And do NOT ring. There's no indication that you missed a call.
MintMobile resells T-Mobile. It was formerly called MintSIM. It's inexpensive but has this persistent problem of not receiving calls. Tech support in Dominican Republic is basically: turn the phone off, then back on.
When? If the caller did not leave a voice message there's no way to know that you missed a call.
Phone: unlocked Moto 5G Plus (MOTOROLA XT 1687), running Android OS
Showing posts with label Wireless. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wireless. Show all posts
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Friday, August 5, 2011
Virgin Mobile cancelled!
And its Motorola Triumph Android smartphone returned.
VM activated my Motorola Triumph thinking it had finally charged my credit card after four days even though my bank had that transaction pending. Unfortunately, only voice service worked, no Internet. I called last night and got the usual treatment: give me your secret password so that I can access your account. I said, just make the phone work. VM never could so I cancelled.
What a joke. Good old Verizon Wireless never looked so good.
VM activated my Motorola Triumph thinking it had finally charged my credit card after four days even though my bank had that transaction pending. Unfortunately, only voice service worked, no Internet. I called last night and got the usual treatment: give me your secret password so that I can access your account. I said, just make the phone work. VM never could so I cancelled.
What a joke. Good old Verizon Wireless never looked so good.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Virgin Mobile finally figured out how to charge a credit card,
I guess VM has been dealing for too long with old ladies and criminals, topping up their accounts with cash cards.
My Virgin Mobile Motorola Triumph Android smart phone is charging so I have not been able to activate it. It won't let me use it during the charging operation, which is different from my Motorola Droid. I'm also a bit concerned that the battery had drained even though I have hardly used it for days.
If Virgin Mobile through the Sprint network functions well, I'll make the switch from Verizon Wireless. VW to VM. Could be cool. I hope so.
My Virgin Mobile Motorola Triumph Android smart phone is charging so I have not been able to activate it. It won't let me use it during the charging operation, which is different from my Motorola Droid. I'm also a bit concerned that the battery had drained even though I have hardly used it for days.
If Virgin Mobile through the Sprint network functions well, I'll make the switch from Verizon Wireless. VW to VM. Could be cool. I hope so.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Virgin Mobile is run by clowns and/or 15 year olds.
I tried the Virgin Mobile Motorola Triumph Android smart phone using WiFi. I had read about 5 reviews, two of which stated that the screen was sometimes not responsive. I have noticed the same thing. My Verizon Wireless Motorola Droid Android smart phone also has that problem and the right side of the portrait touch keypad has become unusable. Maybe Mobile has a problem. Maybe all phones do.
Even though both my Motorola Android phones are running the same version of the Android operating system with no extra shell the settings are only about 80% the same. This came as a surprise.
I finally decided to try the Sprint network via Virgin Mobile. The Motorola Triumph has an app to activate service. I tried it several times and it could not connect to the network.
I went to the Virgin Mobile web site and filled in all the info to activate, including credit card to make monthly payments. I was assigned a phone number and instructed to turn on the phone to complete activation. Again it failed to connect to the network.
I called Virgin Mobile and managed to plow through its awful call prompting system. I was told that Virgin Mobile could only access my account with my secret PIN. I refused to provide it. I then said just cancel my account. My PIN was required to access my account in order to cancel it. I asked to speak to a supervisor who told me all this same nonsense.
The supervisor said that the problem was that my credit card did not "top off" my Virgin Mobile account. This is further confirmation that Virgin Mobile has a corporate culture geared to old ladies and criminals who do not want to pay a fixed monthly fee.
The supervisor asked for my permission to again attempt to charge my credit card. I agreed just to see what would happen. The supervisor said it failed again and that she would refer it to another group that would take 24-72 hours to resolve the matter. She provided a reference number which I was required to write down because Virgin Mobile would not send it by e-mail. She told me to call Virgin Mobile in a couple of days to find out what happened.
Maybe Virgin Mobile was designed by high school kids who saw how their parents did stuff like this but never really did it themselves and only got it partly right. What a joke.
Apparently Sprint does not give Virgin Mobile direct access to its billing system. That's probably why Virgin Mobile needs a customer's individual PIN to access the customer's account. Virgin Mobile is accessing it as though Virgin Mobile was the customer. Obviously this is a huge security breach.
Even though both my Motorola Android phones are running the same version of the Android operating system with no extra shell the settings are only about 80% the same. This came as a surprise.
I finally decided to try the Sprint network via Virgin Mobile. The Motorola Triumph has an app to activate service. I tried it several times and it could not connect to the network.
I went to the Virgin Mobile web site and filled in all the info to activate, including credit card to make monthly payments. I was assigned a phone number and instructed to turn on the phone to complete activation. Again it failed to connect to the network.
I called Virgin Mobile and managed to plow through its awful call prompting system. I was told that Virgin Mobile could only access my account with my secret PIN. I refused to provide it. I then said just cancel my account. My PIN was required to access my account in order to cancel it. I asked to speak to a supervisor who told me all this same nonsense.
The supervisor said that the problem was that my credit card did not "top off" my Virgin Mobile account. This is further confirmation that Virgin Mobile has a corporate culture geared to old ladies and criminals who do not want to pay a fixed monthly fee.
The supervisor asked for my permission to again attempt to charge my credit card. I agreed just to see what would happen. The supervisor said it failed again and that she would refer it to another group that would take 24-72 hours to resolve the matter. She provided a reference number which I was required to write down because Virgin Mobile would not send it by e-mail. She told me to call Virgin Mobile in a couple of days to find out what happened.
Maybe Virgin Mobile was designed by high school kids who saw how their parents did stuff like this but never really did it themselves and only got it partly right. What a joke.
Apparently Sprint does not give Virgin Mobile direct access to its billing system. That's probably why Virgin Mobile needs a customer's individual PIN to access the customer's account. Virgin Mobile is accessing it as though Virgin Mobile was the customer. Obviously this is a huge security breach.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Ordered Motorola Triumph from Virgin Mobile.
From the Virgin Mobile web site:
How it works:
First, buy the phone you want.
Then, relax for a few days (or obsessively check the tracking info), while your phone is shipped to you.
When your phone arrives, hug the mailman, bust open the packaging and run through the streets cheering. After that, you should come back here to activate your phone, add money to your account, and at that point you'll set-up your customized talk/text/mobile web plan.
____________________
Virgin Mobile is still in the mode of dealing with old folks and criminals even with it's first real entry into mainstream smartphone competition. At least I didn't have to jeopardize my current Verizon Wireless phone number and I can check out the Motorola Triumph Android phone. It should be able to connect to the web via WiFi.
Cool.
How it works:
First, buy the phone you want.
Then, relax for a few days (or obsessively check the tracking info), while your phone is shipped to you.
When your phone arrives, hug the mailman, bust open the packaging and run through the streets cheering. After that, you should come back here to activate your phone, add money to your account, and at that point you'll set-up your customized talk/text/mobile web plan.
____________________
Virgin Mobile is still in the mode of dealing with old folks and criminals even with it's first real entry into mainstream smartphone competition. At least I didn't have to jeopardize my current Verizon Wireless phone number and I can check out the Motorola Triumph Android phone. It should be able to connect to the web via WiFi.
Cool.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Thinking the unthinkable: switching from Verizon Wireless to Virgin Mobile!
Wow! The Virgin Mobile prices are amazing.
For unlimited data and unlimited voice:
Verizon Wireless: $30 + $70 = $100
Virgin Mobile: $55 no contract, no penalty on the Sprint 3G network.
Save $45 per month!
I would need to payoff about $70 remaining on my two year penalty to Verizon Wireless for early termination. That's out of $175. I learned that if I got a new Verizon Wireless Android phone with a two year commitment the penalty would double to $350. Verizon Wireless has gotten carried away.
I could payoff the $70 in two months of savings.
I would have to buy a new Android phone, the Motorola Triumph for $300, which is at least as good as my Motorola Droid, which has developed some screen anomalies.
I'd be about even in about in about 8 months ... with a new better phone.
The only drawback is that Virgin Mobile is limited to Sprint's 3G; no 4G.
I'd like to buy the Motorola Triumph with an option to return and cancel to try it in parallel for a couple of weeks. Then if I like it, switch my Verizon phone number to
Virgin Mobile and cancel Verizon.
