for email/text/photos FROM your phone. I have that now.

[turtle777]

Meh. Just tell them yuou want a $ 20 unlimited data plan or you'll switch to T-Mobile.

I use the $ 20 flatrate with my Palm (via BT) and my iBook (via a USB cable), connected to my Motorola Razr. Works like a charm.

-t

[the_glassman]

Originally Posted by iDriveX

I want to connect my phone to my laptop via Bluetooth. Which I have already done, I want to use my cell phone's GPRS/EDGE Network to go online with my laptop. So I need a Data Plan....but what do I tell Cingular I need (because I've tried telling them what I want to do and they are like "Yeah we don't support the K750i" or "We don't support doing that with an Apple laptop" or "We don't support that kind of interoperability")

They have the following plans:

MEdia NET - $19.99 Unlimited (unlimited what though? seems to be all about text and multimedia messaging)

Laptop Connect - $59.99 Unlimited (with a 2 year agreement and they talk about having to have a PC Card for your laptop, which I can't do because I have a 12" Powerbook)

PDA Connect - $49.99 Unlimited (with a 2 year agreement and they talk about having to have a Cingular branded PDA to work with it)

Does any body do this with Cingular? Any body know exactly what I need to order from them?

You aren't the only one confused!
First, your phone doesn't support EDGE, and neither does my brand new (very similar) W800i.

You are correct about the MEdia Net being only for text messaging and and phone browsing.
The laptop connect is what you are looking for, but you don't have a slot for the pc card.
I was told from a Cingular rep, that you can connect your phone with the data (included usb) cable and connect that way, but when I inquired if you could connect via bluetooth or IR, I was given a funny look and told no.
I've got a strange feeling she didn't know what she was talking about.

Anyways, I don't think it really matters anyways since neither of our phones support EDGE.
I think best case, you could have a dial up account, use your phones modem and bluetooth functions to connect wirelessly. That would quickly eat away at your minutes (except weekends and after 9) and be dreadfully slow.

T-Mobil on the other hand has EDGE coming out, for $20 a month unlimited. But their coverage area is horrible in my area.

Currently Verizon (ironically) is where it's at for wireless with their EVDO service for $60 a month, which is the fastest and widest coverage.
Sprint/Nextel also offer this service and have matched Verizons price drop.
Unfortunately, I believe both of those services also require a PC card.

I went with Cingular because I bought a GSM W800i, even though Verizon gives me a better discount, I don't care for any of their phones (1 BT) and don't like the fact that they cripple their phones.

If you ask me the whole cell phone industry is nothing but smoke and mirrors and a few monopolies.

[IceEnclosure]

I'm on my way to work, so I can't really get into detail, but...

They want you to use the $79 laptop plan (whatever it's called). Some people have used other plans, and gotten away with it.

Me? My first month's bill was north of $5,000. I had it removed, and wound up getting the $79 data plan ON TOP of my regular monthly phone plan.

Pretty pricey, and they don't have a spending cap on their plans (like I used to have with Sprint).

Just watch yourself : )

[iDriveX]

That's ridiculous. I think the cell phone industry is the only industry that can survive and thrive with 4 major carriers all making insane profits. And they've got the best business plans out there to retain customers and keep them theirs. With cancellation charges and SIM-locked phones, it makes it almost unbearable to leave. From a capitalist's perspective, it's genius. From a consumer standpoint, it sucks.

[the_glassman]

Originally Posted by iDriveX

That's ridiculous. I think the cell phone industry is the only industry that can survive and thrive with 4 major carriers all making insane profits.

Oil industry being the other.