3G HSDPA Question: Phone as Modem?

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Stuart
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3G HSDPA Question: Phone as Modem?

Post by Stuart »

Okay, so I am due for an upgrade on my Talk 120 contract soon, and I was thinking of doing something a little different. I really don't care about having the fanciest phone on the market: As long as I can make calls I'm happy. So I was thinking of doing something a little different.

In addition to my Talk 120, I have a separate 3G HSDPA contract, with its own SIM, which came with a E220 USB modem. (You know, the one that doesn't work in Vista, which I am using in Vista.) Anyway, I am using the HSDPA on my laptop when I am away (I use my ADSL when I am at home), but only with the USB modem and my laptop. I don't have an HSDPA phone.

So, I was thinking, when my Talk 120 is up for renewal, of getting something like the Sony Ericcson K850i, which supports HSDPA. I would then continue to use my D600 with my Talk 120 contract, and put my HSDPA SIM in the K850i. So here's my question.

I've never used a phone as a modem before. I don't want to have to pull the SIM out of the phone and put it in the USB modem every time I want to use HSDPA on my laptop. If I use the phone as a modem on my laptop via USB, can I surf at full HSDPA speeds? Will the HSDPA modem be any faster? Could I completely do away with the USB modem (which doesn't work in Vista anyway!) and only use the phone? That way, I could surf on the phone when I am in the doctor's waiting room, and still use the phone as a modem when I am on holiday, away from my ADSL. Would this work?

Edit: Sorry if this has already been asked. I will admit it: I didn't search first. :oops:
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douglash
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Post by douglash »

yes, you will be able to surf using the HSDPA of your phone at the same speed as the modem...

the only thing that affects the speed is the signal strength...

the plus side of this is if your modem cannot get signal, you have no signal, but if you have a phone used as a modem and there is no HSDPA coverage then the phone can switch to EDGE or GPRS if need be...
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Post by PsyCLown »

I dont see why it wouldnt work.
Also your phone should give you full speed if not slightly faster (I remembered the normal 3GB Vodacom modems were slower than 3G phones used as a modem)
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Stuart
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Post by Stuart »

Ah, thank you, kind sirs. I now eagerly await my upgrade date.
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Post by Y0da »

Uhm...you sure you're E220 don't doesn't support HSDPA? Coz my data card does. It shows up as 3G+. If you are connecting at 1.8mbs then you are already on HSDPA.
Just when I got the hang of life they changed the rules.
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Post by Hman »

And if you have a Motorola V6 Maxx you're connecting at 3.6mbps :P
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Post by po10cy »

douglash wrote:yes, you will be able to surf using the HSDPA of your phone at the same speed as the modem...

the only thing that affects the speed is the signal strength...

the plus side of this is if your modem cannot get signal, you have no signal, but if you have a phone used as a modem and there is no HSDPA coverage then the phone can switch to EDGE or GPRS if need be...
btw if you dont have hsdpa or 3g signal from your e220 modem it does connect via gprs...just fyi
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Post by douglash »

po10cy wrote:btw if you dont have hsdpa or 3g signal from your e220 modem it does connect via gprs...just fyi
ok cool - thanks for that - i was under the impression that it didn't...
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Post by po10cy »

what happens is, it is 3g/hsdpa preffered, but if there is no signal for that it will automatically switch over to gprs, lank slow, but its still a connection.
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Post by AlphA »

douglash wrote:the plus side of this is if your modem cannot get signal, you have no signal, but if you have a phone used as a modem and there is no HSDPA coverage then the phone can switch to EDGE or GPRS if need be...
I use an E220 and if the signal is weak, it automatically switches from HSDPA to 3G. If the signal is really bad, it will switch to GPRS mode....
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Post by Stuart »

Y0da wrote:Uhm...you sure you're E220 don't doesn't support HSDPA? Coz my data card does. It shows up as 3G+. If you are connecting at 1.8mbs then you are already on HSDPA.
No, it DOES support HSDPA. I was just wondering if an HSDPA phone will be as fast as the E220, because I'd like to do away completely with the modem and only use a phone as a modem.
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Post by Stuart »

AlphA wrote:
douglash wrote:the plus side of this is if your modem cannot get signal, you have no signal, but if you have a phone used as a modem and there is no HSDPA coverage then the phone can switch to EDGE or GPRS if need be...
I use an E220 and if the signal is weak, it automatically switches from HSDPA to 3G. If the signal is really bad, it will switch to GPRS mode....
Do you use the E220 in a Windows environment or in Linux? I was wondering if this modem works in Linux.
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Post by Y0da »

Ah...kk. That would depend entirely on the phonne I guess.
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Post by Rish_zn »

So, I was thinking, when my Talk 120 is up for renewal, of getting something like the Sony Ericcson K850i,

Nice fone that sir.... Its the new King of Camera Fones...