I sent an e-mail to Virgin Mobile asking about this. Let's see how its customer service responds, if at all.
For unlimited data and unlimited voice:
Verizon Wireless: $30 + $70 = $100
Virgin Mobile: $55 no contract, no penalty on the Sprint 3G network.
Save $45 per month!
I would need to payoff about $70 remaining on my two year penalty to Verizon Wireless for early termination. That's out of $175. I learned that if I got a new Verizon Wireless Android phone with a two year commitment the penalty would double to $350. Verizon Wireless has gotten carried away.
I could payoff the $70 in two months of savings.
I would have to buy a new Android phone, the Motorola Triumph for $300, which is at least as good as my Motorola Droid, which has developed some screen anomalies.
I'd be about even in about in about 8 months ... with a new better phone.
The only drawback is that Virgin Mobile is limited to Sprint's 3G; no 4G.
I'd like to buy the Motorola Triumph with an option to return and cancel to try it in parallel for a couple of weeks. Then if I like it, switch my Verizon phone number to
Virgin Mobile and cancel Verizon.
I sent an e-mail to Virgin Mobile asking about this. Let's see how its customer service responds, if at all.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Chromebook connected to Verizon Wireless!
After several more aggravating conversations with Samsung I decided to simply try to register my Samsung Chromebook with Verizon Wireless. It worked!
Samsung had no clue what the heck was going on.
OK, now let's see how this thing performs.
Samsung had no clue what the heck was going on.
OK, now let's see how this thing performs.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Samsung Chromebook finally arrived. It won't boot.
You cannot make up stuff like this.
I had read that it came with no written documentation. Actually it comes with lots of written stuff, just in really tiny font size and with no useful information. Written items include Safety Instructions, which includes stuff like don't set the battery on fire or smash it with a hatchet. The Samsung Quick Start Guide does not even indicate what color the LED should be when the battery is charged; it remained a reddish orange after a couple of hours of charging.
There is one piece of paper from google, which cheerfully states: "Plug in the power. Open the lid. And you're all set.". Unfortunately, that no more useful than the tiny diagram of the proprietary function keys with their explanations in super tiny font size.
I decided to remove the charger and open the lid even though I did not know if the battery was fully charged. The lid appears to be backward because Samsung its name on it upside down.
I pushed the power button and the screen came to life. There was a frowny face on a laptop screen with a thumb drive pointed towards it. Underneath was this:
Chrome OS is missing or damaged
Please connect a recovery device.
http://google.com/support/chromeos/recovery
Model: SAMS ALEX EPSILON-US 4507
I was aghast. What the heck? Who the heck ships a PC, especially one with a new experimental operating system, and does not bother to turn it on to see it if boots? Samsung.
I called Samsung and after long delays concluded that the people with whom I had spoken were well-intentioned but not entirely familiar with the fact that Samsung does not have a direct sales channel but instead directs a buyer to either amazon.com or bestbuy.com. I had chosen bestbuy.com and will call them next.
I am not inclined to try to download a version of Chrome OS to a thumb drive and install it, especially after my failed attempt to do this with Ubuntu Linux onto my SLOW Acer netbook, which is currently a brick.
Ah, progress! While I was writing this the LED finally changed color to green, perhaps indicating that the battery is charged. Just to check I closed the lid, re-opened and pushed power: the vulgar mask of failure re-appeared.
I decided to try the recovery URL and was re-directed here:
http://www.google.com/support/chromeos/bin/answer.py?answer=1080595
I learned something that Samsung could not tell me: that these Chromebooks come with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version of the operating system (OS):
First choose the model of your Chromebook:
Acer
Cr-48
Samsung Chromebook Series 5
After choosing Samsung I saw this:
Before starting this process, you'll need the following:
A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer with administrative rights.
A 4 GB or larger USB flash drive that you don't mind clearing.
This is another reason I do not want to do this. Why should I need another computer and why should I waste a USB flash drive? The only USB flash drive I have is that stupid SanDisk that I had to re-furbish just to get it to load stupid Ubuntu Linux, which of course, failed to load on my Acer netbook. What the heck. It's not doing me any good.
By the way: why doesn't my Chromebook come with an Ethernet port?
OK, I'm foolishly trying this recovery procedure. Google wants me to download and run the recovery program on my semi-trusty old WindowsXP Dell laptop. Again I must choose Samsung.
I plug it in and the "SanDisk Cruzer USB Device" is recognized. I am warned: "All files on SanDisk Cruzer USB Device will be erased.". Here goes ...
It's downloading.
It worked. I managed to demolish my worthless stupid Ubuntu Linux boot devise.
I started the Samsung and then inserted the boot SanDisk Cruzer USB Device. On screen messages that it validated the official recovery image, reset security, about to copy system image. It will "take some time". Hey, it's already further than stupid Ubuntu Linux from those snot nosed techies who only care about themselves and their snot nosed techie friends. It's clear that some profit motive is necessary, not phony baloney save the world fake altruism.
System is about to reboot. Cool.
Yikes! I think it worked! It wouldn't take the password for my Verizon FIOS router but it took it from a friend's Verizon Wireless MiFi 3G portable hotspot. I seem to be online. No idea how to make it work with the free Verizon Wireless 3G that is supposed to come with it.
I had read that it came with no written documentation. Actually it comes with lots of written stuff, just in really tiny font size and with no useful information. Written items include Safety Instructions, which includes stuff like don't set the battery on fire or smash it with a hatchet. The Samsung Quick Start Guide does not even indicate what color the LED should be when the battery is charged; it remained a reddish orange after a couple of hours of charging.
There is one piece of paper from google, which cheerfully states: "Plug in the power. Open the lid. And you're all set.". Unfortunately, that no more useful than the tiny diagram of the proprietary function keys with their explanations in super tiny font size.
I decided to remove the charger and open the lid even though I did not know if the battery was fully charged. The lid appears to be backward because Samsung its name on it upside down.
I pushed the power button and the screen came to life. There was a frowny face on a laptop screen with a thumb drive pointed towards it. Underneath was this:
Chrome OS is missing or damaged
Please connect a recovery device.
http://google.com/support/chromeos/recovery
Model: SAMS ALEX EPSILON-US 4507
I was aghast. What the heck? Who the heck ships a PC, especially one with a new experimental operating system, and does not bother to turn it on to see it if boots? Samsung.
I called Samsung and after long delays concluded that the people with whom I had spoken were well-intentioned but not entirely familiar with the fact that Samsung does not have a direct sales channel but instead directs a buyer to either amazon.com or bestbuy.com. I had chosen bestbuy.com and will call them next.
I am not inclined to try to download a version of Chrome OS to a thumb drive and install it, especially after my failed attempt to do this with Ubuntu Linux onto my SLOW Acer netbook, which is currently a brick.
Ah, progress! While I was writing this the LED finally changed color to green, perhaps indicating that the battery is charged. Just to check I closed the lid, re-opened and pushed power: the vulgar mask of failure re-appeared.
I decided to try the recovery URL and was re-directed here:
http://www.google.com/support/chromeos/bin/answer.py?answer=1080595
I learned something that Samsung could not tell me: that these Chromebooks come with an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version of the operating system (OS):
First choose the model of your Chromebook:
Acer
Cr-48
Samsung Chromebook Series 5
After choosing Samsung I saw this:
Before starting this process, you'll need the following:
A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer with administrative rights.
A 4 GB or larger USB flash drive that you don't mind clearing.
This is another reason I do not want to do this. Why should I need another computer and why should I waste a USB flash drive? The only USB flash drive I have is that stupid SanDisk that I had to re-furbish just to get it to load stupid Ubuntu Linux, which of course, failed to load on my Acer netbook. What the heck. It's not doing me any good.
By the way: why doesn't my Chromebook come with an Ethernet port?
OK, I'm foolishly trying this recovery procedure. Google wants me to download and run the recovery program on my semi-trusty old WindowsXP Dell laptop. Again I must choose Samsung.
I plug it in and the "SanDisk Cruzer USB Device" is recognized. I am warned: "All files on SanDisk Cruzer USB Device will be erased.". Here goes ...
It's downloading.
It worked. I managed to demolish my worthless stupid Ubuntu Linux boot devise.
