Samsung a707 for Laptop Internet

[kevinthenerd]

I want to use my phone to connect to the Internet on my laptop. What I was able to dig up via Google was that you can do this with either AT&T's software or Samsung's software. There's the AT&T Communications Manager and Samsung PC Studio. Do these connect in the same manner (i.e. billed the same)? Would your standard "unlimited data" plan that, for example, allows the average user to use Google Maps on their phone, allow me to use my laptop without data fees? Which of these two softwares would probably give me the best results (i.e. easy setup and fast connection)?

 

[kevinthenerd]

I saw some people have problems with the AT&T Software. The Samsung seems to work for me, actually.

Now, before I get myself evicted from "pay per use" charges, how is this billed?

 

[intogamer]

1. If you don't have an unlimited plan, you will be charge $0.XX per a kb

2. Even if you do have an unlimited plan, Cingular is strict on tethering(so don't use it as your primary connection).

3. You really need the laptop connect plan, if you're going to tether a lot.

4. T-Mobile unlimited plans allow tethering.

 

[kevinthenerd]

(1) I have a "pay per use" plan right now that charges me $0.01 per kb. That's a lot. I got it hooked up and verified that it worked, and now I owe them an additional $3 for 300 kb. To put that into perspective, imagine illegally downloading a set of ISOs for a high-priced piece of software (like FLUENT) and still end up paying more for it than buying it legally.

(2) I can see myself using this for maps when I get lost or something, but you're right. It would be stupid to use it for downloading iTunes music or anything. Loading pages without images would probably put me under the radar since you'd be crazy to look at anything more complicated than a Wikipedia page with the browsers on these phones anyway. I just don't like the size of the cell phone screen, and the hardware isn't good enough to load a regular page quickly enough anyway.

(3) I won't tether as my primary connection. I have wireless at home and wireless on campus. Again, my primary use would be for maps if I get lost on a road trip.

(4) I would use T-Mobile if people I know would use it, but mobile-to-mobile is what's keeping me hooked.