/Fanboi Mode
Bye bye N95...
Welcome Se K850i
Sony Erricson FTW!!!!!!!!!
/Fanboi Mode off
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Post by AlphA »

schase wrote:
AlphA wrote:
douglash wrote:the plus side of this is if your modem cannot get signal, you have no signal, but if you have a phone used as a modem and there is no HSDPA coverage then the phone can switch to EDGE or GPRS if need be...
I use an E220 and if the signal is weak, it automatically switches from HSDPA to 3G. If the signal is really bad, it will switch to GPRS mode....
Do you use the E220 in a Windows environment or in Linux? I was wondering if this modem works in Linux.
I use it on my XP laptop (work issue laptop and 3G). Just for interest sake, I plugged it in my Kubuntu system....didnt even get picked up. The modem has Win32 executable software on it, so no such luck :(
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Post by bootsie »

the problem would be - if the phone canot be charged from the usb then u wud have battery life issues - i was thinking of the same thing (phone as modem) but opted for a modem as couple vodashop ppl said the modem is better.
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Post by AlphA »

My W810i charges via USB......I can only assume the K850i would as well as its a superior model in the SE range.
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Post by Hman »

bootsie wrote:...couple vodashop ppl said...
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Post by Rish_zn »

bootsie wrote:the problem would be - if the phone canot be charged from the usb then u wud have battery life issues - i was thinking of the same thing (phone as modem) but opted for a modem as couple vodashop ppl said the modem is better.
I would assume that dedicated modem they supply you is much better than the fone, speed and stability wise, but i have to do some research on that to be absolutely certain, I can guarantee you than a fixed line connection at 384k is far superior that using 3g through a phone at those speeds, i used both and can can definatley see a speed difference, the pings are much lower on fixed line connections too which makes it far better for gaming.
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Post by Stuart »

Ah, but I wouldn't use it for gaming. Just for surfing and email.
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Post by AlphA »

Rish_zn wrote: I can guarantee you than a fixed line connection at 384k is far superior that using 3g through a phone at those speeds, i used both and can can definatley see a speed difference, the pings are much lower on fixed line connections too which makes it far better for gaming.
Agreed. I also have 384K and a HSDPA connection. The 384K DSL line seems faster. I dont game with my connection though (well, except for Xbox360 games), I mostly use the connections for VPN access to work.
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Post by Stuart »

I have a 4Mbps line at home, so I only have a 500MB contract with 3G. I'm really not worried about achieving top speeds most of the time. As long as I can surf a little and check email while on holiday, or when my Telkom line is down, I'm happy.
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Post by AlphA »

3G (via your phone) will suit you fine then ;-)
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Post by _SamIAm_ »

Rish_zn wrote:
So, I was thinking, when my Talk 120 is up for renewal, of getting something like the Sony Ericcson K850i,

Nice fone that sir.... Its the new King of Camera Fones...

/Fanboi Mode
Bye bye N95...
Welcome Se K850i
Sony Erricson FTW!!!!!!!!!
/Fanboi Mode off

QFT, my previous phone was the P910 which i never had any issues with and now i got the N73 which has given me endless hassle...

anyway back to topic, use of a phone as your modem makes life a hell of alot easier no need to carry around a modem... and just checked and the K850i should be compatible with Vista :)
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Post by Slasher »

Rish_zn wrote:
So, I was thinking, when my Talk 120 is up for renewal, of getting something like the Sony Ericcson K850i,

Nice fone that sir.... Its the new King of Camera Fones...

/Fanboi Mode
Bye bye N95...
Welcome Se K850i
Sony Erricson FTW!!!!!!!!!
/Fanboi Mode off
What camera does the K850i have? 6 MP?

I will gladly take that N95 away from you and give you my 6100 in exchange... Okay? Deal?
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