I started the Samsung and then inserted the boot SanDisk Cruzer USB Device. On screen messages that it validated the official recovery image, reset security, about to copy system image. It will "take some time". Hey, it's already further than stupid Ubuntu Linux from those snot nosed techies who only care about themselves and their snot nosed techie friends. It's clear that some profit motive is necessary, not phony baloney save the world fake altruism.
System is about to reboot. Cool.
Yikes! I think it worked! It wouldn't take the password for my Verizon FIOS router but it took it from a friend's Verizon Wireless MiFi 3G portable hotspot. I seem to be online. No idea how to make it work with the free Verizon Wireless 3G that is supposed to come with it.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Verizon Wireless: waiting for 4G LTE smartphone or Godot.
Verizon Wireless is up to its old tricks: late to market, overpriced. confusing. The only thing it has is the best network. If ATT and T-Mobile merge and wipe out that network advantage Verizon Wireless is in big trouble.
Yesterday I received an e-mail message from Verizon Wireless announcing its second 4G LTE smartphone: Samsung Droid Charge.
The first 4G LTE smartphone was the HTC Thunderbolt for $250, which I considered shockingly expensive enough for me to pass. Also, it does not have a dual core processor. Thunderbolt has bad battery life.
The Samsung Droid Charge has all that and costs $50 more: THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS!
What the heck? Is Verizon Wireless nuts? I'll pass again even though my Motorola Droid continues to do very odd stuff: screen goes wild and unresponsive, on the soft portrait keyboard the keys on the right edge do not work properly, freezes. I really need to update except:
1. While Verizon Wireless indicates that I may upgrade now, Verizon Wireless will give a better unspecified deal if I wait until early July. I purchased my Motorola Droid in November 2009.
2. The Motorola Bionic seems to have been cancelled and replaced by something called the Targa, which may go on sale in late summer ... 2011, I think. There's also the idea of a Verizon Wireless version of the Motorola Atrix, which was released a few months ago by ATT Wireless.
And there are rumors that a new iPhone5 4G LTE will arrive, maybe in October,
Waiting for Godot is much simpler than waiting for Verizon Wireless.
Yesterday I received an e-mail message from Verizon Wireless announcing its second 4G LTE smartphone: Samsung Droid Charge.
The first 4G LTE smartphone was the HTC Thunderbolt for $250, which I considered shockingly expensive enough for me to pass. Also, it does not have a dual core processor. Thunderbolt has bad battery life.
The Samsung Droid Charge has all that and costs $50 more: THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS!
What the heck? Is Verizon Wireless nuts? I'll pass again even though my Motorola Droid continues to do very odd stuff: screen goes wild and unresponsive, on the soft portrait keyboard the keys on the right edge do not work properly, freezes. I really need to update except:
1. While Verizon Wireless indicates that I may upgrade now, Verizon Wireless will give a better unspecified deal if I wait until early July. I purchased my Motorola Droid in November 2009.
2. The Motorola Bionic seems to have been cancelled and replaced by something called the Targa, which may go on sale in late summer ... 2011, I think. There's also the idea of a Verizon Wireless version of the Motorola Atrix, which was released a few months ago by ATT Wireless.
And there are rumors that a new iPhone5 4G LTE will arrive, maybe in October,
Waiting for Godot is much simpler than waiting for Verizon Wireless.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Ubuntu: no, not again!
Ii recently tried to create a flash boot disk for my hideous three year old Acer netbook, which currently does a terrible job of running WindowsXP.
My 2008 Sandisk failed; it was not recognized as a boot disk by either my Acer or my Dell laptop also rrunning WindowsXP.
I looked at the Sandisk label. It mentioned u3 and u3.com. For some bizarre reason u3.com redirects to:
http://www.writethescoop.com/
Googling I found evil things about the Sandisk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U3#Issues_with_older_versions
Maybe this is why I could not boot Ububtu from my 2008 Sandisk flash drive.
Apparently Sandisk stopped supporting u3 because of the problems. Who knew?
I ran this:
http://u3.sandisk.com/launchpadremoval.htm
It seems to have removed the defunct u3 junk. Will Ubuntu install now that the Sandisk flash drive has been cleansed?
I'll once again run:
Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.3.6
Which will load up:
ubuntu-10.10-netbook-i386
Cool, heh?
Universal-USB-Installer says that it was successful.
I can view files on the flash drive. Is it bootable now? Beats me. Let's try it on the Acer netbook.
In Windows on my Dell I clicked eject. The drive is still lit but I'm going to remove it and insert into the Acer and power up.
Acer seems to have found Ubuntu! This is further than I got before cleansing the Sandisk flash drive. Ubuntu is coming alive! It found my wireless network. I has two options: try or install. I chose install. What the heck. I might never get this far again.
It asked for 2.5 gig. It has 4 gig but I don't know if Ubuntu intends to wipr out WindowsXP. I hope so. AH, I have an option to keep the old OS or use the entire disk. I chose use the entire disk.
It's happening. Files are being copied. Stuff is happening.
It worked. To be continued.
My 2008 Sandisk failed; it was not recognized as a boot disk by either my Acer or my Dell laptop also rrunning WindowsXP.
I looked at the Sandisk label. It mentioned u3 and u3.com. For some bizarre reason u3.com redirects to:
http://www.writethescoop.com/
Googling I found evil things about the Sandisk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U3#Issues_with_older_versions
Maybe this is why I could not boot Ububtu from my 2008 Sandisk flash drive.
Apparently Sandisk stopped supporting u3 because of the problems. Who knew?
I ran this:
http://u3.sandisk.com/launchpadremoval.htm
It seems to have removed the defunct u3 junk. Will Ubuntu install now that the Sandisk flash drive has been cleansed?
I'll once again run:
Universal-USB-Installer-1.8.3.6
Which will load up:
ubuntu-10.10-netbook-i386
Cool, heh?
Universal-USB-Installer says that it was successful.
I can view files on the flash drive. Is it bootable now? Beats me. Let's try it on the Acer netbook.
In Windows on my Dell I clicked eject. The drive is still lit but I'm going to remove it and insert into the Acer and power up.
Acer seems to have found Ubuntu! This is further than I got before cleansing the Sandisk flash drive. Ubuntu is coming alive! It found my wireless network. I has two options: try or install. I chose install. What the heck. I might never get this far again.
It asked for 2.5 gig. It has 4 gig but I don't know if Ubuntu intends to wipr out WindowsXP. I hope so. AH, I have an option to keep the old OS or use the entire disk. I chose use the entire disk.
It's happening. Files are being copied. Stuff is happening.
It worked. To be continued.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Verizon Wireless is a tower of babble.
You can't make up stuff like this.
I re-considered getting the new HTC Thunderbolt, overpriced at $249, because Verizon Wireless has a trade-in program that valued my current Motorola Droid at $55. The $55 is guaranteed for 30 days. I applied for the trade-in online. I did get the return envelope and a submission ID#, which allows me to log in and see the $55 value but no date; the enclosing envelope is post marked 3/7/11, ten days ago. I finally found the trade-in e-mail ... in my SPAM folder.
I called Verizon Wireless and asked that my return be contingent on my getting the new Thunderbolt. Verizon Wireless cannot it. Why? Because it's a different department! Regular Verizon Wireless can only see the public trade-in information, not anything specific to my account, not even with submission ID#, which was assigned to me by ... Verizon Wireless.
I'm on hold now with the different trade-in department, which cannot access my Verizon Wireless account. This may be nature's way of telling me to wait for the Motorola Bionic.
Mercifully the phone call with the trade-in person has finally ended. No resolution, of course, bu at least it's over. It will be escalated ... at my request. ZERO indication that Verizon Wireless will give me what I requested in the first place: assurance that the trade-in value will be honored if I order the new Thunderbolt even if the return of my current phone is a little later than the end date, whatever that may be.
Argh! Could Verizon Wireless make this more difficult or aggravating? I'm asking to buy a new smartphone and lock into Verizon Wireless for another TWO years. Verizon Wireless, what the heck?
Note: e-mailed to trade-in@asurion.com, which had sent me the e-mail and which accounts for it going onto my SPAM folder: it did not come from Verizon Wireless. It also suggests that the trade-in person with whom I spoke was not an employee of Verizon Wireless, something that crossed my mind during our conversation. I thought of asking her but decided against it. I should have asked.
