[Tolan]

Hi everyone,

I am looking into using either an Evdo BB (Bell/Telus) or an Edge BB (8700r Rogers). I am wanting to use it as a modem to my laptop as well.

I am up to speed on HOW to configure it as a modem - that is the easy part. Thanks Mark!!!

I am in Canada and can either go to Bell Telus or Rogers. Each has their own flavor of Blackberry plans ranging from a 25mb cap to 50mb cap (depending on the carrier). Sadly (and confusingly) they are promoted as UNLIMITED with fine print. I have access to a BES. So now I am debating on getting an Evdo or Edge Blackberry.

Data usage - I have access to a BES. There is no routing through the BES to reduce data usage correct? Am I correct that usage is as a regular wireless data connection? I could easily blow through the data cap right? And pay BIG overages? I read Mark's posts on his ordeal with data usage costs.

I take it the cellphone companies are not going to let people easily get around buying an EVDO card for their laptop and a BIG data plan by getting an EVDO blackberry and using that as a modem. If one could get compressed data through a BES and be billed less and have an unlimited plan* (is there in the world a truly unlimited Data plan for the BB???) the cellphone companies might not like that. I have seen that anytime people find a loophole to get around the system it gets closed off after a while.

What are the real costs in running an Edge/Evdo BB as a modem? It might be worth it for me just to buy a card for my laptop or use WiFi. It would be good to know for emergencies if I wanted to hook it up for a connection on the laptop.

Everyone is getting excited at hooking these bad boys up as a modem - BUT what will it cost them in the end? Has anyone gotten confirmed connection speeds of the EVDO blackberry? It would be interesting to see how fast one can blow through the data cap.

Lastly can anyone confirm if being on a BES will have any benefit to using this as a modem?

Canadian cost input would be great!


Cheers

[Jase88]

Bell has no "cap"--truly unlimited.

Routing through a BES will likely increase data traffic. There's more sync traffic.

The Blackberry 7130e allows tethering for data with Bell Mobility. The 7250, also with Bell and Telus, will soon offer this ability. No additional costs with Bell. Not sure about Telus.

BES offers no advantage to tethering.

[Berry One]

>There is no routing through the BES to reduce data usage correct?

Correct.

>Am I correct that usage is as a regular wireless data connection?

Correct.

>I could easily blow through the data cap right? And pay BIG overages?

Correct.

>What are the real costs in running an Edge/Evdo BB as a modem?

They usually spelled on a wireless provider web site, in dollars per megabyte.

>Has anyone gotten confirmed connection speeds of the EVDO blackberry? It would be interesting to see how fast one can blow through the data cap.

Connection speed does not matter. www.cnn.com web page will be of the same size in kilobytes regardless of connection speed. Non-stop 24 hours downloading with GPRS will blow you through Rogers data cap in just few days.

>Lastly can anyone confirm if being on a BES will have any benefit to using this as a modem?

Confirmed.

[ShaneToronto]

isn't it another year before Rogers actually releases the 8700?

[markhutchison]

Originally Posted by ShaneToronto

isn't it another year before Rogers actually releases the 8700?

The 8700r is on sale with Rogers now (had one in my hand a few minutes ago) for $499.99 on a 36 month term.
---

Originally Posted by Tolan

I take it the cellphone companies are not going to let people easily get around buying an EVDO card for their laptop and a BIG data plan by getting an EVDO blackberry and using that as a modem. If one could get compressed data through a BES and be billed less and have an unlimited plan* (is there in the world a truly unlimited Data plan for the BB???)

Bell Mobility has just released new BlackBerry Data rates to support the new tethering capabilities of the 7130e (and soon the 7250).

Monthly Rates | Data Volume | Additional Volume | Laptop-Internet Bridge
$25 | 0.5MB | $30/MB | $12/MB
$40 | 1.0MB | $ 8/MB | $ 8/MB
$60 | Unlimited* | N/A | $ 6/MB
$100 | Unlimited* | N/A | Unlimited*

Where the * denotes that Bell Mobility reserves the right to limit usage upon abuse. From what I have been told, Bell Mobility has never exercised this right. See the following Website for details on the new data rates:

http://www.businessonthego1.com/engl...blackberry.asp
---

Originally Posted by Tolan

Has anyone gotten confirmed connection speeds of the EVDO blackberry?

I have seen a laptop running an EvDO card get right around 1 Mb downstream and about 800 Kb upstream. The test was run mid afternoon in Toronto so it should be a fairly realistic expectation. I have been given feedback on cards hitting around 1.5 Mb for downstream in off-peak times.
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[ve3sy]

Originally Posted by markhutchison

Bell Mobility has just released new BlackBerry Data rates to support the new tethering capabilities of the 7130e (and soon the 7250).

Monthly Rates | Data Volume | Additional Volume | Laptop-Internet Bridge
$25 | 0.5MB | $30/MB | $12/MB
$40 | 1.0MB | $ 8/MB | $ 8/MB
$60 | Unlimited* | N/A | $ 6/MB
$100 | Unlimited* | N/A | Unlimited*

Where the * denotes that Bell Mobility reserves the right to limit usage upon abuse. From what I have been told, Bell Mobility has never exercised this right. See the following Website for details on the new data rates:

http://www.businessonthego1.com/engl...blackberry.asp
---

Has anyone seen how Rogers bills for using the 8700 as a Modem? I configured mine and it works however a bit leary on using it till I know the consequences