Why do you think Verizon disables Bluetooth DUN?

[Kaido]

I'll give some background: The Samsung i730 from Verizon is a PDA phone which can also access the Internet anywhere via their EVDO network. However, you cannot (legally) use the phone as a modem to access that network for your laptop. Why do you think that is?

I know they have a vested interested in dedicated hardware for that, because they sell their "Broadband Access" PCMCIA cards specifically for use with laptops. Other than that, it doesn't really make sense to me why they limit it to just the PDA for browsing. Is it just because there'd be more data going in and out of a laptop connection? I'd be all over the phone if it could do EVDO via a laptop (and had better battery life, and had a camera). *sigh*

 

[batmanuel]

They do this because they have two different data plans, a $20/mo all-you-can-eat EVDO plan for your phone/PDA only and a $60/mo plan for laptop users with the PCMICA cards. Since the laptop users will be pulling down a lot more data than PDA users in general, it only makes sense that they be made to pay more. Disabling DUN via Bluetooth closes the backdoor that would allow people with the $20 plans to get the same bandwidth as the people paying more for the laptop data plans.

Even though you signed up for an unlimited data plan, deep down in the legal fine print of your TOS they have given themselves the right to cut you off or charge you extra if they think you are using more than your fair share. Kinda sucks, but the EnGadget podcast from a few weeks ago mentioned that Verizon cuaght some guy that hacked his phone to turn BT DUN back on and they canceled his service and then stuck him with a $3000 bill for excessive bandwidth usage (think the guy bwas trying to run BitTorrent off of his laptop via EVDO or something crazy like that). Not saying that verizon is right for doing what they are doing, but I can see how it makes sense from a business standpoint.

Also, IMHO the i730 is just too big and clunky to use as a phone. Used along with a BT headset, it might be okay. If I were you, I'd wait for the Windows Mobile powered Treo Verizon will have out next year.

 

[Brassman]

Originally posted by: batmanuel
They do this because they have two different data plans, a $20/mo all-you-can-eat EVDO plan for your phone/PDA only and a $60/mo plan for laptop users with the PCMICA cards. Since the laptop users will be pulling down a lot more data than PDA users in general, it only makes sense that they be made to pay more. Disabling DUN via Bluetooth closes the backdoor that would allow people with the $20 plans to get the same bandwidth as the people paying more for the laptop data plans.

Even though you signed up for an unlimited data plan, deep down in the legal fine print of your TOS they have given themselves the right to cut you off or charge you extra if they think you are using more than your fair share. Kinda sucks, but the EnGadget podcast from a few weeks ago mentioned that Verizon cuaght some guy that hacked his phone to turn BT DUN back on and they canceled his service and then stuck him with a $3000 bill for excessive bandwidth usage (think the guy bwas trying to run BitTorrent off of his laptop via EVDO or something crazy like that). Not saying that verizon is right for doing what they are doing, but I can see how it makes sense from a business standpoint.

Also, IMHO the i730 is just too big and clunky to use as a phone. Used along with a BT headset, it might be okay. If I were you, I'd wait for the Windows Mobile powered Treo Verizon will have out next year.

Where exactly do you get the $20/mo unlimited EVDO plan w/the i730? I have searched all around for it and could only fin d a $45/mo unlimited data plan...?

 

[batmanuel]

Originally posted by: Brassman

Where exactly do you get the $20/mo unlimited EVDO plan w/the i730? I have searched all around for it and could only fin d a $45/mo unlimited data plan...?

You know, you may not be able to get the regular data plan with the i730, now that I think about it. I think having a PDA phone puts you into a different pricing bracket - not quite as cheap as the non-PDA phones but less than the $60 a month a laptop plan costs. I'm not sure exactly how Verizon has the pricing scheme set up for EV-DO, but I know Cingular (my carrier) has this kind of pricing structure.

 

[Brassman]

Originally posted by: batmanuel

Originally posted by: Brassman

Where exactly do you get the $20/mo unlimited EVDO plan w/the i730? I have searched all around for it and could only fin d a $45/mo unlimited data plan...?

You know, you may not be able to get the regular data plan with the i730, now that I think about it. I think having a PDA phone puts you into a different pricing bracket - not quite as cheap as the non-PDA phones but less than the $60 a month a laptop plan costs. I'm not sure exactly how Verizon has the pricing scheme set up for EV-DO, but I know Cingular (my carrier) has this kind of pricing structure.

Yah, Cingular is a bit cheaper and T-Mobile is even cheaper than that. Verizon offers theirs for $79.99 for unlimited data and 450 minutes w/night and weekends. Not too bad I guess...

 

[corkyg]

Disabling the Bluetooth DUN capability could be the result of the same law that bars any cell phone supplier from supplying the interface cable between their phone and USB ports.

 

[gocubs2k5]

It really is a shame. I had a treo i used on verizon, but no data plan. i am not allowed to check email at work, since company policy forbids computer use for anything that isnt directly work related, and one day i had an urgent email i had to get. so i just did it on the treo, and for my 5 minutes of online time, it ended up something like $30 extra I had to pay. they charge by the byte for downloading...UGH! that samsung is a kickass phone, but after that, i just went cingular with a razr instead. good luck. i hope you can find a plan where you arent bent over a barrel

 

[jjsbasmt]

corkyg: What law are you referring to? Verizon sold me my data kit (USB cable included) for my cell phone that lets me conncect to their network while I'M on the road with my laptop. I can connect at 230 kbps, and generally get between 15 - 20 kilobytes per second on most downloads when I go to visit family that doesn't have cable/DSL broadband available.