I re-considered getting the new HTC Thunderbolt, overpriced at $249, because Verizon Wireless has a trade-in program that valued my current Motorola Droid at $55. The $55 is guaranteed for 30 days. I applied for the trade-in online. I did get the return envelope and a submission ID#, which allows me to log in and see the $55 value but no date; the enclosing envelope is post marked 3/7/11, ten days ago. I finally found the trade-in e-mail ... in my SPAM folder.
I called Verizon Wireless and asked that my return be contingent on my getting the new Thunderbolt. Verizon Wireless cannot it. Why? Because it's a different department! Regular Verizon Wireless can only see the public trade-in information, not anything specific to my account, not even with submission ID#, which was assigned to me by ... Verizon Wireless.
I'm on hold now with the different trade-in department, which cannot access my Verizon Wireless account. This may be nature's way of telling me to wait for the Motorola Bionic.
Mercifully the phone call with the trade-in person has finally ended. No resolution, of course, bu at least it's over. It will be escalated ... at my request. ZERO indication that Verizon Wireless will give me what I requested in the first place: assurance that the trade-in value will be honored if I order the new Thunderbolt even if the return of my current phone is a little later than the end date, whatever that may be.
Argh! Could Verizon Wireless make this more difficult or aggravating? I'm asking to buy a new smartphone and lock into Verizon Wireless for another TWO years. Verizon Wireless, what the heck?
Note: e-mailed to trade-in@asurion.com, which had sent me the e-mail and which accounts for it going onto my SPAM folder: it did not come from Verizon Wireless. It also suggests that the trade-in person with whom I spoke was not an employee of Verizon Wireless, something that crossed my mind during our conversation. I thought of asking her but decided against it. I should have asked.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Verizon FIOS and Wireless Speeds
Verizon website is again crapping out so I had to use other sources to supplement. Many times I clicked a Verizon link and got this URL with an empty page:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/backbutton.html
You can't make up stuff like this.
Verizon chat:
You(08:28:03): FIOS Internet speed?
Leslie(08:28:33): I am happy to help you learn more about Verizon's
FiOS Internet.
Leslie(08:28:58): Verizon's FiOS Internet provides speeds from 15 Mbps
to 50 Mbps!
You(08:29:38): Is that theoretical or actual?
Leslie(08:30:08): Actual download and upload speeds will vary based on
numerous factors, such as the condition of wiring at your location,
computer configuration, Internet and network congestion, and the speed
of website servers you access, among other factors. Speed and
uninterrupted use of the service are not guaranteed.
You(08:30:53): How about realistic?
Leslie(08:32:23): You will be able to view the available plans and
prices for you, after you enter in your address on Verizon's website
to determine if FiOS Internet is available for you.
You(08:32:38): Verizon Wireless speeds: 3G and 4G?
You(08:32:38): Verizon Wireless speeds: 3G and 4G?
Leslie(08:33:53): I do apologize, but I do not have information
available on Verizon's Wireless services. You may visit
http://www.verizonwireless.com for further information.
You(08:34:23): Thanks. Bye.
Also:
http://www.digitallanding.com/
Actual speeds and service availability vary. HSI provisioned based on
VZ line qualification requirements at .5 Mbps to 1 Mbps service tier**
10 to 15 MBPS (Ultimate Plan). Availability subject to final
confirmation by Verizon.
Hong Kong has 100 gig service for $26 per month from one company.
http://www22.verizon.com/
Plans with MBPS: 15, 25, 50.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
- The lowest bandwidth tier was originally 5 Mbit/s down and 2 Mbit/s
up and is now 15 Mbit/s down and 5 Mbit/s up in most areas. (bundled
with FiOS TV Prime HD)
- A second tier is available with 25 Mbit/s download speed and 25
Mbit/s upload speed. (bundled with FiOS TV Extreme HD)
- A third (or higher) service tier, when available for residential
service, provides higher still bandwidth, in some areas reaching
30/15, 35/35 or 50/20 Mbit/s download and upload. (bundled with FiOS
TV Ultimate HD)
- The fourth and highest service tier is 150Mbit/s down and 35Mbit/s
up for $199/month
______________________________
How would WiFi 811n 120 MBPS be better than 811g 56MBPS if Verizon FIOS max speeds are 15/25/50 MBPS? Both are faster than the theoretical max for Verizon FIOS. Only that $199 per month service even rises to 150 MBPS.
Verizon Wireless 4G is supposed to be 12-13 MBPS; 4G standard max is 100 MBPS.
http://community.vzw.com/t5/
"I have a Bold that I connect to WiFi on a Comcast home network. It
is a lot faster than the 3G connection."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
"On June 30, 2007, Verizon Wireless had completed the overhaul of the
entire EV-DO network to EV-DO Rev. A. This enables PC Cards and
certain phones to obtain theoretical peak download speeds of 3.1
Mbit/s and upload speeds of up to 1.8 Mbit/s. [9] The actual download
and upload speeds vary due to a number of factors, and users will
typically see speeds close to 1 Mbit/s down, and 500 kbit/s up."
WiFi tethering even at the "theoretical peak download speeds of 3.1 Mbit/s" would seem to be pretty slow.
http://gigaom.com/mobile/verizon-mifi-review/
I am currently trying their 5gb version but I must say I am thoroughly dissappointed with the advertized vs real speeds of this service. They advertize 3 to 4mb but the best I could measure using several different services is about .6 download and .5 upload
______________________________________________
WiFi speeds:
811g 56 MBPS
811n 120 MBPS
WiFi does not seem to close reaching its max speed because Verizon tops out at:
- Verizon Wireless:
3G theoretically 3.1 MBPS
4G 12-13 MBPS
- Verizon FIOS 15/25/50 MBPS.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/backbutton.html
You can't make up stuff like this.
Verizon chat:
You(08:28:03): FIOS Internet speed?
Leslie(08:28:33): I am happy to help you learn more about Verizon's
FiOS Internet.
Leslie(08:28:58): Verizon's FiOS Internet provides speeds from 15 Mbps
to 50 Mbps!
You(08:29:38): Is that theoretical or actual?
Leslie(08:30:08): Actual download and upload speeds will vary based on
numerous factors, such as the condition of wiring at your location,
computer configuration, Internet and network congestion, and the speed
of website servers you access, among other factors. Speed and
uninterrupted use of the service are not guaranteed.
You(08:30:53): How about realistic?
Leslie(08:32:23): You will be able to view the available plans and
prices for you, after you enter in your address on Verizon's website
to determine if FiOS Internet is available for you.
You(08:32:38): Verizon Wireless speeds: 3G and 4G?
You(08:32:38): Verizon Wireless speeds: 3G and 4G?
Leslie(08:33:53): I do apologize, but I do not have information
available on Verizon's Wireless services. You may visit
http://www.verizonwireless.com for further information.
You(08:34:23): Thanks. Bye.
Also:
http://www.digitallanding.com/
Actual speeds and service availability vary. HSI provisioned based on
VZ line qualification requirements at .5 Mbps to 1 Mbps service tier**
10 to 15 MBPS (Ultimate Plan). Availability subject to final
confirmation by Verizon.
Hong Kong has 100 gig service for $26 per month from one company.
http://www22.verizon.com/
Plans with MBPS: 15, 25, 50.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
- The lowest bandwidth tier was originally 5 Mbit/s down and 2 Mbit/s
up and is now 15 Mbit/s down and 5 Mbit/s up in most areas. (bundled
with FiOS TV Prime HD)
- A second tier is available with 25 Mbit/s download speed and 25
Mbit/s upload speed. (bundled with FiOS TV Extreme HD)
- A third (or higher) service tier, when available for residential
service, provides higher still bandwidth, in some areas reaching
30/15, 35/35 or 50/20 Mbit/s download and upload. (bundled with FiOS
TV Ultimate HD)
- The fourth and highest service tier is 150Mbit/s down and 35Mbit/s
up for $199/month
______________________________
How would WiFi 811n 120 MBPS be better than 811g 56MBPS if Verizon FIOS max speeds are 15/25/50 MBPS? Both are faster than the theoretical max for Verizon FIOS. Only that $199 per month service even rises to 150 MBPS.
