Is that just with the Curve or can you do that with a laptop too?
It would be nice if someone would write a matrix of available add on plans ($10 H@H or regular $20 Hotspot addon plans) and what access they provide you with either a phone or a laptop. Here is an attempt at one.
The first table is for what you can do at a general 3rd party or home WiFi site that you have access to (either it's an open WiFi site or you got access from the site's owner through other means). Pretty much the only thing that matters is whether or not you have H@H and that just affects whether the UMA feature is unlimited or costs minutes:
Code:
Open Wifi network
Neither H@H Hotspot Both
8320 data use unl unl unl unl
8320 UMA calls mins unl mins? unl
laptop data use unl unl unl unl
The next table is what you might be able to do at a T-Mobile branded Hotspot site, depending on which plans you may have signed up for. Since T-Mobile can set the access policies for these sites this table is a little more complicated than the first table that assumed you had WiFi access:
Code:
T-Mobile Hotspot
Neither H@H Hotspot Both
8320 data use No unl unl? unl
8320 UMA calls mins unl mins? unl
laptop data use No No unl unl
If anyone has any info to fill in the missing pieces of that table, let me know and I'll try to keep it updated. The only issue still unconfirmed/TBD is whether or not the Hotspot plan gives the 8320 any privileges over having no addon plan. I think the answer is that they allow UMA access and charge you minutes, but haven't confirmed the answer since I don't have the plan. I would also think that they would allow you data usage since there is no way to distinguish your phone from a regular laptop user.
(Edit 1: From T-Mobile's H@H FAQ - H@H does not let you use your laptop at T-Mobile Hotspots)
(Edit 2: Added lots of explanation text about the tables)
(Edit 3: Confirmed today that my 8320 with no H@H and no Hotspot plan connected to a Starbucks Hotspot site for "uma" (lowercase) - made 2 phone calls with GSM radio turned off - couldn't use data, but my connection was poor as I was outside the store)
(Edit 4: Sat in a Starbucks for 5 minutes today to confirm that you can only browse the T-Mobile "buy a Hotspot plan or cool WiFi device from us" web pages through their Hotspot if you don't have either access plan...)
T-Mo curve + $9.99 UMA plan = free browsing with Hotspots?
