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-- Does AT&T Wireless work? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=15311)


Posted by srwdc1 on 05-24-2001 05:39 PM:

Looking at all these posts, I see people have Verizon, Sprint PCS, or Cingular.

Not much mention of AT&T Wireless on this board. Does AT&T Wireless support data transfer? And is anybody producing cables for Ericson t18s? It's easier to change a phone than to change the phone plan. (since everyone knows my cell phone number, I don't want to have to change wireless providers).

Thanks


Posted by ProjectZero on 05-24-2001 10:01 PM:

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the only way you can use your Visor in an AT&T Wireless network is if you also sign up for the AT&T PocketNet service and use one of the CDPD phones AT&T supports (Mitsubishi T250 and the Ericsson R280LX/R289LX).

All of the other phones ATTWS advertises for their digital network are multi-network TDMA/AMPS phones-- and the last time I checked, data services over TDMA isn't supported.

Although the TDMA standard does support data services, here in the U.S., AT&T Wireless won't flip the switch. If you're in Brazil, there is hope-- it's supported by the carrier servicing that country.

From what I've read, thanks to NTT DoCoMo's investment in ATTWS, they're suppose to be upgrading the network to support data services-- whether we can use our Visors with it remains to be seen-- the upgraded network will require new phones...


Posted by tulrich on 05-25-2001 02:35 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by srwdc1
Looking at all these posts, I see people have Verizon, Sprint PCS, or Cingular.

Not much mention of AT&T Wireless on this board. Does AT&T Wireless support data transfer? And is anybody producing cables for Ericson t18s? It's easier to change a phone than to change the phone plan. (since everyone knows my cell phone number, I don't want to have to change wireless providers).

Thanks



There have been a few posts on this topic, and the general consensus seems to be that you can access the web using a CDMA (Sprint, Verizon) or GSM (Voicestream, Cingular in some areas) phone, but not a TDMA (AT&T, Cingluar in other areas) phone. Maybe ProjectZero is right and the company's just won't allow data services.

It also seems that (and correct me if I'm wrong) that you need some kind of modem Springboard (although I know the Nokia 7160 can act as a modem for laptops, and people on this forum have tried to use it via the IR port to connect a Visor to the web without success). Seems to me that if Xircom can develop a GSM modem Springboard, then they should be able to develop a TDMA modem Springboard that one could use with an AT&T PocketNet or Cingular Wireless Window-compatible phone. It's an unfortuate situation, because there's a lot of AT&T customers out there who are seem to be out of luck if they want to use their Visor and phone for wireless Web access.


Posted by Matthew Nichols on 05-28-2001 01:51 AM:

All the GSM springboard is is a way to connect the phone. GSM has internal modems in the phone and CDMA has them on the towers.

__________________
Matt Nichols
[email protected]


Posted by tulrich on 05-29-2001 03:07 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Matthew Nichols
All the GSM springboard is is a way to connect the phone. GSM has internal modems in the phone and CDMA has them on the towers.


That still doesn't mean that someone shouldn't be able to develop a Springboard (or Springboards) that acts as a way for the Visor to connect to TDMA phones, be it a modem or just an interface for TDMA phones with internal modems.


Posted by BEN on 05-29-2001 10:14 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by tulrich


That still doesn't mean that someone shouldn't be able to develop a Springboard (or Springboards) that acts as a way for the Visor to connect to TDMA phones, be it a modem or just an interface for TDMA phones with internal modems.



I think that I hear a SixPak here somewhere.

BEN


Posted by Matthew Nichols on 05-29-2001 10:48 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by tulrich


That still doesn't mean that someone shouldn't be able to develop a Springboard (or Springboards) that acts as a way for the Visor to connect to TDMA phones, be it a modem or just an interface for TDMA phones with internal modems.



This would require the modem to operate in an analog mode, meaning very slow speed and heavy battery consumption.

__________________
Matt Nichols
[email protected]


Posted by srwdc1 on 05-29-2001 11:06 PM:

I asked Supplynet.com:

"I've seen all the postings about cables to cellphones using Verizon or Sprint PCS. What about AT&T? I think AT&T is TDMA (or maybe PCS)?

and got this answer

"AT&T does not support digital data on their network. Until they do you cannot use any of their phones with a PDA.

Regards,
Robert Berkey
SupplyNet, Inc.
614 Corporate Way
Valley Cottage, NY 10989
Voice: 845-267-2655
http://www.thesupplynet.com

***************

Now that may be just the quick answer about TDMA, but I wonder if their other service (PocketNet) can support PDAs.


Posted by Anomaly on 05-29-2001 11:22 PM:

It would seem to me that since OmniSky and some YadaYada users are on ATT Wireless that there should be some way to do it....


Posted by marcus on 05-29-2001 11:40 PM:

OmniSky etc uses ATT's CDPD network - which is seperate from the voice (TDMA) network.

__________________
<B>Marcus Adolfsson</B>
Editor


Posted by Anomaly on 05-30-2001 12:11 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by marcus
OmniSky etc uses ATT's CDPD network - which is seperate from the voice (TDMA) network.


Ah, okay. Always wondered what the deal was there. Thanks Marcus


Posted by srwdc1 on 05-31-2001 03:10 PM:

so, what are the hardware fixes?

OK, we seemed to get confirmation that you *can* use AT&T's CDPD (whatever that is). Apparently the only AT&T CDPD phones are the Ericsson 280 and 289, and some Motorola. So how do you connect to the Visor? use Ericsson's DataCable to something called a "null modem connector" (what's that?} to the MarkSpace Serial Cable. Will that solve the power issues?

thanks...


Posted by ProjectZero on 06-01-2001 12:47 AM:

Before we continue, be aware that ATTWS doesn't support using a CDPD phone as a CDPD wireless modem with an external device and if you do this, they will bill you 5 cents per Kilobyte-- and that will be in addition to any monthly PocketNet service charge... even if you sign up for the Basic Plan (the "unlimited access" is restricted to accessing the CDPD information on the phone itself, not through the phone.. as in using it as a modem).

With that said, although both Ericsson and Mitsubishi do not support non-Win9x clients on their CDPD phones, it's possible to use their PC data cables (that is adverised for use with FoneSync) with an appropriate Handspring-compatible data adapter/cable (like a Mark/Space DCx-M9 series cable).

Other than that, that's all that's needed, hardware-wise. You'd use the Visor's network settings prefs to wake up the phone and dial out and treat it as a modem. And pay 5 cents per KB. The power issue you're concerned about would be shifted to the phone (well.. it wouldn't have existed on the Visor to begin with since there's no such thing as a TDMA-to-Visor modem Springboard. But if there was, it would be shifted to the phone). Unfortunately, none of the CDPD phone manufactures list what your battery life is if you used the phone as a wireless modem (which isn't supported by them )


Posted by btabatow on 07-27-2001 03:13 AM:

Another data cable source

Here's another data cable which will work:

The PDCH-M9-6, which is a 6" long RS232 converter cable for Visor Solo, Deluxe, and Prism and which works with these cell phones and the "PC Data Cable" for the cell phone.

This 6" adapter cable is available from:

www.pcables.com


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