Verizon Wireless 4G is supposed to be 12-13 MBPS; 4G standard max is 100 MBPS.
http://community.vzw.com/t5/
"I have a Bold that I connect to WiFi on a Comcast home network. It
is a lot faster than the 3G connection."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
"On June 30, 2007, Verizon Wireless had completed the overhaul of the
entire EV-DO network to EV-DO Rev. A. This enables PC Cards and
certain phones to obtain theoretical peak download speeds of 3.1
Mbit/s and upload speeds of up to 1.8 Mbit/s. [9] The actual download
and upload speeds vary due to a number of factors, and users will
typically see speeds close to 1 Mbit/s down, and 500 kbit/s up."
WiFi tethering even at the "theoretical peak download speeds of 3.1 Mbit/s" would seem to be pretty slow.
http://gigaom.com/mobile/verizon-mifi-review/
I am currently trying their 5gb version but I must say I am thoroughly dissappointed with the advertized vs real speeds of this service. They advertize 3 to 4mb but the best I could measure using several different services is about .6 download and .5 upload
______________________________________________
WiFi speeds:
811g 56 MBPS
811n 120 MBPS
WiFi does not seem to close reaching its max speed because Verizon tops out at:
- Verizon Wireless:
3G theoretically 3.1 MBPS
4G 12-13 MBPS
- Verizon FIOS 15/25/50 MBPS.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Motorola XOOM: service cancelled and returned.
I called and cancelled before 9AM this morning to stay within the three day window for not being charged $35 activation fee.
Just received e-mail from Verizon Wireless over an hour later:
We are very pleased you have selected Verizon Wireless. We would like to welcome you to the nation's most reliable wireless network. This e-mail confirms the activation of your wireless phone service on 3/3/2011
You can't make up stuff like this.
Just received e-mail from Verizon Wireless over an hour later:
We are very pleased you have selected Verizon Wireless. We would like to welcome you to the nation's most reliable wireless network. This e-mail confirms the activation of your wireless phone service on 3/3/2011
You can't make up stuff like this.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Verizon Mobile Broadband MiFi
I have been using the MiFi2200 wireless modem/WiFi router for about a week. Very nice. It's really small. So far the only negative is that it gets warm to the touch.
Speed is about the same as Verizon FIOS, which never impressed me. I have been packing the MiFi2200 into a fanny pack along with my Skype WiFi phone and five year old Palm TX, which has WiFi and provides connectivity to the web. That's more than I want to lug, especially since I still need to carry my three year old Palm Treo 700P for Verizon Wireless voice service.
The ideal would be to have one phone/web device plus the MiFi2200 for use with my 2.2 pound Acer netbook. However, I do not yet have enough confidence in Skype that I am willing to cancel my main voice service, which includes call waiting and easy access to voice mail. When Apple introduces the third iPhone maybe I'll consider buying a used iPhone two since it runs a Skype app that only works with WiFi and not with the ATT Wireless network, which is inferior to the Verizon Wireless network.
The real rub is price. I could save $5 per month if I cancelled my Verizon FIOS Internet service at home and also cancel Verizon Wireless voice service, replacing them with the 5 gig $60 ($75 including tax and tip) but I'm relectant to rely on Skype and to rely on that little MiFi2200 for ALL connectivity, including voice.
I will probably keep the Verizon Mobile Broadband MiFi service at the new 250 meg rate for $40 ($50 including tax and tip) and add it to my other services for an increase of $50 per month. Simply cancelling Verizon FIOS Internet ($45, NO tax) does not make sense because I would lose $15 off the Verizon flex bundle for Verizon FIOS video ($40, plus $8 tax), Internet ($45) and Verizon Wireless voice service ($40, plus $10 tax).
If I replace FIOS Internet with Verizon Mobile Broadband:
Save $45 FIOS Internet
Lose $15 flex bundle discount
Pay $75 Verizon Mobile Broadband MiFi
Net increase of $45. If I also cancelled Verizon Wireless voice service ($50) I'd save $5 per month, lose some voice functionality but increase Internet mobility.
Since getting Verizon Mobile Broadband MiFi May 18 I have mentioned to multiple Verizon people that Verizon needs to bundle its three Internet services (FIOS, Mobile Broadband, data on smart phones) and offer discounts.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Other routers.
My blog has google ads. They are sensitive to what I write. One just popped up for D-Link routers that do what Cradlepoint routers do: use an EVDO modem to connect to the Internet, although I will need to look for one that runs on battery. Maybe there is a non-Cradlepoint product that had been tested with the Verizon Wireless USB760 modem that I bought.
iPhone Terms and Conditions
I had to do a google search to find this.
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/iphone-terms.jsp
Cancellations/Early Termination Fee: An Early Termination Fee may be assessed against you in the event that you terminate your Wireless Service Agreement and/or selected plan before the expiration of its term. The fee will begin at $175 per device and decrease by $5 each month for the term of the agreement. You may cancel your service, for any reason and without incurring the Early Termination Fee, within thirty (30) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, PROVIDED, however, that if you cancel service you will remain responsible for any service fees and charges incurred. If you cancel within three (3) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, you will be entitled to a refund of your activation fee, if any. If you exercise this option, you may be required to return devices and associated accessories purchased in connection with your Wireless Service Agreement.
______________________________________________
This does not exactly answer my questions. If I cancel between 3 and 30 days may I keep the iPhone? There has got to be more or lots of people would do it. I wonder if the emphasis would be different if I bought the iPhone at an Apple store v. an ATT store. Apple just wants to sell product. ATT wants the service money each month.
Maybe there is additional language that jacks the price of the iPhone up to $600.
http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/iphone-terms.jsp
Cancellations/Early Termination Fee: An Early Termination Fee may be assessed against you in the event that you terminate your Wireless Service Agreement and/or selected plan before the expiration of its term. The fee will begin at $175 per device and decrease by $5 each month for the term of the agreement. You may cancel your service, for any reason and without incurring the Early Termination Fee, within thirty (30) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, PROVIDED, however, that if you cancel service you will remain responsible for any service fees and charges incurred. If you cancel within three (3) days of signing your Wireless Service Agreement, you will be entitled to a refund of your activation fee, if any. If you exercise this option, you may be required to return devices and associated accessories purchased in connection with your Wireless Service Agreement.
______________________________________________
This does not exactly answer my questions. If I cancel between 3 and 30 days may I keep the iPhone? There has got to be more or lots of people would do it. I wonder if the emphasis would be different if I bought the iPhone at an Apple store v. an ATT store. Apple just wants to sell product. ATT wants the service money each month.
Maybe there is additional language that jacks the price of the iPhone up to $600.
Yeah, it is a good idea.
Getting back on the horse. Don't want the attitude of an anonymous techie at 3gstore to influence me. Yesterday was aggravating.
Wireless usage so far is 700 meg since Dec. 3. That is about 23% of a month and usage is about 14%. Good.
I need to check what the penalty is for buying a new iPhone and canceling the service within 30 days. Cannot buy online from ATT. Even if I pay a penalty it may be worth it after what I saw on eBay yesterday. Prices around $550 for a $200 iPhone 3G. Verizon charges $175 but ATT/Apple may charge more if they anticipated my thinking. Also, may I keep the iPhone after cancelling the ATT service? Is there an additional penalty for that?
apple.com let's me order an iPhone 3G online. Along the way I get this:
An eligible data plan for iPhone is required. This data plan does not cover international data usage and charges. AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee.
All plans require an AT&T service agreement and are subject to AT&T credit approval. A wireless service plan with AT&T is required to use the wireless phone capabilities of your iPhone.
_______________________________________________
Notice: An eligible data plan for iPhone is required... AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan... A wireless service plan with AT&T is required to use the wireless phone capabilities of your iPhone.
They may have anticipated my thinking. No penalty info has popped up and I do not want to push it any further. Maybe the regular two year commitment is enough and ATT would try to collect it all instead of messing with a $175 penalty.
I also need to check if Verizon Wireless still has those plans for old farts: emergency use only, never turn on the phone, 30 minutes a month for $15-20. They do not pop up on the web site.
Wireless usage so far is 700 meg since Dec. 3. That is about 23% of a month and usage is about 14%. Good.
I need to check what the penalty is for buying a new iPhone and canceling the service within 30 days. Cannot buy online from ATT. Even if I pay a penalty it may be worth it after what I saw on eBay yesterday. Prices around $550 for a $200 iPhone 3G. Verizon charges $175 but ATT/Apple may charge more if they anticipated my thinking. Also, may I keep the iPhone after cancelling the ATT service? Is there an additional penalty for that?
apple.com let's me order an iPhone 3G online. Along the way I get this:
An eligible data plan for iPhone is required. This data plan does not cover international data usage and charges. AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan to your account and bill you the appropriate monthly fee.
