3G iPhone $199!!!

[Dean]

If the rumors are true, I am all over this when they come out in June.

That will be the last straw to dump my hard line and Verizon and go to Dry Loop/Line DSL and end up saving money in the long run, even at $60+ per month fees.

If they would let me tether to it on the standard data plan, I'd contemplate dumping the DSL as well.

[tysonK]

I hear 3G coverage is sketchy.

and post link or said rumor.

[Dean]

I assume it will fall back to Edge (2.5g) as needed.

linky to Fortune article picked up by everyone else.

Coverage isn't that bad at least according to their map

[100_Percent_Juice]

I personally am never going to get an iphone of any kind. 5 of my friends got them and IMO they get horrible reception and they are constantly dropping calls with me. I don't think its the network because this was not a previous problem.

[bxracer69]

I just got one last week and I love it, my buddy at work will not put it down and is now getting one too. Haven't had a problem with any dropped calls or anything

[van]

Originally Posted by bxracer69

I just got one last week and I love it, my buddy at work will not put it down and is now getting one too. Haven't had a problem with any dropped calls or anything

me too, I've been with verizon for the past 5 years after leaving att with a hatred of there company and coverage. I almost went the unlocked w/ tmobile way but I am lazy and don't want to deal with hacked shit. I am happy with att's improvements with coverage and service, Haven't had any dropped calls, although the edge coverage seems a bit better/faster in most of california compared to sparks.

[sti deede]

I love my iPhone and I cant remember life without it. I use it all the time. Especially the map portion great for finding places. I haven't been in sac long enough to know where everything is. As for coverage and quality of calls, this has been by best phone yet. I had a razor last and it was awful. It gave me the worst case of turrets syndrome ever! Josh wants the new one when it comes out. He says it is supposed to have gps as well.

[Libila]

If it's in the $200-300 range I'll get one for sure. AT&T's coverage looks solid around my next base too.

[NevadaSTi]

I have ATT, and a 3G compatable phone. The only reason I haven't gotten a Blackberry Curve, is because it isn't 3G capable. I might have to look into the iPhone as a replacement.

My current 3G phone will revert back to Edge and G connections depending on what is available in the area. BTW, you have 3G coverage from Gardnerville to Reno. Once you start heading out into the outer areas, you bump back to Edge. When I first got my LG phone, there was no 3G in the area. Then one morning I noticed it was connecting to something different.

[Kevin M]

I've got a 3G RAZR. Pretty much anytime I'm using the interwebs I've had 3G access, plus some other times when I didn't really need it like sending picture or video messages.

[sperry]

How fast is 3G? Would a 3G airport card for a laptop actually be useful, or are we talking wireless 56K?

[Dean]

This is what I found:

MT-2000 specifies a minimum data rate of 144 kilobits/second in high-mobility (vehicular) applications, 384 kilobits/second for pedestrian applications, and 2 megabits/second for indoor (stationary) applications.

The maximum speed is 2.4 Megabits per second on the download link and 153.6 kilobits per second on the upload link.

Thew total max bandwidth of 2.4 Mbits are to be shared by all users within a single cell sector. One cell normally has 3 sectors to cover the full 360 degrees area around a cell antenna tower.

Probably not fast enough to replace wired home Intarweb, but more than enough to browse and such.

[Kevin M]

Especially not when that bandwidth is shared.

[sperry]

Meh, doesn't sound worth it considering it's like what, $100/mo for access?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Meh, doesn't sound worth it considering it's like what, $100/mo for access?

Added to an existing data plan like on the iPhone, I think it is only $10-$20.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Added to an existing data plan like on the iPhone, I think it is only $10-$20.

Yeah, but I don't really want an iPhone... I'm pretty happy w/ the phone I've got.

How about a phone that's 3G with a bluetooth repeater that allows a laptop to get online through the phone's data plan? Or better yet, a 3G phone that's also an 802.11g wireless hub?

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Yeah, but I don't really want an iPhone... I'm pretty happy w/ the phone I've got.

How about a phone that's 3G with a bluetooth repeater that allows a laptop to get online through the phone's data plan? Or better yet, a 3G phone that's also an 802.11g wireless hub?

Um, yes, they do that... That is what we are talking about. USB, Bluetooth, 802.11 tethering.

[tysonK]

Originally Posted by Dean

...802.11 tethering.

That might not be the included data plan, unless you fool them into thinking you actually surf that much bandwidth only off your phone.



legitimate!!

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Um, yes, they do that... That is what we are talking about. USB, Bluetooth, 802.11 tethering.

I was under the impression that the iPhone was purposely crippled to allow only headset use w/ the bluetooth, and that the 802.11 antenna was on the iPod Touch and not included on the iPhone (which is moot anyway, since that's still not acting as an 802.11 router).

[Dean]

Originally Posted by tysonK

That might not be the included data plan, unless you fool them into thinking you actually surf that much bandwidth only off your phone.



legitimate!!

That is why it costs more to tether. It is called DataConnect or some such...

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by sperry

I was under the impression that the iPhone was purposely crippled to allow only headset use w/ the bluetooth, and that the 802.11 antenna was on the iPod Touch and not included on the iPhone (which is moot anyway, since that's still not acting as an 802.11 router).

Moot, but the iPhone does have 802.11 b (and g I think too). No clue on if a bluetooth tether is even an option, or if the iPhone can share its connection over WiFi.

But, in most cases, I've heard of stories of people getting their cell phone service canceled when they started to use their cell phone plan as a main internet connection. I believe the letter was something like "You've used too much data on your unlimited data plan, so we are canceling everything." I think we're talking gigs of data here (The one story I remember hearing was around 5gb/mo, and this was on Verizon).

[Dean]

Yeah, I think they max you out at 5 Gigabytes/Mo.

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by Dean

Yeah, I think they max you out at 5 Gigabytes/Mo.

Which is beyond funny for an 'unlimited' data plan.

"Yes, exactly sir. Its unlimited up to 5gb/mo"

[Dean]

Originally Posted by Nick Koan

Which is beyond funny for an 'unlimited' data plan.

"Yes, exactly sir. Its unlimited up to 5gb/mo"

"Data connect" which is for other devices is not unlimited, it is limited to 5GB.

Unlimited data plans apply to phone requested/generated data. AKA SAfari, email and other phone based app data.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

"Data connect" which is for other devices is not unlimited, it is limited to 5GB.

Unlimited data plans apply to phone requested/generated data. AKA SAfari, email and other phone based app data.

So what you guys are saying is that it's a waste of money. Got it.