All plans require an AT&T service agreement and are subject to AT&T credit approval. A wireless service plan with AT&T is required to use the wireless phone capabilities of your iPhone.
_______________________________________________
Notice: An eligible data plan for iPhone is required... AT&T reserves the right to add an eligible data plan... A wireless service plan with AT&T is required to use the wireless phone capabilities of your iPhone.
They may have anticipated my thinking. No penalty info has popped up and I do not want to push it any further. Maybe the regular two year commitment is enough and ATT would try to collect it all instead of messing with a $175 penalty.
I also need to check if Verizon Wireless still has those plans for old farts: emergency use only, never turn on the phone, 30 minutes a month for $15-20. They do not pop up on the web site.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Maybe not such a hot idea.
This mobile personal hot spot idea has become a headache.
Getting an iPhone 3G online is more expensive and unsure than I had expected. eBay is a mess. I do not know how it makes money.
3gstore is showing too much attitude on the Cradlepoint wireless router part:
Ken,
Had you consulted us before buying the USB760, we'd have warned you that it does not yet work with any router, and that we already knew it would not be officially supported by cradlepoint for at least as long as you have left on your 30-day trial.
we do not control what cradlepoint decides to do or not do. all we can do is influence, and that only goes so far. thats why we suggested that if you know you must have a device compatible with a router, you return the USB760 and start over with a USB727. feel free to get your USB727 from whomever you want. getting it from us at least guarantees you get what you need/want, not what someone at a verizon store wants to sell you simply because its the smallest, new-kid-on-the-block.
there is nothing 3gstore can do for you to "resolve this matter" by the time your 30 day trial runs out, ASIDE from suggest you start over with a USB727 and of course we would suggest our services over some verizon store who wouldn't know the difference between a cellular router and a FM radio.
not sure what you expected us TO do.
PS: "resolved" means the ticket needs no further action unless the respondent asks another question. this ticket is again, resolved.
___________________________________________
Hey, 3gstore guy, I told you that I selected the USB760 myself and ordered online, the only place that it can be bought. I did NOT buy it from some guy in a Verizon store trying to unload his old inventory. I got ahead of the game. I'm not a dummy, like a guy who dumps on his customers. What happened to the old saying that the customer is always right?
Another reason that I got the USB760 is that it was supposed to be the only Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS modem that worked with Linux. Remember that. Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS techies called me four times over the weekend, speaking to me once. Firist I was told that no Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS modem worked with a Linux PC. When I pointed out that the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS web site saiid that the USB760 worked with Linux, they checked and conceded the point. When I asked which of the many versions of Linux, they disappeared into the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS black hole and have not returned. I did not mention that I had already returned the Linux PC last Monday because it had given every indication that nothing would work on it that had already been loaded on by Dell. Linux is a Tower of Babble.
The Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service has been spotty. Mostly OK. Sometimes slow. Sometimes very slow. Sometimes very SLOW. This morning I switched to FIOS WiFi. Now back on Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service.
Cannot test the fring program until I get an iPhone.
I even checked Apple MacBooks. Least outrageously overpriced is the old model: $1,000. It was $950 on black Friday, the sale day after Thanksgiving.
If I had to decide now, I would stick with what I have now. I know it works. Verizon Wireless voice service is rock solid. As mentioned in my original post on this, I could always use my current stuff over existing public WiFi: PalmTX with WiFi to browse and my Skype WiFi phone for voice.
Argh!
Getting an iPhone 3G online is more expensive and unsure than I had expected. eBay is a mess. I do not know how it makes money.
3gstore is showing too much attitude on the Cradlepoint wireless router part:
Ken,
Had you consulted us before buying the USB760, we'd have warned you that it does not yet work with any router, and that we already knew it would not be officially supported by cradlepoint for at least as long as you have left on your 30-day trial.
we do not control what cradlepoint decides to do or not do. all we can do is influence, and that only goes so far. thats why we suggested that if you know you must have a device compatible with a router, you return the USB760 and start over with a USB727. feel free to get your USB727 from whomever you want. getting it from us at least guarantees you get what you need/want, not what someone at a verizon store wants to sell you simply because its the smallest, new-kid-on-the-block.
there is nothing 3gstore can do for you to "resolve this matter" by the time your 30 day trial runs out, ASIDE from suggest you start over with a USB727 and of course we would suggest our services over some verizon store who wouldn't know the difference between a cellular router and a FM radio.
not sure what you expected us TO do.
PS: "resolved" means the ticket needs no further action unless the respondent asks another question. this ticket is again, resolved.
___________________________________________
Hey, 3gstore guy, I told you that I selected the USB760 myself and ordered online, the only place that it can be bought. I did NOT buy it from some guy in a Verizon store trying to unload his old inventory. I got ahead of the game. I'm not a dummy, like a guy who dumps on his customers. What happened to the old saying that the customer is always right?
Another reason that I got the USB760 is that it was supposed to be the only Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS modem that worked with Linux. Remember that. Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS techies called me four times over the weekend, speaking to me once. Firist I was told that no Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS modem worked with a Linux PC. When I pointed out that the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS web site saiid that the USB760 worked with Linux, they checked and conceded the point. When I asked which of the many versions of Linux, they disappeared into the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS black hole and have not returned. I did not mention that I had already returned the Linux PC last Monday because it had given every indication that nothing would work on it that had already been loaded on by Dell. Linux is a Tower of Babble.
The Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service has been spotty. Mostly OK. Sometimes slow. Sometimes very slow. Sometimes very SLOW. This morning I switched to FIOS WiFi. Now back on Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service.
Cannot test the fring program until I get an iPhone.
I even checked Apple MacBooks. Least outrageously overpriced is the old model: $1,000. It was $950 on black Friday, the sale day after Thanksgiving.
If I had to decide now, I would stick with what I have now. I know it works. Verizon Wireless voice service is rock solid. As mentioned in my original post on this, I could always use my current stuff over existing public WiFi: PalmTX with WiFi to browse and my Skype WiFi phone for voice.
Argh!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Personal mobile Internet connection.
When someone calls my phone number that person wants to reach me, not my home. That is why I only use wireless service for voice communication, i.e., a cell phone. Plus, when I am away from home I cannot make use of home voice service. I am paying for something that I can use from only one place. I want to take my voice service with me.
The same should apply to Internet service.
Currently, I have Verizon FIOS Internet service in my home. It works well. However, as soon I go out my Internet service is left behind. I want to take it with me.
Eventually, maybe within 24 months, we will have that as a reasonably affordable option due to the recent FCC ruling on the use of spare capacity in the airwaves. There will be generic wireless Internet service. See Clearwire.
I am trying to accomplish that now, at least functionally. However, billing plans and devices from traditional wireless companies preclude that. For instance, Verizon
has three Internet services:
1. FIOS for home: $52 per month
2. Wireless PDA/SmartPhone: $45 per month
3. Wireless BROADBANDACCESS: $60 per month.
Those three would cover everything for $157 per month. Yikes! Who the heck is going to pay that for personal wireless Internet service?
The old line wireless companies, especially Verizon, will be outflanked when the new service providers take hold. Verizon has the best network but limited devices (no Wi-Fi) and unimaginative plans (no roll over minutes). The network advantage will not prevent Verizon from being threatened by ATT in the short run and by the new competitors in the long run.
Skype provides easy to use Voice over IP (VOIP) for free to other Skype accounts and for very little to regular phone numbers. In addition to regular Skype voice service, Skype has a special wireless service that is only available in Europe but eventually this and others like it will available in the U.S. Check:
http://3skypephone.com/
With 3skypephone you can use Skype when you are out and about, or away from your PC.
What we will all have is a mobile Internet connection that can be used for many functions including voice service.
OK, back to my plan. I am in the first few days of a thirty day trial of the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service. I have the Verizon USB760 modem. It is about the size of my thumb. It is inserted into a USB port on my laptop PC and provides a connection to the Internet at about the speed of DSL, Verizon's broadband technology that has been replaced by the faster FIOS.
If I decide that the speed and usage can displace what I have with FIOS, I will replace FIOS with BROADBANDACCESS. So far, speed is acceptable, however, I am concerned about usage. In four days I have used a quarter of a gig of the five gig allowance that Verizon provides.
The difference in retail cost is $60-$52=$8. However, I have a flex bundle from Verizon, which associates my Verizon Wireless voice service with my Verizon FIOS video and Internet services and reduces my FIOS costs. I pay $40 for FIOS video and $45 for FIOS Internet. So switching from one Verizon Internet service to another would cost me an extra $15 per month but with increased mobility. I have asked Verizon about a discount for getting two or all three of its Internet services but there is no such discount. Argh! Verizon, wake up!
If I switch to BROADBANDACCESS, then phase two begins. I will get a special router (Cradlepoint Personal Hot Spot - PHS300 Battery Powered EVDO Router) sold by 3gstore. Just to make things more interesting I learned that my hot shot BROADBANDACCESS Verizon USB760 modem, the newest and smallest, may not work with ANY router. It has not been tested yet by Cradlepoint or 3gstore. Other Verizon, ATT and Sprint wireless modems work with various Cradlepoint routers.
Phase two would be this: get a modem that works with the portable router. The modem plugs into the router. That provides the router with a connection to the Internet from wherever it is. The router also has Wi-Fi. That means that I have my own hot spot wherever I am. I can connect a PC but I could have done that by simply plugging the modem into the PC. I can connect multiple PCs. I can connect a PC and a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a non-Verizon smartphone, Palm, iPod Touch, iPhone, Skype Wi-Fi phone, which I have, etc. Ah, now you get it.
If I can somehow get Skype voice to work native on an iPhone (a long shot), then I can get a jailbreak iPhone and use it to make voice calls over the Verizon, not the inferior ATT, network for free.
Worst case, I can take my mobile hot spot out and use my current stuff: PalmTX and Skype Wi-Fi phone. The router is about the size of the PalmTX hard case. That's three things to carry in addition to my Palm Treo 700P smartphone, which has only voice service because I do not want to pay $45 for the data plan on top of the $40 I pay for voice.
It would be nice to roll all that into one device but the billing plans make that unreasonable. Let's see how all this goes.
The same should apply to Internet service.
Currently, I have Verizon FIOS Internet service in my home. It works well. However, as soon I go out my Internet service is left behind. I want to take it with me.
Eventually, maybe within 24 months, we will have that as a reasonably affordable option due to the recent FCC ruling on the use of spare capacity in the airwaves. There will be generic wireless Internet service. See Clearwire.
I am trying to accomplish that now, at least functionally. However, billing plans and devices from traditional wireless companies preclude that. For instance, Verizon
has three Internet services:
1. FIOS for home: $52 per month
2. Wireless PDA/SmartPhone: $45 per month
3. Wireless BROADBANDACCESS: $60 per month.
Those three would cover everything for $157 per month. Yikes! Who the heck is going to pay that for personal wireless Internet service?
The old line wireless companies, especially Verizon, will be outflanked when the new service providers take hold. Verizon has the best network but limited devices (no Wi-Fi) and unimaginative plans (no roll over minutes). The network advantage will not prevent Verizon from being threatened by ATT in the short run and by the new competitors in the long run.
Skype provides easy to use Voice over IP (VOIP) for free to other Skype accounts and for very little to regular phone numbers. In addition to regular Skype voice service, Skype has a special wireless service that is only available in Europe but eventually this and others like it will available in the U.S. Check:
http://3skypephone.com/
With 3skypephone you can use Skype when you are out and about, or away from your PC.
What we will all have is a mobile Internet connection that can be used for many functions including voice service.
OK, back to my plan. I am in the first few days of a thirty day trial of the Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS service. I have the Verizon USB760 modem. It is about the size of my thumb. It is inserted into a USB port on my laptop PC and provides a connection to the Internet at about the speed of DSL, Verizon's broadband technology that has been replaced by the faster FIOS.
If I decide that the speed and usage can displace what I have with FIOS, I will replace FIOS with BROADBANDACCESS. So far, speed is acceptable, however, I am concerned about usage. In four days I have used a quarter of a gig of the five gig allowance that Verizon provides.
The difference in retail cost is $60-$52=$8. However, I have a flex bundle from Verizon, which associates my Verizon Wireless voice service with my Verizon FIOS video and Internet services and reduces my FIOS costs. I pay $40 for FIOS video and $45 for FIOS Internet. So switching from one Verizon Internet service to another would cost me an extra $15 per month but with increased mobility. I have asked Verizon about a discount for getting two or all three of its Internet services but there is no such discount. Argh! Verizon, wake up!
If I switch to BROADBANDACCESS, then phase two begins. I will get a special router (Cradlepoint Personal Hot Spot - PHS300 Battery Powered EVDO Router) sold by 3gstore. Just to make things more interesting I learned that my hot shot BROADBANDACCESS Verizon USB760 modem, the newest and smallest, may not work with ANY router. It has not been tested yet by Cradlepoint or 3gstore. Other Verizon, ATT and Sprint wireless modems work with various Cradlepoint routers.
Phase two would be this: get a modem that works with the portable router. The modem plugs into the router. That provides the router with a connection to the Internet from wherever it is. The router also has Wi-Fi. That means that I have my own hot spot wherever I am. I can connect a PC but I could have done that by simply plugging the modem into the PC. I can connect multiple PCs. I can connect a PC and a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a non-Verizon smartphone, Palm, iPod Touch, iPhone, Skype Wi-Fi phone, which I have, etc. Ah, now you get it.
If I can somehow get Skype voice to work native on an iPhone (a long shot), then I can get a jailbreak iPhone and use it to make voice calls over the Verizon, not the inferior ATT, network for free.
Worst case, I can take my mobile hot spot out and use my current stuff: PalmTX and Skype Wi-Fi phone. The router is about the size of the PalmTX hard case. That's three things to carry in addition to my Palm Treo 700P smartphone, which has only voice service because I do not want to pay $45 for the data plan on top of the $40 I pay for voice.
It would be nice to roll all that into one device but the billing plans make that unreasonable. Let's see how all this goes.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Linux
The day before Thanksgiving my new Dell Inspiron 910 mini, aka, netbook arrived. A few days after Thanksgiving I returned it. Why? Linux.
I had long been curious about the Linux operating system (OS), which is one of the many derived from Unix, developed at Bell Telephone Laboratory in the late 1970s. Linux is especially well suited to the communications needs of small devices.
I ordered my mini 9 with the Dell installed flavor of Linux: Ubuntu 8.04.1. It is loaded with most of what you would need to connect to the Internet. It also has Open Office, which like Linux, is open source and free.
As bad as WindowsXP is in providing info on Internet connections, at least it provides info on Internet connections. With Ubuntu Linux it is largely a mystery. I was able to connect but it took quite a while before I got the hang of positioning my cursor over a changing mini icon in the top panel and trying catch a glimpse of the changing connection status. This info cannot be found through a menu.
One of the advantages of Linux is that it is stable. My system froze three times in less than a week. The worst was when I was selecting a system screen saver. Froze solid. If there was an equivalent of Ctl-Alt-Del I never found it. Had to remove the battery to restart. Yes, I read the documentation.
The one application that I really wanted to install was Skype, which does Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). I found it at the Skype web site. Skype had different icons for the versions of Linux:
http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/choose/
Ubuntu 7.04-8.04
Debian Etch
Xandros
Dynamic
Static
Static OSS
Fedora 7
Fedora Core 6
OpenSUSE 10+
Mandriva
Centos
Some have the same file as that for Ubuntu:
skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386.deb
Notice i386 in the file name? Neither did I. Apparently Ubuntu or Dell's version of Ubuntu is NOT compatible with i386 architecture, as in the kind that Windows and MacOS run on. The bottom line is that I got error messages every time I tried to install Skype on my new netbook PC. I tried often.
Since Skype uses a proprietary protocol I considered an open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) VOIP app, Gizmo5, but it did not have a version for Ubuntu:
http://gizmo5.com/pc/download/linux/
The cryptic error message was innocuous enough, however, I did not understand it until a techie explained to me the short version that I just conveyed. No, not a Dell techie. Someone at Canonical whose number I received from a Dell person. The Canonical person explained that Dell had a bad habit of sending Dell customers to Canonical, which is not responsible for supporting Ubuntu on Dell PCs.
Dell had the same reaction as Microsoft several years ago when I had the temerity to ask for help when the OS balked at an attempt to install software on my PC. It seems that the OS provider cannot be expected to assist in such cases and that the OS is provided for its own enjoyment and not as a platform for running the nasty little applications written by those third party entities.
Apple Computers, of course, does not have as much of a problem as it maintains a stranglehold on the relationship between its hardware and OS. This accounts, but only in part, for its outrageously overpriced products.
I made a couple of other attempts to install other software, even breaking the install package provided in Ubuntu.
I also am trying Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS, a wireless connection to the Internet, which runs at DSL speed. I bought the newest and smallest "modem", the USB760, which can only be ordered online, not in the Verizon Wireless stores. It was the only one that indicated that it could run on Linux.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=4327&changingCompletedOrder=
Windows® 2000, XP, Vista and Mac OS X 10.4.0 or higher or Linux
By the time it arrived I had already returned my Dell mini 9. Just as well. The Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS USB760 paper documentation provided gave no indication the company had ever heard of Linux.
After returning the Dell mini 9 I stumbled upon a PC Magazine online (it's only online now) review of netbooks:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2334967,00.asp
Featured in this roundup:
Acer Aspire One ($319 street)
The Acer Aspire One is aggressively priced and will entice customers with its Intel Atom processor and a well-developed Linux operating system.
ASUS N10Jc-A1 ($650 street)
This netbook's advanced features—an HDMI port, nVidia graphics, and a big battery—cater to sophisticated consumers and small-business users with tight budgets.
Dell Inspiron Mini 9 ($424 direct after instant savings)*
Although it's not the best netbook available, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 might have enough appeal to propel this category into the mainstream.
*The E-Value code for the configuration we reviewed is no longer valid. You can configure a Mini 9 on Dell's Web site the same way for $424 ($474 minus $50 instant savings taken off the purchase price).
HP Mini 1000 ($550 direct)
The Mini 1000 is arguably the sexiest netbook on the market, and it's the only one shipping with mobile broadband.
Lenovo IdeaPad S10 ($469 direct)
The S10 has all the essentials of a solid netbook, including a 10-inch screen, an Atom processor, and a 160GB hard drive.
MSI Wind ($400 street)
Out of all the netbooks available in the market, the $400 MSI Wind is the best deal.
Notice how blithely pcmag mentions Acer Aspire One ... well-developed Linux operating system. Yes, Linux indeed. The full review by pcmag states:
The Aspire One runs a customized Linux operating system called Linpus Linux Lite, which is basically a stripped-down version of Fedora.
Say what? Does the reviewer even know what that means? Does it support the newly important i386? Can it run something like ... oh... Skype? Linpus Linux Lite is not on the list of eleven Linux flavors that Skype thinks it can handle.
I really wanted Linux. I am still tempted to try it again. However, not before the mainstream media starts to evaluate it more seriously. Linux cannot continue to float on the niceties of open systems and free software for the masses. A profit driven entity would never get away with this. Linux may be free but it should not get a free pass. For now give me a netbook with ... dare I say it ... WindowsXP. Greed is good!
I had long been curious about the Linux operating system (OS), which is one of the many derived from Unix, developed at Bell Telephone Laboratory in the late 1970s. Linux is especially well suited to the communications needs of small devices.
I ordered my mini 9 with the Dell installed flavor of Linux: Ubuntu 8.04.1. It is loaded with most of what you would need to connect to the Internet. It also has Open Office, which like Linux, is open source and free.
As bad as WindowsXP is in providing info on Internet connections, at least it provides info on Internet connections. With Ubuntu Linux it is largely a mystery. I was able to connect but it took quite a while before I got the hang of positioning my cursor over a changing mini icon in the top panel and trying catch a glimpse of the changing connection status. This info cannot be found through a menu.
One of the advantages of Linux is that it is stable. My system froze three times in less than a week. The worst was when I was selecting a system screen saver. Froze solid. If there was an equivalent of Ctl-Alt-Del I never found it. Had to remove the battery to restart. Yes, I read the documentation.
The one application that I really wanted to install was Skype, which does Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP). I found it at the Skype web site. Skype had different icons for the versions of Linux:
http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/choose/
Ubuntu 7.04-8.04
Debian Etch
Xandros
Dynamic
Static
Static OSS
Fedora 7
Fedora Core 6
OpenSUSE 10+
Mandriva
Centos
Some have the same file as that for Ubuntu:
skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386.deb
Notice i386 in the file name? Neither did I. Apparently Ubuntu or Dell's version of Ubuntu is NOT compatible with i386 architecture, as in the kind that Windows and MacOS run on. The bottom line is that I got error messages every time I tried to install Skype on my new netbook PC. I tried often.
Since Skype uses a proprietary protocol I considered an open Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) VOIP app, Gizmo5, but it did not have a version for Ubuntu:
http://gizmo5.com/pc/download/linux/
The cryptic error message was innocuous enough, however, I did not understand it until a techie explained to me the short version that I just conveyed. No, not a Dell techie. Someone at Canonical whose number I received from a Dell person. The Canonical person explained that Dell had a bad habit of sending Dell customers to Canonical, which is not responsible for supporting Ubuntu on Dell PCs.
Dell had the same reaction as Microsoft several years ago when I had the temerity to ask for help when the OS balked at an attempt to install software on my PC. It seems that the OS provider cannot be expected to assist in such cases and that the OS is provided for its own enjoyment and not as a platform for running the nasty little applications written by those third party entities.
Apple Computers, of course, does not have as much of a problem as it maintains a stranglehold on the relationship between its hardware and OS. This accounts, but only in part, for its outrageously overpriced products.
I made a couple of other attempts to install other software, even breaking the install package provided in Ubuntu.
I also am trying Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS, a wireless connection to the Internet, which runs at DSL speed. I bought the newest and smallest "modem", the USB760, which can only be ordered online, not in the Verizon Wireless stores. It was the only one that indicated that it could run on Linux.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/controller?item=planFirst&action=viewPhoneDetail&selectedPhoneId=4327&changingCompletedOrder=
Windows® 2000, XP, Vista and Mac OS X 10.4.0 or higher or Linux
By the time it arrived I had already returned my Dell mini 9. Just as well. The Verizon Wireless BROADBANDACCESS USB760 paper documentation provided gave no indication the company had ever heard of Linux.
After returning the Dell mini 9 I stumbled upon a PC Magazine online (it's only online now) review of netbooks:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2334967,00.asp
Featured in this roundup:
Acer Aspire One ($319 street)
The Acer Aspire One is aggressively priced and will entice customers with its Intel Atom processor and a well-developed Linux operating system.
ASUS N10Jc-A1 ($650 street)
This netbook's advanced features—an HDMI port, nVidia graphics, and a big battery—cater to sophisticated consumers and small-business users with tight budgets.
Dell Inspiron Mini 9 ($424 direct after instant savings)*
Although it's not the best netbook available, the Dell Inspiron Mini 9 might have enough appeal to propel this category into the mainstream.
*The E-Value code for the configuration we reviewed is no longer valid. You can configure a Mini 9 on Dell's Web site the same way for $424 ($474 minus $50 instant savings taken off the purchase price).
HP Mini 1000 ($550 direct)
The Mini 1000 is arguably the sexiest netbook on the market, and it's the only one shipping with mobile broadband.
Lenovo IdeaPad S10 ($469 direct)
The S10 has all the essentials of a solid netbook, including a 10-inch screen, an Atom processor, and a 160GB hard drive.
MSI Wind ($400 street)
Out of all the netbooks available in the market, the $400 MSI Wind is the best deal.
Notice how blithely pcmag mentions Acer Aspire One ... well-developed Linux operating system. Yes, Linux indeed. The full review by pcmag states:
The Aspire One runs a customized Linux operating system called Linpus Linux Lite, which is basically a stripped-down version of Fedora.
Say what? Does the reviewer even know what that means? Does it support the newly important i386? Can it run something like ... oh... Skype? Linpus Linux Lite is not on the list of eleven Linux flavors that Skype thinks it can handle.
I really wanted Linux. I am still tempted to try it again. However, not before the mainstream media starts to evaluate it more seriously. Linux cannot continue to float on the niceties of open systems and free software for the masses. A profit driven entity would never get away with this. Linux may be free but it should not get a free pass. For now give me a netbook with ... dare I say it ... WindowsXP. Greed is good!
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